WELCOME !!!

We are a group of individuals who weigh or have weighed 300+, or near there. This group was formed to provide a place for others like us to find support and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.

We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We often use a "Topic of the Day" for discussion.

Motivational Monday
Tuesday Tips
Wednesday Wish List .. and What you are doing to obtain it.
Thankful Thursday
FUN Friday ... don't wait until you lose your weight.
Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Share your Success Sunday

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We often find them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations.

We have several extra threads going on simutaneously such as Monthly Challenges, Weekly Weigh-ins, Recipes, Bios, and more. Please feel free to check them all out.

We have a bi-weekly 2x2 Challenge.
Our goal is to lose 2 lbs in 2 weeks.
We have a long term goal of losing 300+ lbs within our 300+ group in 2005.

We have found this thread to be more than just a support group...
we have found it to become a home. We invite you to join us.

WELCOME!

Hi gang... Haven't yet caught up on reading, but I'm back... I suspect there are new folks wondering "Who's she?" so excuse me if I talk like you know me

I was trying to give myself a break while I finished a deadline and did some grieving, but I'm not going to make my June 1 deadline, and I'm gaining, so this
has to end and I have to get back OP.

At least I haven't gained back EVERYTHING I lost last year, but I've gained back a lot. One day at a time, eh, and I'm going to try to make today a good OP day. I'm starting slow... sorry to all you gals who have to be at the office, but I'm actually not teaching in May so life is slow... well, except for this pesky book I'm supposed to be finishing

I've been having good days and bad, coping with the suicide of a friend at the end of March. Some days I manage to focus on myself and my work and other days I don't. I'm trying a new strategy: doing proactive things to grieve, and allowing myself to think of that as an okay thing to do rather than a distraction from my work, and hoping maybe that'll help me keep on track with my things.

Okay, time to eat my oatmeal and get my butt out the door. I'll check back more often. Sorry to have been MIA, hope you all are well.

LILLION: Wgat is this SCA you talk about?

Hey Gang!
how is everyone? I'm doing great. haven't posted in a while, but I come every day to read and to see how every body is doing. well guys I'm down 3lbs and I know thats not a lot but I'm down to the old hard fat, the kind that has to be burned off! so thats a total of 9 lbs so far this mt and check this out, 10 inches so I'm feeling good right now!

2x2 challenge
Judy
Audrey

Guys I forgot, who do I pm my wt to?????

Well, I want everyone to hang in there! take it one day and one pound at a time!!! that way you won't feel overwhemed!!!!

Audrey

Mertz – I am working on those pics… I’ll probably just send a link to my website… but I gotta figure out how to use the FTP from my providers webpage. They changed everything recently! I will try to get that up by tonight… I hope…

Talk about stress… check this out:

I graduate in December, trying to figure out calculus before my midterm on Thursday, trying to plan a wedding (tho that’s not going far with to much other stuff going on), got a HUGE paper due on Thursday as well... calling city to rent a dumpster, calling an equipment rental place to find out about renting a bob cat, gotta get all this done by the weekend, we have a pool being delivered and have to have the backyard prepped, but in order to do that we have to clean out the WHOLE backyard (hence why i need a dumpster and a bobcat) on top of that, I have a 10 page report I have to do for my Honors for my degree which is due in August …among that a few other small things, OH! and of course the necessary other crap that pops up, like my mom or my sister calling me over for help and other things. EEK! *hyperventilating* BREATH IN BREATH OUT…

Okie… We just need a big hug and some breathing space…

I don’t wanna weigh myself with all this stress going on, but I do know I’ve been doing sorta okie with my eating… I think I’ll just take a week or two off before weighing myself again… it might be discouraging if I see I gained weight back… I want off this weight loss roller coaster…. Once I can get things situated and less hectic I will work harder at doing much better with my program.

Take care everyone…
Sue…

Whoops! Forgot to sign up for the 2x2

2x2 challenge
Judy
Audrey
Lilion

Sue: I'll give you big hugs. ((HUGS)) Just keep thinking, "Soon all the stress will be over...It's all worth it in the end."

Detroitlady: Send your weight to Terri (determined to succeed).

Angela: Glad to hear things are getting back on track! What's your book about?

Barb: The SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism. To quote the main website: "The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe... Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which may feature tournaments, arts exhibits, classes, workshops, dancing, feasts, and more." Basically, we have monthly meetings that are "business" meetings and then we have "Arts and Sciences" meetings, where we learn cool stuff about medieval Europe. Anything that was done in the middle ages; you can find someone in the SCA that does it. I sew and tablet weave. DH makes chain mail armor. He also does heavy weapons fighting. The participants dress in full armor and do full-contact fighting with rattan swords (don't want to really chop someone's head off after all) but even with wood swords it's a rough sport. There are women fighters too, but I sit on the sidelines in a pretty gown and work on my embroidery! It's fair to say we are recreating the Middle Ages "as they ought to have been." We have equal rights, indoor plumbing, you are only a peasant if you want to be and few people die of the plague!

You pick a medieval name and persona. In fact, my name here is my SCA name. Formally, I am Lady Liliona de Assartis, a 12th century Anglo-Norman lady. Liliona is shortened to Lilion - Lilion being english, Liliona being latin.

We freely admit to being mega-nerds, but it's a lot of fun. Consider it history buffs taking it to extremes. Anyone with any interest can check out their website www.sca.org.

DH and I also are on our local Renaissance Festival committee, which is a completely different thing from the SCA. We put on a festival the last weekend in June. Also a heck of a good time.

Had printer wouldn't talk to computer problems today. It would scan, but then not print what I scanned. They were getting along fine yesterday. Something must have happened while I was sleeping. Maybe the printer hurt the computers feelings, or welched on a bet. I have given up for the time being. I will turn it on tomorrow, and it will probably act fine.

My doctor's appointment went fine. I must say it is nicer to go to the doctor after losing 20 more pounds than to go after gaining them. I actually ate out today for lunch. I hardly ever eat out. After my water aerobics class it was too late to go home, and too early to go to my Drs. appointment, so we went to the health food store. They have a nice salad bar, soup bar, sushi, etc. I reminded myself that organic doesn't mean low-calorie. One side had all of the "white salads." I can truthfully say that I wasn't even tempted by them. That really surprised me. If you remain OP long enough, your body doesn't even crave that stuff anymore. I was instead excited about the selection of different types of greens and heirloom tomatoes. Who is that masked woman pretending to be me? I saw a large woman on the other side loading up on macaroni salad and potato salad. I wanted to walk up and slap the spoon out of her hand. The last thing I want to become is some kind of "born again, dieter" who is holier than thou. I feel like I have just found out about the greatest sale, and want to tell everyone I meet. I don't because I know that wouldn't have worked with me at my largest, so I don't want to put someone off. It would be my luck to have someone go postal on me.

2x2 challenge
Judy
Audrey
Julee

I went to another lousy hoop-de-doo thing last night...thank goodness BF was there. The cocktail hour and appetizers were eh...they did have a sushi station with sashimi..but it wasn't great. They had lots of veggies and a carving station...we shared a tiny bit of the meat that looked very lean which was good...but everything else was breaded, fried or both...so we didn't eat so much before hand which was good. The dinner sucked the big one. We have a horrible caterer here...no clue. We got the chicken entree with no sauce which left it flavorless...but the veggie entree was pasta and I do NOT eat veal. Oh well...we lived and I only had one of the breaded chicken skewers...why she couldn't make non-breaded satay was beyond me..she has done it before but whatever...it's only once a year, although there is one more work-related dinner in a few weeks.

Work is work...it's still hot...but it was nice being all dressed up last night and getting the compliments and feeling pretty. I am 9 lbs away from making a doctors appointment, so Catherine, I know what you mean. I told myself that when I had lost 50 lbs I'd go back. My goal is to be able to be weaned off of my BP meds at some point. At least before cold season kicks in again. The HBP formulas don't work so well for me.

Ugh...time to run...happy Monday...

p.s. I LOOOOOVVVVEEEEE the new Diet Coke with Splenda (blue label). No funk aftertaste and still 0 calories. Mind you I am NOT a diet soda fan, but I give this a thumbs up.

Hey gang, having a good day. Beautiful weather here, and a friend came and kidnapped me with her two dogs... we went to the lake and threw sticks and balls for them and watched hawks and ducks. Angie's shepherd wanted to herd the ducks, and stopping him was a challenge. Oh, check out my pic on the picture page... baby foxes have been born in the gully behind my apartment building for the second year in a row, so I posted a picture of one taking a nap in my driveway. Also took a walk with another friend and her 13-month-old, my unofficial niece, who's just really started walking... she walked about 3 blocks with us before we gave up and put her in her stroller to get the rest of the way to the coffee shop. Ah, summer!

I also wrote a whole paragraph and revised a coupla sentences. Ah, er, progress.

BARB---Your name is self-destructing! You do come up with the coolest graphics.

LILION---I think the SCA is incredibly cool! It takes guts to be unabashedly nerdy, and enthusiasm is maybe the coolest thing in the universe... I always love it when I see SCA folk doing their thing (there always seems to be a group near any university I've worked at). My book is about American women writers during the Revolutionary era. Twas my dissertation, and I've been lucky enough to get a contract from an academic publisher, but they asked for major revisions.

CATHERINE---Hope your electronic soap opera gets worked out. LMAO. Good job at lunch... you inspired me, I had dinner at my fav restaurant and did soup and salad.

JULEE---I too am hoping to get to a point where I could get off bp meds. Good luck... hope that last 9 pounds goes fast.

More in a bit... love you guys.

2x2 challenge
Judy
Audrey
Julee
Shadiepurple


Greeting ladies . Well, it's Monday AGAIN. It just keeps popping up. Well, this 2x2 is done and I have finished ahead of myself. Last week I had gained almost a pound for no real reason. Puzzled, I decided to up my intake a bit and....TADAAA I lost 6 pounds this week . I'm sooooooo happy . I can't wait for this 2x2 to start

I know I couldn't have done it without the support and stories shared here by all of you. Thank you. I'm doing well this dieting time around. I've brain washed my self to know this is how I'm suposed to eat, not just for a little while, but forever if I want to walk and enjoy my whole life. I truely haven't felt left out or cheated with my food this time. I feel differnt inside than I ever have in the past with this battle. I have never been "Normal". I look at photos now and get angry at all the people who convinced me I was FAT, when I was 20 or 30 pounds overweight. Now I know that had alot to do with my self talk for all these years. I won't hear that crap any more. I'm replacing those old negative recordings with good stuff. Thats the only way I'm going to make my life the way I want it to be.

Well, blah, blah, blah again. Yeahhhh to us all. And big strong hugs of support.
Enjoy your life and have a super week.

Hi gang!

Sorry for being AWOL but life has been so busy lately and doesn't look to let up for the summer. I'm busy training to show horses and have been in two shows. Ribbons in one and skunked on the other. But I have learned so much. About the horse and about myself too. That has done wonders for my self-esteem. On Saturday, someone broke in and stole my saddles at the barn. So I've been dealing with that now. Exercise has been hit and miss. Food has been pretty good with occassional slips but nothing big. I'm pretty satisfied with how I'm doing.

I'm claiming two pounds down for the challenge. I was thrilled to see 242.8 on the scale. Its been 8 years or more since I've been this low. I'm finding more and more clothes are looking dowdy so they get cast off to the Goodwill pile. I also have a pile of size 2X t-shirts that I have been saving for 9 or 10 years from when I had gotten down to 228 and got all these cool shirts. I have hung onto them all this time for the hopes of wearing them again. I am just about ready to drag them out to wear. Fat roll or not. I have changed from being so self conscious about the fat roll around the middle to not caring because I can't stand big shirts anymore.

I have to run because dinner is ready.

But so far I've got us at 20 pounds lost for the 2x2 and our grand total is 337 pounds gone this year. That is so awesome.

Its not to late to be counted if you haven't send your PM.

Tata!

Fine! Ignore me! I signed up for the 2x2! (It's all Julee's fault!)

So let's try this again!

2x2 Challenge
Judy
Audrey
Lilion
Julee
Shadiepurple

Shadiepurple: Good Work on the loss!!! I know what you mean about being convinced you were fat when you really weren't. My goal is what my driver's license says, 190. I haven't changed it since I was 19! I was about a size 16 and I was always "the fat girl" in school. At 5'10" and large framed, I should be about 170.

Julee: I'm not sure if I've had Diet Coke with Splenda or not. I got it at Longhorn the other day and it just tasted "different". DH says he really doesn't like it much, but we have been Diet Coke addicts for years so any difference isn't really better for us. I'm going to have to try it myself and see for sure.

Well ladies, off with me for the night!

So much inspiring success...

Shadiepurple---Great attitude! Great motivation for a Monday! Congrats on the loss!

Terri--WAY TO GO!

Lilion--I think you're going to make that 4th of July goal, don't you? Whoopee!

Hi everyone. I have been working out so hard. I have wi tomorrow. Next week I will change it to be on Mondays so I can join in on your 2x2 challenges. I have been enjoying my workouts and am looking forward to when I can have enough weight off of my hip to walk and take walks with my dogs. I don't have a Dr. approval right now because I have a hip injury. I can see a way out of this mess for once in my life. I am so excited to be a part of your group and I thank you for all of your support and posts. They are all so encouraging.

Catherine: Good luck in the a.m. that your computer and printer kissed and made up sometime in the night! I think you are the one who posted about an article in People magazine that showed some people that have lost significant amounts of weight. I got it in the mail today and I cut the pictures out an have them in my file. Thank you for letting us know. If it wasn't you, I thank whomever it was and I am sorry I didn't get the person right.

Julee and Angela: I am also hoping to get off of some different medications as my weight goes down. I know the feeling and I am trying very hard to loose as much as I can before I have to go see my Dr. again too. She is wonderful but I just want to see her smile at my progress.

Shadie: YEA! You Rock Girl! I am soooo happy for you on your 6 pound loss. I weigh in tomorrow a.m as I said earlier. I am down 17 since I started. So, since I am about 50 or 60 pounds more than you, you can tell me what it feels like to get to certain weights. It will give me something to Look forward to

Determined: What breed of horses do you have. Do you train them for other people or are they all for yourself? I am sorry to hear about your saddles. I know how expensive they are and when you have one that fits your bootie it would be almost like loosing your favorite underware! I hope they will be recovered by police or whomever and in good shape. Congrats on your win and sorry about your loss at the horse show.

Well, If I missed anyone it was because I don't have a comment or I am very forgetful. I hope that you are all blessed and happy and hang in there with this journey.

Blessings,
Dogpal,
Andrea

Hello all,

I've been having a lot of back pain lately, I think it's due to not working out..have any of you experienced this? It's sick, I cannot wait for the day to come where I don't have to wake up with a back ache, LOL. I am TOTALLY pumped to lose weight for the next 2X2 Challenge, especially now that I have an accurate scale...yay!!

Anyone read any good books lately? I'd highly recommend Zorro by Isabel Allende, it's a beautiful tale!

2x2 Challenge
Judy
Audrey
Lilion
Julee
Shadiepurple
MissMeliss