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 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!

I know you'll all agree that we are really thankful for the free services here at 3FC. The sisters offer all of this support and information with no charges to us. There are a couple of ways though that we can help out.

If you are thinking about buying anything at Amazon, why not help out 3FC at the same time? You can do this by clicking on the button for Amazon on any page in the forum, or by clicking on the button on the main 3FC page at www.3fatchicks.com . A portion of your purchase price will be given to 3FC by Amazon. It doesn't increase your price at all, but it does help out 3FC. You can use any of the Amazon.com links that you see on the site in order to help contribute to the site.

Also, BTW, in case you didn't know it, you can view the message boards "ad free" for a minimal charge. I think it's like $15 for 6 months. A very small investment to be rid of the annoying ads and make your pages load quicker.

There have been some concerns expressed by the powers that be about copyright infringement. So please, if you are directly quoting someone else or printing an article in whole or in part, please give credit where credit is due!!!!

2LosinIt - Have you been to Disney before? I've been to the one in Orlando 4 times I believe, and I just LOVE it! You're never "too old" to have a fantastic time there, and that's one of the things I love about it!! I managed to just catch Sasha's performance on the Olympics last night, and boy did she kick BUTT! I think she's going to get the gold.

Wyllenn - Well, dang! I didn't think that they really POPPED!

Crock - Today was my lucky day at school, and both my classes got cancelled...my health because she had jury duty, and Criminal Justice, because the guy's first grandchild was just born.

Brenda - Was the peanut butter in addition to the cocoa powder? I wouldn't mind experimenting a bit, but the recipe as it was was VILE! lol...

Finally got my taxes done and filed. Looks like I'm getting back most of what I paid in, since I only made a little less than $2300 last year! UGH. Called a place that was looking for part time home health aides...could do that during the week, and have my job that I have now every other weekend, like now...they are going to send me an application, and then I have to go for an interview all the way in Kalamazoo, MI! That's about a 45 minute drive from here for me.

LOL - I was about to post on the other thread and I thought to myself - I better refresh the screen to see if Kayley has closed this thread yet. Thanks Kayley for keeping an eye on the thread lenghths.

Teresa – Welcome to 3FC and the 300+ thread! It is hard to say how much weight you could lose by July. The standard figure is 1 to 2 pounds per week, but larger people tend to lose more at first. So you might be able to be down by around 50 pounds, however for myself I am hesitant to put dates on goals because I don’t want to feel like I have failed if I don’t make a number by a certain date. Our bodies, while in some ways totally logical, can also act quite fickle at times causing strange fluctuations.

Shelly - I am glad that your weigh-in at TOPS was a success. Definitely try not to get too worried about scale fluctuations over the week. Also, it is best not to compare different scales, as some can be very inaccurate.

Heather - If you are having trouble absorbing the iron you might look into the liquid version (you can find it in most health food stores). It is more expensive, but I had a friend with anemia who said it was way better for her than taking pills.

Well, another workday when my lunchtime has extended just a bit too long. Maybe I will have some computer time tonight, but it is hard between working out after work and two hours of American Idol.

Kayley - Thanks! You are really kickin butt too!

I remember you posting about a YMCA membership a while ago. I looked into the YMCA near me, but it is somewhat expensive and I would most like to take a water aerobics class but they are all during the day.

Was a gym at school an option? Mine had one and use of it was included in our semester general fees. It might be more intimidating to work out around classmates, but it sure beats nothing.

Well School cancelled yet another day, Which turned out good, Dad is in the hospital, taken care of the kidney stones, and I am here with my sick(bronchitis) Brother (15) and Mom, of course is with dad,, I am the middle kid at 34,, I bet they never thought that I would be the one taking care of them,,,LOL I guess things happen for a reason, I got injured, taken away from my Career, Had to sell off, and Moved back in with Parents "temporarily" and they seem to have needed me more than ever these last couple months.. SO I dont feel like such a burdon now.
My BEST Friend decided I needed guideance this morning, and we were on the phone for 1.5 hrs.. She is VERY concerned that Me not having, the things that I want is going to result in failure, I tried to explain to her that for right now that I am NOT having Chips, sugars, reg Milk, Cake, I because one bite leads to a binge for me, As I am obsessed with food My life revolves around It, it is my compfort, sadness, happiness,loneliness,anger, All of my emotions revolve around food, AND I have to control this addiction I have, She said that if i want something to eat it, just in protion control,,I cant, I am learning to eat healthy and she says I have an obsession with that now, I feel that once I can open the fridge and know and understand that I can choose the right kinds of food, then and only then I will be getting somewhere, I know I am obsessed with food, **** as soon as I wake that is the thing that gets me out of bed, However, that has ceased, now that I am not craving all the time
I am not thinking of food when I awake now,, that , to me is a step in the right direction, I now that I can not lose weight and gain it all back , I went through this once and it has devastated me, And if it were to happen again, you may as well put me 6 ft under, I though long and hard , did some serious soul searching before changing my LIFE this time, and I try not to take this as a diet, it is a change of life, if I go a week with no weight loss, and know I did everything right, oh well,, my life is what is changing and the weight I do lose will be the bonus,, Once I lose 50 lbs or so, Maybe I will have a weekend of what ever I choose, However, when I am ready to do this I will know, but first I need to be in control of what I eat and do, as I am introducing foods back in Phase II, if I have cravings and trigger the food that caused it, it is something I cant have but on a LIMITED basis, She had made her a Chicken Sandwich yesterday, and apologized several times that she was eating in front of me,,, I explained the her NOT to do that I am changing my life not her! It is like smoking, to me If you quit and go 3 or 4 weeks without smoking and think ahhhhhhhh it has been three weeks since I last had a cigarette I will have one today,,, What happens? you begin smoking again, that is me with food, If I eat the chip, cookies, cake and sugars I will be eating it all the time, I am a bad food addict,, I have to work at this with the """12 Steps" you know what I mean? I may be babbling, however I need to get this off my chest, I am feeling to overwhelmed , And I need to share this with you guys, I know she means well, but I really brought me down, NOT to cheat or go off of my new Life, Just to wonder how do I take the steps not to be obsessed with food, Healthy or Bad??? am I that big of a mess,,,??????????????? I dont know, I feel there is much more to say, but I am done for now............ Sorry to be the downer for the day,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Take Care all.,

I also posted this on the other thread on SBD, but I needed and wanted to share my pissy day with you guys as well........

Nancy - I go to a community college, and although they DO have a gym, that's up at the main campus, which is about a half hour drive from where I live...and with gas as expensive as it is, I really can't afford that.

Crock - My friends tend to do this as well...saying that they are sorry for eating something in front of me...and I just have to tell them that it's a change in MY life, not theirs. I hope you get to feeling better. They are lucky you are there to care for them when they need you.

Well, I'm going to see about getting off of here, and working out a bit, as my lunch is about settled. Then, maybe see about going through a bunch of my clothes, and getting everything PUT AWAY, as my room looks like a war zone! Have a great afternoon, chicks!

Speaking of doctors, I wanted to share a part of an interesting article I saw today in the NY Times. Here is a quote:

"With all the tools available to modern medicine — the blood tests and M.R.I.'s and endoscopes — you might think that misdiagnosis has become a rare thing. But you would be wrong. Studies of autopsies have shown that doctors seriously misdiagnose fatal illnesses about 20 percent of the time. So millions of patients are being treated for the wrong disease.

As shocking as that is, the more astonishing fact may be that the rate has not really changed since the 1930's."

What this says to me is that if your instinct tells you that your doctor has it wrong, there is a good probability that they may be. Doctors don't know everything and aren't infallible. It is vital to understand what is going on for ourselves and work with our doctors to help make sure we are getting the right treatment. That is especially important for us, since many doctors will look at us and think what is wrong has to do with our weight.

The entire article is here, but you probably have to set up a user account (free) to see it: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/bu...=1&oref=slogin

Crock - People often feel that if something works for them, then it is their job to impose that on everyone else since they know it worked - FOR THEM. If you know that what you are doing is working for you, thank your friend for her concern, but kindly let her know that you have found what is working for you. We are all different and our issues with food and exercise are all different. Just because it works for her, doesn't mean at all that it will work for you. Please don't let your friend get you down.

It is snowing here. I’m getting ready to hit my version of the gym, that means doing the Stairmaster up and down to the basement doing laundry, and hitting the weights by shoveling snow. The snow is new enough to me that I am mesmerized by it, and enjoy the shoveling. I went to the Wal-Mart for the first time here. It looks pretty much like the ones back in Florida, except the entrance was very small, I guess to keep the cold air out as much as possible. Labels were also in French/English. In Florida everything is in English/Spanish.

Heather-tell your husband good luck. There is nothing wrong with a man working hard with his hands to support his family. We can’t all sit at home working on a computer.

Teresa-I’m going to be 44 in March as well. What comforts me is that I could easily be 600 lbs or worse right now. I wish I was 150, but I know that with disciple and taking all the help I can get, I will be smaller on my 45th birthday than I was on my 43rd.

hey there guys, I'm waiting for my ride but will talk when I get home tonight.

kayley~ i replaced the butter with peanut butter (most of it) as I didn't have enough lowfat butter. I also used vanilla extract. It certainly doesnt taste like the real thing but I asked hubby what he thought of it and he said it is better than eating what I cooked last night for supper *LOL* I made speghetti squash. Let's just say, it isn't something I will make for HIM again!!!

Brenda

So my fabulous fiancee called me at work today with a little surprise...instead of our regular Wednesday routine (quick dinner, WW, coffee, tv) he is taking me out somewhere special for dinner tonight since my birthday is next Thursday and he will be in class. So we'll go WI and not stay for the meeting..which is OK too. We're having a party on Sunday and I am going out to dinner with my girlfriends on my birthday next Thursday...but he wanted to do something special with me.

Of course..it looks like I have an eye infection, so that's not super romantic, but what can you do?

Crockett: I confess that I have become obsessive about food. One of my best friends has GBS surgery about 2 years ago. She lost 100 lbs and was well on her way to a much healthier lifestyle...when she got very sick and has been plagued with health problems ever since. She has gained back almost all of her weight and doesn't seem to be in a place right now to deal with that on top of everything else. In October she screamed at me for taking about food and much as I do. She said that as much as she understands what a huge part of my life this has become that she is sick and tired of hearing about it and that all it does it make her feel like crap. I of course never meant for that to happen...but now it's hard to talk to her sometimes. Be thankful for the people around you who are concerned for you and want to see you succeed and be happy and healthy. It can also be hard for people who do not have our same struggles to empathize with us.

Jason's grandfather had an angiogram the other day and whatever they saw made them want to do surgery soon...he need an artery reattached to his heart...or something like that. We're worried about him and hope that everything will be OK. Not sure yet when the surgery is..but soon.

Hope everyone else is well.

8 Days!!!

OOh quick update...I just did a BMI calculation, and my BMI has gone from 53.5 to 38.3. Still in the "obese" category...but way better than it was!!!

Hi Ladies,

I am feeling so much better thanks so much to you all! I am so blessed to have found this site last year. Ok, a while ago I posted about a job interview I had. Well, I got a letter in the mail last week from them saying although they really liked me and I was their top choice, they had to hire someone within their facility who applied at the last minute and thanks for applying. So, I was pretty depressed about it but then just decided to give it to God that He knows what is best for me etc. Well, this morning I got a phone call from them telling me that they really wanted to hire me last week but like the letter said their policy is to hire from within first and the lady that they promoted is not working out in the position at all and would I please come to work for them because there is no one else they want to hire! I was so thrilled and I told her yes. So, I start my new job on Monday the 27th Also, I have been very op for the past few days since I got all my great pep talks from you wonderful ladies and I jumped on the early cause weigh day is on Friday but I am down 5 of those pounds that I gained after Christmas. I won't change my tracker yet until after Friday's weigh in offically.

Tashabella: I am praying things are going to be just fine for you with your second Dr. visit. Hang in there. I am the one who asked you about your job. I will also pray that you can find a better job really soon.


Catherine: I try to pass the mirror when naked. I commend you for looking. I think I will get to the point but I hate to look right now because I am feeling more positive and I know that will bring me down. Isn't snow grand! I am still new to the snow also and I think it is so beautiful. My husband and I love to go out into the country with our dogs and let them run and play in the snow. They are new to the snow too and love it.

Ammi: Thanks sweetie for checking on me. Yes I am better back on op and feeling hopeful. That is the best feeling in the world to me. Hopeful that there is hope not all is lost.

Heather: Good luck to your hubby getting the job.

Teresa: I'm looking forward to being on this journey with you.

Crock: Wow! Splitting firewood is the best exercise. You go girl. I haven't done hard labor stuff like that in years. I'm impressed.

Garnetfairy: -20 pounds so far since Jan. 1st is so great! Keep up the good work.

Princesspuffypants: LOL You crack me up. Ok, wild hair has been clipped! I'm sorry. I was so down and depressed and just wanted to crawl in bed. Thanks to all of you and my hubby I am back and doing well. My attitude has been adjusted!

2Losinit: I have been watching the olympics pretty much daily if I can. I love them. I think they are all wonderful. I especially like the women's ice skaters and speed skating. I look forward to when I get some weight off and I am fit enough to try snow skiing again. It has been years.

Christine: Yea for you! 10% of your weight loss is so great.

Wylenn: Oh my, I swear every day when I get on my ball I cringe thinking that at any second it's gonna blow! I have seen one do that before when my nephew was on it but he accidentally poked it with something while bouncing. Hope you get back up on the ball and it doesn't scare you off.

Robwen: Congrats on -2. That is super.

To everyone else. Keep on trying we can do this with each other's support

Blessings,
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