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.

We've been a busy bunch so I started our new thread. Its funny, when I started my post earlier this morning there weren't as many replies, but I thought I better check before I sent it

Sharon- I lost a lot of hair when I was so sick a few years ago & couldn't get adequate nutrition in. The strange thing is thats when my nails started growing out longer- go figure How long have you been on the iron supplement? Do you have a doctor monitoring your blood levels? My doctor was surprised when my test came back that I was anemic- based on some other things, she expected my iron levels to come back high. I've been on iron supplements since November & in February, my reserve levels were still not high enough so they increased the amount I take.

Garnet- Did you check the setting on your mouse? (Start>Control Panel>Mouse)- sometimes they get changed somehow. I drove myself crazy a couple weeks ago with my cordless keyboard & all it turned out the channel got switched on the receiver

Honiangel- I keep thinking about trying belly dancing videos- you'll have to keep us posted on how you like them.

Nancy- Which brand of HR monitor did you go with? I pulled my old one out- Polar, but the watch/receiver needed a new battery. I ignored their warning not to replace it yourself & did it (used the battery out of my extra car key fob thingy ). I know they have a lot more features since I bought mine 5+ years ago, but it still does the job. I do hope I can find the manual so I can remember how to use all the different functions, but for now I'm happy its telling me my HR. I'm still so shocked at being able to go up & down steps- I was told I would never be able to after all my knee surgeries (7 on the left & 2 on the right). I came down with the stomach flu bug that caused the GI/gastroparesis 4 days after my last knee surgery in Dec 2000 and I'd had 2 other major, major knee surgeries in the year prior, so I never had a chance to really recover from it until now. I still have to make sure I pay attention- if I don't, the right signals don't get sent or my kneecap tries to dislocate, but its so much better then it was.

Stephanie- Sorry to hear about your brother- I hope he's doing better now. It sounds like you did pretty well, under the circumstances. Its so easy to use a stressful event like that as an excuse to eat everything in site.

Violet- It sounds like you need to start borrow recipes from your sister Good for you on putting the other food away when you realized it wasn't 'worth' the points.

Countess- I wonder if you could ask your doctor if they know of another practice that has scales that go past 350? It seems like they would have to have some sort of arrangement to monitor your health...or do they just assume that once you hit 350, that it doesn't matter? At least if you could check with one other scale just once, you would know which way to stand on your scales for the most accurate weight. Maybe the hospital would have something? Are there any Bariatric/Weight Loss Surgery centers near you?- they have to have higher capacity scales.

Sherry- Welcome! That's great your husband is working on a healthier life style with you & you joined Tops together. I've heard a lot of good things about Tops, but I haven't joined yet because the night they meet is the night I usually teach so I would only make it to 1 or 2 meetings most months.

Kayley- Its quiet around here with you not having a working computer at home. That sucks they close the lab so soon...and I know library computers are no fun at all- nothing like sitting in your PJ's at home anytime you want. Any updates on when the computer will be up & running yet?

Lillion- its hard to believe you work in the profession you do with a bunch of 5 year olds. I use to hate when I would get left out of things at work too- that is one aspect I don't miss of working. My other favorite one was always there was always someone asking for money for birthday gifts & such- I wouldn't have minded if they kept it the same for everyone, but it seemed like some of us got a $10-15 gift for our birthday where others got a lot bigger gifts.

Vicki- Congrats on making it to the half way point! Its all down hill from here, right?

Maria Lucia- I think a big part of success is if you think of this as diet & once you lose the weight, you can go back to your old ways...that is a recipe for failure. If you look at weight loss as a by product of making healthy lifestyle changes you can live with the rest of your life, then you're a lot more likely to succeed.

Tasha- You might like FitDay- even if you don't use it all the time, but just to log a few days once in a while to see were you are at calorie & nutrition wise to take a snap shot, so to speak, from time to time. Like I said in my other post, I like the simplicity of WW points, but I know for me, I need to track things more closely & FitDay lets me do that. The on line version of FitDay is free, so you can check it out to see what you think. I think its good to log in what you eat on any diet occasionally just to make sure you are getting a balanced enough diet...its too easy to get out of balance, especially when we tend to eat the same foods a lot when we diet. We're not always good as listening to our bodies- if we were, we probably wouldn't be 300+ pounds Did you get a chance to talk to your GYN about the Mirena IUD or uterine lining ablation yet? Mine brought it up as an option again when I saw him a couple weeks ago, even though I don't feel my periods are that heavy any more. With the anemia being an issue for me & the concerns that I may not be able to absorb enough iron from the supplements because of my GI problems, its definitely something I need to think about. In your case, it sounds like they really need to do something & I agree that a hysterectomy isn't always the best answer. If you ever want to talk about it, feel free to PM me

BNM- I hope you're feeling better after your dental work. I need to get in to see the dentist, but my insurance has changed & I had seeing a new one

Laura- I know what you mean about getting off track when you're suppose to be studying I am the queen of procrastination & I thought the semester I had to student teach with my adviser, I would do better- but he procrastinates as much as I do




I did my Curves workout yesterday, even though I would have liked to have been curled up with a heating pad & lots of chocolate at home (darn Aunt Flo sneaked up on me again ). Today I have to lead machine embroidery club, so I don't have time to go to Curves, so I'm going to do 1mile WATP for abs video as soon as I get done here. I also have to bake up a few loaves of Irish Soda Bread for my classes. I'll try to post the recipe tonight if I get a chance, it nearly no-fat (only natural fats in the oats & wheat) & it has pretty good fiber amounts too...plus it only takes a couple minutes to mix together & throw in the oven.


I'm on the second or third day with the new feeding tube formula that has less corn based sweeteners in it. Its too earlier to know if I'm going to have a problem or not with my allergies, but I went ahead & ordered some Nectar Natural protein powder so I don't have to use as much of the other stuff. I figure the less I use of stuff with corn sweeteners in it, the better, as long as I use enough to get my vitamins in of course. I've got to start playing around with my juicer again so I can make my own vegetable juices to get my carbs high enough- fresh juice has to better then anything that comes in a bottle. I still can't eat enough orally to get my nutrition in, but using the meal replacement/protein bars has really helped now that I found a way to buy them without paying full price. If anyone is looking for a good meal replacement/supplement bar, you should try Pria bars & Luna Bars. Prias have 3 different types, there's a low carb one I don't know much about & 2 regular ones- one is Pria Complete at 170 calories & the other is Pria Snack at 110 calories. Luna bars are around 180 calories. Both Luna & Prias are pretty balanced with protein, carbs, fiber & some fats- plus they have a lot of vitamins & minerals to help make up for anything we may be missing in our diets, especially when we're cutting back on calories.

Christine - if you dont mind me asking, and i may have missed this, why are you using a feeding tube?

Hello Chickies!

Just a quick post as I'm running out of time today. I'm feeling much better today - still a little hurt, but then I think " Them!" A co-worker who WAS invited and I have been planning to do something for the birthday boy ourselves and we and the rest of our unit are getting him 40 black helium balloons, a funeral wreath and a cake. I'm positive at least two of the other people in this group - maybe even 4 - would not have been invited either. So life goes on!

My really low-fat, low-sugar, low-cal snack I took to snack day got rave reviews...funny, since it was a screw-up. I'd tried to make diet coke mini muffins...but they stuck so bad I had to dig them out of the pan. So I crumbled them up in a cassarole dish and covered them with FF chocolate pudding and FF cool whip. Everyone loved it! I guess nothing chocolate ever goes to waste.

Tashabella: Sounds like your hubby could use a little of this! It is so much easier with support at home. I feel for you - hope you find a plan that suits.

Zelma: Great NSV's! Bet you look adorable in your Poohjamas!

Nancy: 5 pounds is GREAT!

Sherry and Steph: I'm sure you both will find the encouragment you need here! These ladies are wonderful and helpful and inspiring! Steph- Another Missouri Girl! Yay! Where are you??? If you don't want to broadcast it, send me a PM! Maybe we are close? I'm in Jefferson City!

THERE ARE TOO MANY OF YOU! I'm sorry...I can't do all the replies you deserve! Hope that those of you not replied to understand.

Congrats to the losers - to those that are struggling! Hope you all have a happy, healthy OP day!

Nancy~ Congratulations of the 5 lbs lost.. You go girl!!!!!

Yesterday was a good day, all OP, just busy with the family album I am making a movie of.. Needs to be done soon, and I have, and am going through soooooooooo many pics.. I had to go to a couple of my aunts homes yesterday and get pics,, I just did not realize how big my Mothers family is... it is turning out very well..
I finished my English paper as well, My topic was "Appealing the Lethal Injcection, Stall or inhumane? 8 pages long, as I am very opinionated when it comes to the judicial system and there reasoning.................................the paper is done way early.. so I am happy about that,,

Hope everyone is doing well and focused.. Take Care All

Good Morning everyone!!

Hope you all are having a great day! Mine is just beginning ( although its 11:30 here *L*) Now that I am working evenings, I have to get a brand new schedule going. NOT EASY! but thats life!

Plan is going OK. I want to go back to phase 1 as my weight loss has slowed down so much. Instead of 3-4 per week I am now 1-2 per week if anything. I feel that I just have to maintain until I am finished my night shifts. After that I should have the summer off and have lots of time and lots of sunny days to take care of myself.

Does anyone have any suggestions for yummy potluck dishes that are easy and low-fat? I will look in some books and 3FC recipe site but just curious if anyone has a favorite. In honor of St Patricks Day we are having a potluck ( at 9:00 at night!!!!!) and I need to bring something I can eat. There are already 10 people bringing dessert! <sigh>

Anyhoo.... I really can't do individuals today. I have to shower and get ready for work and make dinner for hubby to reheat later. The things we do for love! *L*

Brenda

Christine ~ I can imagine you do have a lot of "remedies" coming your way from people who care and want to help. I hope one of them will work for you. I'm not really down, just musing, I suppose ~ I was organizing my thoughts more or less. If I were to be truthful, I would say I was really kind of hoping someone could relate and could offer up ideas for how they make time and juggle everything. I don't know if you really want to know this or not, but to answer your question, my husband is a football fan and it's not football season so he has to get his "fix" on the Internet. It's also not quite baseball season so he has to get most of his training camp "fix" on the net too. That's why he's on the Internet all of the time.

Zelma ~ I think about what you do real often. It obviously works. You've done great. Lots of people here have done really, really well and all of you serve as very positive role models.

"...you seem a bit down, which seems to be affecting a lot of us."

I apologize if I brought anybody down ~ that was in no way my intent. I come here to express myself, but I do sometimes wonder if that is bad. I know people in my world get annoyed when I express displeasure about things in life, so I guess that also transfers to online communications too.

I obviously have serious dieting and life issues that many of you do not. I wish it really was as simple as finding "the plan." Thank you all for the kindness and support you have shown me. I wish you all continued success.

Christineu-I actually saved some of my hair clips from years ago. When my thyroid went bad, my hair started falling out, and I had to keep my hair short to keep it from breaking and thinning. I saw one especially that is hammered copper that I got in Mexico. I watched the man make it while I waited. I can’t wait to be able to wear it again. I can now wear my high school class ring. That feels good to be able to put it on again, but I wear my engagement ring on my right hand, and my wedding ring on the left, so I will have to be content to just know that I can wear it. I also had to buy new shoes. I dropped two sizes. Even my doctor found that bizarre.

ThisGirlsLosing-The Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado that maintains the National Weight Control Registry has put out info that if you can keep your weight off for 3 years, the chances are that you won’t regain it. Most people on the registry had yo-yo’d for years before finding that one thing that worked, half lost weight without help from anyone, so it doesn’t have to take money, and lastly, 60% of those on the registry were chubby as kids, so you can overcome your genes too. It may not seem like it now, but it will get easier. After being on this for over 4 years, there are some things I still struggle with, but there are just as many things that have gotten much easier.

Countess-When I got a new scale about a year ago, I thought I weighed 380 lbs., but when I got on the new scale it showed 410. I freaked out. I kicked and cussed and generally was horrible to be around. It was like having to lose the same 30 pounds all over again. I definitely feel your pain.

Dolphin-I remember when I reached my half-way point. Doesn’t it make you just want to jump up and down!?

Kayley-take some before pictures. It is really important. My before pictures are horrifying. I am in like the largest wheelchair made, and I’m stretching the arms out and spilling over it in every direction. It looks like something from the movies. Even if you never show them to anyone, you need them to show to yourself.

Lillion-I am also amazed at how I have alienated people in my past. I sent out dozens of marriage announcements. I have received only two cards. One is from a friend back in Oklahoma, and one from my mother. I haven’t gotten anything from any of my other friends or family or brothers. I’ve apparently burned bridges that I didn’t even know I had. Sometimes I think that people are invested in me being the way I was forever. Getting healthy has just upset their applecarts.

Sherry-It does suck how quickly guys can lose weight. My husband has lost 5 inches around his weight in the two months we have been married, and I haven’t lost anything much at all. Hang in there with us, and you can beat it.

Nancy-I understand that “body feels different” thing. My center of gravity has actually shifted a couple of times in the last 4 years. At times I feel like a 13 year old boy who grew 5 inches overnight and trips over everything. I also bang into walls more now than I did when I could barely fit up hallways.

MsCrockett-I am also opinionated about the justice system. I used to volunteer reading trial transcripts of capital cases. I’m one of those that catches small things that other people miss. It is easy to be against the death penalty when it comes to innocent people. It is easy to get people on board for that. It is harder to be against it for people like Bundy or Gacy. When you work to keep people like that off death row, then you are really against the death penalty. I don’t want them released from jail, just from death row.

Brenda-I took a low fat tortilla soup to a pot luck dinner about a year ago. It was a little spicy, and people went nuts. You never see soup at a pot luck, so I brought paper bowls and plastic spoons. People asked to take it home with them. It is basically a simple chicken soup from scratch, with some dried ancho chilies chopped up and thrown in. You can get them at any Latin grocery store, and just pull out stem and seeds and chop up. They rehydrate in the pot. Take some fat free corn tortillas, and cut them into thin strips and cook in the microwave for a couple of minutes until crispy, and use for garnish on top.

Tasha-I’m actually the sports nut in the family. I listen to baseball over the internet. We solve it by having a wireless router for my laptop so he can work on the computer, and I can listen to the game undisturbed. I think my husband is the only man in Canada who isn’t nuts for hockey.

Man, I managed to miss an entire thread again. I am getting bad at this. Sorry for not being able to keep up! Ont hitng I did read, though, that I felt the need to touch upon:

"...you seem a bit down, which seems to be affecting a lot of us."

Tasha--I don't think the above statement was meant to say that YOU were bringing people down! I think its intent was to simply point out that you were not the only one feeling down--this "down" feeling is what seems to be affecting a lot of us, not that YOUR down feeling is affecting a lot of us. I hope that makes sense! Lots of us come here all the time to vent about negative issues...it's what we're hear for, to listen, support, and help when we can, so don't ever apologize for being down. After all, we're all entitled at times

So 2 weeks ago I weighed in at my Dr's at 313, having lost 21lbs. today, they have a NEW SCALE. I weigh EXACTLY what I did when I started! 324!! WHAT???? grrrr Well I showed her my food diary, I'm taking in about 1000 calories a day. I know I didn't gain 21lbs in 2 weeks eating 1000 calories or less per day. And if I did...there's something REALLY wrong.

Cripes.

Tashabella – I think the comment that was made meant that a lot of people are feeling down and are generally effected by diet woes – NOT that you are affecting people and causing them to feel down. As for me, that is a big part of what this forum is for! We are all going to have good times and bad times. Hopefully when some of us are having a rough time others can help and be supportive, and then vice versa. Sorry to hear your hubby is bad at sharing computer time.

Zelma – When I bought the monitor I assumed that the wrist thing took the heart rate, but you need the chest thing and then wear the watch to display the results. Maybe other ones can take your heart rate from the wrist.

Christine – I got a Polar F6. I chose it because it has a coded transmitter, which is better for use at a gym. I also chose Polar because all of the machines at the gym say they work with that brand. I still haven’t worked out all the features. It can keep a log of your exercise for up to a week and somehow transmit it to the computer. I hope to have time this weekend to really investigate all the bells and whistles.

One little NSV for the day. The whole office ordered Chinese food, but I opted out and went down and got a salad from the cafeteria. They have had roasted eggplant the past few days which I LOVE. It does have a bit of oil, but then I just skip the dressing.

Catherine~~ Good Insite To Capitol Punishment, I Am 100% For It.

Hey guys!

Just a quick note. I got the call from my Dr. today re. the test results from my sleep apneoa test. There was a significant amount so I am waiting for the call to get the machine for a trial run (to see if it helps). Does anyone here use C-pap(?) machine? I may have asked before but my memory is pretty bad. (maybe the lack of oxygen??*L*)

I SO hope it helps and increases my energy.

Off to work now. Have a great night ladies!
Brenda

YAY! Congratulations. Don't you just LOVE NSV's? <grin>


I'm here real quick to let y'all know that today was my official weigh-in. I lost 2.4 lbs for a grand total of 19.8...oh, so close to 20!!!! I am so thrilled!

OK, back to work now! :-)