I haven't been checked into this thread for days and missed a TON in my quick pass...

Ammi -- Don't feel bad about not noticing the egg -- I never knew what that was for until you pointed it out just now!

Misti -- Did I see you had a visit from the FFM? (Fairy Fatmother?) and the scales moveddown at last? Bravo!

Valerie -- Some major stuff happening... what what?

I'm pleased to report I'm staying relatively on plan on this trip home to my family! I probably won't lose much if anything, but probably no gain either!

Ammi - I'm pretty muscular, although all the muscle is below a larger layer of fat. When I had my body fat tested when I weighed 350 or so, they told me that I had about 180 lbs of lean muscle tissue. Most of it I attribute to having to carry around a lot of weight, ever since I was young. I do know that I've lost some muscle mass as I've lost weight, it is pretty natural as you lose weight but that is also one reason I try to do weights as part of my exercise routine. As far as online games go, I love Star Wars and my DF offered to buy me the Star Wars online game and I told him he was crazy and that I didn't have time for an online game. I think they take too much work

Ok now I think this is going to sound strange. I was looking at myself (naked) in the mirror and I thought that I looked like a normal fat girl. I always thought my belly too big, my butt too big, my face too big, and well everything too big. Sure my belly and butt and thighs are still big but it seems like there was some threshold I crossed. Maybe it is because I thought myself abnormal for most of my life? Even when I was this weight at age 16, I was 2 inches shorter, which doesn't make a huge difference but it makes some. It is a weird feeling and I can't quite explain it.

I went hiking, twice, this weekend. Both hikes were challenging and included climbing that required hands as well as feet. I even ran/jogged part of a downhill portion on my hike today and this was after climbing to a peak of a mountain. I was sweating like crazy and loved it. I also noticed on the hard uphill portion, I only took one break and I didn't even sit down for that break. I took another break later on, not out of tiredness but of hunger. I can see a huge improvement in my hiking abilities because when I first started, whenever I had to go up continuous hills, I would need regular breaks. This particular mountain, I remember needing 4 or 5 sitting breaks the first time I climbed it and that was climbing it on an easier portion than I did today.

I am also loving yoga lately. I am doing it twice a day. I can tell a huge improvement in my flexibility even from just last week. The DF loves doing it too which is what keeps me doing it regularly the last few days. I have always had inflexible hips and legs and I'd love to change that. I know it'll take work and time but I have both.

I hope everyone has a good week!

Just a quick drop in before going to bed- work tomorrow at 5am

Kenya- I can tell you really love dancing-like me. I can just turn on the music and start moving- i love it. I did jazzersize classes for about 6 months- until price went up- and I loved learning routines so much! I would also love to take dance classes, my favorites are latin. It's something I've always promised myself I would do once I lose weight- i don't want to spend money on it until i can do all those fancy lifts but you should try out the dance workout classes at a gym. I take some at 24hour fitness, and they are so much fun, and they have girls of all shapes & sizes in the classes, just having a good time- and honestly- feeling sexy!

Ammi- the movie was great! It was called Step Up- and it had some amazing dancing in it- plus it actually had a story line. Anyone who likes dancing should see it (Kenya-that means you!). I was proud of myself eating my carrots, and my friends who typically would get popcorn said I made them feel guilty so they ate the carrots with me instead! That made it a lot easier than watching everyone else eat popcorn. I did get a soda though-i guess not horrible, but I wish I had gotten a water, or a least a diet (even though i hate them).

Well, going to bed now! Have a good one!

Hi everybody... wow this thread is cranking along.

I had kind of a lazy Sunday, which was nice. We had an outdoor service at church and picnic; then I went to library and have been lying around reading. But I did hard workouts both Friday night and Saturday so figured it was okay once in a while.

Heather, yah that FFM finally came LOL! About time!

As for the scale, I got it at Walmart... actually they had some for 7 bucks but I wanted one with large numbers so I could READ the thing. And no, I don't wear heavy clothes at work, true.... they keep our office temp at around 78 degrees! I have been wearing crop pants and lightweight blouses... definitely not two pounds' worth!

I usually redecorate my ticker only when I have lost 10 pounds but this one has been there so long I decided maybe that would boost things along to give it a new look LOL.

Kimberly- Step Up looks so fun I admit I will have to wait until it comes out on DVD so I will be able to see if. The last movie I saw at the movie theater was Disney's Cars this year. With school starting back I will only be able to go to the movies every now and then. However, I know I would love this movie. I was watching a clip of the movie and it looks like they attend a school for the performing arts. I always wanted to do that when I was younger. I may sound so old but I guess that is also why I loved the TV show FAME. I always had a dancing streak in me hiding under layers of fat Thanks for the information about the movie!

Good Morning, all!

Is anyone doing the Walk Away The Pounds video(s)? I know there's a thread in the exercise forum, just wondering if any of you ladies here were doing it too.

Hello everyone! Here we are at Monday!

Yahoooo just watch my ticker move now. I am down another pound this morning!!

way to go Misti !

Sabrina, I'm doing the WATP DVDs. I love them and have been doing them since December. I'm so hopelessly uncoordinated, but they don't have a lot of complicated steps. Even so, they sure get me moving. You're more than welcome to join the thread in the exercise forum.

Jill and Misti, congrats on the scale movement.

Hi to All!

All you dancers are making me envious. I love to dance too and it is great exercise; but since I live on third floor I can't do much of it. I even love to dance on the treadmill... I could go up to the fitness center and do that. Also I used to dance on a small trampoline. A great workout.

Good Morning All,

Pleased to report I had another 3 lb loss I still hate weighing, and I wonder if I will ever face a weigh in feeling confident that I will see a loss. I doubt it, too scarred from weigh ins of old diets where I just knew I would lose, and would see a gain or no loss!!

Brandnewme - so lovely to see you posting, I am sorry that the diet hasn't been going to well, but it sounds like you are taking steps to get back on track. I look forward to a post here from you soon saying that you saw a loss on the scales

Patti - I am sorry that your sinuses are worse in the summer, but it sounds like they give you grief a lot anyway. If they are impacted isn't it something that a small surgery might help? Sorry if that's a daft question.

I saw you on POGO last night, well it was 2 am here and I was just about to go to bed. You were playing Lottso, how did you do?

Kenya - yes Tango is a ballroom dance, it's one of my faves. Do you watch all those TV programmes where the celebs are joined with a professional ballroom dancer and they have to learn a dance each week. Over here it's called Strictly Come Dancing. I love that show. I don't think you and hubby are a silly couple at all, learning to do any dancing is wonderful, and you two sound like you have a lovely fun relationship

Nightkatt - I saw you on POGO in the Dice City game. WOW I am hooked on that game now Anyway you weren't actually playing in the game room I found you in, I did send a message to you, but I am guessing you were away from the PC as you didn't reply. I have to say I am hopeless at the auctions on that game. I always pay too much to win, and then win very little

Sorry that your daughter skipped school, but isn't adrenaline a fantastic thing. You were so wound up that you managed to get all that cleaning done!!! I hope you don't ache today!! So how did she take the news that she is grounded for two weeks??

I am so impressed at all the cross work pictures you have done. They are amazing. I've only done about 5, 3 of them were gifts, but were only small anyway, one I can't even find, and the other one I am still doing. The one I am doing now I started in 1997!!!!! It's got tiny aida so tiny stitches, and I made a mistake in it and can't be bothered to unpick it, or to carry on knowing it's wrong My problem is that I can't get how you are supposed to start the picture in the middle. I tried it with the Kookaburra, the one I haven't finished lol, and that's how it went all wrong. I prefer to start the pictures at the bottom and work my way up.

Tammy - I am glad that by answering my question about a stall in your weight loss you have realised that you haven't stalled, but have just lost less than in previous months. I am guessing that with the heat of summer the loss may have slowed down due to a bit of fluid retention.

I think as a reward to yourself for getting to your ultimate goal you and hubby should go learn to ballroom dance. That way you get a fabulous treat for losing the weight AND you will know how to dance in time for when you children get married

Missy - So is that 5 GTA games you have, the first one is really lame compared to the others isn't it, lol. Daren's fave is Vice City. Do you know the name of the one that is going to be released soon?

Wow you are doing fantastically with your exercise. Nearly at 1000 minutes already. My goal is 1000, and so far I am still in the 300s. That's because I haven't been able to get out and walk. I am stuck indoors for 2 more days of 2 weeks because of Beth having to stay in after her tonsillectomy. 2 days and counting LOL.

As for those weights, I bet you'll be using them yourself before too much longer, you and hubby will be fighting over them I think I would like to try working out with weights once I have lost a bit more weight. Daren and I are thinking of joining a gym after Christmas. I will just have to remember that if I am gaining muscle my weight loss one week might not be as much as I expect

Jen - I am sorry that you find it these threads go to fast to keep up and that you don't post because of it. Well I am glad you posted today anyway.

Glad to hear your exercising is going well, and your diet too. Even when you think of that Indial meal you ate, you didn't eat in the day to allow yourself to eat what you wanted in the night. I bet in days of old you would have eaten all day, AND had that big meal in the night. So you are doing really well!! What was the celebration meal celebrating?

Angie - hmm, I don't like the sound of the word CRUNCH in that cardio dance DVD lol. It makes it seem way too hard But having said that, the way you explained it has definitely got me interested in seeing if I can get it here. It sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

Heather - oh phew, I am glad I am not the only one who didn't realise what the egg was for Just goes to prove that you do indeed learn something new every day

Well done on making great food choices while you are with your family. You must be doing well if you don't expect a gain. Who knows you might even surprise yourself and see a loss the next time you weigh!!

Nelie - funny how you should tell me about you having a lot of muscle which lets you be as heavy as me yet in smaller sizes. My hubby was only telling me today that when he met me he was 224 lbs. He is 266 lbs now and has quite a tummy on him, so I told him to shut up, he could never have been 224 when he met me because he looke painfully thin. He said that he had much more muscle then, and I didn't get it really until I just read your post, and then it all clicked. I'm a bit slow lol. So thank you for explaining it to me. Me, well I know I am mostly all fat, so it's no wonder I am in such big sizes still

You are so right about online games taking so much work. Daren can spend hours and hours on his and not accomplish much. He sometimes gets in with groups and they might be all helping one of the other people in it, so that person gets far, but not the helpers. It would be ok most of the time Daren is helping others but when he needs help nobody is around. Not fair. Have you seen the Lego Star wars video games, they are so cute.

on seeing yourself as a 'normal' fat girl now, it won't be long til you are looking in the mirror and seeing a 'normal' girl and you won't be fat at all

Kimberly - thanks for telling me more about the film. I love all kinds of dance films, so I am sure I will love that one. I too like Kenya will wait for it to come out on DVD which might be quite a while considering it's not even on at the movies over here yet

Well done on sticking to the carrots at the cinema, that's great that your friends even ate some too rather than popcorn!! Don't worry about the soda you had, you deserved that after being so good with the carrots

Misti - I love the new ticker, you are making me fancy a change on mine. I think I will wait til I meet my current mini goal and change it then WOW another lb down, I think you have become friends with the FFM now

Jill - that is great news that you have got through the first week on your plan and that you lost such a great amount of weight. You should be very happy with yourself.

It's funny isn't it how we all have a weight we get to, or got to in the past where we always gave up our diets and put all the weight back on. For me it was after 30 lbs lost which is why I was so thrilled to get past that first obstacle this time around. I know I am going to get to my goal this time, and I am sure you are going to get to yours. You aren't that far away from 260 now, you will get to that and whiz past it!!

My tip on the dandruff thing, well it will only be any good if you can get it ove there, but there is a product over here called Ketoconazole 2% w/w Shampoo made by a company called APS. Daren has terrible dandruff caused by excema, so you can appreciate how sore his scalp can get. Anyway just a tiny amount of that shampoo once or twice a week and his dandruff is gone. It doesn't burn like the shampoos you mentioned, so it might be worth seeing if you can get some to try. As far as I know you can buy it over the counter, but Daren got his on prescription from the doctor.

Sabrina - I put my WATP video on once many moons ago, but I was still quite unwell after surgery, so it was too much for me. So I put it away and haven't tried it since. I hear a lot of people singing it's praises though.

Ok I better go, it's time to make lunch. I'll see you all later,

Hugs,

Ammi