Hi Nic! Isn't technology a joy!

I'm still here as well and getting (or at least FEELING) bigger by the minute.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates (a little late, but whatever). We had a nice one - my first one with family since we got married. I am now 30 weeks and at the part of my pregnancy where there is just no room in there for food. I can be STARVING and after three bites, I feel as if I may explode - this must be what it's like to have one of those stomach reducing surgeries (only without the benefit of WEIGHT LOSS).

Everything else ok here, feeling good, still getting settled, yadda yadda yadda.

Hope the rest of you guys are doing well!

B

Brandy, glad to hear you're feeling fit and well. I can't believe that you're at 30 weeks already!! How time flies ... not long to go now! Make sure you get plenty of rest and don't overdo things around that house! ... You're probably gonna tell me I sound like your mother now!! Anyway, take good care of yourself ... and the wee one of course!

Well, not much to tell about things my end ... still in exactly the same position that I was in months ago ... started dieting every Monday and off track by Tuesday!! So many social events going on at the moment with the run up to Chirstmas so not much chance of sticking to any kind of plan until after the big event!! ... Yet another New Year's Resolution in the making!! Who knows, maybe 2006 with be THE YEAR!!

I'm really looking forward to Christmas ... my mom and dad will be arriving from the UK on 13 December until 10 January and I'm really excited about seeing them again!

Hope everyone else is fit and well and looking forward to the holidays!

Nichola

Wow, I can't believe you're 30 weeks already Brandy, time really has flown (for us at least, are you at the 'right, I want to get to the finishing line now' stage yet???)

Welcome back Nichola. Glad you got your computer problems sorted. It was veeeeery quiet for a while on here. I know what you mean about kids wanting the computer. I spend all my time fighting for a few minutes on the pc, while Natty wails 'but I NEED to talk to my friends on msn' (even if she saw them outside the house five minutes earlier!!!).

My weight. Hmmmm. Well I'm tired and grouchy all the time on this course, so my weight can wait. I need chocolate to get me through the next seven months!!!

Hey everyone! I had to register with a new name because I could not for the life of me remember my old one and my email had changed so they couldn't mail me my old one either! LOL Things are so freakin' busy I don't know whether I'm coming or going...both usually! Hope you all are well and are gearing up for the holidays! Brandy...enjoy your last one alone with your husband, and promise me you'll do something romantic for New Year's Eve, as the next few aren't going to be. LOL So excited for you! Keep us posted.

Jo...don't worry about the weight. One thing at a time. And hey, chocolate has all sorts of healthy side effects!

Nichola...nothing is better when you're away from "home" than home coming to you. I bet you are super excited about your parents coming! Have fun!

Last year I vowed off resolutions, and look where it got me. This year, I'm making a list!

Lorraine

Nichola, that's so exciting having your parents visit! Enjoy yourself!!!

Jo, so far I'm not quite desperate but I can't believe I'll get any bigger - where will it GO? I've gained almost 20 pounds and it's all seems to be belly. ALL. For ONCE I'm glad for this freakishly long torso so at least it's spread out.

Lorraine, I can't imagine how romantic NYE will be - what with me big as houses and unable to drink!

Anyway, I am feeling better than I expected - fatigue and general bigness (and of course the lovely swollen feet, ankles, hands, wrists, FACE, tyvm!) are my only complaints. I think I'm very lucky!

Brandy

What's happened to everyone again? I finally come back and everyone disappears ... is it something I said?! ... Only joking, I know it's a busy time for everyone

Anyway, I'm at home today ... went into work this morning and was promptly sent home because I looked so awful! I've had a dreadful cold/cough for the past few days, but I think I looked even worse this morning as I'd had words with hubby when I was getting ready for work and ended up really tearful and upset ... the b@#$%*$!!!!!! ... Sorry, but I'm feeling really angry now that he upset me so much, especially when he knew I was on my may to work and had to face people!

The reason behind this argument? ... My weight problem!!! Back in
September I stupidly put up a weight loss chart on the fridge for all the world to see ... I should have known better!! Consequently, I lost a few pounds then stopped filling it in because I fell off track yet again. Now he wants to know why the **** I can never stick at anything and see it through to the end! I think part of this has been brought on by the fact that we went out with friends at the weekend ... the woman of which has recently lost weight and looks great ... she wasn't fat in the first place though! He commented to me saying, 'had I noticed how much weight she'd lost?' ... of course that made me feel great, especially as he no longer seems to comment about the way I look, even when I try to make an effort!! I know I can't make myself suddenly look slim, but he could at least comment that I look nice occasionally!

The problem is, he's a bit of a perfectionist ... whenever he starts something he always perseveres until he gets it right, and he can't understand why I can't start a diet and lose the weight ... especially when I'm so unhappy about it. My son came and yelled at him this morning for upsetting me so much, to which he replied that he believed I was upset because I was angry with myself ... which is partly true! He did say he was sorry and that he never meant to upset me ... HA!! It's a bit late for that!!

Anyway, after sitting here for the last few hours thinking about my situation, I realise that I really do have to take action if I ever want to feel good about myself again. No one's going to do it for me. And I'm not going to do it for anyone else ... just me!!

I know it's not a great time to start a new plan with the run up to Chirstmas, and with my parents arriving next week ... but there never is a right time is there?! So, I'm just deciding which plan is the best for me to follow ... Calories, WW, or a general diet plan that I have which follows healthy eating? I'll be making a decision today and I'm going to get started straight away ... no time like the present! .... Oh yes, and I won't be telling anyone else about this except for you girls! The last thing I need right now is pressure from other people to stay on track. I know it's not going to be easy over the next few weeks but I'll give it my best shot. I don't expect to lose much, and I won't be beating myself up about it if I gain ... I'll just get right back on track afterwards and see what happens in the New Year.

Sorry about the long, long post and all the rambling on!

Hope everyone else is doing ok and getting ready for the hols!

Nichola

Oh Nichola...I wish I could come over and chat with you. It sounds like a rough morning that no one deserves. I'm sure your husband means well, but that doesn't make you feel any better. It's hard for people that haven't had to deal with it to make judgemental decisions about sticking to a program. It's even harder to say something to them, because the way we're wired, we feel guilty about it such as: If I ask my husband to compliment me, then how will I know the compliments are genuine? And so on...

Nichola...make the choice for you. Do it when YOU are ready. He loves you, and SHOULD love you for who you ARE, not whether you can finish a project or not. Shame on him for bringing it up the way he did. This is your fight, not his. All he should be doing is supporting you, no matter where you are on the journey. Ooooo...let me at him...now I'm mad too!

Hugs to you all...I'm fat and sassy as normal. Getting all the Christmas stuff in order and tidying my house in preparation for company next week. Jo, Raff, hope you are well. Brandy...take care of you and the bun too.

Lorraine

Lorraine, thanks so much for your kind words ... they really helped to cheer me up He called me from his office to apologise ... and again when he came home ... so I know he's sorry for upsetting me ... but he can't take it back can he?! Anyway, I'll get over it ... I've done a bit of this and a bit of this and now I'm feeling a whole lot better!! In fact, I'm feeling strangely calm ... almost like it's done me a favour.

I pondered over various plans of action yesterday and settled on a plan that I did some years ago at a small local slimming club in the UK that I attended ... and was very successful with until I fell off track of course!! It's very simple to follow, no counting points or calories, just basically eating the right things, with a daily/weekly restriction on certain foods such as 'bad' carbs, red meats, cheese, etc. But some foods such as fish, chicken, fruit and veg (with the obvious exceptions) can be eaten freely ... so no need to go hungry!! You're also allowed an extra 150cals per day to use for a 'treat', which you can also save up for a special occasion.

Anyway, I got started yesterday and I'm feeling very relaxed and in control. I'm not going to let it interfere with my life too much over the next few weeks as I've got lots of social things going on, but I am going to be sensible about the choices that I make. At the end of the day, there is always going to be some function or event happening that could 'sabotage' my diet ... That's life, so I've got to learn to live with it and be sensible about it instead of having my usual attitude which is, 'Oh, I've got a party to go to so my diet's going to be ruined!' ... What a stupid excuse!!

So there you have it, I've started and I'm on my way to that goal!! Some how, some day, I'm going to reach it!!

Nichola

Awww Nichola I got so angry reading what happened with Nick. He shouldn't put that sort of pressure on you, because usually when we have pressure like that we kick against it and rebel.

I don't have the same sort of pressure as far as losing weight is concerned. Quite the opposite actually, Alan worries that IF I lose the weight I'll be inundated with offers and I'll leave him.

I do however get pressure about other things. I broke up from Uni on Wednesday, so yesterday I did absolutely nothing. After months of doing 70 hours of studying a week I felt I deserved a break. Alan came home from work and went mad at me because I hadn't made a start on the ironing or tidied up. Ugh, made me so angry. Why aren't I entitled to at least one day of relaxation before catching up on the pre-xmas hassle???

Men! Pah!

Anyway, good luck in your renewed quest. Once you have it right in your head it will fall into place. I keep meaning to do something about mine, I just don't seem to be getting anywhere in terms of putting the theory into practice.

Hope everyone is doing well

Jo

Oh, Nic, my sympathy. I don't know why people who've never had a weight problem think they have any right to bag on those who do. It's hard enough to do it with lots of the right kind of support - it's damn near impossible with criticisim and nagging! Maybe the two of you could just make some kind of "off limits" agreement: (as if you need ANOTHER one), just refuse to discuss it with him, do whatever you plan to do for YOURSELF, and tell him to back the f off - you're doing your best. But that's me and I don't take well to nagging - as I think Jo already said, that's just begging for rebellion. Esp on something that um, hello, I am aware is an issue. I know when my parents (and isn't that supposed to be one of the big stressors on marriage in general, when one partner decides to "parent" the other? Asks the woman who is constantly reminding her husband to pick up his dirty socks...hee) would nag me about my weight, I'd secretly eat and think, "Yeah, take THAT!" And I KNOW they ment well. Well, I know that NOW.

As for me, I'm 33 weeks and exhausted. I was supposed to have one of those 3d/4d ultrasound things yesterday but I called and cancled because I have a nasty cold - I'm almost too far along for them to get a clear 3d/4d pic anyway and I didn't want to drive over an hour, lay there over an hour, and drive home again for a fuzzy, lumpy, and unnecessary picture - all while feeling like death on a stick.

I'm starting to get a bit worried that I haven't really been asking my doc any questions at all. I haven't had any problems (thank God, light a candle, knock wood), I've been reading my little books that let me know what to expect and what's going on and now I'm like - um...shouldn't you be filling me on SOMETHING. I don't love this doc and won't use him again, but as I had to find someone right away when we moved and he's with a really excellent practice and hospital and he probably won't even be the one to deliver me anyway, I didn't change. I'm just not impressed - but then, I get the feeling he's not that impressed with me either. But like I said, I've been blessed with no problems or issues so there's not really been a lot for us to interact about.

Also, the baby is HUGE. They already estimate five and a half pounds and I've got seven weeks to go (only seven?!?!) - YIKES. I have only gained about 19 pounds and the doc assures me it's nothing I've done (I'm not diabetic or anything), he says some babies are just big (my brother was over ten pounds, let's hope she won't be THAT big) and he's pleased with my weight gain, blood work, bp, etc. But still. Eek. BIG. In the most recent regular u/s pics you can see how chub her little face is. That baby has some CHEEKS!

I'd also like to add that as a very fat person, I am shocked each time my cholesterol and bp come back on the good side of normal. I just assumed that I must be horribly horribly unhealthy due to all the excess weight but it looks like I'm not so far gone afterall!

Take care and if I don't check back in before then

!!!HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Hi Everyone,

Glad to hear you're all ok and hope you're all looking forward to Christmas/New Year.

I'm just plodding along ... parents arrived on Tuesday so have been eating out far more than normal and of course there's lots more of it to come!! Trying to be sensible though and as long as I can maintain until after the hols I'll be very happy ... then I'll get down to serious losing!!

Jo, you deserve that break ... ignore Alan and have a rest ... tell him I said so!! This is such a chaotic time of year, if you don't put your feet up now and again you'll burn yourself out.

Brandy, good to hear everything's going well for you ... won't be long now! Make sure you have plenty of rest and relaxation, and take good care of yourself and the wee one.

I will try to check-in from time to time, but having mom & dad here means things are pretty hectic right now, so if I disappear for a few days don't worry ... I will return!!

Nichola

This is just a quickie to wish everyone a
Very Merry Chirstmas !!
Hope you all have a great one!

Be in touch soon.

Love Nichola

It's 11:20pm here in England. I've got everything ready for tomorrow, so I thought I'd just pop on here to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Hope it is filled to the brim with fun, love and laughter.

Hope everyone had a great holiday - although I guess they aren't really over yet, are they?

My brother and his wife (and their cat, with whom my dog is very in love) are staying with us. I think they're leaving later today. We've had several days of non-stop family gatherings. I have to say, not having a hangover is nice. So is being too pregnant to eat too much. I'm avoiding all kind of day after regrets But I am worn out! Oh well, it's been really nice and I've enjoyed every minute.

Hope you all are having a wonderful time!

B

Hi Everyone!

Just dropped in to say, hope you all had an enjoyable Chirstmas and to wish you all a
'Very Happy New Year!'

Have a great New Year's Eve however you are spending it, and let's hope that 2006 is a great year for all of us!!

Cheers!

Nichola