Need help - MASSIVE amounts of weight to lose

[VernRDH]

I am reading some of the posts from this thread and I feel as if I have found my home in two ways. The first is that I have just a little under 100 pounds to lose. I just started working on it this week. Right now it's about food. Next week, i add excercise. But it's already hard.

I think another reason that it's so hard is that my husband lost 134 pounds five years ago. He did not have surgery and he did not use pills. It was all him. He ran and used weight watchers to get it off. But, I know from living with him that he works every day to keep it off. Right now he has gained 10 pounds back so he's dieting with me.

People look at him and then say, "If he can do it, why haven't you?" and they never think about how much those words hurt me.


So I'm saying hang in there and if you need tips, I can ask the master.

If I figure it out, I'll put his picture up here later. Thank you for starting this thread. Now none of us feels alone.

We are glad to have you here. We hope you find us supportive (I will say that everyone is!!!) I know that it is hard, it is still hard for me at times and I have been at this since 2/1/07!! But nothing in life worth having comes easy (remember labor? ) All of us struggle, have good days and bad. But we are in this TOGETHER. We are all in this for the long haul, committed to being healthier, happier, more active people. So keep us posted on your progress and once again, WELCOME!!

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi everyone

We just got back from brunch. DH and DSs are on their way to the dump so I thought I'd take a few minutes to post here

I'm happy to say that I am FINALLY back down to my pre-cruise weight. I should've been here sooner, but between thanksgiving dinner (I ate turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pie, etc for the entire 4-day weekend! LOL), plus other bad food choices right after that, it's taken a couple of weeks to get back to our healthy eating. We're finally back, and it actually feels good. Now I'm looking forward to losing even more weight. Hopefully 30-40 more pounds.

Welcome drewsmommybear! My DH and I are losing weight together. We started on June 1st of this year, and we've both lost around 35 pounds now. I started South Beach on a Friday and by Sunday morning he asked me if I'd give him the same exact foods that I was eating. Of course I agreed, and we've been doing great ever since, except for the 10 day cruise we went on last month. But like I just posted, we're finally back to our pre-cruise weight again!

This is a great group of people on this thread, and we're here to support and encourage each other as much as we can

ashleypmo: I'm not taking Mucinex... I do use Flonase though. I saw my doctor this past week and he doesn't feel it's a sinus infection causing all of my pain. He thinks (and I agree with this, although I'm not sure that it's the cause of my pain 100%) that I'm clenching my teeth, and that's what's causing the entire right side of my face/head/teeth to tighten up and become extremely painful. I already saw my dentist 2 weeks ago to rule out that it was a dental problem. He took x-rays and said that there's no problem with my teeth, but he did "polish" down my back molars just a bit so that they don't meet at hard when I bite down. I know that I've had problem with clenching in the past that caused pain, but this is a little worse than what I've experienced before.

Anyway, my doctor is sending me for an MRI (I'm having it done tomorrow; who knew that MRI places were open on Sundays?! LOL), just to rule out anything else going on inside my head. The doctor also said it could be a form of migraine headache.

delilah: I didn't know what a hanbok was so I looked it up online. They're gorgeous! Have fun wearing yours and visiting with your Korean friends!

Michele: How are you doing?

wishes and dreams: How are things going with you??


to everyone, sorry if I missed anyone!

 

[LaLaroo78]

Drewsmommybear! Congratulations on wanting to live a healthier life! Your journey will be filled with ups and downs but remember stick with it no matter how hard it is because in the end you are worth it!

Terry - Congrats on getting back to your pre cruise weight!

I have been having a tough time lately. Once again I keep gaining and losing those same few pounds. I need to just give myself a kick in the butt and get back on track. December is an extremly busy and tempting month for me (as well as all of you too) and I just do not take the time for myself or make the best food choices. I haven't even exercised that much so far. Now I have a cold and feel like crap so I just want to sleep when I get home from work. Winter has always been tough for me because all I want to do is curl up on the couch and watch tv at night.

Well I better get back to work!

to all my sistahs!

I hope everyone is doing well post when you can!

Michele

 

[ashleypmo]

Somehow this week's Biggest Loser really motivated me. I want to be Gillian when (and if) I grow up. Man, that chick has some buff shoulders! So I'm on day 2 of being back on plan, but not only that, I'm really getting my mind together. My reward meal is becoming much healthier, which I think will knock me off this plateau. For a while, I was like "woo-hoo! 75 pounds!" And that kind of sustained me through the beginning stages of the plateau. But now it's gettin' old! So I'm making much healthier reward meal choices. Today I had a big salad w/ beans & tomato & salsa and a bowl of homemade soup. I had a small portion of dessert (homemade key lime pie!), and a glass of milk. No Coke! For me, that is a big thing. I'd rather have a Coke than eat actual food. Even though I'm the first person to rail on about the horrible things high-fructose corn syrup does to your body & your metabolism, and I'm convinced it has played a huge part in the epidemic of obesity & diabetes, it's just a really hard thing for me to give up my 1 coke a day. I figure on the weekends if we go out I can still have one, but as far as regular weekday meals, no more!

 

[VernRDH]

Hey Sistahs!!!

I am happy to report that I have finally achieved a milestone-50lbs lost!!! Check out my new shiny clippie!!! It has taken me a while to get to it, but it is a great feeling.

I have switched from WW points to using FitDay to track calories instead. I found that I was not eating enough on the WW and my body was just not losing. I am happy with the results thus far and am hoping that I can continue to do well.

How is everyone else doing? Our new friends haven't been back, I hope you are still hanging in there!!

Hi to delilah-how was your party and wearing your hanbok? Post a picture of yourself in it, we'd love to see it!!

SeaSpray-Congrats on getting back to pre-cruise weight!! Are you guys bracing for the storm as well? We are expecting over a foot of snow tomorrow.

Ashley-I am glad that your health things are worked out. And I love reading your pre trippie (shameless plug for ya ) Glad you are back on track-that seems to be a theme around here!! I love Jillian and those shoulders too. I would love to have a body like hers, but I will take whatever I can get at this point!!!

Michele-how are you doing? I am sooo looking forward to using the Wii and getting a workout. I am also going to try some of the workouts on FitTV, which is on demand on Time Warner Cable.

I know it is a busy time of year for everyone, but pop in and let us know how its going.

Sistahs Rock!!!

 

[LaLaroo78]

Hey Sistahs!

Well last week was a total bust. I had a cold that just kept getting worse and I did absolutely nothing all week but lounge around and do a little last minute Christmas shopping.

I hope to get back on track soon. I know I am not going to make my next mini goal of 40 lbs lost by Christmas but I am glad that I haven't gained too much just a few pounds. I will get back on track in January and hopefully I will be on my way down again!

Vern - My that new clippy looks fabulous on you! Congrats on the 50 lbs! That is awesome and what a nice early Christmas gift to yourself!

In case I do not check in before the holiday I want to wish all my Sistahs a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Have a great one!

Michele

 

[Geekerbell]

Hello everyone!

I have been meaning to come over and post, as I was invited to by Vern and LaLaroo, but just haven't made the time to do it yet. But I thought since the Biggest Loser challenge is wrapping up in the next couple of days, and I don't have a "home" I would stop in today.

As you can see by my ticker, I have lost about 30 pounds so far, but have over a hundred still left. I began this journey for the most recent time in August and, I think, have been doing well. I am not where I had wanted to be at this point, but I am just proud of myself for sticking with it, through all of the ups and downs. I am trying to change my attitude towards weight loss and diet, because I know this is going to take me a while to do, and then it will probably be a constant everyday challenge to stay at a healthy weight once I'm there, for the rest of my life. I say that, because it has always been a challenge, and obviously the last ten years haven't gone so well.

So, I have started a journal, that I will try to post in weekly. And now I am hoping to have a place on this thread to come and check in and get some friendly support as well.

Thanks,
Laura

 

[VernRDH]

Geekerbell Good to see you over here!!! I am very proud of you-you are sticking with the program and working towards your goal-better health!!! How long it takes doesn't matter-Rome wasn't built in a day. It has taken me 10 and a half months to lose 50 pounds. Not exactly where I thought I would be right now, but ya know what? I'm proud of what I have done and am going to keep working, keep pushing to get the rest of the weight off and reach my goal. 30 pounds is nothing to sneeze at-just think of where you would be if you were still carrying that 30 lbs around!!!

I am doing a journal as well over at Fitday. I don't know if I want to make it public yet, but at least it is somewhere to write down my feelings and how things are going for me.

I suspect many of us will be over here more once the BL challenge finishes up. I am looking forward to the holidays and the new year-hoping that 2008 finds all of us healthier, fitter and sexier!!!

 

[LaLaroo78]

Hey Geekerbell!

Welcome to the Minnie Sistahs! I am glad you came and joined us! Congrats on the 30 lbs! That is awesome! I hope to get back to that point real soon! I gained a few pounds these last few weeks but I deserve it for not making the best choices and not exercising!!!!! Like I said before I need to get back track! I am going to lose this weight once and for all! I guess 27 lbs since mid July isn't too shabby but I was hoping for 40!

Well have a great day everyone!

Michele

 

[VernRDH]

Merry Christmas Sistahs!!!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday. We did-too much food though. The Wii Santa brought is tons of fun-and exercise!! I got a new pair of jeans SIZE 12!!! Looking forward to getting into 10's!!

I am hoping the "damage" is not too bad once the holiday is over. I need to get the food under control AGAIN and back on the treadmill.

Wishing you all a wonderful new year and new YOU!! 2008 will be our year, I just know it.

 

[delilah]

Congratulations, Vern, on the size 12 jeans. It won't be long, I'm sure, before you are in those size 10's.

We had a very nice Christmas weekend. It was special in many ways. We went to Columbus, Ohio, where we attended graduate/medical school. We visited our Korean friend, with whom we attended graduate school, and one of our closest friends, who we have known since just out of graduate school. We attended the family party of our friend, which was nice, because we have known them so long, they feel like an extension of our family. The highlight of my weekend was when we attended Mass at the church near my friend's house. We have attended Mass there before, when we are in Ohio for the weekend to attend an OSU game. We used to attend at the Newman Center on campus, but last fall, I noticed that the pastor of the parish near my friend's house was the chaplain at Unversity Hospital when we were in graduate school. We used to take Communion to the Catholic patients on Sunday who weren't able to attend Mass at the chapel at the hospital (actually, it wasn't a chapel, just a large classroom that in medical school, I had a pharmacology class in, as a matter of fact). He was no longer chaplain by the time I attended medical school. I sent him a note and a card with our family picture in it, and put it in the collection basket. But, after Mass, we went to speak to him, and he remembered us! That just totally made my day. It was just great. I don't think he would have recognized us had he seen me 6 months ago rather than this past Sunday.

Back to jean issues. It is an interesting fact that really, I now recently am able to wear about the same size jeans that I could wear when I was first married. At the time, it was the fashion that women would wear men's jeans. I wore size 28 waist jeans. Now, very interestly size 28 fits, mainly because, quite honestly, I weigh about 25 lbs more now than I did when I got married. But, my hips and thighs have gotten relatively smaller. Size 28 used to be way too big around my waist, but, now it is a perfect fit. So, obviously, I am still working on the waist/abdomen part of the weight loss. I am beginning to wonder, though, just how small my hips are going to get (they are about 35" now). I am not sure if this is all age/hormone related, or is related to the fact that I exercise alot more now than I did then.

 

[LaLaroo78]

Hey Sistahs!

I just wanted to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

I got a Polar Heart Rate Monitor for Christmas and I am excited to use it. Now I will be able to know if what I am doing is working or if I need to step up my exercising! Now that the holidays are over I am looking forward to getting back into my healthy routine! I have to cheat a little next week since my girlfriends are taking me out to celebrate my 30th birthday!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Post when you can!

Have a great day!

Michele

 

[larry's girl]

I know you all thought I died and fell off the face of the earth, but I didn't. I have just had a ton of "stuff" happen since I last posted.

I think I told you that I had a serious back injury not long after I started my eating plan and exercise program. It is better now, although I have seen more of my chiropractor than anybody else in the last three months! I am just grateful to be out of the worst of the pain!

I just got over a horrible sinus infection, which made me feel awful! I should have gone to the doctor long before I did, but I am stubborn that way and so I was sick for almost a month altogether. But I am feeling better now!

Last but not least, my house has turned against me and we are having MAJOR (read HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE) plumbing problems in my house. I wasn't able to use my kitchen for three days this week, which totally messed up my eating plan, but I am just going to keep trying and do the best I can. I gained back what I lost while I was down with my back, so I have to get moving again!

I will post more details about my exercise later - I am going to attempt to run a 5K race at Disney in May with my sister, so I have to start training NOW!! I will let you know how it goes!

Hope all of you have a great day!

Susan

 

[LaLaroo78]

Welcome back Susan! We missed ya around here!

Glad to hear that your back is getting better. I hope everything works out with your house. Good luck getting back on track. I'm glad you signed up for the BL challenge too!

Well I lost 4 of the 6 lbs I gained over the holidays (Thanksgiving - Christmas) Hopefully this is a good sign and I will continue on my losing journey!

How is everyone else doing?

Have a great day!

Michele

 

[delilah]

Hi everybody. I'm just getting ready to settle back into my routine, which is a good thing. On Friday night, we had a sleepover with my son's class from school. It actually went really well. They are at an age where they will pretty much entertain themselves, even though we had activities planned for them. We had the sleepover in our family room, which is in our walkout basement, which has a ceramic tile floor. I was concerned about the kids getting cold, so, I built a nice fire in the fireplace (even though I usually don't do fireplace fires because of my allergies). I had some foam tiles (like would be used to pad a floor in a play area) which helped to insulate them from the floor. We are already in pre-planning for another sleepover later in the spring (when it is warmer, and we could do some things outside--it was just cold here; no snow, just cold).

Between Thanksgiving and the end of the year, I lost 3 lbs. I wasn't expecting to lose any, and, in fact, I didn't even weigh myself for about 3 wks. The counter at the bottom is accurate, so, I have 9 more lbs to go.

I was on call last weekend and on New Years day. Had "No-Doc" call twice in that time span. I complained to the ER Dr. about it, which probably did no good, since he doesn't make the schedule. I hope I get a copy of the schedule; the secretary who does it didn't distribute it before the end of the year. I intend to bend her ear a bit if she puts me on again this month; I was on Dec 29 and Jan 1. On average, all the primary care physicians are on once a month. My "No-Doc" patient on Jan 1 was a special treat. I was called about him at 7:30 am, even though we don't start call until 8:30 (my first complaint). He was a non-compliant patient, didn't want to do any of the labs or tests we ordered (he was admitted with chest pain, and actually had percarditis). He left AMA Jan 2 because I wouldn't let him smoke (not allowed anywhere on hospital grounds). I guess there's a reason some people don't have doctors. I was off on Jan 2 because my son is out of school, so, tomorrow is my first day back after his break. Call was really busy Jan 1--I was at the hospital seeing inpatients from 8:30am to 3pm. The normal amount of time we spend is about 1 hour or so.

 

[larry's girl]

Good morning, sistahs. Just wanted to post really quickly to say I weighed in for BL challenge today and lost 2 pounds. I am happy with that, since I didn't really get started until this weekend. Hopefully the coming week will go well, also.

Started bellydancing for exercise yesterday, and it was really fun! I am sure I looked pretty stupid, but since no one was looking, it didn't matter. I was supposed to start training today for the 5K race at Disney in May that my sister convinced me to run with her, but I overslept and barely made my vanpool, so I will have to start that tomorrow.

Michele - congrats on losing 4 of the 6 pounds you gained over the holidays! I gained back all I lost plus 5 pounds when I was down with my back, so I can relate to wanting to get that off - good job!

Vern - congrats on your new 50 lb. clippie - that's awesome. I can't wait until I can have one, too!

Delilah - your schedule sounds grueling. My hat is off to all you medical folks for working as hard as you do. I find your weight loss very inspirational, also. It really helps to read about people who have lost a significant amount of weight and are keeping it off - gives me hope I can do it, too!

To all the rest of our Minnie sistahs - hope everybody has a "losing" day!

Susan

 

[delilah]

Susan--2 lbs is great in the short time that you say you have been working. Keep up the good work. Belly dancing sounds like fun (I don't think there's anything like that around here).
I enjoyed my couple of days off last week while my son was off school. Yesterday was my first day back, and I missed some excitement while I was gone. One of our patients needed to pay an overdue bill before he could be seen. He took exception to that, and told our receptionist (who is a very mild mannered lady whom I have never known to lose her temper in 10 years of working with her) that she had an anger management problem. He went off in our office, and started yelling and threatening. He ran out of the office, and started driving recklessly in the parking lot. For some reason, our nurse followed him out of the building, and he jumped the curb and actually tried to run her down with his car. Fortunately, another of our patients saw what was going on, and pushed the nurse out of the way. Needless to say, the fellow was arrested and is still in jail today. What he didn't reckon with was that we are also the jail doctors, and the nurse he tried to run down is the jail nurse. Well, I guess our receptionist does have trouble controlling angry, out of control people (don't we all).

Then, today, one of my patients was making inappropriate comments to one of our clerks. A few months ago, he wrote a three page letter to her asking her to call him as well as other things, which she ignored and gave to our office manager. I didn't know about it until today, when he started in on her again. Now, he has made inappropriate comments to me that I have ignored, but, the next time he comes in, he is going to have a conference with my office manager and me about appropriate behavior in a doctor-patient-office staff relationship. If a doctor made the type of comments that he made to our clerk, most likely the doctor would lose his medical license; that is how bad it is. Today, though, he was fine with me. (We have already reported him to CPS once due to things his daughter told us). The really sad thing about it is that the man is about 50, and the young clerk is in her early 20's. I don't know what's up--it's just been crazy, and I guess this disproves any full moon theory of craziness.

But, despite it all, I am still doing my exercise (which helps me de-stress, as does visiting here). I am watching my diet, and trying to stay healthy and avoid the flue (which is coming soon).

Best wishes to everybody.

 

[MunkyMe13]

I am definately in the same boat as you. Any advice I can give or any support you need let me know I am trying to get myself motivated to work out. I hope we can be successful together in 2008

 

[delilah]

MunkeyMe13--Welcome to this thread. I hope you good luck in your endeavor. It seemed to me that this thread was going to make it to the second page and be lost forever. I guess I truly am the threadkiller. I know it can't be my deodorant, since nobody can smell through the computer.

Generally, I only post on Thursday, because that is my day off, and I have more time then. I usually read every day, though.

Yesterday, I judged my son's school's science fair. There were three of us, and we had 19 projects to judge. My husband, another PhD scientist who is a parishioner and I were the judges. It took the whole day, from about 8:30am to 2:30 pm or so. I am really glad I blocked out my whole day at work. My coworkers were a bit put out that I wasn't there yesterday, since I had four patients admitted to the hospital, ranging in age from 6mos to 83years. The kids were stressed out about the science fair, but, later on at the awards ceremony, they all were sitting at our table, and having fun with us. It is harder to judge the science fairs when you know the students and their parents. I used to judge the science fair at my cousin's kids' school. One year, my cousin's daughter was one of the winners (the schools send 3 projects to the state competition). That year, in particular, there was controversey because my husband and I were judging, and my cousin's daughter won. Except we didn't judge her project. We were divided according to discipline, and since my husband and I have a strong physics background (we have MS degrees in physical chemistry), we judged the physics projects. One boy had an elaborate project where it was obvious that alot of the work had to have been done by the parents. The parents were put out because he didn't win. He didn't win because he didn't actually do an investigation, he did more of a demonstration. It was an elaborate demonstration, but, the rules were it had to be an experimental investigation involving formulating a hypothesis, gathering and analyzing data and drawing conclusions based on the data. So, the school quit participating in the state competition, because these parents were so put out about it. Too bad that nobody else got to go to the state competition because some people are poor sports about it. (I can just hear it--I spent $900 on this apparatus, and that other kid only spent $25 and won).

I'm still plugging away with my exercise and diet. I am getting close to my goal, and lost about 0.5 lb this past week.

 

[ashleypmo]

Hey all! I haven't posted in a while, but I've been hangin' in there!

Delilah--I'm hoping to get Ri & E started on science fair projects soon. Last year, when they were in public school, Riley won 2nd place in her school science fair, and then went on to win 2nd at a university sponsored fair. It was really exciting! Her project was on the preservative properties of cranberries, and was really fun.

MunkeyMe & Laura-- Welcome!

Susan--Belly dancing! How cool! That sounds like a lot of fun.

Veronica & Michele-- Hi Sistahs!

Well, my story...I gained an insane amount of weight between Thanksgiving & New Years. I think it was part stress over all the medical issues, partly the holiday rush, but when I got back on the scale ! It really stinks to have to lose weight that you've already lost once!

But I'm back on track and really motivated! I've lost 8 pounds since New Year's Day. This week I'm PMSing, so I've got to be prepared that that scale won't be moving down for the next few days. I'm not going to let it discourage me.

I've been working out. Nothing insane, but using Jorge Cruise's principles. Mainly strength training, with some 30 second bursts of cardio in between sets. Today I pulled my right calf muscle. It was sheer stupidity...I did a set of quad lifts at 50 pounds, and it felt like my right leg wasn't pulling as much as my left....so I decided to do a lift w/ just my right leg. FYI--don't. I didn't realize I had hurt myself until I started to jump rope and came down--yowl! Shake it off, try again...yowl! Well, at least I had finished my set already. I'll just wait an extra day to do my legwork.

Take care & live healthy Sistahs!