I'm terrified to blow my nose after what happened to you!

Have a great weekend.

Hey everyone
Blowing the nose who knew it could mess you up
Jeremy you are to cool and the loss is great and be proud of yourself you are doing so well I have been strugling with the same 9 lbs for weeks and I think any one who can just do it is wonderful so that's everyone here
But I am hanging in soooner or later I well get this
stillk next week well be a better one when flo goes away
I hope everyone has a great weekend I am going to try to execrise I am having a hard time getting itno it this week but I soooo need to
well have a very happy friday to all

Thank you Very much. I am proud but I try not to be because in my mind if I become to proud I get lazy and then I hate to see what might happen.I cant go back to where I was,I will not go back to where I was.

Last Year(flash Back) I was 635lbs ;well around Febuary, I was fed up with life! My family was living there lives and I wasnt apart of it.I was apart of the couch.I didnt go outta my house for anything.My wife had the Poops of me and I am pretty sure we were on our way to a divorce and verry possibly the end of my life.I found myself at a professional head doctor,I was all screwed up! I then started my journey in july i had weight loss surgery,got very sick and was down for a few weeks.After that I decided I wanted to live better for every1 . So now I bust my but everyday and do what i can to make sure I never become that couch potato again.Tomorrow, I am burning that couch!

Every day is a challenge,how we cope with it is our own choice,quit dont quit ,do an extra 5 or even 10 mins.Just remember there are only 2 deccesions in life that count......"Do I" OR "Don't I" ..........Do I quit?
OR dont I quit? Its up to you..........

I made my decession and I feel good!

And that's what it comes down to... a decision. While my own weightloss is minimal in the face of what I have left to accomplish, my attitude is 180 degrees different. I LET this happen, by being apathetic and denying there was a problem. With me. I was the problem!

So like you, J., I chose to get off my a$$ instead of let one more day pass without making a change. Is it hard to workout? Nope, not for me. Easiest thing I ever did once I decided to do it. And the more I move, the more I love it. I love being able to walk 3 miles in an hour. I loved the fact that I could do everything that needed doing for my horse when he was hurt... 6 months ago, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish half of what I did. That's a great feeling.

And I know that it'll only get better. Mary, it'll only get better!

Hey all I am looking for some new tunes to work out to.any suggestions?

AC/DC always works for me Jeremy. The Eurythmics also have a good beat. I am an 80's type of music person so our tastes may differ.

Bonkers...after reading your post I had to laugh. I just had a conversation with my hairdresser about finally living life. I want to do things and experience life. I feel like I was on the sidelines for too long and now I am really participating in the game.

Ben and I are planning on taking scuba lessons in the spring. I want to see this world and everything it has to offer. When I am old and on my deathbed, I don't want regrets.... I want to say, "wasn't that awesome!!" I am sorry for the years I neglected my health but I am doing my darndest to change that.

From here on in...no regrets...just living life

I love the 80's so that works for me thank you!

Jeremy, when I workout, I tun my computer to pandora radio, and I have a station I call Blondie Radio. So I get 80s bands, like Blondie, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, David Bowie, etc. pandora is great, because you can tell it what you like and it selects the tunes for you.

Hey, everyone is being pretty inspiring today! The bottom line is, we were all missing out on life, and now we are back living it. Thats great! And we will be ok, as long as we don't blow our noses...............

Take care group! I'll check in later.

Glad to hear that we all have great taste in music too! Jeremy you can also try some ELO or Depeche Mode. Again maybe not your taste but ABBA has a good beat in their music too.I have a gym playlist on my ipod that has a great beat to keep me going hard on the elliptical as well as a relaxing one to just chill too. There is one I call Vicky that has a variety on it that I like when I am using the weights at the gym.

Kristi...snot funny to pick on Kelly!

Hi everyone
wow you all know how to bring it. inspirations you all are.... It's what I need I still have no clue of why I just can't get it I think it might be med's but who's knows thank all for bringing it I needed this today.
J I love 80 music also bonjovi,U2 and all of it but I gotta say pink is a great to walk . I tryed it out today.
everyone have a great day. and yes stillk we will be ok we can do this small steps or big one's I will get there.You and havingitall to funny lol
I don't know what's better chicken bobbies or the snot?
All have a great weekend
hey where has aur23a been any one know ....

Hey, I had to share because I have met my first goal-I am under 300 lbs! I know, it's not weighin, but that's the first time I've seen a 2 in about 6 years! I am pumped!

Y'all have a great sunday!

WAY TO GO BONKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOY I CANNOT WAIT TIL IM IN THE 300'S BEEN ALMOST 5YRS.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

WOW !! Congratulations Bonkers !!! I'm happy for you !!

I've discoverd a thing during the last week : if I consumme less than 1400 calories, I take more weight... My metabolism retains my weight if I feel just a little hungry... I must eat almost 1500-1900 calories in the day and do +30-40mn exercise to lose weight. Now I know it.. hope that will continue in the same way !

Have a great day all !!

Yay Ange!!!! Way to go!

We just went on a beautiful 90 minute hike today. The trees are changing here so it was absolutely beautiful. There were a lot of hills on the path with this huge one we had to climb up. I stayed with the group and I wasn't the only one gasping for air at the top. Ben was there too and he kept ahead of me. I was getting annoyed because the trail was rough and hilly and he wasn't keeping an eye out for me. All of a sudden I clicked in that he knew I could do it better than I knew. He believed in me when I was doubting myself. All the other people in the group hiking ( there were 26) believed that I could do it as well, they never questioned if I was alright. I really need to get over that silly mental hurdle I have. I know it still holds me back.

By the way, the hike burned just over 1000 calories!

Another challenge met and conquered today! Tomorrow I shall slay some more of my demons and dragons!

Have a great day

Hello Gang -

Sorry I've been incommunicado for so long. I've missed all of you and all the great stories. I let myself get into a rut and have been making excuses for not exercising, for eating what I want, when I want, and for basically be a lazy blob. I woke up this morning with my sweet poochie (Ellie May) looking up at me and I said, "Ellie May, enough is enough - I HAVE to do this!"

So...I logged what I've eaten so far and Marlon and I took Ellie on a nice walk. It's a start!

Bonkers - I am so happy for you! My original goal was to be 299 by Jan 1st 2010...just get under that darn 300 mark but because I've been a dork, it won't happen - no way to lose 50 pounds in that amount of time. You have me feeling good about it though. Thanks for being such an inspiration!

Any words of advice would be much appreciated gang. How do you stay motivated? What keeps you going? I can't let myself fall back into old ways. I want to LIVE.

Take care all,
Becky

Hey Becky,
Dont say you cant meet your goal when you wanted to meet it! Its just a goal even gettin close to your goal is an accomplishment!Hunker down eat right and excerise everyday for 90 mins and you shall over come.

Vicky (or another ), I have a question for you : it's perhaps a little dumb, but I don't know what's the difference between walking and hiking...
Could you explain it to me please ? (for example : it's burnes more calories than walking, why ? it's probably harder but why ?)
Hum... sorry for the question, I think that I see the difference, but where is the limit between the 2...

Hiking is more like Off-roading not really paved paths un even grounds and inlines that very.Its not like walking down the street on a pavement.

<<<< Former Boy Scout LOL

Hey everyone, hope you are having a great Sunday. lwkido, hiking = hills and as Jeremy said, off road. walking to me is on a flat, paved surface - side walk, street, or even the mall (do you have malls where you are? I lived in Europe for aabout 18 months back in the 1980s and there were no malls, no big box stores, and only one quasi-supermarket. It was a very different way of living, and I think in some ways, more healthy. Not nearly as much processed food, for example, and everyone seemed to walk a lot more.

Ange, way to go!!! Party for you!!!!! I can't wait for that day, either. It will be a while, but I am at least heading in the right direction.

Kinky, welcome back!!! Hey, no worries, you are here again, right? So, don't beat yourself up about yesterday - its in the past. Embrace the present that is today and go to work. We can do this! I think one of the best motivators is positive self talk. I don't mean lying to myself and saying everything is ok when its not, but I think we need to open our minds up to the idea that we CAN succeed, we CAN lose weight - and then we will. For me, the best thing I did when I started here was to act like I had been at it a while. Act like eating healthy, counting calories, drinking lots of water were things I always did. And, I came here every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I got and still get a lot of support and encouragement from my friends here at MFP. Good luck!!

Vicky - you go girl! You are such a tremendous inspiration. Everyone should check out your profile and see those pics! WOW, you rock. Same with Kelly - snot fair how well you guys have done!

Mary, hang in there - you ARE doing it! You are still here, and you are working on it. Its gonna happen. Stay focused and remember we are all with you on this!

Everyone else, don't be strangers! See you soon, I hope!

Hey guys, thanks for the party! You know, that's why I love this group; y'all are here for each other when it's rough, and you're here to share the victories... there are no small victories, by the way. This group rocks.

Becky, congrats on the return. Me, an inspiration? Really, no. I'm just fighting along with everyone else. And I didn't meet that goal on time, either. I was hoping for it by the first of September! But you know what? It doesn't matter. Because if I hadn't stuck with it, I could be 45 lbs heavier right now! So I'm with J. You fight for that goal, and you'll hit it when you hit it. You just might surprise yourself!

So, by Kristi's def. of walking, every walk I take is a hike! Here along the Blue Ridge, the hills are steep, and for every three mile walk I take, I've got 3 major hills to climb. And descend! And some of the roads are gravelled. What do y'all think? I'm still gonna just log them as walking... but let me tell ya, I'm developing thighs of steel! I love hiking. We live in the shadow of a peak (if you can call it that, it's still only about 3500 feet) called Buffalo Mountain (looks like a buffalo's hump) and I'm going to climb it next spring. That's a fitness goal of mine, because I haven't been able to hike it since my early twenties.

Ok, I've gone on enough. Just wanted to thank y'all, and lend my own encouragement to whomever might need it.

I can guarantee there were lots of hills on this hike. I like Jeremy's description of off roading. My husband and I were joking that ATV's would be good as there were several people riding horses down a different, less steep trail. I know that I burned a lot more calories than when we take the dogs for a walk because, even though it was only 40 Fahrenheit outside, I was sweating at the end.

Kinky, welcome back. We missed you. Jump right back on the wagon with us and just get going again.

Thanks Kristi for the compliments. This was a good weekend with a lot of exercise and I ate well all weekend. We usually go out for a meal on the weekend but this time we just stayed home for meals and ate very well.

My boss is in town for the next few days and we will be going for dinner Monday and Tuesday night. I will make sure I make good choices because I feel in control right now. The gym isa must in the morning for the next few days.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Hi everyone!!! I sure do miss out not being able to chat with you guys over the weekend! What inspirational topics we had this past one. I could've used it...slipped a bit over the weekend. Paid the price, because I hit 83 lbs on Sat a.m. and was so pleased...but then I let it go and had two moderately bad days.

But its fine, I'm back on it today and will lose the sodium weight quickly I'm sure...I sure loved seeing that 266....agonizingly closer to that 250...I havent weighed that little since I think the 8th or 9th grade!

Ange....you GO!!! Congrats on your sucess!! I know that must feel good!! Becky, welcome back and keep plugging along...you too Mary...dont give up. Think of Cindy's note on her signature...."life's a cinch, inch by inch". Its easy to get discouraged if you look the big picture...break it down into smaller goals that are attainable. and own each small success.

Carmen, how are you feeling??

Aurora, Caite and Cindy...where are you guys??

Hi everyone I hope everyone is having a great Monday. I was up at 6 am and walked 2 miles. I came home and showered and weighed myself. I have been eating crappy since we returned from MO. My schedule has me stressed and I've been using that as an excuse to eat. I'm up 8 pounds. I am ready to buckle down and do what I need to do to get this weight off. I plan to get up every day at 6 am and walk. I'l also walk at night or do an exercise dvd. I am glad the damage is only 8 pounds. But boy can I feel those 8 pounds. I feel Huge !!!! I need to start drinking my water too. It is so important that I start losing again before the holidays hit or my 8 pounds might turn in to 25 ! If I'm exercising and eating right and losing weight I'll be able to stay strong through the holidays. OK I better run. I'm doing lessons with Avery. Cindy

Mornin' everyone....sorry I've been MIA. I've been laughing at all your 'snotty' comments.- I've been living it this past week!!! Caught a cold before Thanksgiving - took the cold fx and it worked to get me through the holiday weekend, but this thing has lingered on and on...I feel like such a slug, but i just couldn't manage much more than getting to work and home. That also means that I haven't been making great food choices and my digestive system is feeling it too!!!

At any rate, I'm feeling better and ready to rock and roll - I'm actually missing the activity again, so I know I am over this bug. Vicky - I'll see you at the pool tomorrow!!!

I've also decided to join a gym....now I have to pick one! There are two I am considering in my area - one is cheap but open almost 24 hrs, so I can go whenever I want. The other is expensive, but also has a pool and is sactioned for national athletes, so it has expert trainers and health professionals. I am going to go check them both out this week, as they have been sending out flyers for specials.

Ange!!! congrats on seeing that "2"!!!! I'm 10 lbs - ish (depending on the day) away....I feel like that 10 lbs is stuck like cement to my thighs!!!

For the rest of you having setbacks like me....just think of it as a reminder of why we are on this journey - it's much easier now to remember how "good" feels, let that motivate us to get back to that!!!!

Have a good one everybody!

Just checkin in, I hope everyone had a great weekend. I got some well needed rest, but I didn't exercise at all. I'm really struggling in that area these days. But, now that the weather here in the South is a little less humid, I won't feel like I'm having a heatstroke while I'm walking.

Congrats Ange!!! That is an awesome milestone.

I'm praying for all of us to have a successful week, physically and nutritionally!

~Carmen