It's hard to tell with my clothes because I lost 30 pounds over about 3 months, and then I hit a plateau the last 5 months or so. So JAGG has helped me to gear up for a healthy lifestyle change for sustainable, permanent weight loss. (He says I can never have real butter again... The rest of it I can live with, but butter??? NOOOOOO)

Anyway, so a lot of my clothes were already big to begin with, as I haven't been able to replace my entire wardrobe yet. I have not measured. That would require someone else's assistance, and I don't want anyone to see that hip measurement! LOL

I know muscle weighs more than fat, people tell me that every time I have a disappointing result LOL but I'm going to blame it on the cookie I had this weekend instead to hopefully keep myself from repeating my mistakes. Also, JAGG has instructed me to save all the fatty foods for the starving African children, so I may have killed an orphan with my cookie :P

I guess it depends on the diet. When I am trying to eat super clean it is harder. No sauces, no dressings, no milk, or cheeses. Carbs coming from fiberous veggies, sweet potato, oats, and brown rice only.

Ok... so for a month and a half I didn't fall off the wagon, apparently I jumped down - broke the wagon up and used the wood for kindling to bbq the ox pulling the wagon.

But I'm back.. and actually better than ever. (for now).

I've decided trying to eat 'healthy' and also trying to continue to eat a fair amount of processed food - is a losing battle. You not only can't eat much due to the calories, but I'm not convinced eating processed foods makes you feel unsatisfied and craving more food.

So I'm back and eating "clean" now. Not 100% clean - but very much for the most part indeed.

I've also started stationary biking. Right now my goal is 25 miles a week and I'm about to shatter that on my very first week - which is good I suppose, means I underestimated my drive at the get go (which is also kinda worrisome isn't it?)

I've been on a dinner for salad kick so far this week and I've discovered a couple of nice ones I thought I'd share:

we had this one last night:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken...ng/Detail.aspx

Neither of us are fans of limes - so we substituted Orange Ginger dressing instead of Lime. We also used romaine hearts instead of spinach - since Gillian isn't a huge huge fan of spinach and I can't push my luck with her. lol Over all a great dinner salad.

we had this one Tuesday night:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/warm-ch...ad/detail.aspx

also an excellent salad. For this one we used Pineapple/Orange juice instead of just regular Orange juice and next time I'll cut the cornstarch in half and/or add more juice as the dressing was a bit too thick for my liking.

Friday I have a blueberry and bacon salad lined up that has me intrigued.

Forbiden foods for me are some sweets,Ice cream (anything with chocklate) or cokies and cream.two weeks ago my son came home from the store bringing two pints of liller ice cream,it took me three days to eat mine slow and easy and being its had been forever scince I had any at all I was ok with it.The the little rat brought home 5 dam quarts of chocklate swerle home..I did eat some but he at the majority of it.So now the house is void of bad stuff again ao im for the most part back on the wagon.Getting back in the gym will put things back to rights.Today I had a customer order three pies for a party at his house,a peanut butter pie,a home style apple then a key lime.Oh my what to do but at the price I charge and he pays im gonna make them.

WooooHo0o0o0oo its friday!!!!!

I got on the scales this morning, and TaDa!!! I have lost 5.5 lbs since I got home from vacaton. Thats a great way to start my day!!!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend planned.
Stay focused, and stong!!!

WAY TO GO!!! That is awesome.... all that hard work is paying off big time :)

Good morning healthies :)

Today was weigh and measure day at Curves. I'm down another 2 lbs (very slow but I'll take it) and another 2 inches.

My body fat percentage is still falling....so all the weight I'm losing is fat, and I'm building muscle. I even have visible biceps now....who knew? :blink: And I'm finally starting to lose inches in the upper arms and thighs....two places it had been stubborn to move from.

Oddly, I've lost none of my bust (which I normally would when just dieting)....although my chest measurement is a bit smaller since I've lost fat on my back. (Charming, huh?)

I'm crediting exercising with the difference. My body is reshaping itself in, to me, the best possible way....losing inches and toning up from waist to knees, and now some of that upper arm "stuff" going away too.

All of my pants and shorts are saggy and baggy....and it's going to be time to go do a little clothes shopping pretty soon. :)

Oh....and I have no forbidden foods. That always backfires for me. I have some I don't keep in the house (like BBQ chips) and allow myself only a very small amount very occasionally but, for me, the minute I say "no more ever" then that's the very thing I want. :|

Hugs to you all....and bravo on your efforts!

Well I have stopped fast food completely. I cook at home, and make sure its healthy. Ive cut out Soda's too. Every once in a while I will have a diet coke. I have gone down from a man's 58 to a 52. I feel better, and am sleeping better. Not up all hours of the night to pee or cause I cant sleep.

Good luck to everyone ! :)

Hey healthies,

Sucky news at the doctor today...evidently I get to choose between going back on Actos, which increases my risk of bladder cancer....doubling the drug I was hoping to get off of and which makes me feel sick...or....well, no...those are the choices at the moment.

Oh...and losing a lot more weight and basically never eating any of the food that non-diabetic people eat without even thinking about it.

Not a happy moment, especially after all of my work.

It is so nice to come here and be with people who really know the struggles that trying to be healthy, can create.

Well my weight loss has slowed from the exercise but I can tell my body is changing. Things are starting to tighten up in certain areas and unfortunately sag in others :-( I can tell it is time to up my game and branch out to something besides the treadmill.

Who knew that losing so much weight would be an emotional rollercoaster ride? Sometimes I look at myself as beautiful and...damn! Sometimes all I can see is how far I have yet to go...I am not young anymore and I am starting to become a bit worried of what I will look like when I am done...

On a lighter note; I finally found a smoothie recipe I can live with. It is amazing and I am getting spinach in EVERY DAY!

1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/2 banana, giant handfull of spinach, scoop protein powder (vanilla, no sugar), chia seeds, and ice. YUM.

On an even lighter note: There is a cute butch who works out the same time as me... She keeps very much to herself and hasn't "seen" me yet but it still makes it easier to go each day...LOL

I have a long list of things I use to motivate myself. Each day is different and that smaller pair of pants I am waiting to wear may not be a motivating factor on any given day. My list of motivations can be wanting to try out a new playlist to wanting to learn pole dancing...

When in a plateau, I have come to think that my body thinks I am starving it to death and starts holding on like crazy to it's "blankey". So I trick it by feeding myself a lot for a day or two (try to keep it healthy but I eat extra). My body then gives a sigh of relief that I am not starving it and the weight starts to come off again...

Me and my body have trust issues...:-)

Last night - I did a harder course on the stationary bike than last week - ended up going further than I did on the easier course - in the same amount of time - with the same average heart rate.

YAY!!!!!

Good afternoon friends.
I have been hitting it hard at the gym. I think I have pulled to many carbs from my diet, (was weaker than my norm) so I am going to tweek my diet a bit and see how that goes. So, today was a carb loading day.

Its almost hump day!!! Keep up the good work!!!

I have put on two lbs but my pants are looser than ever...I WISH I would have been measuring instead...

Does anyone have any hints to help tighten skin? I am only halfway and have issues already. It is kinda a kill-joy. :(

I am quite certain that whatever the scale may say, with what you are doing... muscle is being made, which is way heavier than fat. Puck that scale... :|


I too had my simple but delicious organic free range happy chicken and some organic green beans for my dinner last night. My desert was a really juicy grapefruit which is so dang satisfying for me, Better than Chocolate, I swear.

Thinking I will have a similar repast this evening. Chicken and spinach this time. Might be blueberries, which are my all time absolute favouritous healthy addiction.

Love that we can develop healthy addictions, healthy habits that are so doable for the rest of my life. I know I do not feel the least bit deprived when I eat per my plan. Though I do not beat myself at all when I have a splurge.

Life is good. Still prefer frozen organic wild blueberries over a piece of candy.

d'lucky grrrrrl


~who can not wait til I am cleared to be back at the pool everyday!!!!


:fastdraq: <<<< d'who is also taking a marksmanship course in Boulder whether or not I move, I am gonna have some fun where ever I may find myself. Wish it sort of counted as exercise. But alas, I rather doubt it. I used to get away with telling myself that anything I do upright and standing is exercise at my weight, but I am not that weight anymore. I am about to be in the 100's for the first time in years and I am really excited about that prospect. But the holding up a couple of extra hundreds of pounds is no longer exercise these days. Glad I am not in the 300's or 400's anymore. Can hardly wait to see those magical 100's! I will get to join the Sweet 1's team over on Spark People! Wooooah!!!! :fastdraq::fastdraq::fastdraq:

Lady Di - congrats on gettong to the 100's club!! I am doing my damnest to get there myself!

Sylvie...sometimes we need a kick in the pants (metaphorically speaking) to get back up on that horse again.....

I got sidetracked already this week with my sleep schedule, circadian rhythmn. I have been up since 2 am working - and then ran out to work with Al the Russian at 9 am. It is only 11 am now but it's 90* out there! But since I have done my 8 hours of work already for the day, I am going to get a pedi after lunch and then just relax in the pool for a bit.......

Life is good.....just a hair shy of having lost 50 punds so far....
Keep on trucking y'all................

:cigar2:

Sending you the virtual work out bands over at Spark People. I am happy to say they are actually being used here now. Versus being ornaments in my home :|

Please please please, read The Spark for his inspiration is priceless, seriously. His experience, strength and hope... worth the 5 bucks it costs to get his book. Plus you get points over at spark people, a good thing. Silly but good, lol I like silly. I like things that make me smile, spark people often times is one of them these days. Anyhows, something I will remind you of what he says about exercise and knocking our selves out, read about what he does, what his brother did and how unsuccessful his brother was in the end, after training like a muther pucker each and everyday... hours and hours, when he could no longer do as much, classes or whatever got in the way. Versus how he only forced himself to move, whatever it was for 10 minutes a day. Anything over that was Extra Credit, which helps give you a ego boost when you go beyond a mere 10 minutes a day. And btw, grrrrl... walking counts! You are doing good. Stop beating up my friend, dang it!


as for da skin flapping in the breezes here... :|

Alas, for me there is no way around the extra skin I have except via surgical intervention. But I am much older than you, no doubt. Not older and wiser, just older, lol... which means I do not make the collagen you younger folks do, thus you can do a lot to get your skin to stretch back into place, a bit.

As for the surgeries I will be having before I know it... they will be no walk in the park. Very painful surgeries, from what I have heard. And have seen first hand as an RN. These pannectomy and the tit job, since they are like sling shots at this point. *** my mentor likes to say she was once a 44 FF, now she is a 40 Long! LOL ***

The surgeries, which will be way harder than my recent two surgeries... my total knee replacements. Which I am happy to say are healing up nicely and am so excited at being able to jump on my bicycle once again. Those huge bones spurs are gone for good now. Nothing is there to interfere with my range of motion. It was awful that I did not even have the range of motion to be able to use a bicycle. But that was then, this is now. And my pretty little green Schwinn is just as happy to see as I am to see her, imnsho~!

My ex was so embarrassed by my legs not being able to straighten, I did have legs that were that of a very sad out of shape 90 year old. Today my legs are more like a healthy happy 30 year old. Just with some extra skin. Not too shabby being that I just turned 54 last week!

:cherry::veggie::cherry::bowdown:

I go to a local Bariactric Support group here, several actually. One is free and open to anyone, whether or not they are going the path of surgical intervention or not. By definition Bariactrics is simply the area of medicine that focuses on obesity and the study therein. One of these groups is run by a wonderful sports psychologist here, health educator, too... she keeps adding letters behind her name, loves to learn, study AND amazingly, likes to keep things very simple. I have lost count of how many PhD's she has right now. anyhows... Her group is only 20 bucks a month and well worth it, my health is worth that! Hey that is the prices of a couple of burger dinners, no?


Dr. Betty's best advice. Concentrate on 4 things:

Nutrition
Exercise
Sleep
Water

Of course there is much more to each of those areas, as to why they are so critical and what not. She likes to focus on brain chemistry and what our behaviours do to alter it. Like breathing, she always starts off with us simply taking deep slow breathes, holding it for 5 seconds and the even slower blow it out. And if you do that 5 times, you will change your biochemistry noticably. Your neuro chemicals in your brain take on a whole new perspective. Our bodies respond so very much even to the most basic of things like that. I could go on and on about dopamine and serotonin, but I can just see your eyes glazing over, lol. But that deep breathing, that is one of the essences of why yoga works so effectively. I love my yoga, restorative yoga for the win!


There is so much research in the area of obesity, from a scientific standpoint, and we are discovering more everyday. Most of which is common sense, like sleep is imperative, circadian rhythms and all that bloody rot.

Yes, obesity stuff is big business.... sadly. I hate that. But for many people this life and death, though I know there are lots of healthy fat folks, I know for many years I was one of them. I still have the best dang cholesterol and triglycerides levels going, my blood pressure on average is about 110/60 - 115/70. As an ex cardiac nurse, I can tell you that is damned good no matter what size you are. My pulse rate is that of an athlete, which I sort of was before I gained all this weight to begin with. But my athleticism was relagated to the ballet studio which I practically lived in at one time, long long ago. Anyhows, I digress... nothing new there.

My point is that many in that Bariactric Support group will not get the extra skin taken off, they consider it a badge of courage and are proud of their 'wings'.

I am not so proud of em, though I do not hate anything about my body. I love myself at every weight I have been, big little and in between. That is not the issue for me. Though I am sure I have had my pity parties upon more than one occasion. I am simply glad that the g forces upon my joints is less. I have done those PT calculations for every pound how much pressure is exerted. Simple math exercise, such fun~! I do love math and science, as you may recall. Bottom line, being lighter is easier to carry me around, my joints are still complaining to me, though now it is not about weight, it is about lack of bone density.

I am diligent about taking my calcium q8 hours, which is the fastest our bodies can absorb the minerals in question. Not just calcium is imperative for me, but so is magnesium and Vit D, amoung other things. Lately I have been reading up on Iodine definciency as well, which is sadly more and more common in this day and age. Knowledge is Power. I firmly believe that. And I will act accordingly. And I do. Just doing it. Whatever it takes to be healthy here.

Just got my monthly shipment of my Shaklee Vit D, which I have to say I am awe of. Also their chewable calcium tabs are delicious, who would have thunk it!? Does anyone else here supplement and if so, what are you guys doing?

I realize everyone has a different story, there is no one size fit all solution here. Health and wellness, whatever works for you... *I know I am redundant here...* just do it!

Still willing to go to any lengths for my health here,
d'getting smaller grrrrl

Hey everyone!

I hope you all are doing well!!

*hugs*

I'm having a bit of a rough patch.

Click here for a little rant where I feel sorry for myself.

I have been working my butt off in order to get ready for yesterday. I got my braces put on yesterday and so far so good! I am having yogurt, jello, pudding, smoothies and rice! I am liking the smoothies from Silk! They are very good :)

Zimmeh

I sometimes, when my spirit is a bit lagging... I get inspiration from folks like you all here, and my mentor along this path less traveled. The one that refers to her bosom... as 'I used to be a 44FF now and I am 40L - which stands for Long...' She is the one that though much heavier than me, swims at least a mile each and everyday she can. Only thing that has ever stopped her was when she had an open wound that refused to heal for a bit. I think she may have had the skin surgery, as she has also lost several hundred pounds. I adore her, amazing sense of humor and I simply love her attitude. She has always been large and proud, has been a professional burlesque person and has even been in several movies. She is a dynamo. My mentor RAWKs!

She blogs too, so if you want some inspiration, let me know and I will point the way.

I also read things that support the path I am on, with tons of suggestions. Particularly inspiring for me is The Spark from the fellow that started Spark People. I can not impress on you enough, how much his attitude and approach to change has helped me. Emmensely is an understatement.

From making a Vision Board, that you see each and everyday... one of my favourite suggestions he makes... to nutrition tracking, exercise tracking. All very helpful for me. Helps me identify what I am working towards and patterns of my own behaviour. Helps me, for a whole host of reasons. And I like getting points everyday there. Strange but true. It works, not sure why. I compete with my own self. There are folks there that have checked in everyday for years now. I am no where near that perfect. I know I do better when I can just do it, tracking really is helpful. Helps me to be accountable there to my own self.

The Spark is what worked for him. Spread that spark. Join a team, read some of those incredible blogs there. Not everything do you have to do, but everything I have tried, I have enjoyed. *sorry my grammar sucks today~ somedays I really hate English - today nothing I say looks exactly right. May just be semantics, I do not know, but I think you get my drift, no?*

Like the 10 minutes of exercise each and everyday, come hell or high water. That is one of the more active teams I am over at spark people, the 10 min a day exercise group. Everything over that 10 min is Extra Credit, which always feels good. I know I know... silly, but it works on the way my brain works. Gives me positive reinforcement, instead of beating myself up all the time for not doing an hour or two everyday. For me that is exceptional. *though not in the pool, which is hard to get me out of - and just check out how many calories are burned just treading water, oh my goodness me!!!* Anyhows, I like going the extra mile, getting extra credit. It psyches my head out somehow, not sure exactly why. He goes into it a bit in his book there.

Even on my worstest days ever, I can usually pull of a mere 10 minutes of something or nuther. I also finds it helps to shake things up and do things that are simply fun for that 10 min. I love to walk in the outdoor sculpture gardens here. Fast brisk walks, or long and leisurely, all of it counts, imo. Better than being stuck behind a computer screen or the telllie. Or like bouncing a ball against the garage. A bit of tennis anyone?? Or hitting a batting cage, whatever. Heck, bowling might even work if you keep moving. It surprized me a while back that bowling could make me sore. In a good way, it was a challenge at that weight. Now my only concern is if there is any twisting pressure on my knees. I will protect these brand new knees with my life.

I just found out today from a friend that has several horses that her nieghbor also still rides just fine and she had her knees done, as have several others she knows that have horses. For me hearing that was like Nirvana.

Something you can do at any weight is play in the water, be it the laps, or PT or what I fondly like to call Yogalates. Which combines yoga and pilates in the water. It is fun, the hour is usually up and stay in for more on my own. Exercises my PT gave me at the pool, just plain fun.

anyhows, I am just meandering with you here. If you were close by I would invite you to the water aerobics I do with the Silver Sneaker folks, most of whom are on Medicare. They get free memberships to most gyms in the country. I have met some really great folks there, who never miss a day. Totally non judgemental too. Which is a big deal if you are self conscious as I have been in the past. My mentor gave me the suggestion way back when to just get out there and smile at everyone I know and say hello to at least 10 strangers/people a day. You never know what sort of doors that might open up. Might turn you on to stuff that is going on in your own community that might be fun for you. Mud races are big here, not sure what is big where you are at. I can't risk it with my new knees, but it does sound like fun.

But that is one of the reasons this is the nations' worst dressed folks. Fittest, but worst dressed. Most folks dress for comfort and for the activity they might engage in. I love this area. But Madison Avenue we are not. Happy to not feel judged by anyone. Even in the shape I am, compared to most here... I still have a long way to go. Though when I engage with people, turns out they are super happy for me and suportive. More supportive than my own partner ever was! Sad but true. I am so happy to be free and single today. No plans for a relationship on the horizon, too. Though I do know sex is a great physically demanding sort of thing, or can be... might be something you also might consider. Anything that can elevate your heart rate is a good thing. Definite perks...

So have a little fun, get a little clean sweat in your life. Enjoy it hon!

:hangloose:

I take Iron, Calcium, Vit c, Vit D, B Complex, St John's Wort...I do not feel good without them now. I would like to add Magnesium and I should do some research on iodine. Chewables are my favorite!!!

Thanks Lady_Di, I am going to check out that link. Any motivation is good motivation. I actually use my pinterest boards a lot as "dream" boards. I also find exercises and recipes like crazy...

I too will be having surgery when I am done. I ain't gonna loose all this weight so I can be flappin in the wind. No. I want to be able to move with nothing jiggling...lol.

I don't mind flapping, per se. I do love birds. lol... Birds of a Feather, a queer retirement community in Santa Fe, NM... but I digress yet again.

I want the surgery as imo and the doctors is it medically necessary as it is a health hazard. Have had more than one patient with terrible skin underneath those folds. They keep it as clean as they can, and yet still yeast and what not can and do grow in dark moist areas. Not even gonna tell you some of the stuff I have seen growing on some folks!

Another even bigger issue, imnsho... is that there is real danger especially for people over menopausal age, whatever that may be. Our skin as we age gets thinner, that is pretty much part of everyone's aging process. As part of that, one of the problems often encountered is skin tears. I am not a diabetic or anything, have beautiful labs, as I mentioned earlier today. But... a skin tear allows bacterias and viruses to get past our biggest defense system. Skin integrity is a big big huge issue imo. Thus to prevent the possibility of a skin tear, or at least lessen the possibility... getting rid of the flapping is just simple physics, it tears easier when it is flapping about all over the place.

Want to know an accident I had many many years ago? My long breast flapping away as they do when I run... well... no easy way to say it, but as I was running past our bedroom door one day, high up on our mountain top... I was running full speed ahead because I heard someone coming up my private road, turns out it was just my dad. BUT.... I was naked at the time and the bloody tit got hung up on the door handle of the bedroom. One of those french door handles... it speared me thru my tit. Quite literally I had to unhook my breast off the handle. I screamed bloody murder. Though I was not in pain, as I have a really really high pain tolerance, just probably was in shock when it happened. My dad got me to the emergency room and all the lovely interns got to come see the freak accident of the flying breast, lol... the nurse sewed me up with no anesthetic, didn't bother me one bit. Left me with virtually no scar tissue. Though it does show up on a mamogram if you really look for it. Amazing what the body can do, how it has such a great capacity for healing. I adore homeostasis, turns me on.

Anyhows... Was actually pretty cool to see the inside of my breast tissue. The nerdie science nut in me was fascinated. It was better than cadaver lab, since I could feel what the patient might experience. It was very cool indeed to see the inside of my body like that. AND I had at that time some really big fat cells. You could see them quite clearly, each one individually was simply huge!

Seeee..... skin flapping around can be really bad for your health. The other lesson I learned... aside from not sitting around naked sewing all day up on my mountain top cabin, was to not panic. I am sure my dad has seen a naked woman before. It really was not a big deal. I would not run today if someone suddenly shows up and I am nekkid. I would cover up, calmly and rationally....


oh the things we learn as we grow up, no?

d'silly grrrrl of the Rocky Mountains