LipstickLady

I love every word you just said. Love love love.

Seeing "my ladies" rebuild their lives and find the happiness they deserve is all the thanks I need. You're in a good place now?

I'm a fairly small person (teehee) but I give off a big presence, I'm told. People rarely "get in my face" about anything because I, too, shut that $$h!tt down leaving no doubt that it won't be tolerated. I'm a firm believer that people will only treat you in that manner you allow.

I volunteer at two shelters for women who have left abusive situations with only their children and the clothes on their backs. I collect clothes, toys, reading materials, etc. from local businesses and my friends and clients. Once they are settled, I do image consultation for their re entry into the job force, including makeup and clothing as well as interviewing skills. I also teach self defense classes to help rebuild confidence and their personal awareness.

You didn't make those sound delicious at all.

The dysmorphia is a bizarre phenomenon. The changes I wanted are here but it's still all sort of surreal. Things will improve for you all around, I have no doubt. You deserve it and even more important, you are an intelligent (and beautiful) woman, you can and will create the life you want.

******DID NO ONE GET THE MY HUMPS REFERENCE!?!?!?!??!?!****** Y'all suck!!!

You need to make a thread about high Protein veggie options. I need more veggies but I am not a fan. I could live off beef, for realz.

Nope. I don't have that problem.

Have you seen this site? Great ideas! http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-bento-box-rocks.html That's just one page of them, she has tons.

I'm cute. Have you seen all the awesome eggface bento box ideas? They are awesome!

I've never tried the turkey stuff.

And @@gmanbat! My favorite man here besides Butterbean. @@Alex Brecher ain't too bad, either!

Holy $h!t is right! Woooohooooooooo!

I am SO.STINKING.HAPPY for you. Seriously.

What's your favorite? And which was discontinued?

Wow! I'm so flattered...

I love beef any way, any how. I'd never make it as a vegetarian.

Motivation doesn't come for many of us until we start seeing some reward for our actions. Our actions don't come until we see that motivation. It's a vicious cycle that only YOU can break. Give yourself permission to lay in bed. Give yourself permission to watch TV. Give yourself permission to do the things you think you want to do instead of moving your body. Make those your rewards, though, instead of your alternatives. There is nothing I enjoy more than settling into the corner of my couch with the fireplace on reading a trashy novel. I could and would do it all day easily. I have a business to run, kids to feed, a house to clean, a husband to nag, too, though. When I am feeling really overwhelmed and low (which I am quite sure you are feeling right now), it's almost impossible to do anything but lay in that comfy corner. My solution? The timer on my phone. I set it for 15 minutes and in that time, I have to mark at least one thing off my to-do list. It might be cleaning, it might be a power walk around the block with the dog, or it might be prepping dinner. When the timer on my phone sounds, I give myself 15 minutes or so back on the couch, and repeat. Most of the time I am able to push myself to get more than one thing done and work a little longer than the 15. If I can't, I can't and I give myself permission to "reward" myself as long as I get up again when the buzzer goes off. It sounds simplistic, but it's a very easy system that I have trained myself to go by when I need to. One hundred plus pounds less of me, I find that I rarely need to use this system any more. I won't say it's easy, but I will say it's worth it.

I totally have/had (it's waning) body dysmorphia. When I was at my heaviest, I didn't see it. I knew I was heavy but I thought that no one else could see just how heavy I was. I thought I hid it well. I thought I had some pretty good "thin" days where I looked kind of "normal". AHAHAHAHAHAAAA!! It wasn't until I saw pictures (something I avoided like the plague) that I could see just how big I really was. I was in complete and total denial. Now I am a size 8. When I intentionally look at myself in the mirror, I still see someone who looks really chunky. I'm know in my heart, I'm not fat but I still see myself that way. When I see pictures of myself or catch a glimpse of myself in a window or mirror by accident, I don't recognize myself. I can finally pick up tops or pants and know if they will fit or come close, but I often still pick up things that are too big. It's weird. It's getting better, though.

I am thankful for so many things from my fat days. First and foremost, I am thankful that I learned that I am *so much more* than my outside appearance. I am loud, I am loyal, I am proud. I am my loved one's biggest cheerleader, I am confident in my opinions (overly so, some might say) and I am extremely optimistic. Like most, I have my days of funk, but I shake it off quickly and I've learned not to dwell in the negative. I may not be loved by everyone, but I learned to be OK with that, too. I think I developed many of these personality traits BECAUSE I was fat. I felt like my personality had to match my size and OUTSHINE my size in order to be noticed as more than just a *fat person*. That didn't go away as I became a *healthy person*. Second by far is how much I learned about nutrition and dieting. No, I wasn't good at it, but I appreciate it. The knowledge I gained from WWs and South Beach and nutritionists has helped me keep my family at healthy weight and with healthy habits even if I didn't live by them myself.

I hoard beef Jerky. Seriously. I have tried all brands from the cheap to the most expensive out there and my favorite is the Walmart Sweet and Spicy. They are often out, so when I see it, I buy 5 or 6 bags at a time. I think I have half a cow in my pantry right now.

So the common theme on me is that I just throw out whatever I'm thinking. Hmmm... I "blame" the brain tumor. They must have removed my filter when they took out the lemon growing in my head. HA! I am OH SO THANKFUL for all of you who understand that I speak my mind with the best of intentions (usually -- sometimes the sarcasm pops out) and love me anyways. I love you back.

Try being fat girl who just wanted a potato chip...