Dianechef

Yes, DO IT!!! DO IT!!! I work out with weights 3x a week. I do believe that I gained muscle from working out which means I probably would have lost more weight & the scale would have dropped faster. But, I am toning my body & I have very little droopy skin. I'll post a pic here. Not trying to brag or anything by posting a picture, but wanted you to see the difference. :confused: (I'm always motivated by seeing others pictures!) What matters the most is what we look like, not what we weigh. (I have to keep saying that over & over in my head.) I have lost 55 lbs. but feel as if I've lost a so much more. I have learned that it's all due to working out!!! YOU WILL BE SO HAPPY THAT YOU CHOSE TO WORK OUT WITH YOUR HUSBAND!!!!! Obviously, I still have a long ways to go!!!

Heather!! Love it. Pictures are the best inspiration. :confused: Your little girl is cute too!! Way to go!!!

Gosh, I'm gone one day & everyone is talking about me!!! Gee, I feel SPECIAL!! PinkMary & I have so much in common that we really SHOULD be sisters. Except that I am lost in America somewhere & uh......Mary, I don't even know where you live?!?! Thanks for being inspired by me. Whoot!! Who knew that I would EVER inspire someone to exercise. Oh, my sisters will all get a kick of this. (I have very active, sporty sisters & I've always been the sedentary one!) Speaking of my sisters - we had a family get-together yesterday & it had been 4 months since I had seen many of them. Can I just say - I MUST BE HOT!!! I walked in the room & the look on their faces was as if I'd just returned from Extreme Makeover!! This time I didn't crack any jokes & was just ME!!! I really think I could get use to this.

I posted this in the Gone for Good Club, but it seems as if there are others who are also having this issue as well. So, I'm placing it in it's own thread. I am in a weird place & I don't know who to talk to about it. Nobody around me understands!! So, I'm going to share my weird feelings with all of you & hope SOMEBODY out there understands. I have taken pictures of me recently. (Some of them are posted on the "New Me" Thread I posted.) I look at the pictures & say - "Okay, so I took a good picture." I went to church in my new Easter Dress & had an overwhelming amount of comments. No less then 25 people told me I looked like a new person & had lots of great compliments for me. As nice as the comments are, I can't truly grasp them. I just figure it must be that I wore a good dress that day. :rolleyes I see myself in a mirror & don't understand what everyone is talking about!! :confused: My husband keeps trying to convince me that that person in all the pictures are the REAL me & that I truly look like that all the time. I have always had a good self-image. That has never been a problem. I knew that even though I was overweight, I was a good person with lots to offer the world. However, my BODY image must be out of wack!!! I have been living in a big fat suit for so long that it's all I know. I thought I wouldn't have to deal with body image issues until I reached my goal weight!! What is all the fuss about?!?! I am still overweight & have a ways to go. :phanvan Don't get me wrong!! I am very happy to be where I'm at & I appreciate and LOVE all the comments!! I think I'm trying to figure out who I am right now. I've always been the "Funny Fat Girl". Now I'm the..........um..........I have no clue!!! I still think I'm the "Funny Fat Girl" but apparently I don't come across that way anymore!!! I am so messed up!!! Is there a therapist in the house?! HA!!!

Hey Pavarthi!! Any updated pictures. We'd love to see them. You're an inspiration to us.

I hate Phentermine!! I was a crazy woman on them. I couldn't handle all the jittery, high feelings & I was always on edge. It changed my personality. And, once you get off of them you gain back all you weight and more!! Yuck!! I'd rather be fat then have to take those again.

Tina - you are so right! I just came back from Walmart where I had something happen to me that has NEVER happened before. The check out guy was single & very friendly. He seemed to be my age. He kept talking to me & asking me questions. (Normally they ignore me & don't give me any eye contact.) I had purchased 2 donuts in a bag & he noticed there was a bite taken out of each one! He said to me - "You just couldn't wait 'til you got home - hugh?" jokingly. And I said - "It's a big store, I couldn't survive the whole time with 2 donuts sitting in front of me." He laughed!!!! (He's joking with the Funny Fat Girl?!?!?!?!?!?!?) MEN DON'T JOKE ABOUT DONUTS WITH FAT WOMEN. He must not have considered me fat!!!! He continued to talk to me about EVERYTHING!! He wrung me up & I noticed the bill wasn't very much. We both then looked at the groceries & realized that half of the stuff was still on the conveyor belt. He said - "I need to stop looking at you so I can get my work done!" WHAT?!? WHAT? STOP LOOKING AT ME?!?!.......ME?!?!?!? - - - - and he was FOR REAL!! He was actually hitting on me. Oh, I am so messed up.

I recently hit the big 50 lbs loss a month ago. I thought I'd post a picture here of the new me. One is taken the day before surgery & the other is yesterday. I am down 55 lbs!! Several people asked me to post tips to my success. You will find them on page 5!!

Hey Mary!! You're too cute!!

2 lbs a week is a HEALTHY weight loss. The plateau that you have is a GOOD THING!! Your body is now adjusting to the new weight & it is soooo important that it does that. Once your new body adjusts to the new weight, you will start to lose again. I PROMISE!! I went through the same thing & it's difficult when you're in it, but you'll look back & realize that it was all good!! STAY POSITIVE!! You really are doing very well. I hope you've been taking pictures along the way. They are so important so you can see yourself. GOOD LUCK!! WE ALL EMPATHIZE & SYPATHIZE WITH YOU!! You can do it!!

I was at the dentist & the front desk lady went on & on about how fabulous I looked. I walked by her desk 3 differnent times & the third time she pulled me to the side & said - "You have to share your secret!" So, I did. I told her EVERYTHING including showing her my port. HA. I WAS IN THE DENTISTS OFFICE!!! I haven't even show my sisters my port.

Ha.......we have so much in common!!

Hi Mary! It appears that I'm following you!! HA!! You also need to tell us a little about yourself too. So, spill the Beans about your life.

You hate apples?!?! You are SOOOO funny.

Sorry, no side pictures in my photo album. Maybe I can hurry & go throw my swimsuit on again & get my husband to take one!! Whenever I tell him I want to put my swimsuit on, he's falling right behind me. ROFL!!!

I looked at your pictures again & you are definately wearing a smaller jean size then I am. What are they - a size 14?? 12?

Mary!! You are beautiful. REALLY!! I can definately see a BIG difference in your body size. Great job!!!! 80 lbs. is A LOT!! I think that there a few things you need to keep in mind. 1) We have completely different shapes. My sister is built just like you & she always complains that she is wearing an intertube around her middle. (So funny you said "tube".) She refers to herself as an apple shape & I am a pear shape. You have smaller arms & legs then I do. However, I gaurantee my behind & chest are bigger then yours. Because I still have the hourglass shape, I can get away with looking like I lost more weight. Instead of my measurements being 36/26/36 they are probably 45/35/45. (I have no idea, just guessing!) 2) I always take a good front picture. Had I posted a side picture, you'd see that I'm not as thin as I look. (SERIOUS!!) If I can find one a side picture, I'll post it here. I'm not sure how many of them I took! HA! 3) We are all so different that it truly is hard to compare to anyone. I guess the exercise has really played a big role in everything. (As you mentioned!) I think it may have helped to really tone everything. I personally think that had I not exercised, I probably would have lost more weight. Instead, I lost lots of inches & gained muscle which I will gladly take!! You really do like fabulous Mary. I think we are all the hardest on ourselves then anyone else.

Hi Paula! I love your comments here!! Thank you so much for sharing. I think that sometimes when we ask about missing people it's like giving a speech & trying to thank all the people who have helped you. There's no way you can possibly name or remember them all!! But, because they aren't mentioned, doesn't mean they aren't important. I also come here for the same support that you mentioned. This place has really helped me more then I can explain. You are a very kind, considerate person & I think threads like this are such a kind gesture on your part. It lets people know they are missed what a great feeling to know that you were missed! I love ALL your posts & think you are a wonderful person who adds so much to this forum. Thanks for being YOU!!

Hi Pinkmary! I'm 5'7". Holy cow - you've lost 80 lbs!!! I would soooo love to be there too. It looks like you & I are the same height & started at about the same weight. I am sure you look much better then you think you do. It was my husband who coaxed me to post these pictures & I think he wants me to start believing what everyone is telling me!! Sooo, I understand ya when you say you really can't see the difference. I can't see a difference until I see a picture side by side. Try taking some pictures and I bet you'll see it!! Hi Tina!! I'll check my personal e-mail.

Hi Tina! Welcome to the AZ Bandsters club!!! I am from Gilbert & was banded 7/15/05 in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz. What doctor are you using? I get my fills from Wendy Hall who lives in Snowflake but comes into town every 3rd Monday of the month. I would definately go back to your doctor for the first fill & then decide what you want to do after that. Your surgery isn't very far away!!!! Good luck!!

I have a fill of 2.7 in a 4.0 band & have had no problems with bread in a reasonable quantity. I can eat sandwiches & breadsticks as long as I chew, chew, chew & not eat a lot. I can't do tortillas at all. They get stuck immediately. Funny how everyone is so different.

Let your Fingers Do the Walking with Diane! This is waaay cool. I'm a piano teacher. Who knew my slogan would be this? Love it.

Donna - YES!! My bra has a row of hooks in the front!! Very funny......I've had that bra for years. I am so glad I don't have to wear it anymore!!!!! HA!!!

I went shopping today & went to the Women's department like I usually do. I picked up some size 18 pants & a shirt. I went to the dressing room to try them on. They just didn't fit right. I tried some in a differnt style. Same thing. This happened 3 times. I kept giving them back to the lady who was in charge of the dressing room. After the 4th time of telling her they just didn't fit right, she said to me - "You might want to try that section!" (She pointed to the ladies section where they have NORMAL sizes.) I have never shopped in the ladies department in my life. When I walked over there I was so lost. Everything was unfamiliar to me. It took me a while to find some clothes that seemed to be my size, but they were all too tight. (size 18 even!!!) I just don't know where I fit in!! I was so comfortable being the Funny Fat Girl! I knew where to shop, what to buy, how to act, who I was & now it has all changed!!!!! :faint: I never dreamed that losing weight would involve this type of feeling. I'm happy & thrilled to be smaller!!! :biggrin1: But at the same time, I feel as if I am starting a whole new life all over - kinda like going to a new school & making all new friends. Who is this new me & why don't I recognize her?!?!? :rolleyes Kristin - have you visited your therapist yet?!? Did she give you any insight or help?

Yep, they have one. It's right in the lobby as you walk in to the right. I checked my e-mails from it when I got there. Nice hotel!!