Lower Body Lift Fun!

[juliegeraci 7]

Puddin, you look great! What a great exercise guru you have become. So motivating.

[JDru 0]

You look awesome Puddin!! I love to see your before and after pics...keep posting!

[Jachut 487]

*gobsmacked*

You just do NOT see results like that very often from a major weight loss. Well, not unless they're totally posed, touched up and airbrushed. That is truly amazing.

I'm very big on how my family needs the money more than I need PS but bugger the lot of them. We can live in a shack! If I were to show your pic to Doug, ah, I'm sure he'd agree, lol. I'll protect your modesty though!

[puddin 7]

Well well thanks y'all! I bought the thing yesterday and paraded around my house in it so long that I just had to take a picture. Thanks for your kind words! I love my doc! He's a miracle man.

And Jacqui, shoot, girl, I didn't really have the money for this either. I'll be penny pinching until I can sell this house and pay the thing off. I may start doing wedding videos again if I can't sell it quick!

[carolel 0]

puddin,

You look great!!! You are an inspiration to me. I was banded Oct.3, 2006 and have lost 47 pounds. I began at 295...right near your beginning weight so I see myself in your pics about a year from now!!!! Yeah!!! I can hardly wait. I've copied and pasted your most recent pics in the swimsuit to put on my desk at work for inspiration. Hope you don't mind!

You look wonderful!

[NewBeginnings2018 81]

Puddin girl, you look SKINNY!!! And HOT!! Good for you!

[carolel 0]

puddin,

I showed your pics to my hubby. I asked what he's going to do when I look like that a year from now. He said he's going to "hogtie" me to the bedpost every morning!!!

[puddin 7]

Carolel - LOL. That's like the greatest compliment ever - both of your posts, I think. Glad to be a source of inspiration for you.

One thing that I'd like to say, though, about losing weight, is that all your problems don't go away when the weight is gone. I really thought life would be so much easier once the weight was off, but really one set of trials just turns into another set of trials. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for the world! But I deluded myself into thinking that somehow if I were to be able to start dating again, I'd magically be happy and all would be well. Before when I was heavy, I didn't even have to worry about that because no one was even interested. I was happy and fat, but not happy about being fat. But now there's an even bigger set of trials. I feel like I skipped some major steps here that people usually go through in life and now I'm going through them in fast-forward. I never went through the dating phase, not until now. And now it's here with a vengeance and because others are more experienced than I am, I feel like a dork when I'm on a date. In my ex-boyfriend's case, I sort of got taken advantage of physically and then emotionally. Now each time I go out with someone and then they don't call me back I sit there and agonize over what the heck is wrong with me. It's not healthy and I can't figure out how to get over it. Perhaps I'm dating the wrong people. The guy I went out with last night I've been out with a few times, and he's wonderful. I certainly hope he calls me back, but, for heaven's sake, I wish i wasn't such a GIRL (emotionally speaking)!

Okay, sorry for the tangent. I'm just saying, I suppose it's all about making goals in life, but with the expectation that we have to do things NOW to be happy. Be happy NOW.

[kwhenrykerr 0]

Puddin, you inspire us guys also. I mean that to say that we face some of the same challanges. Wishing you all the best, and thanks for sharing with us.

But we are still guys- you look HOT.

[marjon9 6]

because others are more experienced than I am, I feel like a dork when I'm on a date. In my ex-boyfriend's case, I sort of got taken advantage of physically and then emotionally. Now each time I go out with someone and then they don't call me back I sit there and agonize over what the heck is wrong with me.

There may be a few people who are experienced and mature "daters" who have everything in perspective and take everything in stride, but if there are I don't think they are in a phase of life that is open to a meaningful relationship. If you are truly open to the real thing, dating is hell. By its nature it makes everyone feel like a helpless, out of control dork, no matter how "mature" you are.

So try to keep that in mind. You don't need to pile on to yourself and feel not only like a helpless, out of control, dork, but a dork that is wrong for feeling that way.

[carolel 0]

Puddin,

Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't agaonize over these guys. Just be yourself and the right one will come along. Don't try to be what they want ....or you may think they want.

Believe me when you meet the right one, you'll know it. I have a friend who's 44 and was divorced 3 years ago after 20 years of marriage. She refused to date for a year afterwards then ventured out. She went wild for a while..sowed her wild oats again. LOL!! The all of a sudden, she met Mister Right and he was right here under her nose. She didn't know him before but they both realized very early in the relationship that they were meant to be. Now they're very happily married.

So just give it some time. You're finding the real YOU right now. It'll happen. In the meantime...just have fun with your new life!!!

carole

[puddin 7]

Puddin,

Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't agaonize over these guys. Just be yourself and the right one will come along. Don't try to be what they want ....or you may think they want.

Believe me when you meet the right one, you'll know it. I have a friend who's 44 and was divorced 3 years ago after 20 years of marriage. She refused to date for a year afterwards then ventured out. She went wild for a while..sowed her wild oats again. LOL!! The all of a sudden, she met Mister Right and he was right here under her nose. She didn't know him before but they both realized very early in the relationship that they were meant to be. Now they're very happily married.

So just give it some time. You're finding the real YOU right now. It'll happen. In the meantime...just have fun with your new life!!!

carole

No, you are all right with this. I don't try to be something I'm not, though sometimes I think I should LOL. The dork factor is that, because I'm with someone I like, I can't think of those witty comebacks that I can in regular conversation. But you know, the guy I went out with last night was cool. I've been out with him before. He was sort of under my nose, too. He called me every day during my lower body lift recovery, he took me out for ice cream when I was crying over my breakup, he's been there... a lot. I didn't even really see him before for how amazing he really is. But last night I had such an amazingly fun time with him, just talking and cuddling and watching a movie. He gives me hope that there IS someone out there that I can relate to (because it took time with this guy, it didn't happen immediately like it did with my ex, but it happened), and who I'm attracted to, and who can make me laugh. Even if it doesn't work out with Tony, I have a little hope for the future. Oh yeah, I now have Tony on my wall of currents/exes on my flickr site. He's so damn cute I can't stand it!

Thank you all for your kind words and support. I know I'm a freaking open book on this forum. I swear this is like my diary. Go speed racer, go!

[carolel 0]

Pddin,

I just looked at your pics and Tony looks so very sweet. Take a close look at his eyes and the smile...it's honest. He doesn't take life for granted. You can tell so much about a person from looking at their face whether you know them or not. I betcha he'll make a great husband one day!

[puddin 7]

Carole

I'm sure he will. He has an awful lot going for him. Not sure that he'll be MY husband one day, but he is very sweet.

[Shesha 1]

Where are you finding all of these hot guys?? tee hee

btw.. lookin' good!! I'm already saving for my TT!