NO Dead line... Wear healthy not a swim suit.. Support GROUP.

Hello everyone.

This is an join in anytime support group. No topic off limits. You are welcome to share your day to day challenges, and personal goals. I'm looking for people who has no dead line.

I'm sick of this dead line weight loss talk.

I want to release some weight, and gain some new friends to walk this journey with me.

Here's what you have to do.

Join in..
Share your name.
Your reason for losing weightg.. NOT CLOTHING RELATED PLEASE...
And what was your wake up call to get on the right track.

This is a new start.  I don't want any weekly weigh ins here. I just want conversation.. Congrats if you have good news.. SHARE! If you need to vent.. Go a head.. If you need to cry.. Shoulder's are right here..

This is a support group.. No more fashion dead lines.. Let's make this a non dead line.. We are going to get to healthy. That's the goal here. To make it to healthy...

I hope to hear from a lot of you.

Oh man!  I messed up.  :(   I did good all day, then my son comes to me at 11:30pm and says he wants some Mac & Cheese!  What did I do?  I ate about 2 cups of it!!!!  YIKES!!!!  So I went way over my calories for the day.  I did walk and burn 700 calories today.  So my burn was 2500 total and ate about 1900.  Not good!  Why'd I do that?  I wasn't hungry.  I just love mac & cheese.  Someone kick my butt for me.  I need it.  I suppose a 600 deficit was ok, but still.....at midnight! 

No weigh in tomorrow for me, that's for sure.  I've been trying to stay away from the scale and use my clothes as a measurement of my weight loss.  I think I'm gonna move the scale from the bathroom into the kitchen.  I won't weigh myself in there.  I weigh myself butt naked! hahahaha  sorry, tmi!  :)

Lynn, I'm going to join the gym here again.  If only to ride the bike, I'm gonna have something I can do everyday.....rain or shine.  Ya know?  When it rains and I can't walk I tend to eat more.  Walking seems to stop that.  It does something to me that makes me not want to eat so much.  And good job on the weight loss!  That's fantastic! ;)   Yeah, don't go back to buying bigger clothes.  I refuse to do that!  I wear a 12 and I will not wear a 14 again.  NEVER!!!!

Well, better go and try to get some sleep....Be back tomorrow.  :)

Where is everyone at?

I started taking Alli to help me out.  So far it's working perfectly.  It's doing what it's suppose to.  As for those horror stories, no I'm not running to the bathroom.  Of course, if you eat too much fat, you will.  I'm counting those fat grams and spreading them out through the day and I'm doing fine.  I'll let ya know Wednesday if I lost anything in a week.  But I'm hopeful.  :)  It's stopping me from eating the junk food that's for sure.  Lots of fruit and veggies for me!

Hey girls! ^^

I'm officially 2 pounds flat away from my goal, and I can't believe it's almost there.

I look better and better every time I look into a mirror and can't believe how far I've come.

Wish me luck on the final two pounds!

This is an excellent idea for a group. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

My name is "M"

I have a lot of reasons why I want to lose weight, but my main reason is that I'm doing it for me. I've suffered from major depression and generalized anxiety disorder for nearly five years now, and my weight, while not the only factor, has played a large role in how my illness has played out. My self-esteem is crap, I feel tired all the time, and I feel as if I've wasted my youth avoiding events and meeting people because I just don't feel right about myself. I'm twenty-three years old and I feel as if I've already screwed up my life. I want to put my best foot forward, and while my appearances isn't all I have to work on, I feel as if its going to make the rest of my personal journey a little easier if I can get the energy and just a shred of confidence to get through the day. I've been out of control and out of touch with reality for so long, this is me trying to take it back with a tangible set of goals and progress I can see and feel.

My wake up call has been a long time coming. I've known all along that I was getting overweight. I watched it happening since my last year of high school, and yet, I felt powerless to stop it. First ten pounds, then fifteen, then twenty and somehow, I got to where I was now. I've been spending years trying to get down to my ideal, and it seems every time I turn around, there's another year passing me by. I'm wasting my youth. I want to be able to look back on myself one day and say: holy crap! I was hot.

But the actual wake-up moment came when I caught myself thinking that May 2008 felt just like yesterday... and noticed that the goals I had then are still the goals I have now.  I couldn't stand the thought of waking up in the middle of 2010 and still looking, feeling and thinking the same way. Something had to change.

And when? After agonizing for weeks, waiting for the 'right time, right day' I realized there is no such thing. It's now or never.

So here we are now.

I've lost 5.8 lbs so far. 57.2lbs and many weeks of weight training and hard-core cardio to go!

Hey everyone!

This weekend was a runner for me. It looks like the hotter it gets. The more work I do. I work more in the summer time than I do in the winter months. A lot of OT for me.. Or should I say. People who work for me wants to party and club on the weekends with there friends. SO far.. I'm worked 24 hours total of this weekend. I'm just not getting home.. Well around 9 I got home, but it feels like a just now getting in because I had to stop and check on my uncle, and then rush to get online.

Welcome M Glad to have you. We are a great support group, and there is no dead line. No challenges. Just you talking it out and working yourself to your goal with some gabbin' friends you know. Who knows the road you are taking.

Tam, I started to take some of that. I got the diet book for a dollar at the dollar tree a few months back, and found it to be the best calories log helper ever. Have not spent the cash for the pills yet. You know. Those scary stories. A  few of my friends use it only when they go out to eat. I don't understand why they use it around that time, but one of my friends said. It helps her order the right food, and she don't order nothing to fatty. It's just a good reminder on eating right, and she don't buy any junk at all for the house- what so ever. Her husband is a PE teacher, and he Bitches all the time about the over weight kids in his class, and at her for not caring for her health. SO he banded all junk from the house.. The kids can't even eat it unless he approves it. I don't think I can deal with him. My hubs 2 b is enough on his own, and he's trying to gain some pounds, and I'm working on losing. Getting a G-M will be great for you. Get you out the house. Better than nothing you know. Maybe you can check into a family package. It's cheaper, and you can do it with your daughter a few days a week and your son. He's over 13. Plus the hubs can go too. So check into the family package. Mines is like 55 per month, and I pay mines up for the year. I feel that's a good way to invest my refund at the end of the year. On myself first and maybe in the home. Some on the kids. So think about it. Or look around and invest in a good bike for the house.

Okay everyone. I will check back 2morrow. I don't have a long work week this week.. Or the late night working. SO I will chat you all later.

Congrats on the weight loss, Twili. Keep up the good work.

How can you possibly work more in the summer than you did this past winter???  You were a work-a-holic!!!  LOL 

I snuck on the scale this am and I've lost 4lbs so far and it hasn't been a week yet.  I'll take it! 

My daughter is dating a trainer and she works out wth him at his gym.  The gym I'd go to is only $30/mo for me and anyother family member is just $15 for each one.  So CHEAP!!!!  Right up my alley!  LOL

I'm here alone at home tonight.  Hubs is at work, daughter is at the bf's and my son is staying over at his friends house down the street.  Summer is always like this for me.  The kids just don't like to stay at home. 

My daughter's 22nd Birthday is tomorrow. I feel older and older with every b-day she has!

Today was DD's birthday and no birthday cake for me.  I did well today.

Today was a good day for my "diet".  No cheating, and got in all my fat I needed and stayed within my calories.  I'll pat myself on the back! LOL

I was going to go walking today but it's got way too hot to do that. I went outside and couldn't breathe.....the air just felt so thick.  Ya know what I'm talking about?

Sure hope someone shows up here to talk with soon.  I'm talking to noone, it seems! LOL

Work a holic here. Hell, I'm not sure at all. I do think I work more during the summer. No one wants to show the hell up. I'm at work now.. Thanks for my chip.. Damn! I never get a freaking break. I'm glad you took a peak, Tam.... BEcause I was hoping that you did and had some good news for me..

My mom said.. Oh! She will love it.. I took it before it was marketed for over the counter use.. She will love it. She had the gastic done, and is thinking about using it.. Want happen.. MOM's needs to just workout more. SO she is working on neddle point to keep her hands busy.. Keeps her mind off food. That gum thing don't work.

As for my kids.. I'm the one out of the house the most. Hubs said to me as I was walking out the door. Take your lab with you. I said.. Hell I will be home at 2, and right back out the door at 6:45.. He said to me. YOU are going to crash. You know what. He's right. I am.. I had plans to go to the gym on this so called day off.

This girl shift runs from 12 to 12, and she said to me.. OH! I can't make it Miss Lynn.. Not until 1 can you cover for me.. SURE! I will. This is what you do to keep your money rolling in. Cover and dock pay..

So the Daughter is with a trainer hun.... Sweet.. She better have some nice legs when she get that call back from ANTM..... She better..

Well, I'm off here.. Sorry I just got around the gabbing again. I'm a work a holic. LOL.. Kinda like it.. Sometimes I don't.. But I like to shop.. I like to ride... So I must work.. OH! And I like being my own boss.. I think that's what's killing me..
On my weight progress..

Working too much, and not eating right half the time..

C-ya later....

Lynn, the gum thing don't work for me either.  I can chew gum til I'm blue in the face and still wanna eat! LOL  Yeah, the alli is just what I need.  I've been on it a week and I've lost 4 lbs altogether.  Now if the rain will stop and the weather cool down a bit so I can walk and lose more.  I coulda had a big loss this week if I could've walked.  I know I need to walk and get up do something.  I'm pretty active though.  I go shopping and walk alot in the stores.  But I know it's not enough. 

I'm going to make my son a blanket.  I need to do something with my hands, like your mom. I eat out of boredom, alot!  He said he wants a green and purple blanket.  It's going to take me 4ever to do it.  I'm gonna start at th end of the month on it and should be done by winter! LOL

My daughter broke up with the trainer today.  She said he's too controlling. She said she had to let him go.  This girl is going back to her old bf!  She just got his initials covered that were tattooed above her ankle.  I told her she better be prepared bc he's not going to trust her bc he knows about the trainer dude.  He told her he don't care about it, but it's going to be an issue.  I've been through that.  I told her hope she's ready for it.

ANTM isn't going to call her.  They would've by now.  Their loss!

I'm gonna go walk and take an umbrella! lol

Tam, the gum only helps me when I'm at the gym. That and a bottle water.. A few of them. I really wanted good news from ANTM from you, but you are right. There loss. She's to well put together anyway. It looks like to me.. She's looking for people with issues and head cases.

You're daughter has a life. I'm not sure if they are looking for people who has a life already in place.

Well, on the breaking up with the trainer. She done the right thing for her. I've heard some good things and bad things about some trainers.. I even have a story about something that happen at the gym today.

This trainer was at the gym with his GF today, and he was working the dog crap out of her. Do this.. Do that.. He doesn't even work at our gym, but he has his clients meet at our gym, because he's in good with the owner of the gym. He's only allowed to work with people who has a memebership there.. SO he trys to drum up business by working her butt to death. This girl has to be as small as a flea. I mean. She's short like my daughter and might weigh around 100 or less than that. He had her working as if she was 30 pounds over weight, and talking to her all ugly and stuff.. Like what she was doing wasn't good enough.. I've been with control freaks before, and trust me. Your daugther done the right thing, and you know.. Mama's are always right. Going back to the ex, and him knowning about the other guy. There is going to be lack of trust.. BUT! Who was he went when they was broken up? That's the question they both need to remember. They moved on.. Tested the waters, and didn't like the motion... Now they are back together. I wish them both the best of luck.

As for the blanket making thing for you.. You want take that long will you. My mom makes one a month, and the funny thing about it. She starts on 3 and hops from one to one each day.. I don't know how she does it. It will take me all year to make one myself. I hate it. After a while. I start to get bored, and want to move on to something else.

I'm glad the alli is working for you. Told my mama about it, and she said. She lost 17 pounds on the stuff within a month. And she was walking and dancing. I know the dancing thing is out.. But she said.. It's really helps you eat a whole lot better, and keep the fats down. Making you use what's stored.. Told me to go get a bottle. I'm not ready for that move yet. I'm still going to sweat it out.

I can't wait to her your next report. Keep up the good work.

I'm down a pound, but it has to hold until next Monday and after that.. I've been trying to stick to the same meal plan. Just changing from 3 meal plans a day. So far so good. It's working. I ate more bread than the normal, but I did watch my fat levels.. As long as I keep an eye on the sweets.. I know I will be alright, and I need to drink more water..

I hope everyone is doing great... Chat you later..

I went for my walk and like a dumb butt didn't take my umbrella.  It didn't look like rain!  I get half way to town and a huge downpour!  I called my hubby to bring my umbrella to me!  I hid under a overhang on a building! LOL  Before I got there though I got pretty wet!  That was pretty dumb not to take the umbrella when it rained off and on all day. 

It was nice to get out and walk though.  :)

I can't see me losing 17 pounds in one month!  But I guess it's possible if you really watch your fats.  I'm having alittle trouble in between pills watching my fat intake with the junk food!  I'll get better though.  I'm really trying.

I'm happy to hear you are doing good with your "diet".  We have to stay motivated and get this weight off of us!  We've both been doing this far too long.  Lets get this done!  Then we can talk about maintaining.  Wouldn't that be nice?

My name's Amanda.

I want to lose weight because I want to be active without my knees hurting, I prefer to avoid any chronic illness (diabetes, heart disease, etc.). Honestly, I don't think of myself as on a 'weight loss' diet, more like a health overhaul : )
I want to be healthy, physically fit, and active. I've already made, what I consider, quite some steps forward, and I'm running on the assumption that my body will (slowly) start to look like the person I act like. The person I want to be is healthy, uses her gym membership, loves summer dresses, knows the difference between good wine and cheap wine, is a fantastic cook, enjoys hiking, and smiles constantly. I try and make strides towards that goal. (I'm going to assert that 'loving summer dresses' isn't a weight loss goal, since knowing wine isn't either :)

My wake up call was actually the realization that I didn't want to diet anymore. I realized that I was overcomplicating everything and it just shouldn't be that hard. And I can not be unhappy just to look good. I started making slow changes towards health, drinking more water, more veggies, exercise. And just recently made the final change on my list of 'healthy changes,' which was no more processed sugar or white flour (or, stated differently, to only eat things that are nutritionally beneficial to my body). After this, the weight has started slowly coming off. I use CC to 'check' my caloric intake about once a week to make sure I'm still on the right track.

I don't weigh myself often, I don't measure myself, and I would love others in a similar quest for health that has weight loss as a side effect : )

A word about clothing goals: I've seen all the bathing suit ready posts and I laugh a little. I had this realization bathing suit shopping this year that no number of ruffles, tummy panels, or ruching was going to trick people into thinking I was skinny when I'm obviously overweight in a sweatsuit : ) So I gave the fat girls section the finger and decided that I didn't want weird tan lines, so I bought a monokini that shows off my cleavage and I wear it in public proudly. Seriously, sometimes I think the plus size section is specifically designed to make us feel worse about our bodies.

You know it. We would sound better having a maintain conv now will we. I've been at this for too many year's, and I sometimes get said when I see those stories of people losing 100's of pounds within 36 weeks and crap like that. makes me get pissed off, because I've now for an year has lost the same sorry ass 30 pounds over and over again. If you add how many times I dropped it and yo yo-ed back in pounds.. DAMN! makes me madder than hell sometimes thinking about it. I just have to get over this hill and say.. You know what. You got this..

Now I tell ya what I did do.. I mixed Pepper/Lemon/ and Vineger to 12oz of water.. I drink a few sips after dinner, and I put it up. Helps get my metabolizing going so I can burn that dinner fat in the belly.. My trainer's GF told me her grand mom does that, and a few days a week. It can be done very day. Just take 2 table spoons of it. Mid day and noon. I didn't know that we eat most of our fats during those times of the day until she pointed it out to me. Well I knew it.. I just never looked at it like she did. She said. You are on a diet right. SO you have a small breakfast, a big lunch, and a big dinner. Most likely. A lot of us has it all wrong she said. BIG breakfast.. I can't do that. Meduim Lunch. I can't do that.. Small dinner.. She said.. BIG is in the morning.. Lunch is to carry you to dinner.. Dinner is to carry you while you rest for the morning. I'm not going to put an okay on this, but a doctor told me today.. That's how some people do it.. But you eat to your liking.. And how your body funtion..

One day we are going to get this together I hope..

Minda_spk, welcome to the group. I hope we hear from ya more. This is a support group, and I'm sick of all the swim suit talk myself. I was one of those fashion losers. You know.. You lose weight to wear the latest fashion that is out. Like those skinny jeans.. HELL! I've been wearing skinny jeans for years.. I was just a few pounds over weight. LOL.. But they made my leggs look a few pounds skinny. At the time.. Then I started to see.. Lumps and rows of fat. YUK! Sometimes we have to do an overhaul on our inside as well as the outside, and I understand what you mean by.. You want the outside to match the person on the inside.. If that happen with me.. My husband would have a hard time controlling me.. He said.. I'm too much fire as it is.. I have too much spark about me.. No matter what size I've been. I've known for a fact. I felt good about myself, but I also told myself. That was a lie. I didn't feel as good as he thought I did about myself really on the inside.. So I wanted to match the person I wanted to be, and that's ... Classy, fun, and on the go.. I'm fun and classes and I'm always on the go.. Well, I'm glad you are in, and I hope to hear more from you. I really love your bio about yourself. Way to express yourself.. I love it. Keep on working on you, and once again.. WELCOME>>>

My skinny jeans are also completely out of style, but I'll still be wearing 'em when I fit into them : )

There is no such thing as too much spark, IMO : )

I agree with not always feeling as good about yourself as you portray. My friends rave about my awesome body image, and it always makes me uncomfortable, like I've been unintentionally lying. For instance, today a friend of mine was impressed at my determination not to weight myself, and I had to explain that it's not always because I don't care, but because I don't WANT to. How I feel about myself is the same way. I really don't WANT to dislike how I look. Most days, it works. Other days, I think I accidentally flushed my self-esteem down the toilet, because it's just not there : )

Off-topic, I use CC primarily for the forums but I am amazed and appalled by the negativity generated by almost evey post (and apparently all of my topics offend somebody). Other days I feel like the ED police (really, who would have thought I'd have trouble finding other fat people on a weight loss forum?). I mean this also as a disclaimer, if I bother anyone, assume it was my flailing attempts at humor : )

Glad to be here

Well, this is any topic goes support group. I just wish more people will join in. I'm a person who lost a lot of weight really good, and then my health started to mess with me. Thyroid started to act up on me. Up and down.. Mood swings.. I've been on the thyroid wagon before.

I have a good group of friends. Some are nasty and evil.. When it comes to losing weight. My weight.. It becomes this issue or this comp with a few of my friends. Let's see who can catch up with, Lynn and on top of that. People just don't get people who has a good an good sense of humor. I try not to let losing weight control me as much. But there are days when it controls me.

Not only that.. Sometimes you have to watch what you say to people or on these threads. Hell, I remember telling one girl.. My weigh drops during ttom, and she was like.. OH! I wish I had some of that magic. Comes to find out. My thyroid was getting a little over active during the ttom, and I had to go on meds for that to get all my hormones balance again.  To listen or read her whines made me madder than hell you know.

SO, I try to avoid some of these threads that reads about weight loss and what you did, or I lost 7 pounds in 3 days.. I just keep away from those, because to read the jealous replies makes me sick. So, over look these people. I get made when I see a person who is only 5'1 and is trying to lose 15 pounds, and is already 113 pounds..  So say what you have to say. We are an open for all topics and conv.. I just wish more would get in here.

Hi! I finally made it on here!  Hubs was sleeping in here and this keyboard is noisy, very clicky!  anyways, my day went well.  It's been raining so no walk today.  I was not getting soaked today, like yesterday! LOL

Minda ~ welcome to the group!  We are very open here and we talk about so much.  So, join in whenever you want!  Hope you stick around! Not weighing myself would take so much effort.  I'd go nuts!  I might try putting the scale away for a couple weeks and see what happens.  I might do better with my "diet" in fear of gaining weight. Who knows! LOL

I have NO skinny jeans!  I'm waiting to wear those things! LOL  When I do, I'll post a pic of it!  I hope it won't be long before I'm in them though.

I have alot of self-esteem now after losing 65 lbs.  I'm still not happy where I am.  Last summer was the 1st summer in YEARS that I've had on shorts!  Can you believe it? 

There are threads you gotta watch posting on.  AND what you say if you post your own.  They are so quick to say you have an ED for eating below your calories one day out of 20!  So I try to watch what I say.

BBL!

Hi all, I love the idea of no deadlines. I have been loosing weight for over a year, fell off the wagon around christmas........gained 10lbs back UGH! So here I am again, I have another 35lbs to go.

My wake up call was all my illnesses.....acid reflux, gallstones, other stomach issues........I would wake up in pain.......excruciating and that is if I even could sleep because the acid in my stomach would make me violently ill. Anyway, surgery was mentioned but the doctor said he wouldnt operate because I was obese!! OMG!!! I cried and cried.......of course he was right, but I was miserable.

I lost 45, have gained 10 back and now am trying another strategy........enjoying myself!

I am counting my calories, and weighing in, but I have rediscovered an old love which is swimming!

Well, my old coach would be rolling in his grave if he saw me swim right now (I can even hear his voice in my head) but I am just going to work with it.

My biggest problem is that I am only 4'11" tall...........go ahead and check out what my caloric intake should be just to maintain at 130............which is still considered overweight for me, oh joy. So basically the only way I can loose the weight and keep it off is by finding an excercise I love and so I can eat more than 1200 calories a day and still loose weight. I am shooting for swimming daily for an hour which is more of a treat than excercise.

Right now though I am sitting on my couch, typing and feeling sorry for myself, I sat out side my pool for an hour tonight praying the lightening would stop so I could swim........it's now 10 and I have given up...........I am so bummed. I know I could probably do something else for the excercise, but I hate almost everything else (I'm in Charleston SC and it is summer so downhill skiing is out). I actually loathe working out on equipment, excercising indoors always seemed unnatural to me. I have tried it, even tried to love it and psych myseslf into thinking I'm having a good time, but I cannot maintain it more than 2 months. I wish I could enjoy it like one of my sisters does.........sigh.........anyway my strategy is just to get active doing things I love love love.......Well, keep your fingers crossed there are no storms tomorrow......

 Susabelle

Susabelle, Welcome to the group. You'll fit right in with the rest of us I hope. So far.. It's been me and Tryin2lose chatting it up, so I hope to hear more from ya. This is not a deadline group. I'm so sick of those, and I have one or two going myself, and they are like.. Soooooo DEAD now.. I think I may start adding a topic of the day, and see who all jumps in.. You know... SOmething is better than nothing... Once again.. WELCOME.

Tam, Girl... Keep on working at it. I know you are going to get back down.. I'm trying my damnest to get this weight off my behind.. I went out and got some jeans today.. Oh! High wasited short like pants.. Cargo style.. OKAY!............ HEre's the kicker... I wanted to use another word.. You know me.. It would have been a F word... Anyway... The damn pants didn't not fit like I wanted them too.. All I could see was.. DAMN! I'm fat as hell right now. Bloated, and these hips aren't making it easy for me at all.. NOT AT ALL.

SO I told a girl friend, who was with me when I got the pants.. I am going to make these my new birthday outfit goal. If I make it.. COOL.. If I don't. SO what. So me and her started to talk about what you are taking, and she said to me.. Let's give it a try after the 4th. I'm thinking about it. My mom said.. Invest in it. Talk to your online friend about it, and see if it something you really want to invest in. She said. It makes you eat a whole lot better. You will watch the fries.. And She said.. I mean.. Watch the fries..

So next month. I am going to invest in Alli.. Wish me luck. I already have the diet book. Ran into my local dollar store to see if I could find the diet book again there for you. Then my mom told me to tell you to go to cheapbooks.com.. I'm not sure if there is a cheapbooks.com.. I'm going to check into it, and get back to ya. I got mines for a dollar, and I think it would help you with your lifestyle change..

People get touchy with the word diet don't they.. I'm going to start calling it a diet again. My life style isn't all that great right now... Well, I'm full of junk and I need to rest. I just got on to gab and say hi to everyone.. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend..

~Lynn

I'll rant first: In the forums I've learned that is it apparently inappropriate: 1) To be annoyed when someone who's never been overweight is insensitive about it. 2) To reject the premise that one must be skinny to be happy 3) All fat people are horribly unhealthy. 4) All people's fat is completely their own fault and deserve no sympathy 5) I don't actually have a five, it juse seemed like a better number to end on.

Honestly, I love CC for the forums, it just seems like everything offends someone, and honestly the amount of... unsupportiveness to overweight people amazes me. A reply by Sadinplaid summed it up well for me: "Has this has turned into the forum where skinny people get to lecture fat people instead of the motivation forum where we support each other in our goals and try to show some empathy? If you took this as an attack on the entire population of skinny people, maybe you should try reading it again. Then read it again. Then go to the maintenance forum and bitch about whiny fat people if that's still where you're mentality takes you. So being fat is my lifestyle choice? Sure, ok, good. Thanks for helping me see the error of my fat ways. Maybe now I should go find a weightloss site to help me deal with that in a healthy way... Oh Wait! That's what I thought this was!'

Ok, now that I'm done with my forum rant, it's geek time. I was reading some obesity research yesterday (I'm a research geek), and there was new research about all those fat health risks (diabetes, hypertension, stroke, death, you know, those ones) and they found that those risks are much MUCH more related to abdominal visceral fat (belly fat). In fact, belly fat predicted the health risks no matter what BMI the person was. Basically, they assert that BMI has been working as a general guideline because most people with a lot of belly fat will be classified as overweight/obese BUT the problem is how many health risks it's overestimating. Apparently, a healthy waist circumference (a decent measure of abdominal visceral fat when a CT scan isn't available) is under 35 inches.
So now that I've bored you to sleep, the good news: I only need to lose 4 inches to have a healthy waist! Honestly, with 100lbs to lose I sometimes feel I will never be healthy, but knowing that I will drastically lower by risk by just 4 little inches really excites me. It's my new big goal, to shed those 4 pesky guys.

tryin2lose25: I don't weigh myself so that I can avoid becoming obsessive, some people are the exact opposite, they will obsess about NOT knowing. I find whatever works for you is usually best : ) Honestly, with my new crazy workout, and its strength training goodness, the weight doesn't move as fast (all that silly muscle). And I can stand on the scale and KNOW that that's why, I know I've been good, but it still hurts my self esteem when it hasn't moved. When I go down a pants size, I'll weigh myself again : ) Congrats on your weight loss! Its so awesome to see people who are losing weight and keeping it off, it's my best motivation : )

Lynn: Alli is a joke among my friends and I. Not because it's bad or ineffective (I think it's a great option and apparently quite effective). But because we would sit on the toilet to eat french fries. Honestly, it seems to be an effective tool because it offers consistent effective reinforcement for not eating high fat.
And about the word 'diet,' I do consider what I'm doing to be 'lifestyle changes' but I also think the word 'diet' is technically defined as everything something eats, and it's a lot easier to type, so I've been sticking with it.