Welcome to the Group

To all the new members, Welcome. 

 Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself. 

Join a current topic, or start one of your own. We all seem to be pretty open-minded, so no topic if off limits. 

I'm 5' 8 1/2"

My heaviest weight was 225.

I reached my goal of 175 over two years ago. I've fluctuated between 175 and 180 over the last year. I'd like to lose another 5 to 10 pounds, taking me down to 170.

CC has been fun.

I'm really not crazy about labels, but I guess I could probably be described as a secular humanist. If I had to pick a religion, it would be Buddhist, but I'm not big on ceremony, and, where I live, the robes look funny. The title of the group sounded interesting, so I joined.

Married. Two grown sons. A cat.

Photography, Walking, Yoga.

That's me in a nutshell.

Welcome!

Sorry for the delayed response.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.  Thanks for joining.  

I created this group because I know I need to dig down deep inside myself to achieve my goals and I thought maybe some other like-minded people would be up for some challenges etc...to help them reach their goals.  I have a really long way to go, but I know what I need to do.  

 Congratulations on your weight loss!

I'm am also married (in spirit), my partner and I are celebrating our 10 years of co-habitation this year. No kids. Two dogs and lots of love. 

What steps are you taking to lose those last 10lbs?

I"m 45, 5' 3 or 4. I've done the yo-yo thing for most of my life.  I took up kung-fu and  that essential connection between mind body and spirit was made.  I lost 30 lbs and my sugar addiction. My school recently closed and I'm doing all the right things physically to keep my body healthy but am struggling to keep m/b/s connected.  I found myself staying at the top of my ususal weight flucuation and decided to sign on here to take off 7 lbs. and just be aware of the sugar I'm taking in.

I'm with you yogaboy, I don't like labels- I find them limiting but if I had to choose I'd say I'm Buddhist.

I still love kung-fu and train on my own a bit.  Here are some more socially expected labels- I'm an artist. I am a wife and mother.  I live in the desert and couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

Welcome ZXenn. Your story is a compelling one. This is a very small group. I hope it grows some.

Thanks yogaboy, I'd like to see the group grow as well.  How long have you been doing yoga?  Without my kung-fu for cardio I've been riding the elliptical, nothing makes my mind disconnect from my body more! So I do a few yoga stretches afterwards to sort of re-center myself.  I've thought about taking a class, it seem like it may be another way to stay connected.  I recently signed up for a qi-gong class, have you had any experience with that?

I'm 5'2, eyes of blue, and have been heavy for the past 15 years.  Being overweight never bothered me.  I felt I carried my weight well and it didnt' hinder me from doing any activities or feeling feminine.  I felt that there was just more of me than when I was younger.

This past May I was at my heaviest of 170.  When I looked at my upper arms they reminded me of thighs, at that point I new I had to do something, that's when I decided to join CC.  I've always understood the concept of calories in vs. calories expended, I guess I didn't care till now.  I've lost 15 pounds so far and plan to drop another 20-25 by next April. 

Being a person who likes to examine what makes me tick, I thought this group might provide an interesting forum to toss around some of the reasons I was comfortable with being overweight.  And why it seems at times I am my worst enemy when it comes to succeeding.

I'm a positive, mostly happy person, finding enjoyment in activities that require me to push myself.  I have a love of the outdoors so my summer Yoga in the Park has been blissful.  Kayaking, river and lakes, has also been great.  I love to read.

I have a husband, a son and two dogs.  As my son nears the time when he'll be striking out on his own, leaving an empty nest, I've started to engage myself in things that will help me grow.  I enjoy my work and don't mind spending extra time on the job when required. 

Hi Sandieneff- I like your attitude, it's cool that you have been ok with being 'overweight' I think that label is just a social expectation anyway and not a real indicator of health or beauty.  I think what happened is that you are just no longer comfortable in your skin and maybe aren't feeling as healthy as before.  I think thats great!   I think it finally became easier for me to lose the weight  when I fully realized that I was buried in my body and not really myself anymore regardless of much I cared or didn't care about what size jeans I wore.  Then it became about me rediscovering my true body shape and not about looking a certain way.

Welcome to the group Sandieneff. I look forward to getting to know you better.

Hi Zxenn,  Thanks, you're probably right in about the not feeling comfortable in my skin part.  I have a photo of myself in my younger days and that's the person I know is inside.  As I slowly peel away the layers, the vibrant, enegertic lass is peeking out with a smile. 

I am lucky that being overweight has not cuased any health problems.  I've seen it all too often that people's knees, backs, or their blood pressure goes up.  Or they become depressed about the weight.  I think a lot has to do with how one feels about the person they are within.  I've always been able to see the sun even on rainy days.

Thank you.  Yogaboy is an interesting handle.  I take it you are into yoga and possibly meditation? 

What do you hope to get out of this group?

Hi, sandieneff and zxenn!

Thanks for joining the group.  You  seem like you have some great positive attitudes.  I also am not feeling very comfortable in my skin these days and I really have to do something about it.  I have much more weight to lose than than the other members of the group so far, but I'm working hard.  I would like to lose about 80lbs.  I am starting to feel the weight in my joints and my energy level is suffering.

I'm a 45 year old female, I live with my long-time boyfriend (I don't like that title) for 10 years. We have two dogs and live in the country. I love film, photography, music, travel and food!!!

I have been thinking a lot about yoga lately.  I have attended a class or two in my life, but that is about it.  I used to incorporate meditation into my routine, but my whole life changed about 7 years ago and I never went back to it. I now see that as a big mistake and I have recently made that correction. I feel better already.  I have a very high stress job and I have let it get the best of me.

Would any of you recommend any yoga videos for beginners that are not in great shape? I won't be doing the firefly pose any time soon, but I see that it is really helpful to the well being of those who practice.  Do you do any other strength training?

Hi Klytie,

Something you said struck a chord ... that you've "made that correction".  It seems like everyone I know is in flux, and making corrections to their course.  I'm there too.  It's scary and exhilerating and most of all ITS TIME! :)

I'd like to learn more about yoga too.  I have a Rodney Yee dvd.  For me, it's just ok.  But my friend loves it. I'll bet yogaboy has some suggestions.

Klytie and Jen: For me managing my weight and yoga is all about being physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.  I really don't use a DVD for yoga anymore. I started out that way. About two years ago, I bought a package with a mat, a belt, and yoga blocks. The package had a DVD by a sixty year old Australian lady named Yolanda. This really is a good beginners DVD. For me, Rodney Yee is a little tough to follow. A few months into this practice, my wife and I took a yoga class at the local high school gym, and I we were hooked. When the class was over, we started going once a week to the yoga place in our town for a 90 minute practice. I also do a thirty minute morning practice on my own to whatever soothing music I feel like listening to on that day.  Unfortunately, it's really hard to get the benefits with just the DVD. If you can do some sessions, it helps a lot. 

Klytie: In most circles, to say you do not believe in a God is akin to announcing that you have leprosy. People start to move away, as if your ideas will somehow make them lose control and become evil. I find it amusing. This is a nice form to be able to discuss a beleif in self-fulfillment and self-reliance, without having people look at you like you just pillaged their village and ravaged their livestock. Thanks for starting it.  

Yes! Here-here yoga boy, Thank you klytie, it's always such a relief to discover somebody...anybody that is like-minded. 

I believe in a higher power, but I get frustrated when people blame all the suffering in the world on God or Satan.  I tend to agree with Deepak Chopra's thoughts on why people suffer:

If you look at Vedantic tradition, there are only five reasons why people suffer: they don't know who they are; they're attached to that which is impermanent and insubstantial; they are afraid of that which is impermanent and insubstantial; they have a false sense of identity through their ego; and they're afraid of death. Period. Those are the five causes of suffering.

I believe in a higher power in a sense as well, but I think that it's us. Our collective higher consciousness is 'God'. I understand that folks need the comfort of giving their lives over to god but it's so... I don't know... almost immature, like you need someone else to direct your life for you because you don't want the responsibility or don't think you are capable.

Our suffering does all boil down to attachment! Fear of death is an interesting topic... In theory I don't fear it.  I believe it's just a transition, however I am a human animal and I don't know how I will feel once my "end" is eminent! My intention  is that I will have the serenity to maintain awareness of the process.

I'm 5'2" and at 180 I'm heavier than I've ever been in my life. I think for me, once I hit the 40s, it was all downhill. I'm currently engaged after doing the single working mother gig for 7+ years and would like to look better than I did at my first wedding. My goal is 115 but I will be very happy anywhere from 125 down.

I am an atheist; which means I don't subscribe to any sort of belief system. I don't believe in a god, goddess, or set of gods/goddesses, miscellaneous devils, higher powers, heavens, hells, unicorns, Santa Claus or Big Foot. When we die, we're worm food. That's it. So, its best to make the most of the time we have here-- it's all we get.

I'm a humanist and I frequently post on atheist boards under another name. I joined this group because I've always found the most support, the most rational support among other secularists.

Hi Javagen3

unicorns, santa and big foot!! lol!  Making the best and most of right here and right now is the way to go no matter what you believe!

When is your wedding?

Hi, Javagen3. Welcome to our group.

You're like my partner. He has his feet firmly planted in atheism. 

Congratulations on your engagement and good luck with all your goals!

Thanks for the tip, yogaboy.  I'm going to see if I can find Yolanda and if not I'll look at some reviews online for some other possibilities.  Once I work it into my routine and get the swing of it, I'll look for a class.

I'm glad I started this group as well.  I have to tell you that I have never started a group and I have no idea what it means to be a moderator. My experience with moderators is that they delete your comments if they don't like them.  I don't plan on doing that, but I really don't know what my responsibilities are as a moderator.  I'll leave it up to you guys to tell me if I need to do anything. I don't look at this as my group, it belongs to everyone who wants to participate.