Say howdy everyone!

[Tracy (AKA Cosmo)]

MamaPhat: I think we have all been through that depression stage. When everything seems bleak, so why not eat another ding dong? Fortunately for you, and everyone else in the positive group, we now have a way to support each other through those times!

That's great about the 3 miles, it sounds like you are doing a great job with the exercise. Keep it up!

[Tracy (AKA Cosmo)]

Melissa, Go Girl! Sounds like many of us need to adopt your healthy attitude.

[bananafofatty]

Happy Monday everyone! Banana Fo Fatty checking in.

I probably won't make it to the message board much as the e-mails seem much more convenient to me but I'll definitely try to pop in every so often.

My muffin top story -

I was a small child until about the age of 7 when I lived with my grandparents for a year while my mom & dad were working on moving us back to MS from OK.

My grandma packed my lunch and apparently thought I needed enough food to eat for the entire 20 minute 3rd grade lunch, so I had a lot of chips, cookies and snacks 5 days a week.

I spent the majority of my life on the 'heavy' side but had always been really active and played sports regularly up until about 10th grade. Then in 1998 after being on my own for a few years, I moved back in with my dad & step-mom so I could go back to school and thanks to home cooked southern meals 5 days a week piled on close to 80lbs. I moved back out and dropped 65 of that in about 3 months by dropping pop from my diet and 45mins a day on a treadmill.

Then in 2001 I met my now ex-fiance and some people say you gain weight when you're happy, some say when you're say, but I say it's both. I ballooned back up another 70lbs. We broke up in 2004 and I started working out again and eating healthy. Dropped 65lbs AGAIN and was in the best shape of my life.

Fast forward a few years, a defunct thyroid, some malfunctioning ovaries and a move back to the south and those 70lbs are back. I am now at the highest weight I have ever been and the biggest pant size. I also now have health issues I never had before.

So while feeling good about how you look in your clothes is surely a strong motivating factor - I honestly couldn't care less about a little pudge hanging over my belt.

I want to be able to bend over and tie my shoes without getting out of breath. I want to be able to have my boobs be the only reason I can't see my feet. I want to be able to walk up the stairs to my apartment without feeling winded and I want to get on a plane and not be absolutely terrified that if I can't maneuver myself just right I'll be that person who has to ask for a seat-belt extention.

And this year all of those things and more will be accomplished. I have a wonderful loving boyfriend who is the best support system a girl could ask for and the best part is he thinks I'm beautiful just as I am so his motivation doesn't make me feel like I 'have' to lose weight to look better for him, but rather encourages me to lose weight so I can be healthy for us.

[mamaphat]

Thanks for the support, Cosmo...and hi again to everyone here! I think I'm finally seeing some weight drop and that gives me incentive to keep going as well as all the support here. WOOOOOOOOT!!!!It's difficult when you don't see any results after you've busted your butt! I'm trying not to go in for that second helping and avoid snacking at night and I think that's starting to get a teensy, weensie easier. Also, I find that if I keep busy and have things to do, I don't think about that juicy cheeseburger calling me as much.
BananaFoFatty, I have the same desires as you so I understand completely. I would love to have a breast reduction but I'm afraid I still wouldn't be able to see my feet! LOL!(By the way, your BF sounds like a real good catch so hold onto that one;>)
I love the recipes people put on and the hearing the motivation from all helps since I know we're all doing this together.
We're doing it.....!
PS: Thanks to all for the yummy recipes..I hope to try them all out!!!

[Banana Fo Fatty]

I intro'd myself and my muffin top but my post isn't here???

[bananafofatty]

oops - it was on the 2nd page - Madame President? Can you delete these last two posts please ma'am.

Thank you

[babyphat]

Hello ladies. I've finally joined this. I hope that proves that I'm taking it seriously this time. Well...starting Monday.
If not, read this: www.carrieszenspot.blogspot.com