Re: Hi from Houston!

[Guest guest]

Theresa,

You have come to the right place. We are all here to help each other. Most

of us have had a similar wake up call, some of us even more than one; so

know that you are not alone.

Congratulations on taking the first steps. You are on the road to a

healthier you!

Randy

[Guest guest]

Howdy & Welcome Theresa - it's good to have you here and WOW  it's amazing how

specific things are motivators, isn't it??  My doctor's lecture (complete with a

few diagrams of what my internal organs were stressing over with high blood

pressure) is what got me to sit up & start moving.

I'm glad you're here and I know you will enjoy & be amazed by some of the things

you'll learn about yourself through this journey!  I find that I listend to each

podcast 2 or 3 times before moving to the next one (I listen to them on my ipod

while taking my daily walks) as there's so much info packed into them.

Colleen

Hi from Houston!

Hi, all-

Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Theresa. I

have a

loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I have a job where

I know I

am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare, isn't it?).

But I am far

from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his brother & sister.

When it

was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt, and discovered

that I

couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat in my seat

feeling like a

marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and for the first

time in

my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the experience put a

bit of a pall

on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy away from

hiking up the

mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I guess I was hoping

for a

miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would magically buckle

without a

fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining too much

weight. I

arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went above that point,

he was to

immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in the house,

hide me in

the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I really expected

I would be.

My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6 months ago are

suddenly

too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have already been

inspired by

what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal nay-sayers without

having to

really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time. But I did get

myself a little

notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out the worksheet

this evening.

I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up call. I simply

cannot

face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only one, maybe two

people

even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing and whispering.

I'm not

sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very cautious with

what I eat,

and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know that I could

use some

support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am fairly

convinced that he

would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air balloon (like I

said, I am a

lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a little skewed,

which is probably

how I got into this mess in the first place.

Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I apologize for the

novel,

appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope that I can

help- and be

helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and thank you in

advance for your support and guidance.

Theresa

[Guest guest]

Hi Theresa,

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I could feel your pain and

sadness. How amazing that you were able to snap out of it and enjoy

your vacation in spite of it all. I love your reference to the

marshmallow - " not in the fun, sugary way " . You seem to be able to

see the lightness through the genuine sad feelings, how else could

you have trekked on. Having young children helps doesn't it? We

have no choice but to move on.

You have really found a beacon with these podcasts and this group.

It has made all the difference for me. I wish you the very best in

your journey. I know you will be successful - you are well on your

way! I also understand your reference to realizing you should be

completely happy ( two young children, loving husband, etc...), and

yet... Anyway, you are a great model for your children in taking

these positive steps to become healthier and happier.

Best. Joan

> Hi, all-

>

> Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name

> is Theresa. I have a

> loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I have

> a job where I know I

> am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare,

> isn't it?). But I am far

> from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

>

> I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his

> brother & sister. When it

> was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt, and

> discovered that I

> couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat

> in my seat feeling like a

> marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and

> for the first time in

> my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the

> experience put a bit of a pall

> on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy

> away from hiking up the

> mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I guess

> I was hoping for a

> miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would

> magically buckle without a

> fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

>

> Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining

> too much weight. I

> arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went

> above that point, he was to

> immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in

> the house, hide me in

> the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I

> really expected I would be.

> My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6

> months ago are suddenly

> too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

>

> I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have already

> been inspired by

> what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal nay-

> sayers without having to

> really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time.

> But I did get myself a little

> notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out

> the worksheet this evening.

>

> I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up

> call. I simply cannot

> face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only

> one, maybe two people

> even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing

> and whispering. I'm not

> sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very

> cautious with what I eat,

> and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know

> that I could use some

> support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am

> fairly convinced that he

> would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air

> balloon (like I said, I am a

> lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a

> little skewed, which is probably

> how I got into this mess in the first place.

>

> Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I

> apologize for the novel,

> appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope

> that I can help- and be

> helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and

> thank you in

> advance for your support and guidance.

>

> Theresa

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome Theresa!

We sure do have a lot of Texans here! I'm in the Dallas area, and you

have definitely come to the right place for support! As far as any

kind of program to join I think that only you can decide what will

work best with you. You've already taken the first step by coming

here, and you will definitely get A LOT of insite from 's

program. A few of us here are doing Weight Watchers, which is tried

and true. IMHO, it is a good place to start if you need to be educated.

Good luck, and come back often!

KJ

>

> Hi, all-

>

> Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name

is Theresa. I have a

> loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I have

a job where I know I

> am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare,

isn't it?). But I am far

> from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

>

> I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his

brother & sister. When it

> was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt, and

discovered that I

> couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat

in my seat feeling like a

> marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and

for the first time in

> my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the

experience put a bit of a pall

> on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy

away from hiking up the

> mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I guess

I was hoping for a

> miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would

magically buckle without a

> fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

>

> Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining

too much weight. I

> arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went above

that point, he was to

> immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in

the house, hide me in

> the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I

really expected I would be.

> My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6

months ago are suddenly

> too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

>

> I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have already

been inspired by

> what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal

nay-sayers without having to

> really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time.

But I did get myself a little

> notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out

the worksheet this evening.

>

> I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up

call. I simply cannot

> face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only

one, maybe two people

> even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing and

whispering. I'm not

> sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very

cautious with what I eat,

> and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know

that I could use some

> support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am

fairly convinced that he

> would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air

balloon (like I said, I am a

> lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a little

skewed, which is probably

> how I got into this mess in the first place.

>

> Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I

apologize for the novel,

> appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope

that I can help- and be

> helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and

thank you in

> advance for your support and guidance.

>

> Theresa

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Theresa

I'm a newbie here too. Welcome to the group. I'm searching for the

best way to eat also. I did Weight Watchers' Core Program and am

thinking about going back to it.

In addition to this group, I'm also a member of sparkpeople.com.

That site has great advice and there is a group following IOWL there

too. I encourage everyone to check it out.

Also, check out 's October 2nd blog entry. She has a link to a

very good article by a food writer that lost 150 or so pounds.

All the best to you!

-msn

>

> Hi, all-

>

> Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name

is Theresa. I have a

> loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I

have a job where I know I

> am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare,

isn't it?). But I am far

> from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

>

> I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his

brother & sister. When it

> was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt,

and discovered that I

> couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat

in my seat feeling like a

> marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and

for the first time in

> my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the

experience put a bit of a pall

> on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy

away from hiking up the

> mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I

guess I was hoping for a

> miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would

magically buckle without a

> fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

>

> Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining

too much weight. I

> arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went

above that point, he was to

> immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in

the house, hide me in

> the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I

really expected I would be.

> My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6

months ago are suddenly

> too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

>

> I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have

already been inspired by

> what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal nay-

sayers without having to

> really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time.

But I did get myself a little

> notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out

the worksheet this evening.

>

> I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up

call. I simply cannot

> face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only

one, maybe two people

> even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing

and whispering. I'm not

> sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very

cautious with what I eat,

> and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know

that I could use some

> support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am

fairly convinced that he

> would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air

balloon (like I said, I am a

> lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a

little skewed, which is probably

> how I got into this mess in the first place.

>

> Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I

apologize for the novel,

> appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope

that I can help- and be

> helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and

thank you in

> advance for your support and guidance.

>

> Theresa

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome Theresa! You will find encouragement and support here.

One thing I would like to say though is that you shouldn't drastically

cut your calories. Our bodies need calories to function. Yes, we

want a deficit, but not an unhealthy one. Please be careful and make

sure you are eating healthy whole foods and getting all the nutrition

you need.

On a second note...my best friend in the whole world and her husband

are large people. He needs an extender on planes. He travels a lot

for his work. I feel so bad for him. She is almost there herself.

They have just hit a milestone of sorts. They can no longer sit

comfortably in a booth. When we go to dinner we have to sit at tables

now. I want to help them so badly, but they really need to want to

help themselves first. I wish there was something I could do. I e-

mailed her 's podcast link hoping she would start listening, but

she hasn't. I don't want to lose either of them but I'm afraid if

they keep going at this rate they will not live a long healthy life.

I have gained 40lbs myself in the last two years. After losing 30lbs

and keeping it off for almost two straight years I gained it all back.

I had always told myself I would never be one of those yo-yo dieters.

I would just eat healthy and exercise. Well, one thing led to

another. After a couple surgeries and a car accident I stopped

working out, and when you stop working out, you for some reason stop

eating healthy. I'm not sure why that is, but at least for me it

seems that way. So long story short, I am 180lbs now. I have never

been this big, not even when I was 9 months pregnant with my last

child. I am only 5'1 " tall. So I am very very round. None of my

clothes fit either.

Ok, so here I was welcoming you and saying I understand and I rambled

on for quite some time. I'm not even from Texas! lol. We all like

to talk!

[Guest guest]

Good point about not cutting calories, LeAnn.....

As we all find out during our weight struggles, we're not

nutritionists, but we sure do know a lot about food! From my personal

experience (and I think common sense prevails here!) when I focus on

eating RIGHT there is no need to focus on " calories " . I say this as I

sit at my desk eating 1/2 of a simply YUMMY cinnamon roll! At least

it's only half!

I am 5'6 and 162 lbs, also have never been heavier-but that's really

NOT a terribly unhealthy weight for someone my size. I just picture

myself turning into my mother (don't we all!) with a laundry list of

health problems in her older years due to an unhealthy life style, and

I don't want to go there.

Back to Theresa, I think that your goal should be a healthier you for

yourself, your children and your family who all love you, and the

pathway to that goal does not include counting calories. By all means

start out with a food journal-but if it were me, I would not focus on

calories. I would focus on what foods I'm eating, when, where and why.

But...that's just me!

KJ

>

> Welcome Theresa! You will find encouragement and support here.

>

> One thing I would like to say though is that you shouldn't drastically

> cut your calories. Our bodies need calories to function. Yes, we

> want a deficit, but not an unhealthy one. Please be careful and make

> sure you are eating healthy whole foods and getting all the nutrition

> you need.

>

> On a second note...my best friend in the whole world and her husband

> are large people. He needs an extender on planes. He travels a lot

> for his work. I feel so bad for him. She is almost there herself.

> They have just hit a milestone of sorts. They can no longer sit

> comfortably in a booth. When we go to dinner we have to sit at tables

> now. I want to help them so badly, but they really need to want to

> help themselves first. I wish there was something I could do. I e-

> mailed her 's podcast link hoping she would start listening, but

> she hasn't. I don't want to lose either of them but I'm afraid if

> they keep going at this rate they will not live a long healthy life.

>

> I have gained 40lbs myself in the last two years. After losing 30lbs

> and keeping it off for almost two straight years I gained it all back.

> I had always told myself I would never be one of those yo-yo dieters.

> I would just eat healthy and exercise. Well, one thing led to

> another. After a couple surgeries and a car accident I stopped

> working out, and when you stop working out, you for some reason stop

> eating healthy. I'm not sure why that is, but at least for me it

> seems that way. So long story short, I am 180lbs now. I have never

> been this big, not even when I was 9 months pregnant with my last

> child. I am only 5'1 " tall. So I am very very round. None of my

> clothes fit either.

>

> Ok, so here I was welcoming you and saying I understand and I rambled

> on for quite some time. I'm not even from Texas! lol. We all like

> to talk!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Theresa,

I am also in Houston... I would recommend getting the guided journeys on

's website. There is a fee, but well worth it in my opinion!

oxox

Patti

> Hi, all-

>

> Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name is

> Theresa. I have a

> loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I have a job

> where I know I

> am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare, isn't

> it?). But I am far

> from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

>

> I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his brother &

> sister. When it

> was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt, and

> discovered that I

> couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat in my

> seat feeling like a

> marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and for the

> first time in

> my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the experience

> put a bit of a pall

> on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy away

> from hiking up the

> mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I guess I was

> hoping for a

> miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would magically

> buckle without a

> fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

>

> Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining too much

> weight. I

> arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went above that

> point, he was to

> immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in the

> house, hide me in

> the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I really

> expected I would be.

> My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6 months ago

> are suddenly

> too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

>

> I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have already been

> inspired by

> what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal nay-sayers

> without having to

> really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time. But I

> did get myself a little

> notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out the

> worksheet this evening.

>

> I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up call. I

> simply cannot

> face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only one, maybe

> two people

> even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing and

> whispering. I'm not

> sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very cautious

> with what I eat,

> and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know that I

> could use some

> support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am fairly

> convinced that he

> would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air balloon

> (like I said, I am a

> lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a little

> skewed, which is probably

> how I got into this mess in the first place.

>

> Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I apologize

> for the novel,

> appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope that I

> can help- and be

> helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and thank you

> in

> advance for your support and guidance.

>

> Theresa

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome Theresa

I have just started here and I am starting to learn some things about

myself. This is a GREAT group although I am sure you know this by

now. welcome again and I look forward to us learning from each other

>

> Hi, all-

>

> Just getting started here, and wanted to introduce myself. My name

is Theresa. I have a

> loving husband and two wonderful children, ages 5 1/2 and 3. I have

a job where I know I

> am appreciated, great friends, and an amazing mother in law (rare,

isn't it?). But I am far

> from happy- which you could probably guess, or I wouldn't be here.

>

> I just returned from a trip to Denver with my husband and his

brother & sister. When it

> was time for the plane to leave, I went to buckle my seat belt, and

discovered that I

> couldn't do it. I finally did, after about 5 tries, but then I sat

in my seat feeling like a

> marshmallow (and not in the fun, sugary way). I was miserable, and

for the first time in

> my adult life, I really wanted to die. You can imagine that the

experience put a bit of a pall

> on my trip, but I soldiered on, ate as well as I could, didn't shy

away from hiking up the

> mountains, and all in all, did manage to have a great time. I guess

I was hoping for a

> miracle, and that 3 days later when we left, my seat belt would

magically buckle without a

> fight. Naturally, that did not happen.

>

> Several years ago, I told my husband that I was scared of gaining

too much weight. I

> arbitrarily chose 300 lbs. as my absolute threshold- if I went above

that point, he was to

> immediately sign me up for a boot camp, throw away all the food in

the house, hide me in

> the closet, something. Well, I'm way closer to that mark than I

really expected I would be.

> My fat clothes are now the only ones that fit; pants I bought 6

months ago are suddenly

> too tight, and I have run out of excuses for myself.

>

> I stumbled upon IOWL through iTunes the other day, and have already

been inspired by

> what I've learned. I can actually name most of my internal

nay-sayers without having to

> really think about it; that's something I'll go into another time.

But I did get myself a little

> notebook to use as a journal/calorie counter. I'll be filling out

the worksheet this evening.

>

> I guess you could say that the airplane experience was my wake-up

call. I simply cannot

> face that type of embarrassment again... odds are good that only

one, maybe two people

> even noticed, but in my mind's eye, the whole plane was pointing and

whispering. I'm not

> sure what kind of program to join, if any. I've started being very

cautious with what I eat,

> and wrote everything down today (about 950 calories!). I do know

that I could use some

> support and advice. Like I said, my husband is wonderful, but I am

fairly convinced that he

> would love me even if I turned purple and blew up like a hot air

balloon (like I said, I am a

> lucky girl). So his opinion, while important to me, is also a little

skewed, which is probably

> how I got into this mess in the first place.

>

> Wow, they do teach us how to talk here in Texas, don't they? I

apologize for the novel,

> appreciate all those who took the time to read it, and truly hope

that I can help- and be

> helped- by my fellow members. Good luck on your own journeys, and

thank you in

> advance for your support and guidance.

>

> Theresa

>