A long overdue Thank You!!

[Guest guest]

I want to express my thanks to everyone who answered my posts. I'm

sorry it has taken so long for me to respond to your replies, but I

had a " brain glitch " here(sighs). I joined two CR groups at basicly

the same time, and I THOUGHT I had indicated that I wished to receive

all posts in my daily email in BOTH groups. But...yes,you've guessed

it...I didn't indicate that with THIS group(sigh). I also didn't

realize my error until I actually revisited the website today.

Imagine my excitement at seeing all those posts directed to me!

(smiles) I thought I was being ignored!(shakes head and laughs at

myself) Anyways, thank you so much for taking the time to put so

much thought into my current situation.

Thank you, T. Francesca Skelton, for welcoming me to your group. I

do plan to read the archives and visit the picture file. I have been

kept fairly busy trying to read the 40+ posts that are emailed to me

daily by my other CR group(laughs). All the prolific writers in that

group is one reason I never had a chance to realize that I was only

receiving posts from ONE of my groups.

Hipp...a big thank you to you for putting so much time and

effort into your reply to my post. Your system for losing weight

sounds very intriguing. And you are correct...whether I go fast or

slow, it will most definitely be worth it!

Sigurd, thanks for your input, too. I understand your feelings about

wanting to play it " safe " with weight loss. That is why I feel torn

between going somewhat quickly, and taking the more leisurely

approach. Also, as someone mentioned, the " one-pound a week " doesn't

give a person the emotional motivation that a more rapid weight loss

would.

Jwwright, you mentioned that if I went too quickly, there would be a

lot of flab to be recycled. Could you be a bit more specific as to

what you meant by " flab " ?(smiles)

I will give you a bit more background information on myself. I am

female, 45 years old. I have weighed 200-250 pounds since I was

about 20 years old...so, I have been extremely overweight for about

25 years. I have been eating your typical American diet...which

translates into " eat anything you feel like! " (laughs). Right now I

weigh about 245 pounds. I am 5 feet 6 inches tall. I am...and have

always been...basically a " pear " shaped person...with my weight

mostly carried below my waist. I haven't had all the medical tests

done that most of you seem to be doing....yet. But as a point of

reference, the things a General Practitioner usually checks for at an

annual physical have always been within the " normal " range. In those

25 years, I never really made a serious attempt to lose the weight.

It is only in the past couple of years that I have reached a place in

my life that I am determined to be the best I can be....in many ways.

(smiles) As to my so-called " normal " weight...well, when I was 18,

I weighed about 115 pounds, was 5' 6 " tall...and my measurements were

probably something like 34A-24-36(as you can see...still

a " pear " ...smiles).

I was very intrigued by Dr. Atkin's Low Carb diet. Both of my

parents, and most of my aunts and uncles(the total number of

relatives mentioned here would be about 13-15 people!) were

diabetics. My family history made me think that perhaps I was

predisposed to having a similar metabolic problem. So, Dr. Atkin's

diet made quite a bit of sense to me, since it deals with the

insulin/sugar situation in our bodies. It was the diet I was

planning to mainly use for my weight loss...UNTIL I saw Dr. Walford

on TV!(smiles) His concept of getting all the required nutrients in

the lowest caloric form also made wonderful sense! So, I went out

and bought his books " The Anti-Aging Plan " and " Beyond the 120-Year

Diet " . I am currently reading " Beyond the 120-Year Diet " .

I did have a bit of concern about the CRON diet as outlined by Dr.

Walford...with its high carb intake. I was wondering if it might me

a mistake for me...considering my family's medical history. Perhaps

a combination of the two might be more advisable...low carbs...but

with low cal, high nutrition as the outline.

I have been concerned about the so-called " loose " skin that is

supposedly going to besiege me once I begin to drop significant

amounts of weight. I was wondering, if going too fast might add to

this problem. I thought that perhaps going slowly might allow the

skin to have more of a chance to adapt to the new, slimmer body

inside of it(smiles). But this is only conjecture on my part...I

haven't actually read any studies on the matter.

Of course, being healthy is my main goal. But I also don't want to

end up a 120 pound woman covered with layers of loose skin flapping

about!(smiles) If this group would prefer not to discuss weight loss

(as a goal), I will understand. But I think a lot of people enter

into the whole CRON mindset because they ARE looking for a healthy

way to eat that WILL induce losing the excess weight they are

carrying. I had actually never considered the idea of long-

life...until Dr. Walford sparked my imagination with his ideas. But

I HAD been looking for a nutritious way to drop this weight.

Also, I have fairly good willpower when it comes to actually

dictating to myself what I can eat. I went on a " crash " diet a few

months ago...where I ate NO carbs, no SUGAR...and only 300-500

calories a day. I lost 25 pounds in one month. I have since

regained that weight. I am obviously not on ANY type of eating plan

at the moment. I am in the " reading and researching " part of my plan

to get fit and healthy.

What about exercise? Some recommend it adamantly...others say an

excessive amount is a detriment to the long-life aspect of CRON.

Anyways, I have rattled on enough about myself. If anyone has any

advice, please feel free to express it. You will not hurt my

feelings, whatsoever. I KNOW I am fat...and I don't carry a " chip "

on my shoulder about it. But I AM going to be slim and

healthy...this is my mindset.

Thanks again, for all your support. If you have any questions, feel

free to ask them. I am a very upfront, open, and honest type of

lady. If you'd prefer to speak to me in " private " , you may email me

at seize_your_life@....