Women 200lb+, Let's Be Adaptable This April!!!
Replies
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@tgraves1972 Welcome! You're braver than I was. You joined the group on your 1st day! I lurked about for a few months before being brave enough to post something to this group. It was very hard for me to share my weight as well. I hope you find this group as helpful and supportive as I have. Good luck to you!8
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tgraves1972 wrote: »Hello.....I’m new to MFP....today is my first day!! I have hit my all time high weight and am ready to make changes. I cleared my house of all unhealthy food. I went grocery shopping to healthy nutritious food and developed a food plan for the week!!! So the journey begins!!!
Height: 5’6
CW: 290 (this is very hard for me to share)
GW: 190
Goals for the week:
Drink more water
Start walking 30 minutes a day
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@MuttiNM I loved reading your post! Thank you, I have only been logging on for about 5 weeks, and feel very inspired by so many of you! It makes me believe I can actually finish this race! I also worry about my binge demon lurking its ugly head!
@speyerj Congratulations Jane on reaching such an amazing milestone!
@Tarzan37 Yes there have been a few, however as long as they are logging it's great, otherwise what's the point!
@tgraves1972 Welcome, you have made your first step!! Don't feel bad about posting any weight, even if you gain! this is a safe spot where you can be true to yourself without any recriminations! We are all here with the same intention!
@KeriA Just wanted to say that you are very thoughtful and encouraging with all your weekly posts! Well done with the Zumba! I went online to look at a beginner's class...seemed too advanced for me!
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Sundays are the day that I put my week ahead in order. Of course, I do my meal plans five weeks ahead, but on Sunday I make sure to get the meat out of the big freezer and put it in the one attached to the fridge, bring in anything I will need from long-term storage for cooking that week, and generally get things ready.
Here's my week's meals:
Monday: Lunch is chicken quesadillas. They like theirs with jalapenos, I don't. Dinner is Bifstek alla Florentina (steak marinaded in rosemary-infused olive oil), served with orichette pasta and spinach with nutmeg and cracked black pepper. Garlic bread. (I would serve a salad if any of us ate it.)
Tuesday:Lunch is hamburgers with chips and pickles. Dinner is Hunan chicken with rice and broccoli. He gets cauliflower rice under his stirfry instead.
Wednesday: Lunch is chili con carne with a cornbread muffin for GF and BF: I can't eat chili so I will have an extra hamburger that I cooked yesterday. Dinner is shrimp scampi with wild rice pilaf and pan-seared asparagus with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Garlic bread. (I would add a salad if any of us ate it.)
Thursday: Lunch is pulled pork in barbecue sauce on buns or in a wrap, depending on preference, with chips and pickles. Dinner is spaghetti with meatballs. He will have his red sauce and meatballs on pan-seared zucchini chunks, and prefers this to pasta. Garlic toast. (Again, a salad would go with this.)
Friday lunch is always leftovers from the week. Dinner is beef and bean enchiladas with Mexican rice and sour cream. I do not like enchiladas and so will have a taco salad.
Saturday lunch will be coney dogs and chips and pickles. Saturday dinner will be Thai-marinaded grilled pork skewers with white rice and Thai-spiced spinach.
Sunday lunch is usually a wrap of various Mexican ingredients rolled up to eat out of hand. Sunday dinner is swiss steak with white rice and grean beans, with rolls and butter.
As always I will tell anyone how I do my menus or supply the recipes that I use. Yes, I stay in my calorie limits while eating like this and often have some ice cream or a bit of chocolate in the evenings. That's what makes this so sustainable for me.
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Weigh-in
SW: 272
3/31: 242
4/9: 241.5
4/19: 241.5
April Goals
*No specific goal weight, just below 242. I guess technically I've accomplished my goal for April, but hoping I can get to at least 241! I was 100% expecting a decent gain because I have not been tracking, but I kind of feel good that even though I wasn't tracking, I was still able to eat enough to maintain.
*move EVERY day: Eh, room for improvement, I am starting to feel the depressive cloud pass, so hoping to fall back into exercise soon.
*complete 30 Day Shred...I wasn't able to stick with it, I get bored with repetitive workouts and that's what this DVD is. I know it works for some, so no bashing there, I just need different workouts otherwise I personally can't stick with them. I'm hoping to test two new apps I found that are free right now due to the virus.5 -
@CupcakeCrusoe, all that bread sounds yummy, I enjoy watching bread making videos for some reason haha. Great loss though, you're doing amazing in April!
@orangequilt, glad you're doing well. All we can do is survive right now in ways that work best for us.
@vegasgirl0825, good work stepping on the scale, that can be a nervewracking thing when you've been away for a bit. But that small gain is nothing in the grand scheme of the work you've been putting in. I hope you're feeling a bit better, that situation sounds like it would be quite overwhelming for anyone.
@jm216, I agree, fun workouts are the best to do because it doesn't even feel like you're working out, it's just fun!
@cesse47, great work meeting your goals!
@KeriA, nice loss, especially passing your previous low--and thank you for sharing that chart, helps put things in perspective. And thank you, upping my calories helped my mindset as well. I'm completely sure you could've pulled off a nightgown and running shoes
@pamiede, congratulations! You look beautiful before and after.
@mmccloy12, great loss! Losing weight during a pandemic like this is challenging, so any loss is amazing. And yes! I always deny the request, if I do not recognize you from a group that I'm in or there's no message, I generally do not accept.
@Rosie3579, wow, great work getting those steps in! You're killing your April goals.
@MuttiNM, thank you for sharing. Very inspirational for me to read right now because I feel like I am falling back into some old habits that I worked hard to break.
@Da1NonlyMrsStiggers, we're all here for support. Please lean on us!
@speyerj, wow, you're amazing! Such hard work you're putting in and it's paying off. Congratulations!
@tgraves1972, welcome! And thank you for sharing, it was very difficult for me to share my weight the first time I posted on a thread.
@AlexandraFindsHerself1971, yummy! Your meals always sound SO delicious. Gives me some inspiration for the week for myself!
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I did a side by side in a shirt I wear fairly often now. On the left side, it was definitely snug and I was wearing the sweater over it because I was worried about my back fat showing through. I was so self conscious in it! And today my boyfriend took this photo of me, I promise I’m happier than I look in it. It helps to see the comparisons when it feels like we aren’t making a lot of progress.
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Height: 5' 10.5"
Age: 50 (...TODAY...)
SW: 260 (Oct 2019)
GW: 174
03/31: 244
04/05: 243
04/12: 241.6
04/19: 240.6
04/26:
I so wanted to get below 240 today, almost but not so much. Anyone who has milestone birthday during this time gets officially gets a DO-OVER. We were supposed to have a big party bash which we put on hold because of pandemic... My husband turned 50 in Dec, me today!
We're planning a hike/walk in the woods and healthful take-out picnic-lunch somewhere. ♥️10 -
Vtkayakgirl,
Happy 50th Birthday!!☀️🎶🥂2 -
@torihudson6 I dislike repetitive workouts too! I always vary my walking routes. Ive even added a couple of longer ones. My sister wants me to do indoor workouts but once I’ve done a workout, I don’t look forward to doing the same one over and over.
@speyerj : Congratulations on reaching 100 pounds lost❣️ I know you’ll meet your next goals as well.
Today, actually the weekend has been tough. Today is my Daddy’s birthday. Even though it’s been 20 years, I’ve been crying on and off the whole weekend. I think it’s because in the past I’ve been able to go somewhere or do something else but being sheltered in place ... I’m just here ... and missing my Dad 😢.7 -
@tgraves1972: I started this in January at 296, and that was my highest weight ever too. After three months I am at 271, two sizes down, and feeling so very much better about myself. You're doing something wonderful for yourself, and I look forward to seeing how you do. Walking is good exercise and gets you out of the house, which is so important these days.
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@torihudson6 - what a difference! So much fat lost around your middle. I hope you are feeling better these days.
@vtkayakgirl - Happy Birthday! It's my daughter's 19th birthday today. We are doing our best to make her feel like its her special day, but you know at that age, she'd rather be with her friends than Mom and Dad. I hope your family is making this day as special as can be. And yes, a milestone birthday is a perfect day for a fresh start.
@pamiede - I understand the sorrow. That feeling of being an orphan never quite goes away entirely. Embrace your sadness and your memories. Perhaps a Skype call with your siblings will help. I didn't get a change to comment earlier, but your new side by side is awesome! You have done so well. How does it feel to be so tiny now?
@MuttiNM - thank you for sharing more of your story and what has worked for you. I know that the first time I posted in this thread (I think it was July 19) I was horrified to actually post my weight. I had kept that a secret from everyone. (As if people couldn't see that I was fat!) But I took the plunge and posted for all the world to see. And I can't tell you how much that helped me. Naming and claiming where I was helped me get over the shame I felt. And overcoming shame was an important part of my recovery. Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You will inspire so many with your words.
Thank you for all the words of congratulations! When I hit that goal, my first thought was, I can't wait to post this on my feed! Thank you for the support and encouragement!5 -
Check-in:
SW 230.78 lbs (16/03/2020) 104.9 Kgs
06/04 99.4 Kgs 218.68 -12.1 lbs (-5.5 kgs)
13/04 98.9 Kgs 217.58 - 13.2 lbs (-6 kgs)
20/04 97.6 Kgs 214.72 - -16.6 Lbs (-7,3 kgs)
Happy! Its Monday, lets all have an awesome week! Good luck everyone!8 -
AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »Sundays are the day that I put my week ahead in order.
You are Awesome!!
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@torihudson6 & @pamiede -- you might want to check out YouTube for workouts. They have everything you can imagine from walking (try Leslie Sansone) to bellydancing, Zumba to ballet, pilaties to chair exercises, yoga to Tai Chi, jump rope to weights, and scaled to various abilities.
I love Richard Simmons Stretchin' to the Classics. 15 min, full body stretches, Richard does NOT talk, classic music is wonderful.
I use Leslie Sansone walking video and she had several beginner ones for me to choose from. I've seen some of the more advanced ... pretty awesome.
I also have two chair exercises ... one is Chair Yoga, The other is general and includes a bit of light weight lifting for the arms.
If nothing else, it will give you a couple of choices for days when you're not able to get outside.
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changeforeverlj wrote: »Check-in:
SW 230.78 lbs (16/03/2020) 104.9 Kgs
06/04 99.4 Kgs 218.68 -12.1 lbs (-5.5 kgs)
13/04 98.9 Kgs 217.58 - 13.2 lbs (-6 kgs)
20/04 97.6 Kgs 214.72 - -16.6 Lbs (-7,3 kgs)
Happy! Its Monday, lets all have an awesome week! Good luck everyone!
Great loss ... keep up the good work!!3 -
Hi All!
I love reading everyone’s posts. We are truly a family of friends. 🥰
Age: 50
Height: 5’8 1/2”
SW April 13, 2020: 229.8
First GW 199
Second GW 185
April 13: 229.8
April 15: 228.4 ... down 1.4 pounds 🐕
April 20: 227.4 ... down 2.4 pounds 🐕
Happy Monday!
Today in Michigan will be a high of 56 degrees and sunny. Time to cut the grass and do yard work in the sunshine. ☀️
Roxie and I took a nice 1 mile walk yesterday, and she came home and slept for the rest of the afternoon. With everyone home I continued the Mt. Everest laundry piles. 🏔
Enjoy your day!
❤️Jill7 -
Cesse age 72
308.6 lbs - starting weight on 3/28
300.2 lbs - weighin on 4/11
296.4 lbs - weighin on 4/18
Onederland - first goal
165 lbs - goal weight
April Goals ---
Log all food and beverages honestly
Drink at least 8 cups of water every day
Begin to exercise; and increase duration each week -- Need to improve here!!
Stay in touch with family and friends on a frequent basis
Get outside every day weather permits
Still on track with my goals. Definitely need to improve in the exercise area and get more diverse in the foods I'm having. Overall, doing ok this month. Have a great day Everyone!!10 -
Hi All!
I love reading everyone’s posts. We are truly a family of friends. 🥰
Age: 50
Height: 5’8 1/2”
SW April 13, 2020: 229.8
First GW 199
Second GW 185
April 13: 229.8
April 15: 228.4 ... down 1.4 pounds 🐕
April 20: 227.4 ... down 2.4 pounds 🐕
Happy Monday!
Today in Michigan will be a high of 56 degrees and sunny. Time to cut the grass and do yard work in the sunshine. ☀️
Roxie and I took a nice 1 mile walk yesterday, and she came home and slept for the rest of the afternoon. With everyone home I continued the Mt. Everest laundry piles. 🏔
Enjoy your day!
❤️Jill
Nice Loss ... WTG!! Michigander here as well ... hoping to get out today; yesterday was too darn windy for me because of my allergies.3 -
One thing that I have noticed; since I've lost weight I've slept better and deeper, and when I wake up, my first thought is, "Oh, great! A whole day to do things awaits!" rather than "Ugh. I have to get up and start another day," Which was the way I felt for years. I like this a lot more.
On Mondays, I do the downstairs; wiping down the fronts of the cabinets, cleaning the oven and microwave, and moving everything on the counters and wiping that down as well, before steam-mopping the floor. Then the dining-living room combo area gets dusted, swept, and put back in order. There's a little bathroom under the stairs to get cleaned as well, and the laundry room gets a quick going over too. It's so very nice to feel so much better and able to do stuff!7 -
Hey guys! I have a question. I was losing weight and on a great trend for weeks and then my period came, I gained about a pound and a half during it which I know is normal. I continued working out daily, eating within my calories, and on my usual grind knowing that once my period ends I would be back to normal but here it is 3 days after my period ended and while the weight from during my period came off the scale is not budging. I haven’t lost even an ounce from my pre-period weight. Any thoughts or suggestions on why it’s not moving? I’m getting a little frustrated because I’m working so hard,5
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@rpbarkernc: Your body may be building muscle and so weighs the same as it did, but muscle takes up less space than fat. Often I have found that the scale will hold steady or barely trickle a pound off in three weeks, but I am suddenly and comfortably in a size smaller pair of jeans. Then, too, plateaus happen. I'm in one. I've been at 271 for three weeks now. I know that it will move because I'm eating at a deficit, but in its own time.4
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Age - 51
Height - 5'6
Heaviest weight - 105.5kg (Aug 2018)
Goal weight - 80kg
30/3 94.8kg
6/4 96.5kg
13/4 96.6kg
20/4 97.7kg
April goals
Get under 94kg
Average total cals under 2000 - week 1 - 1961, yes!, w 2 - 1974, yes!, wk 3 - 2404 definite NO
Average snacks under 20% - week 1 - 31%, big fat no!, wk 2 19%, yes!, wk 3 23%, NO.
Yoga at home at least 3 times a week - week 1 - yes!, wk 2 - yes!, wk 3 - NO.
Not a very successful week! Trying to get my head back in the right place with food. I think this week I will turn the tide back from the wrong direction.
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rpbarkernc wrote: »Hey guys! I have a question. I was losing weight and on a great trend for weeks and then my period came, I gained about a pound and a half during it which I know is normal. I continued working out daily, eating within my calories, and on my usual grind knowing that once my period ends I would be back to normal but here it is 3 days after my period ended and while the weight from during my period came off the scale is not budging. I haven’t lost even an ounce from my pre-period weight. Any thoughts or suggestions on why it’s not moving? I’m getting a little frustrated because I’m working so hard,
My recommendation --- Go back to basics
1) Weigh & Measure. Use a scale, measuring cups and spoons. If you haven't been really strict about weighing and measuring, it may make a difference. If nothing else, it will help you feel you are taking back control.
2) Measure yourself. If you haven't done so, measure your body and log in the sections on the Weigh-In page. If you have measured previously, measure again and enter to see if you've lost inches.
3) Pictures -- do you have a picture of yourself at your heaviest? If not, take some ... one of your face, a full frontal in tight clothes, and a side view. If someone can take one for you, take a back view as well. If you took pictures initially, take again and compare. Many times our minds don't "see" what is obvious to a camera.
4) Plateau -- recognize that we all hit a plateau now and then. Surf through the various message boards. Most have a pinned thread for Most Helpful Posts. Read through some of those. Many can be very helpful. Different things can help break a plateau; drinking more water, choosing foods that have lower carbs, not eating back your exercise calories, etc. By trying different things, you may find one or two that work for you.
Good Luck.
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Hi everyone! Drive by posting- I've read all your posts.
Congratulations @speyerj ! 100 lbs is such a huge achievement.
I'm thinking of you @pamiede and @torihudson6 (also love both of your progress pictures!)
@mmccloy12 OMG I have a requirement for messages with friend requests because of the dudes! But I do check here to make sure I'm not rejecting people who are in this thread who didn't leave a message. Like you, @Da1NonlyMrsStiggers !
@rpbarkernc : if you keep the deficit, a loss will come. Promise. @cesse47 's post above is a good one for troubleshooting to be sure you have a deficit. Otherwise, just be patient- it's going to work.
@MuttiNM , I love reading your posts. So inspiring. And @KeriA , same. Thank you so much for your kind words, always.
@AlexandraFindsHerself1971 I really enjoy your posts- seems like you're really taking control of your life, and I love all your details
Me, I'm just chugging along. The amount of candy in this house this week vs last week is much decreased, so I should have an easier time of making good choices this week. My quads still hurt from my 10k on Saturday, and it's raining, so I think today will be a day of doing aerobics via the Xbox with my kid instead of going outside.
Quick NSV: I've noticed while I'm running that all my leggings have some room in the waistband! I haven't put on jeans for a month (lol) but I have a lot of hope that I'll fit a smaller size when I do have to put some on again.
Have a great week, everyone!10 -
@rpbarkern - 3 things to remember when the scale doesn't budge:
1. 3 days is not a plateau. Even 7 days is not a plateau. Patience is hard, but over time the scale will eventually give you the weight you deserve, just not exactly when you expect it.
2. It's not muscle. Yes, muscle is more dense than fat, but muscle takes months and months to build. You can't build muscle as fast as you can burn fat. Assuming you've been eating at a deficit this whole time, it's likely water.
3. You retain water for all sorts of reasons. Not just TOM. Stress is a biggie and that can be mental stress or physical stress which includes eating at a calorie deficit and working out (even though those are things you ought to be doing!). The reason: Cortisol - it makes you retain water. A possible quick solution: a really good night's sleep. When I sleep a good 8 restful hours I'll weigh about 2 pounds less than the day before, even if I ate like a pig the night before. This is why I like having Saturday as my weigh in day - I usually get a good night's sleep Friday night and I get my lowest weight for the week that day. Eventually your body will release the water and that is what we often refer to here as a "Whoosh".
Here's hoping your whoosh comes soon.7 -
First, welcome to all who have joined our group this month! This group has really grown so much.
@vtkayakgirl – Happy belated birthday! Hopefully you and your husband get to celebrate in style soon!
@MuttiNM – thanks so much for sharing your story. It’s great to take stock and appreciate how far you’ve come!
@torihudson6 and @pamiede: love the befores and afters! A picture really is worth a thousand words.
@speyerj: so glad the ankle injury was a minor one, and you’re back on track with training. Congratulations on reaching 100 lbs lost!
@cesse72: I’m so glad you found Skinnytaste! I am definitely one of her devoted fans. Most of my food diary is stuff from her website, at least if it’s not a salad. I also have to say I chuckle every time you mention that Richard Simmons doesn’t talk during his workout. And that one time I say him in the airport, speed-walking up the concourse in one of his spangly outfits. He was walking incredibly fast!
Like so many others, I’ve gotten a bunch of random friend requests and I’ve ignored them. Generally you need to be recognized from this thread for me to accept. I am a much shyer person than I appear to be online…so thanks to those of you who have sent requests.
For everyone who’s not seeing what they want from the scale, I send hugs to you. It does make it more difficult to stick to the plan and seems unfair. I can only say from my own experience that persistence pays off in the long run. And here’s something I heard once that I thought was so fundamentally true, though it’s hard to shift thought patterns after a lifetime of neuroses about scale weight: Ultimately, that number is basically describing your relationship with the Earth’s gravity. (Or something along those lines.) I love hearing from everyone who really appreciates the true benefits of committing to a healthier habits: better quality sleep, better mood, fewer aches and pains carrying out everyday tasks.
I’m going to cut off here because I’m already “late” posting my update, and I’ve got some work to get back to…but I know there’s others I wanted to mention!
Height: 5' 6"
SW (09/08/2019): 239.2 lbs
April SW (4/1/20): 172.6 lbs
4/5/2020: 172.4 lbs
4/12/2020: 172.0 lbs
4/19/2020: 169.8 lbs
April GW: 168 lbs
GW: 150 lbs (then reconsider)
Hmm, I would have bet anything I’d be back up today, but was pleasantly surprised to see the same number on the scale. The scale has been a real jerk lately. Part of it might be eating ham from my Easter dinner. Usually my holiday meals are salty, and ham probably more so than most. I’ve also focused on keeping my water intake up – I think once I got to my regular high-volume intake range towards the end of this week it’s helped things with the scale.
I did not set a measurement goal for this month because the past few months have been pretty lackluster, and like others I didn’t need an “iffy” goal that I might not be able to reach. Nevertheless, yesterday marked four weeks since my last measurements, so I did it. And I lost 4” overall.
Other goals:
• Keep running, keep increasing distance. I ran 10 miles yesterday! And I was certainly tired at the end of the run, but not like the last few weeks when it felt like I hit a wall. I’m so happy to have reached that milestone. When I signed up for the 10-miler back in February, I doubted that I would be able to run the whole race at the beginning of May, but here I am! I might still run 10-miles on the race day, two weeks from now. I am definitely going to be backing down a bit in order to get more comfortable with the distance. My plan for after this race was to start training for a half-marathon over the summer and early fall. I suppose training for a half marathon will put me in good shape for a 10-mile race at the beginning of October, too.
• Reinstate a regular core workout – I did nothing about it this week. I do want to get back into these workouts this coming week, maybe two or three workouts. Planks especially help with running and walking performance.
• Start doing other strength workouts - lower and upper body - twice a week. Nothing this week. I’ve been having issues with my hamstrings, so I’ve put all of these workouts on hold.
• Start organizing my home. Right now it's kind of a disaster. Still the one thing I can’t make any headway on…I spend a lot of my free time knitting instead.
• Stay sane, somehow. If I couldn’t get out to walk or run nearly daily, I think I’d need to ask for leave from work, at a time when I’m lucky I’ve got a job. I do go out to do my own shopping, on a far less regular basis than what I am used to. I’ve got neighbors who really need to stay in due to their risk factors. In my mind, keeping delivery spots open for them is how I can best help in this area.
• And as always, keep taking care of my skin. Better this week.
There’s 10 days left of this month…I keep thinking this month has been the longest year of my life! I’m just trying to take it one day at a time!
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OMG, I just typed a bunch up, but hit done instead of Post Reply. Ok then, will keep this short. I'm 69, with bone on bone knee, and need to make changes. Thanks so much @speyerj- you're an inspiration!!!
Just had my bday, and by age 70 next year, would like to be either 70 lbs down, or maybe even at my goal weight of 170??
I've had 2 Lumpectomies, but no cancer!!! (In a high risk group so need to consider meds).
Also, have been in sometimes stressful marriage, due to spouse addiction issues. I had counseling, and am doing better. Plus have great friends, so am lucky!!
Here's my stats:
SW:270
GW: 170
End of April wt: 268. (Starting small)
I love all you ladies for your struggles, strength and inspiration!! ❤❤
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Hi Everyone! I would love to join this group! I have gained and lost so many pounds over the years and am just fed up. I want to be in this second decade of my life as a healthy woman. This pandemic has given me the extra boost to get as healthy as I can, while also trying to clamp down my ever increasing anxiety. It is as if watching what goes in my mouth and moving my body are two things I can control when the entire world seems out of control.
So, here are my stats:
5'3, 43 YO
SW: 225.6 2/7/20
CW: 218.8
GW: 125
I have not had huge losses, but I am not trying to eat as low as possible to lose as quickly as possible because that will result in a binge. I am trying to concentrate on how I feel and just harnessing perseverance.
Cheers!10
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