Other than being fat...

breezedaze

Let me tell you a bit about me.

Hahaha...I thought perhaps we should have a place to talk about something other than the weight loss journey because we are all so much more than our size.

I am almost 47, a writer and poet and mother of 4 daughters, grandmother to one little prince. I am married to the most amazing man on planet earth who also happens to travel a great deal for work, something I hope changes soon.

Recently we moved to a town near where we both grew up. Immediately I found freelance work and a publisher and started a book..another novel.

I have a lot of trouble doing things in half measure...I tried to elope quietly with my husband and our quiet elopement turned into a noisy one in the Zamboni corner in front of 15000 hockey fans on Long Island, NY.

I'm highly excitable, love public speaking and human beings.

I love cats also.

Who are you? Tell me!

bakerbecky4733

OK...here I go. I am 51 (ok 52 in 5 days)...have three children, 29, 26 and 25 and am married to the love of my life. We have been together since we were both 17!! True high school sweethearts.

Move forward many, many years...I work for our local hospital and manage 7 physician offices. I live in a very small town (we do have 2 red lights)...and am looking forward to retiring to a warmer climate in 4 years.

Six years ago yesterday I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer...I went through chemo, bi-lateral mastectomies and radiation. It was a terrible year but with the love and support of my family and friends I came out of it all a better person. I am now cancer-free...six years and counting.

One year ago on 3/12 I had bi-lateral knee replacements. Most likely due to the cancer medicines I took ad continue to take. So today I am finally ready to take charge of my life and lose this weight. I am happy, thankful and full of life. My mantra is NOTHING MATTERS.....no stress in my life!!!

breezedaze

Great story and empowering story! You sound ready for the rest of your life!

sunforme3

Ok, my turn!! I'm 47 and a single parent to three wonderful children 13, 12 and 8, two girls with my son stuck in the middle, lol. Went through one heck of a divorce, but managed to get through it with my sanity intact. I am a Labor and Delivery nurse at a high risk hospital, very stressful, but I do love it, particularly the 12hr shifts, which means I work 3 days a week, affords me time to do all the things I need to for the kids. My parents live with me, we are in a mother-daughter home on Long Island. My Dad, who I adore for many, many reasons has been battling lung cancer for the past 5 years, recently it has moved to he bone, I am beyond devastated for him. Seeing what he endures daily has taught me that life isn't always fair, but it is how you deal with the unfairness that detemines your worth. I truly cherish each day I have with him, and his struggle is one of the main reasons I have returned to a healthier way of living, lost my way there for awhile taking care of everyone and not putting enough effort into me. Hoping to be a role model for my children also. They will need coping skills in life and how they see their Mom cope will teach them many lessons. I refuse to cope by eating ice cream and junk food to feel "good".


I'm enjoying getting back into exercising and eating well. I am also thrilled that I joined MFP!! I feel such a sense of community and support and acceptance, so I want to say thanks for allowing me into your lives and for sharing your stories!!!

XOXO

Now let's do all the things we set out to do!!!!!!!

I am soooooo EXCITED too!!!!!!!!!!

breezedaze

Long Island!!!

I have a very special connection to Long Island...my husband and I were married there nearly one year ago at Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum during the first intermission of a NY Islanders/Boston Bruins game! Hubby is and Islanders fan...we will return one day even though the team is moving...

I know the journey you are on with your father. I've traveled it also.

Welcome!

verdemujer

I'm 49, turning 50 at the end of the year. I work for a federal agency so needless to say, right now is stressful - job, no job, job, no job? Oh well - beyond my control and if it were to happen I'll deal. Not going to borrow a worry today that might not happen. I have 3 kids. The girls are 17 and live in Georgia with their father. That was an extremely nasty time in my life when that transition happened. I am married, for 10 years now. We like to say that everything that happens to a couple in 25 years of marriage we expereince in the first 5 years. We survived and keep on surviving, together. My husband has 2 boys who are 23 and live in Texas. We don't see them often. Together we have one son who is 9 and pretty much is an only kid much to his dismay. I think I've been over weight my whole life though when I look at some pictures from 19, that's not true. I know my food issues started when I was a kid. My Mom had serious food issues from her childhood and never dealt with them. I have been and continue to deal with them through out my life. I am very vocal about food issues with all three of my kids. And my husband. It evovles over time as the science gets better and the knowledge base grows. I have been trying to lose weight for the last 4 years and reached a platue at 190 - 200 that I couldn't move off. So, I bought a Bodymedia Link Armband and really seriously started recording and tracking my physical data. I took six months of data to my doctor who was really impressed with the quality. He has us using the New Atkins approach since he's been following the medical side of that with several patients of his and is impressed with the changes that happen with those patients. Its a life style choice. I don't use the word diet. This is my life and my family's life we are working with. My brother is doing Paelo with similar results. I hooked up with this site as it links the food data from here to Bodymedia really well. Bodymedia doesn't have a barcode scanner ap to their site not do they really have a community. I like the community side. I like having the support from people in similar situations. I've also used PeerTrainer, Spark, Livestrong, FatSecret - they all have their points and I've made contact with good people. I like this site though. Easy to use with my smart phone, free, connects to Bodymedia and has great people. Looking forward to the journey as it evolves and continues.

beachlover0103

Hi,
I just turned 50 at the beginning of January. As part of my celebration, my husband booked a trip to the Caribbean for our family. We have been married almost 28 years and have two boys, 22...he goes to school in LI...but we are Ranger fans! and 14.) When my huband told me about the vacation, I didn't even want to go..even though this is probably our last family vacation for a while because the 22 year old is graduating this year. While we were away, at a beautiful resort, i didn't want to do anything. I had no energy and was embarrassed at how I looked. It definitely but a damper on the vacation for all of us. I don't ever want to feel that way again. I joined mfp when we go home but I didn't commit to it really until I started ready the boards and took the plunge to join a group. The support and stories have been inspiring. I've been up and down with my weight since I was 35. Two miscarriages, a tough semi bed ridden pregnancy, a very sick baby (he's fine now) and my father dying suddenly was just too much for me to take. Finally, when I was 41 I lost weight, started walking and felt great. I was in a six 6 jeans again. I finally felt alive again. (Prior to 35 I always worked out, was back in a bikini 6 weeks after my older son was born and had a 6 pack stomach and my butt was the talk of the gym at 30) At 42, i decided to go back to school, I killed myself to graduate in 2 years, Magna cum Laude and gained 25 pounds in the process. When I graduated, I got my dream job...I'm an interior designer, lost the weight by running, doing light weights and eating small portions. Again, felt amazing, then I hurt my foot and had to have surgery and physical therapy for months. My foot never really was pain free after that and I tried to ride a bike. Which I hate, slowly weight crept on and in 2011, i hurt my foot again and was on crutche for 2 months and pt for 3. Last spring started the FIRM program, starting losing weight and feeling good and hurt my shoulder, more surgery and pt and now I'm the heaviest I've ever been w/out being pregnant.
My goal is to lose 35-40 lbs and make life style changes and make my stretching routine (which is essential to my foot and shoulder staying healthy) a priority. I guess, I need to make me a priority and everything else will fall into place. Your stories are very inspiring and its nice to see I'm not the only one struggling. Reading the boards helps to keep me positive....thanks to all of you for sharing!

breezedaze

You ladies are all so open and courageous! It is inspiring. I am as excited about you all meeting your goals as I am about me!

The Rangers? OH NO!

LOL

I'm the Bruins fan so I am only an Islander fan by marriage! We actually wrote in our vows that we would cheer for the other persons' team if they weren't playing each other!

beachlover0103

The Rangers are the only team we all agree on! My boys are Mets/jets and my husband is Yankee/giants...me....I'm a NY fan!