Hi Pidge! You sound like several of my really good friends. They are very much into to the sci-fi/fantasy/con/cosplay stuff and I get to enjoy it by proxy. It fascinates me, but just not to the same degree. On that note, have you heard of and/or read "The League" series by Sherrilyn Kenyon? Sort of a futuristic sci-fi romantic drama series about a group of trained assassins. Really good, one of my friends turned me on to it, and I've read almost all of them at this point. I think there are 6 or 7 in the series currently.

Hi Mark! Congrats on your loss so far. I am impressed and hope I can do the same... I hate barely fitting into the largest clothes available in stores. I remember how good it felt to just get 50 pounds off. I imagine an additional 100 on top of it would make walking feel like floating. Also, I just finished a bottle of water and have plans for walking later after it cools off and isn't 100 degrees anymore (or at least feeling like 100 degrees)....

Hi Paula! I'm glad WLS worked for you! My cousin did that and dropped about 150 pounds, then promptly got pregnant, gained a lot of it back and is now fighting to get it off again. She looks amazing, and I'm incredibly proud of her. The surgery isn't really isn't something that fits in our budget right now, and my current insurance doesn't cover it. So I'm gonna give it one more "natural" try, and then if my new insurance (which I'll get this summer) covers it, I'll give WLS serious consideration. I think I just need to drop my "emotional eating" habit... Whenever I'm bored, happy, sad, excited, stressed, anxious, angry, whatever... I just want to eat. I don't drink alcohol very often (maybe 1 drink a month, if that), I don't smoke, I've never done drugs... Sometimes I find myself eating just so I have something to do with my hands! I need to develop some new hobbies. My MIL is giving me a sewing machine, so I'll have that to play with and learn a new skill.

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I appreciate it and hope I can keep this up! It will be much easier now that graduation is over, and I've only got 1 more move in the immediate future. Moving every August is basically hell. Last year when we moved from Texas back to SC I consumed boxes of chocolate. Literally a box a day. For nearly a week before we left. I need better "fidgeting" habits!

Nice to meet you both FeraFilia and Weeble. Things have been getting a bit quiet around here. Feel free to start threads, or jump right into the waters as they exist! Stir things up in a positive way and this group will respond. (Don't tell them, but I think we've got a great group on here and I'm excited to see Robyn, AKeel and you all starting to post. The broader the experience base, the more we can all learn.)

Dan

What to call me: Brytnie
Birthday: aug 16
Where I'm from: Florida
Weight loss goals: 150lbs, I'm currently 290
My maxim: never give up.

I just noticed that I never did this...lol!

What to call me: Malia

Birthday: Jan.15th 1983

Where I'm from: Maui Hi

Weight loss goals: From 250lbs to 140lbs... I am currently 220lbs

A little about myself: I am the head concierge @ Kauhale Makai in Kihei Hi. I love nature and being outdoors, hiking, camping, snorkeling, bird watching, whatever it is I like being outside with nature Luckily my job allows me to do a lot of these things complimentary at least when I'm not sitting here at this desk, lol! I also have a passion for dance and would love to take some latin ballroom classes after I lose a few more lbs... Cooking is another one of my passions, I'm just making healthier dishes than I did before. I enjoy long walks on the beach and I'm a Capricorn... LOL

Welcome, Em, and Brytnie.

Malia, sigh, you could have still forbore the post. I don't know when it happened, but somehow I turned that corner from being a peer on these boards to being old enough to be "Dad" lol!

Have fun and keep losing, kid!

Hi, Vanessa, welcome to the group. I hope you find us to be a fun group, I know from my own experience, that we are a supportive group.

Jump in anywhere!

P.S. Congrats on your engagement!

I am once again in love with this thread!

I see that some of our fearless leaders and long-term residents have updated their information, and I thought I would as well (I don't know if I ever did, but if so, it was a while back.)

My name is LeAnna though a lot of people call me LeeLee or Sis. I am the 7th of 10 children, and oddly am the only one called Sis...even my Mom calls me Sister!

And I have to mention that I am also a computer gamer. I LOVE "Left 4 Dead", and other shoot 'em up games, and I've played every version of the Sims franchise since the beginning.

I'm 52 years old, which is a constant source of amazement to me as I'm sure I was 30 last year. I've been with my Mister...the "loveband" for nearly 16 years of unwedded bliss-ishness. I have never had children as all my many siblings seem to have taken all the reproductive genes and left me with only my wit and a well-developed sense of irony.

I could type a laundry list of reason why I never took proper care of myself and indulged in such self-destructive behaviors, but let's just say I've learned (and am learning) from my mistakes and am doing better these days. I am not trying to diet or deny myself anything. I'm just trying to learn how to live with food in a way that is not obsessive or abnormal, and to become the kind of person who exercises regularly. My mantra is two-fold: First, don't apply a temporary solution to a permanent problem, and secondly, No Excuses! It's a process; some days I do better than others, but the most days I do better.

At my heaviest weight I was 278, but that is the last time I actually weighed. I'm not sure how much larger than that I may have gone...elastic is so forgiving, isn't it? But at 5'4", I was as round as I was tall. And I got sick because of it, with the usual suspect...diabetes, plus a fatty liver and blah, blah, blah. Thankfully, all things that were within my power to change. So I made the commitment to myself to learn to do the right things. I'm currently at 217, but my goal is to be 150, or whatever weight my body says it's comfortable while living a healthy lifestyle.

I got involved with MFP in October of last year. Since joining MFP I do not go one day without it. It is my lifeline! It really has been an invaluable tool in my weight loss. And the people I've met here have been so kind and supportive. I've learned (Thank you Dan) that one of the best ways to motivate myself is to motivate others.

Welcome Sonia!

It has been a while since we saw this thread used. Honestly it has been a bit slow in the group, I'm hoping because it is Summer and we are all out being active and having fun.

Please feel free to join in or even start topics if there is something you want to chat about. We love optimism here, and I hope we can help you recapture yours.

I'm one of the moderators of the group, but I have to admit that I've gotten so busy away from the computer that I often feel I'm neglecting my duties. Thankfully we have Malia and Mark to help carry the load.

Feel free to drop any of us a message if you want or need to and please feel comfortable and free to help spur us on with any exercise challenges you come up with. Some of us (ok ME - rather I) may be old enough to never be Fine, I am working my way to Fit and that is a great goal in itself.

Again Welcome!

New here!

Lynne
Halloween, I'm 36
Live in MA, USA
I want to get under 200lbs, then get to 130. SO I have about 140lbs left to lose.
Married 8 years the end of the month, have two kids 7 yr old son, and almost 4 yr old daughter. I'm a SAHM. Trying to lose weight on a very tight budget is HARD. But I'm committed to doing it.

What to call me: TTG, Tallette, Kristi (my real name)

Birthday: March 22

Where I'm from: Santa Clara, CA (Silicon Valley woo!)

Weight loss goals: Highest weight was 357 in December 2012. Currently at 333. Would like to get down to around 170.

My maxim: One day at a time, one step at a time.

A little more about me: Originally from Spokane, WA. Moved to California in June 2013 after my boyfriend got a job here. Fallen off the wagon many times, but as they say, when you fall down seven times, get up eight! I have a cat named Noodle who I love to pieces.

Hello to all the new members. I'm sorry that I haven't come by sooner to say hello. I hope you enjoy the group. And post! post! post! There are a lot of us here, but we need more activity. I look forward to getting a chance to know you all and cheer you on.

I'm LeAnna, by the way.

Hi, Sharon, it's nice to meet you. It's fantastic that you are here...welcome to the group.

You do have some challenges, but I suppose we all do in some area of our lives. But we're happy to offer support, advice, or just to chat if you want. It's good that you realize that you must take care of yourself, too.

My name is LeAnna; I'm one of the Americans. My husband is also disabled (he has a lung disease), and I am also "child free", so it seems we have some things in common...however, I'm considerably older than you at *gulp* 52. Some days I am amazed that I'm 52; I still feel much younger. Oh well...it's just a number, right?

hi everybody. i'm back! i have had a couple of months of no motivation. haven't been exercising or eating right. BUT........... I am back at it. today is the day i start fresh and put the focus back on me and my healthy life! i hope you guys have all been doing well and having progress and success.