I agree, @tammyfranks2, that he is amazing. I love the smiles on his after pictures.

I thought that those of us with a long way to go could greatly appreciate the success story of one who has really lost so much. We may be slogging our way throught the mud right now, but it helps to look up to the horizon and see the possibilities and truly believe it can be done. That's what I took from that story.

I'm very concerned about the loose skin result. I live in fear of the dreaded dangling pelican-skin neck. I've talked to my doctor and dietician and Googled late into the night on many nights. Everything I've read on loose skin from weight loss has lead me to the sad conclusion that there is no guaranteed methodology or product one can ingest or use topically.

However, while there are no guarantees, there are some things we can all do proactively to minimize the effect of a large weight loss on our skins.

Here's the list of proactive skin care one can implement:

• 1. genetics (sorry, some of us will just be luckier than others in that we inherited a lovely elastic skin, but the rest of the list is optional and may have a positive effect)
• 2. Lose weight slowly and gradually: 2 lbs/week (or less, actually), and begin building up your muscles in strength and/or resistance exercises so that muscle can fill up the space where the fat used to be.
• 3. stay well hydrated (yup, drink lots of water daily - it really is that important)
• 4. eat a colourful array of fresh fruits and vegetables daily: if you're not eating green, red, orange, and red stuff daily, time to shake up the meal plan
• 5. choose a sulphate-free, detergent-free body/hair wash/cleanser, something that doesn't harshly dry the skin, and lower the shower temperature from scalding hot to luke warm (I recently switched to Dove products. They're inexpensive, and I don't itch from daily use, and my skin isn't drying out like it used to)
• 6. exfoliate regularly: get a loofa or exfoliating gloves and start with an all over body scrubbing once a week and work up to twice a week
• 7. moisturize your face and neck twice a day (morning and night) with a good quality skin cream - did I mention my fear of the pelican-pouch neck?
• 8. moisturize the rest of your body after every shower with a lotion - it really doesn't have to be expensive skin care products either. Choose from lotions that contain ingredients like vitamin A, B5, C or E, or containing shea butter, olive oil, avocado oil. As an added bonus, I find the rather exhaustive effort of slicking on all that lotion after every shower is like a yoga workout.
• 9. supplements and vitamins - not proven to be the least bit effective in studies, I'm very sorry to say, and it probably just results in expensive urine, but if you've got a few bucks to spare, you won't harm yourself by taking fish oil, multi-vitamin, gelatin, collagen, biotin, and some believe those will actually help.

Which reminds me....I need to go moisturize....

Everyone’s support here has been hugely helpful, and as a quick update: I made the cake I wanted to make for my SIL and my MIL even said it looked nice, so I considered it a success. And from a weight loss perspective, I had one piece at the party (strictly for scientific purposes, of course 😉), but then sent the rest home with guests so it wasn’t in my home. My husband talked with his mother and told her that if she couldn’t support my weight loss journey, she would not be welcome in our home because we needed positivity. Between you guys and my husband, I have all the support I could hope for, so thanks.

How about some good news from me for once? lol Hey, even Eeyore caught a break every now and then! *laughs*

So how many conversations start off with "So there's this guy......"

Well, there is this guy that I've been talking with the last week or so Well, exchanging epically long emails with, anyway. And the part that is so amazing is he's still responding and I haven't scared him off yet! This is coming from a gal who has never, in her life, been on a date or even been asked on a date, and only had 2 guys show a spark of interest in her in her 38 years of life. Unfortunately, the first guy was older than my father and wasn't quite all there mentally, and while I cringe at how shallow it sounds, he wasn't exactly attractive to me, either. I was happy to be kind and be a friend, but really, really had to scramble to figure out how to let him down easy when he called me hinting he'd like to go out, especially when he proudly told me all about his grandkids (I was around 29 at the time......) The second flirted across the counter at the local Arby's at me, and seemed interested, especially when his co-worker brazenly asked if I was single and would give him my number. I did give it to him, but the next time I came in, he claimed to text me and wanted to know why I didn't respond. I explained that the number I had given him was a land line so I didn't get the text and had thought he'd call (because I'm old fashioned and not up on the latest trends.....), but apparently that didn't suit him and he quit speaking to me and even started avoiding me whenever I came into the store.

So with that being the only experience I've ever had when it comes to men, you can imagine that, while I admit to shamelessly flirting a little with this guy every time I stopped into the store he works at, my shock when he actually flirted back and then, when I gave him my email address instead when he asked if I was on facebook (because I'm not), he actually sent me an email! I really figured I'd never hear from him. And then he kept responding! Will wonders never cease.......lol

It's been really nice, though it makes this 38 year old feel like a 15 year old girl in trying to figure out the whole mystery of guys, and I'm stumbling around awkwardly like a newborn colt *laughs* I admit, my cynical side is keeping me proceeding with caution because hey, while I like what I've learned from the massive email chains, I suppose he could be feeding me a line (that's the part of me waiting for the other shoe to drop), but I also keep pushing that part down and telling it that yes, I will proceed with caution, but there's nothing wrong in giving people the benefit of the doubt and besides - he's seems to be sincere and is actually apparently interested; so I'm certainly not going to let this chance go buy - heaven knows I've been waiting long enough!

He's mentioned he has tickets to see the Transiberian Orchestra in December and also mentioned he hadn't found anyone to go with him yet, so.........*laughs* If I take him up on the offer and make it a date, its going to be interesting to see my family's reactions!

Though I wince to think of what they are going to think when they find out he's 10 years younger than I am.......

How's everyone planning to handle Thanksgiving? I have no problem measuring etc but how do you log foods someone else made?

Congrats on the fudge

Hi all -

Been feeling crappy overall... holidays, isolation, depression, insomnia (sleep meds only work for a couple days... and things like melatonin actually keep me awake longer), or sleeping too much, etc... all just added up to a crash from most contact.

Went to doctor to get BP medication refills. Talked about attempts to eat better, drink more water, work out more, issues with my depression and struggles with the mental health staff here in my town. She changed a medication, decided her office will make attempts to contact a new psychiatrist themselves to cut out the runaround they give me, and she drew blood. Test results came back yesterday... prediabetic.

Now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE bread 🍞, sweets 🍭, potatoes 🥔, pasta 🍝, cheese 🧀, chocolate 🍫, and did I say bread 🥯? ... and cheese 🧀?!?! First thought - I am screwed!! But got a lot of ideas from a group on Facebook. And found this cookbook to try and get ideas to satisfy the cravings. I just do not enjoy cooking or baking... so it will be interesting.

Ayehmwhy wrote: »

Has anyone else been struggling this December? I find myself feeling bleh a lot and eating more than I normally would.

*waves frantically* me! me! me! lol

but you guys already knew that - this has been my story since this time last year *shrugs*

I was afraid to step on the scale this morning. What with the out to eating this weekend coupled with TOM being around the corner, I just did not want to see what it would read, scared to death I'd be back over 290 lbs

CheezWhiz88 wrote: »

December has been rough for me because of my traveling. I don’t live near my family so during the holidays I am on the road a lot.
@bmeadows380 : We are just about the same age and in my experience, being cautiously optimistic helps. I think it’s a smart thing to protect your heart, and also to remember that no matter what happens, love you first. Because if you do that, you will never settle for a bad relationship just to be in one.

@CheezWhiz88 I've told young ladies within my small circle of influence that for a long time, though I tended to word it like this: "there are much worse things than being single!" I've sure seen that in my family. though I gotta admit, being my age and still single and having never been in a relationship at all still hurts.....

I'm sorry for you that December has been so rough, and I'm hoping things ease up for you in January! I'm at work the rest of this week, but its going to be pretty quiet around here since most other folks took this week off. But I used my vacation hours earlier this year, so here I am! And trying to get back on track after yesterday, because I didn't count at all - just enjoyed myself!

By Monday, my life will be significantly easier because I will no longer be traveling for a while.

I am sorry if people have ever made you feel bad about being single. No one has that right.