lotuslion Member

Ohh jealous! I only got a few rides in this summer, as for the first part I was recovering from surgery and had a PICC line in my arm (it's a semi-permanent IV line, and you can't sweat while you have one), and then we bought a house, so the last part of summer and early fall was eaten up with moving and home repair, lol.…

You're welcome! And I totally understand about the cost consideration - it's just really important that your bike be fun and comfortable to ride, or else you won't enjoy mtb. Go talk to your local bike shops - just like with cars, last year's model will be drastically reduced, and some places have trade-in programs where…

Whoo hoo!! I'll be running my first post-surgery/sickness/body trying to kill me 5K on Dec 11. You're great inspiration! :D

That sounds amazing. o.O

When you're looking at bikes, I understand not wanting to drop a lot on a high-end mountain bike if you're just starting out, but do consider quality. A low-quality bike will not make your rides enjoyable, and will make it harder to stick with it - I speak from experience. I had a cheapie Columbia bike when I first started…

You're the third person this week to recommend that to me, haha. I'll give it a try! Thanks! :D

Try Benedryl or Nyquil (with the 10% alcohol.) I use both as sleep aids, and I have serious problems with insomnia. I also have prescription sleep aids, but I hate them - I totally do the whole "driving while on Ambien" thing (except it wasn't driving, but still scary!) and they always make me feel hung over. Benedryl…

I have a lotus flower, surrounded by ukiyo-e style water and under the sanskrit character Om, on my lower back. On my right shoulder I have a pair of worn cowboy boots, with a sparrow sitting on top (this was for my parents - my dad has this beat-up pair of boots he ALWAYS wears, so I brought in a picture of that, and the…

Cooking Light magazine and website, Real Simple magazine and website, Real Age website. I also have How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook, which is great, and I also want the Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian cookbook - my friend has made a few things out of there that were AWESOME. (Note: I'm not truly a…

Last week: 215lbs This week: 214lbs Only a pound, but it's my period week, so I'll take it!

I'm sorry, but that's CRAP. I used to work in a bridal salon. Yes, the dresses in stock only come in one size each, but there are ways to try on a dress/get an idea of the look even if it doesn't fit. I was a size 16 when I got married, and I tried on a size 8 dress, and was still able to tell what it would look like (and…

There have been some studies done that suggest overweight people are less likely to get a job than a thinner person with the same credentials. Studies also suggest better looking people will get a job easier than those deemed less attractive, men will get jobs easier than women, white people will get jobs easier than…

Wow, those sound really good!!

You make many valid points, that I'm sure resonate with many people, but there are other reasons for weight gain as well. Mine was entirely related to medication (corticosteroids) and illness (Crohn's Disease and immune dysfunction that led to multiple, severe infections.) I was never overweight in my entire life until I…

Love to see the responses here - I'm nowhere near my goal weight yet, but belly fat is something I have always struggled with. :D

I'm 5'6" and curvy too - feel free to add me! :D

Last week: 217lbs This week: 215lbs Whoo hoo for movement on the scale again!

It might be your shoes. I used to have this problem on the elliptical and on the bike - my shoes weren't giving proper support, and it was causing my feet to go numb. If you have a running store (I mean a legit running store, not like a Sports Authority) near you, see if they do a biometric gait analysis. If they do, go…

This week (10/10): 217 (still, ugh) Well, still no loss on the scale, but I have lost another 3 inches off my waist and 1 inch of my hips. I put on jeans this morning that I haven't worn since last fall. That counts for something, right? ;)

Today: 217 - no loss. I've been sick and perioding, and thus disgruntled at the lack of progress. =/ Trying to focus on next week!

This is too late for you this year, but maybe something to keep in mind for next year - we go to pick-your-own places and pick a bunch of raspberries and strawberries over the summer, and then freeze them, so we have berries all year. The frozen store ones aren't too bad to put in yogurt. I usually use Open Nature granola…

I was an athlete my entire life until I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 2004. I gained a ton of weight from a combination of being inactive due to sickness and steroids. I lost some of the weight, but then derailed due to yet more illness. (The whole long sob story is on my profile.) I miss being strong. I miss…

Ohhhh I hear you. Even when I was in the best shape of my life, I was still heavy chested. I also use a Moving Comfort bra, but I don't know the exact model. I like it because it actually has an underwire, and supports the girls without squishing them to such a point that it's highly uncomfortable. I bought mine at a…

I love the recipes here! They sound awesome, and are coming at a good time since I've been kind of in a cooking rut lately, feeling like I'm making the same old things all the time. Here are some of my faves - I love these dishes, but it's always nice to try something new! Shrimp tacos with citrus cabbage slaw - makes 4,…

Last week (9/20/11): 218.5 This week: (9/26/11: 217 Also lost 1" on my waist and 1.5" on my hips since 9/12 - great feeling! :D

Welcome! Feel free to friend me - it doesn't sound desperate at all. There are great people on this site! :)

I don't follow any particular exercise or diet plan. I watch my calories of course, and I try to maximize my protein and fiber so that I feel full, but I don't do like WW or Atkins or anything. My workout schedule looks like this: Monday: dance rehearsal 1 hour (I'm a bellydancer) Tuesday: 30-45 minute walk with coworkers…

Sorry to be late (but it's still Tuesday, so I'm okay right?) Weight this morning: 218.5lbs Goal weight by 1/1/12: 194lbs

I have a good friend whose mother completely screwed up her self-image, so I can sort of understand where you're coming from. It's hard, but you have to let your mother own her actions while you own yours. Don't do this for her - do it for YOU. Recognize that when she's mean, or says hurtful things, it's a projection of…

Those sound great! I'm definitely going to give them a try. I like rice cakes for snacks too. I also eat a lot of fresh fruit, and when I'm seriously craving chocolate or candy, I get the mini candy bars. It's just enough to satisfy the sweet tooth without totally going nuts on calories (A mini Twix bar is like 43 cals.)…