coops

HAHAHAAAAAA... I have been the SAME!! I did suss that bit out though and I haven't bought anything... going shopping on Sat for the big day on Wednesday! I did order a pair of Bench jeans in a size 16, but the skinny style... well they were half price and I thought what the hell.... anyway, the waist was too BIG and they were too tight on the KNEES!! WTH... I think my knees are probably the smallest, boniest, skinniest part of me...lol! Needless to say, those babies are going back! I can't wait to have a good old bounce with Robbie.... hmmmm, hope he recognises me now I am in a smaller size...lol xx

I am LOVING this... well done my lovely lady... hugs across the pond xx

Yep! I agree the tape measure is a wonderful thing when the scale isn't moving and has been my friend over the last 6mths!! Keep up the good work... =]

apple saucey... try not to worry or be disheartened! Honestly, I have had more weeks of nothing that of lose since Jan... and before then it was soooo inconsistant; no real pattern, rhyme or reason! All I can say, is that this is the ONLY way that I have ever lost more than 5-7lb! Ok, so my weight loss is at a snails pace, but that is ok because I am losing... Our weight will fluctuate, that is natural... please ride the wave, follow you plan, stay positive and you will see results! Good luck and chin up! =]

Well, I have to admit, I looked at the pictures too... your top half looks fantastic,,, no way would I of thought that it used to belong to a 350lb male. On to the tummy area, honestly... it isn't bad! Ok, I understand that you want a flat, strong core, but honestly fella, it looks good! It is a lot prettier than mine! I'm not sure that there is another 30lbs left on you to lose... and I am not being kind, just honest! I think you have the game plan sorted... get in that gym, work your core and see what happens... if you are still unhappy in 6-9mths, look into other options. However, in saying that, and I don't mean to sound like a hypercrite... but I would have my apron chopped of tomorrow!!! =]

Hey Tiffy, I am loving your preggas pics... you look so happy and healthy! Long may it continue... Simply, beautiful! x

Good luck vibes are being sent from over the pond... =]

Thanks for the comments... no one else really 'gets' it!!

So, I needed to get some tee shirts, for training and general/casual wear as mine are now like tents. I ordered them on line and was brave enough to order a size 16 (UK). When I took them out of the wrappers, I looked at them and thought 'Hmmm... too small for me!' I showed them to my hubby and he said 'They might have to go back love, they're a look small!' Feeling a tad dejected I tried them on, I had nothing to lose, and I was in the comfort of my own home... and here is the good bit! THEY FIT ME! Yay!!! Ok, ok, they fit where they touch, but I can certainly wear them in public... What a great moment of victory! Put a smile on my lil face after a few stressful weeks!!

but when I look down now ( with shirt on) I feel like a I have a rack again:) hahahahaaaa... that is brilliant! =]

Great question Myrori! I will be looking to see what responses you get. I too, have the tummy thing going on. I would have a TT tomorrow...lol... but realistlcally I know I have to wait until I lose more and also wait 'till I can afford it - I am still paying off the sleeve costs! I never thought of it like ' the body redistrubuting' the fat before, but it makes sense... the bottom of my back - top of my bum is really boney too... weird isn't it!

Hey Irene... thank you! I did drop my goal weight this time after the might fail of the last challenge! It is my year anniversary on the 4th July and my surgeon wanted me to be at his goal by then... that is more that my mini goal for this challenge. I am just soooooo cheesed off today... I know tomorrow is a new day, and I won't feel this way then but when I checked in to see how I had done, well, it didn't help my mood!! I really don't know what to do differently... never mind, at least I ain't gaining eh?! x

Cludgie... try not to worry. Thie YEAR I have only lost 13lb!!!!! I am nearly 11mths out now and I really hoped that I would be a goal or near goal at this stage *sighs* You've done soooo well so far... I think it is your body just having a little time out! Hopefully the scale will move again for you. When you feel a little down, just remember you little holdiay and how great you felt after it!! Chin up =]

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Coops.........238..................... 179..............165............ 14 178 165 13 Ok... since the beginning of this I have just lost a pound... I just feel soooo bloody frustrated!! And I feel like a complete failure on here! There is absolutely NOTHING I can do differently, I tried all the usual hints and tips but to no avail! Sometimes I just feel like throwing the towel in... but I know that I CAN'T do that! Sorry to bring the tone down guys.... any suggestions 'cos this is doing my head in today - I had been feeling better grrrrrr!!

Well done Rootman on your success and new found love of exercise... it is a great feeling isn't it! I am going to jump in on this one... the whole BMR thing confuses the hell out of me! I have been banging on about not losing much weight for months now... and wondered if BMR thing would shed any light on it... so, here is what I have worked out using the on line calc My resting BMR, at this weight NOW is just over 1400 (I'm no maths expert so I rounded it down for ease!) that is with NO exercise. over a week that means I can eat 9800 to stay the same weight. If I eat 1000 cals a day, that means I can eat 7000 a week and have a deficit of 2800... not quite the 3500 to lose a pound. Now factor in my exercise; I go to a boxing gym twice a week, where I do an hour of boxing training, circuits, punch bag/mitts etc! It is hard and works every part of my body. Doing this burns off 947 and hour...which is 1897 twice a week ... giving me a deficit of 4694 a week... that means I should be losing at least a pound a week right? If I go down to 800 cals a day, using the same exercise I am down to 6094 deficit... that should give me nearly 2lbs a week? I haven't even put in the other exercise I do because it is not as regular, but I walk the dog for an hour 2-5 per week, I go to the gym in work once a week.... Hmmm... is there something I am doing wrong? Any thoughts would be appreciated as I would love to shift some more before my years anniversary next mth... =]

Great question... one I had with my husband just yesterday about my own apron area! For me, there is still a lot of f at there... but there is also a lot os loose skin too - I have a great excuse of two kids to add ... lol- and I am wondering the same as you! I started boxing training back in Feb/March and I now go twice a week. I have seen a MASSIVE difference in the shape of my stomach area, from the ribs down. The rib area is much tighter and firmer that before as is the lower abs but not to the same degree... I am sure that underneath my layer of fat I have a good, strong core now. If I was you, 'cos you said that there isn't a lot of fat/skin around your stomach, I would do some serious core training and see where that gets you... Good luck and let us know what you decide! =]

Wow... great advise... thank you for posting this! How is your recovery going? =]

Hey Globetrotter... glad you posted this, sounds like you really have turned a corner. Great NSVs... I love to hear stuff like this 'cos it helps to keep me positive too.. Not long to goal now... congrats and keep up the good work! =]

Hey Vanishingvixen, I don't normally 'do' emtional... but your story made me emotional!! What a great post, not only do you feel amazing after your experience with your daughter, you look amazing! One of the contributing factors of me getting the sleeve was to have a better quality of life with my kids... to be able to keep up with them and enjoy their short lived childhood... thank you for posting this.

HIya Curvy, You've already had some good ideas... I love the one about hanging the dress up... I have a pair of size 14(UK) trousers on the back of my bedroom door... I try them on now and again to see if they fit me properly... I can now do them up, still too tight to wear in public though!! Motivation for the gym/work out is a good one... At the moment, my weight loss is horrically slow... painfully slow. I have lost about 12lb since the beginning of the year!! BUT... and this is a big BUT, in the last 8 weeks ( a weight loss of just 6lb) I have gone down a whole dress size... I am putting this down the the boxing training that I started in Feb. This is a great form of motivation for me... ok so the scales ain't moving, but I ain't gaining and I am getting smaller... isn't that the whole point? Without exercise you will lose weight with the sleeve... imagine that weight loss where there is firm muscle underneath the skin... how sexy will that lil strapless number look then... sexy is a good motivator don't cha think!!! Good luck... =]

WOW... what a difference...in just 10 weeks... you definately look slighter across the shoulders as well as in your face!! Keep up the good work! =]

Lil Red Raider... where have you been Congrats on the amazing 101lb weight loss... and new swimsuit... that is my next mini goal... to get myself a new swimsuit... I'm not sure to go for the one piece or two piece/tankini!!! Keep up the good work! =]

Once again, you got me!! I, too, constantly blame myself... use(d) - ongoing - my weight as the root cause of the problem... if I spoke to someone else the way I speak to myself, I would either have been beaten up or lost many a good friendship. Since my scales have slowed I have noticed that this train of thought has come back again; like I am in failure mode and it take a lot of effort to remind myself that losing 60lb is NOT failing! More recently I have become a little kinder but I can feel it there... in the background, waiting for an opportunity to come out and bite me on the ass!! I am hoping that when (notice the positive tone here 'when') the scale moves again, this horrible train fo thought will decrease. That being said, I have carried it for such a long time... At least I know, that I am not the only one who feels this way.. and that makes me feel better... x

Julia, bloody hell... this has struck a real chord with me...it is almost like you were in my head... this is defo something I need to work on!

Hi All, Just a quick update... things are worse than I had hoped for. The op went well, but it was the worst case scenario... he had the micro fracture, stem cell and realignment with a titanium rod... OUCH! On top to of that he had to have a general to which he has a nasty reaction, then he also had an allergic reaction to the morphine at which point he was in and out of consciouness and his oxygen in his blood went down to 46!! Not good! He has to stay in hospital until Tuesday as his knee is too swollen to put the cast on. He will have this on for three weeks, and then he needs a brace, so recovery will be longer than I first anticipated! Good news is that my parents are gonna have the kids for me for a few days, so I can try and focus on sorting my exam marking out and then I can work around visiting hours... Oh well, we knew this wasn't gonna be easy! Thanks for the comments, they all make complete sense, and one day at a time is the way forward... fingers crossed =]