Gone4Now

Brandy...Actually my home life was the opposite. My mother has been fat my whole life. I piss her off because I'll see her college pictures and say, that was YOU? (She gained weight right after college and never went back to that size.) But, my obesity was ignored. No, honey, you're not fat. I got that all the time from mom, but I sure was made fun of at school. So, that's where my insecurities came from - other kids. I asked my daughter if she was ever teased for being overweight and she said: No way! So, a lot has changed, and for that I'm happy. I just hope I don't become the weight nazi for my daughter.

Remember Caboodles? The pink and purple make up carrying cases? And, did you wear differnt color scrunch socks over your tight rolled jeans?

I'm currently caring for 9 puppies and a mother dog. They are all still too young to bathe properly - whew...talk about smell. As soon as they can regulate their body temps, I'm bathing those suckers!!!

I STILL want to be a goonie! My crush was Sean Austin - and now, BBK, you got it right...Jerry O'Connell is a cutie! Ahh...love the 80's. I was more head banger chick and even now have to fight the urge to buy Power Ballads off the info-mercials. Cinderella's Don't Know Whatcha Got Til It's Gone - just gets me every time. :thumbs_down:

You're new, but it seems to me you're doing very well. :thumbs_down:

The site was very slow. I had to stay away for a large bit of it, since I don't have patience much. :thumbs_down:

I loved the Outsiders...It's funny watching those old movies. Like Red Dawn? I loved it then, but I just can't wrap my head around it now. LOL...it's funny to watch now! Andrew McCarthy. :redface: Have you seen Anthony Michael Hall now? HOT!

I'm doing WW along w/my daughter and I love our leader. He's sarcastic about it. He said one guy at work kept asking over and over again...so finally instead of saying he was doing WW, he just said, "yeah, I have a cocaine addiction." THAT got the other guy's attention and he stopped asking. But, over all, it doesn't bother me. It bothers me more when they DON'T say anything. I think they're either jealous and don't want to be happy for me, or they really can't tell and it means I'm so huge a 70 pound difference isn't noticeable! Ouch!

I love my band...what can I say? I know of one person who had RYN and I've witnessed the dumping she went through. She also has gained so much back. I was worried about that happening, which is why I chose the band. It's reversible and it doesn't re-route any part of my body. I loved the control it gave me - fills/unfills let me decide what "help" I need from the band.

I love jelly shoes! Way better than crocs! Next: Who were the Brat Pack?

"Dog" isn't a euphemism, is it?

:redface: I really don't even remember the decade! Yikes...I'm losing it. But, I remember for one brief period - perhaps early 90's???? - that there was a lot of hubbub about how "fat is beautiful". I think some place in CA had rallies...that kind of thing. It fizzled pretty quickly, though. :hurt: Actually, all this talking about fit vs. fat got me remembering a girl from high school. She was about my size, but she was on every sports team high school offered. I remember seeing her at a grocery store and she had on her swim team swimming suit and a pair of shorts. I thought, "why can't I do that?" I was never comfy in my skin until after my daughter was born, and then I just didn't care about other people's opinions anymore. I really do wish that I had the kind of confidence that other girl did back in high school. I certainly do see the need to tell people to love yourself - no matter what.

If I have breakfast, it's a slim-fast or atkins shake. Sometimes, at work, I'll have oatmeal. Also, if you like coffee, the skinny latte at Starbucks is pretty good and has some Protein. If you really need something more solid, could you go through McD's and get a scrambled egg? I don't know...do they still have that? Remember they used to have pancakes and eggs?

I agree that it's a hard choice to make when marketing propaganda throws one thing at you, and the media is throwing something totally different. A weight watchers commercial, then a Sonic ad...It does seem that there are two factions with one common denominator: The money. :tt2: I guess I'm on the fence, leaning toward healthy. I DO think fat people are attractive. I know I'm prettier than my size 7 friend who's bones stick out of her pelvis area. (We thought it was the security tag on a dress she was trying on...NOT pretty.) But. Attractive and healthy are different. If your bone structure is big, or you're taller, then it's not the pounds. You know what your fat content vs. muscle content is on your body. I was always big - my mother was always big. I could run circles around all my friends...then I had a kid....then I got a little bigger, now I'm older and still in good "health" but I can FEEL IT. My bones hurt, I get tired - I'm almost 33, and I feel older than some 53 year olds I know. My mother? She was always so strong. I looked up to her. She moved furniture, would just GO GO GO. But, then it hit her, too. Now she has health problems. High blood pressure, gout - things I have no doubt were brought on by her weight. Her sister is only a few years younger than her and still very active and very fit. She's 100 pounds less, too. She does have one health issue - she's struggling with hearing loss. I'm NOT saying it's not attractive. I am saying it's not healthy. It can't be. Right now you may be healthy, but later on it will hit you. Hell, I didn't even get the surgery based on any co-morbid diseases - just my BMI. The nurse went through the questionnaire...and at the end said: You don't have ANY of these issues? NOPE. I'm HEALTHY. For now. I do agree that just because you're fat you shouldn't think you're ugly. But, I agree with Wheetsin that we shouldn't say "it's OK - be fat - no worries." I think healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle is what should be promoted - not a weight or size. But, movies make fun of fat people - we shouldn't promote that either. That's not the way to guide peolple to a healthier lifestyle. That brings shame and with shame comes more eating...If you are fat, you can still love yourself. But, if you love yourself, don't you want to be healthy? I keep looking at the picture of the Gossip chick and can't help but think that if I saw that look on a skinny girl, I wouldn't like it either. It's not because she's fat, but because she's not presenting herself like she has self-esteem. She's presenting herself like she's taking a stance of defiance. "I dare you to make fun of me. I'll kick your ass." It's a defense mechanism (IMO) to ward off people making fun of her because of her weight. Carmen (last name) from Ghost Whisperer, Mo'nique, Queen Latifa - from what I've seen of these ladies they ARE comfortable with who they are and have great self-esteem. They present themselves well, and promote self-love while also promoting healthy. I LOVED the Fat is Beautiful phase that America went through. It meant I could justify getting larger. But, when it was MY back that hurt, MY breath that I couldn't catch...I realized it wasn't so healthy for me.

If this link works...here's that picture. I'm not sure what to think. I don't think this is healthy. We're trying to promote healthy in this country; aren't we? On the other hand, her confidence to do this impresses me very much. http://blog.thismagazine.ca/archives/Beth%20Ditto.jpg But, then there is this one...That just doesn't look good. http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2007/05/bethdittoLIVE_450x598.jpg

Plain, Same here...my doctor was very strict on his instructions. In his seminar, he mentioned all the good and bad. He also does RYN, but he prefers the band over any surgery. But the message was loud and clear: this is only a tool. I'm still fighting the head hunger. But, with my tool, I can fight it and succeed. Whereas before, left only to my will power, I couldn't do it. You know, maybe David is right about that - with me at least. Maybe I don't want to hear it. I heard about complications before going into it, but still jumped in. Now that I love my band, and that it's been working for me so well, I'd be scared to have to do it alone. I've been unfilled for about 2 weeks now, and I'm struggling. I'm doing WW with my daughter, but I can see old habits creeping up and it's very hard to tame them down. I'm doing it, but it's only been two weeks! What happens when I get to goal? Or worse - what happens if something goes wrong BEFORE I get to goal? I have started to question myself if I can really do this without the band. Right now, at the weight I am - no, I can't.

I was watching America's top model and there were 2 "plus size models" I think they wore a size 10/12...

I don't think it's all that different from ugly people or stupid people being made fun of...however, I don't think that's good either. I'm not talking about sparing feelings, I'm talking about raising the dignity bar just a tad. How dignifying is it watch a fat girl in a cheerleader outfit wiggle around? That's why I cringe. Large panties - fine, but it's the idea that it puts in people's head. I actually dated a guy (not for long) who asked if I wear granny panties. He mentioned, "like in Shallow Hal." Ugg. That's what I don't like - when people think that's what fat people are like. The reason that they think that is because for the most part all you see of fat in movies/commercials is a joke. As a fat person, I don't think being the butt of a joke ALL THE TIME is funny. Even blondes get a break.

Man...I really hate it when people post just to post.

I am glad I've never seen that bra commercial. I don't know about the "love yourself" thing. I think on one hand it's not good to promote it. But, on the other hand, I know I went through a very low period in my life and the fatter I thought I was, the fatter I got. It was a downward spiral. I think if I'd believed I was pretty, even though I was large, I think I could have gotten to where I am now much faster.

Damn...I hate it when other people are reasonable, and then I end up feeling foolish. And, my mantra today was, "Be reasonable...be reasonable...." Totally blew that one. Headhunter types creepy to me....I can't shake the vibe. But, I'm going to try to be reasonable.

I had neighbors in VA who would plant fake flowers in the ground...and then leave them there all winter. I didn't notice until it was time for them to die... and they didn't! They would also put out the wrong flower/plant for the wrong season. But, I'm with you. I hate maintenance on them, and I'm willing to try it, too! I think if you choose the right plant for the season, you could really have a lovely "garden".

I wasn't here a year ago...I was still licking my fingers, snarling at people over my food and breaking all the chairs in the restaurant. :rolleyes2: I hate Shallow Hal. It was just stupid beyond stupid. And, I also hate it when they put thin actresses in a fat suit. Why not get a fat actress? Bah! Hate it all!!!

Not sure if this is the correct group to start this in...but here goes: If you know anyone in Houston who is looking for a puppy, then I got them!! Mother is Australian Cattle Dog (small) and was picked up by Animal Control on Saturday. They had been living in an abandoned, burned down house. If no owner claimed them, they would be put down after 3 days. I called, and no owner had claimed them, so I went and picked them up. There are 9 puppies, and they all are healthy looking and moving around. I have no idea what the dad is. Possibly choc lab, as there is a male that runs around in the neighborhood. (See thread about long dog-napping story! I have a history with dogs...some weakness in me that I have a soft spot for animals over people.) The mother was given rabies shots at Animal Control. She has an old, weathered collar around her neck - so at some point she belonged to someone. I put pads down in my kitchen and over the night she used them, so she is trained or very smart. Or both. She lets me pick up the puppies, and put them back. I sat in the front of the cage for a while, and she just watches. She's timid and scared, but not aggressive. I am trying to find a home for all of them, mother included. The puppies are only about one week old, so when they are ready, they can go to a good home. [ATTACH]13169[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]13170[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]13171[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]13172[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]13173[/ATTACH] Thanks...and if this is the wrong place, then Mods, please move to correct location.

Robin, me too! I have had little sleep the last couple nights, and I was bawling this morning thinking about those little guys being hurt. I get more emotional with less sleep. It stormed here pretty bad last night and I got up and sat with momma all night so she wouldn't be scared. She's started to bleed a little in her urine and she has diarreah. (I'm hoping it's because she's adjusting to the food I've been giving her and not another problem.) She's also skin and bones. She has started to stand up and move around my kitchen and all her bones stick out - ribs, hips, shoulders...it's sad, really. I wonder what she's been living off of the last few months. I have also been thinking I should become a vet, or animal rescue worker. I've had so many situations the last couple months that have been a big eye opener to me, and hints that I'm doing the wrong thing. But, then when I go into these shelters, it's so depressing. I really don't think that's the path for me. I think my gift is to take in the strays and make sure they get healthy. I hope I can find them a good home, but in the meantime, I've applied to foster animals at the SCPA website. I think THAT is what I'm meant to do.