OK, just gonna jump right in! GOAL REACHED! (page 4)

[Vicky W.]

Hi, Im Vicky....new to this board...just about 1 week in to phase one and feeling great. Im looking forward to success on "The Beach".

This is an awesome board with lots and lots of encouragement and inspiration, but I have to say that this particular thread has touched me beyond words. The courage it takes to post these pics is just unbelievable, and I can't believe that I am about to do it myself! Like a lot of you, most of the pics taken of me in the last couple of years have been headshots, and I rarely check my look in a full length mirror. Hell, even if I do, I usually have myself draped in sweats and big shirts, so....needless to say, looking at these pictures of myself (taken this a.m.) ripped the lid off of the denial.

One of my biggest goals is to fit into a pair of levi's and BE COMFORTABLE, so I chose to pull on my first "goal jeans" (and these are my former "fat pants", for God Sakes!)

I truly admire the ladies here who have swallowed their pride to post pics here to help themselves and others...I want to be a part of THAT kind of sacrifice, THAT kind of inspiration.....so here goes:

This is me today. I started at 180lbs a week ago (Im 5'4):



And yet another view:



Anyway....thats it for now...as painful as it is, it is also liberating in a really weird way. Can't wait for "progress pics" in 3 months!!

[Vicky W.]

Hope I did this right. Is there away to post the pics so they just show up instead of just the link?

[Scarlette]

It looks like your tags are doubled, try editing your post and deleting one set of [img]from%20the%20beginning%20of%20each%20of%20your%20photo%20links,%20and%20one[/img] from the end. See how they are doubled in your original post?

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[sportstergirl]

good luck to you! those do look like some pretty small jeans to me. so good goal. i am 44 years old and found that even though i am at 146lbs and 5'5", and at a healthy weight, i still have this "muffin top" argh!! so it appears i have to go down to about 135 to get rid of it.
it's not easy so if you need someone to talk to, i am here. finding(making) the time to exercise is the hardest part for me. working full time and taking care of hubby, kids and pets and keeping a house and yard up is a lot on it's own. so i try and do it right when i get home before i get busy doing other things. or get on the elliptical while i watch a favorite show.
good luck to you!
kattttt

[Vicky W.]

Thank you, Scarlette, for the tip. It worked! (OMG these pics are even more of an eye-opener here!)

Kattt, thank you for your kind words. We are close in age....Im 47, and actually, these jeans are a size 14. All my adult life, I have been a size 9, or 32-30 in my beloved 501's....so thats why I considered these 14's to be my "fat jeans". I would be happy to be in those jeans, let me tell ya.

Honestly, I just want to FEEL better. Back pain, knee pain, depression....it all came with a 50lb weight gain, and I never would have guessed. At one point, when I realized I was gaining, I thought, what the hell, Ive had my time with being a hottie in my 20's and 30's, Im just gonna let myself go and live in mumu's and sweats and just be happy with myself....WRONG!!!!! Physical and mental pain was NOT part of that bargain, you know?

Anyway, here I am. Today marks the beginning of my second week on the Beach, and I feel better already. My better half said my eyes were beginning to sparkle again, and WOW, what a great compliment! I DO feel kinda sparkly .

[laedyfaire]

hi vicky...you sound a lot like me! I had the same mindset when i turned 50. i thought "well, i am 50 now, i was a hottie for years, so what if i gain weight. i just want to eat, drink and be merry!' well, i did, and now, not so merry. add to that a sluggish thyroid and perimenopause.

i wish you lots of luck. how is it going for you so far. my first day was yesterday and i lost 3 pounds of water. yuck. feeling pretty good. keep posting....Laedyfaire

[tatortot]

Good Morning, Just wondering if you got the pictures of Sluggo? I sent them from my cell phone and like I said when it comes to electronics I just have to go to my 15 year old due to slow as a snail when it comes to computers and anything electronic. Would love to hear your story about the bullies. Hope everything on the beach is going good for you. Have a great weekend.

[Vicky W.]

Hey Laedyfaire! Hey Tator!

Thanks guys, for checking in. Im doing great here on day 11. I'll post more when I have time (would love to get to know both of you better), but Im off to the slave and grind. (I co-own a doggie daycare and grooming salon and saturdays are our SLAM days!!).

Tator, I did NOT get the pics of Sluggo. Where did you send them? Ill try to help you with some advice on how to tomorrow.

Have a GREAT day, ladies!

[teachermom]

Hey Vicky,
I came to check out your before pics and read your post. Just wanted to make sure you have had your thyroid checked. Your weight gain and other symptoms could indicate too little thyroid hormone. I have an autoimmune thyroid disease that produced a 50lb weight gain in one year. My thyroid problem was misdiagnosed for 7 years until I went hyperthyroid with Graves. I have two types of antibodies that cause my thyroid to fluctuate between overproducing and underproducing. Your physical shape is also typical of thyroid weight, we call it a budda belly. (I have one too!) So... just wanted to make sure you've had all the physical possibilities checked out!
Jocie

[Zen_me]

Hi Vicky! Vicki here too!

Jocie, you sound like me! Similar thyoid issues. Aint life grand! lol

[teachermom]

Hey Vicki with an i,
Do you have both Graves and Hashimoto's too or did you just mean that it took you a long time to get your thyroid problem diagnosed? Why don't you join us on the "Anyone else start on 2/11" thread?
Jocie

[tatortot]

Hi Vicky, I sent the pictures from my cell phone to the email from your pm you sent me. Alot of my pictures of Sluggo are on my cell phone due to I'm always taking pictures or video taping him (I know I'm really obsessed with my baby lol) Who knows what I did wrong but like I said my electronic use is so limited. Hope your having a good day and a successful day on the beach. Tatortot

[Vicky W.]

Hey Vicki, Hey Tator, Hey Jocie...

Thanks for your concern regarding my thyroid health, Jocie. Yeah, Im okay there...I have a full blood panel every six months (Dad insisted, due to his Diabetes), and so far, Im healthy.

No, my deal, the reason for my weight gain, is this: Back in '03, I was involved in a housefire and suffered from smoke inhalation. I had an intubation injury that left my vocal chords in a fixed position and a 13% airway. Prior to this injury, I was an avid cyclist (at least 200 mi. per week, no kidding), ate fairly healthy, and had little or no issues at all with weight. After the injury, I could barely breathe, seriously couldn't even walk across a room without discomfort. So, exersize was immediately halted. For awhile, I was just happy to be alive and to have survived the fire, but as time went on, I became incredibly depressed, missing my bike, my walks, good sex (blush), anything that required increased respiration. Food became something that made me happy. I had surgery in '06 to repair my chords as best they could,( a 50% airway, which is sooooooooo much better), and I was able to walk my dog (slowly), ride my bike (short,flat rides-no hills), but I just couldn't get into it...I was a big baby about not being able to do what I could before. BIG MISTAKE!!! No exersize and really bad food choices are the reason for my "Buddah Belly" <----gotta love that

I am beginning to embrace who I am now. I don't know what it is about this "diet", but my mental outlook has improved beyond explination! I simply cannot wait to get back to my morning strolls with "Delicious" (my dog), and the occasional laid back bike ride around the Marina. (Im waiting to exersize until I begin phase 2 on Tuesday). And you know, Im very aware of the fact that I won't be zipping along the coast on my bike for hours at a time anymore, but there is much more to life than that. I am a survivor, I was spared from that horrible, devestating fire for some reason, and it certainly wasn't to sit around depressed and miserable, gaining weight and feeling like s**t!! Okay, Im done preaching!!

But yeah, the thyroid is fine, Teach....thanks again for asking!

[laedyfaire]

good morning all...

wow, vicki..you are some strong woman!! what an ordeal to go through. it is so understandable how you turned to food for comfort. i love you attitude! you are so right, you did not survive the fire just to be a depressed couch potato! good for you!

i know what you mean about this SB and mental attitude. i have been in pretty good spirits myself these past few days. i am wondering if maybe b/c the blood sugar levels are balancing out??

hope everyone has a great day....LF ( Roz )

[tatortot]

Morning, Hope everyone had a great weekend. Vicky that is soooooooo funny about the "Buddah Belly" thats what we call big tummies at our house. When I started going thru my severe deep depression I quit exercising and boy howdy did the weight pile on. I'm one of those people that has to exercise or I would weigh way way too much. I also didn't care what I was cramming down my throat, I just didn't care about anything. That is why Sluggo is my therapy dog cuz due to him I had to get up and start taking care of him which in turn I had to take care of me. Hope everyone has a great week. YEH!!! I only have a three day week going to Corpus Christi to visit my wonderful Uncle in the nursing home. This is going to be a much needed mini vacation for me and my husband. Of course were leaving a 15 going to be 16 in april home by himself for a couple of days, thank god he's a good young man.