Hi

[knightfree]

Hello to the TDC,

As rainfairy said:
"Hello to all the TDC'rs out here. I'm new. Oh how I wish I wasn't, but I am. I am a member of this club."

She took the words right out of my mouth. Perhaps for myself, I didn't formally introduce myself on this thread, although I've checked it out, because of my own denial about my weight.

There's a part of me that just doesn't compute that I weigh what I weigh. I mean I know it, and I feel it physically and emotionally everyday, yet a part of me is still in denial.

Oh well, I'm here, and this is where I need to be! So, Hi, :wave:

Congratulations to all of you that have worked and are living this WOL/WOE successfully, and thanks to everyone for your honesty in what you share.

[Annie1gi]

Welcome to the forum and good luck on your WL journey!

Oh girl, you aren't the only one who was in denial....
Funny how we don't see ourselves as other's do.....ARG!!!!!

ACK.....swallows hard.....this ain't easy but we can do it! :>)
Annie

[Charran]

Hello Knightfree and welcome to the TDC! This is a very supportive group of people and there is alot to be learned from the experience and wisdom here. Make yourself at home!

[ValerieL]

Welcome, Knightfree!

You may not like where you are, but you can change it. You really can.

Val

[Kandra]

Hi Knightfree and welcome! I'm glad that you joined us. You're already down 10 pounds! Congrats!

[knightfree]

Annie, Charran, Val, and Kandra,

Thanks for welcoming me to the group, and for the encouragement.

Annie, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one! It helps to know I'm not alone, something I struggle with a lot. I'm a teacher, and this year a student said to me (a nice young man, who also gets resource assistance) "what's that on your arm"? And I thought he meant how it was red, as my skin is very sensitive and if I scratch it, it gets bright red. And he said no, that, and points to my upper arm, and I realize he's talking about my fat, so I just told him, it's fat. And let it go to keep on teaching, but filed it away for later. It was humiliating to me. I had a few situations like that this year. I suppose that might be part of my current motivation.

[katwoman]

Hi Knightfree, welcome to the TDC. I'm a teacher also (special ed) although I taught regular ed until January 06. Most of my years have been in high school, but during a stint with a pre-K class a very sincere little boy asked me if I had elbows. My arms are so fat that the folds of skin hang down and cover my elbows--although it's getting better.

It's not where we start, it's where we end that counts.

[knightfree]

Hi Katwoman,

Ahhh, the honesty, curiosity and sincerity of children...what's that saying, from the mouths of babes. Anyway, it was an awakening. For me...went home and took a look in the mirror...looked at what I don't normally look at...and still don't like to focus on. But I understood why he asked.

I'm glad to hear it's getting better for you.

I wrote a response somewhere about my fear and feelings regarding my arms, and how I didn't want to lose weight because I thought they'd look even worse, you know, "the wings". I know, it's ridiculous, but that was the thought in my mind...

Right now, I just want to lose weight, and live healthier mentally and physically. And this is such a big part of it, you know? It's like, enough!

ps-I have 4 cats :D I saw you have one and a dog. I'd like a dog someday, but I'm not home enough right now.

[bob2112]

Welcome to the TDC. Glad to have you in the forums with us!!

[knightfree]

Thanks Bob!

[Annie1gi]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/dazzlnfyre/4th%20of%20July/happy4th4.gif

Happy 4th.....keep it L/c friend!

[Lucid Mew]

Welcome ^_^
This is an awesome place to be :)

[foxgluvs]

Welcome to the TDC - it won't be long before you're motoring through that 100lbs or more and you'll be well on your way to a thinner life.

I finally gave in and said ENOUGH! when the 3rd person in a week asked me when the baby was due. It was the turning point for the rest of my life - and that comment will actually do you good even though it stings big time at that moment.

Good luck, I am sure with the support of this board - like many before you, you'll become the slimmer woman you want to be!

[Scented1]

welcome to the TDC!

Glad you are here with us.

Rach

[sherbear]

Welcome and good luck! Lot's of support here.
Sherry

[Kandra]

I finally gave in and said ENOUGH! when the 3rd person in a week asked me when the baby was due. It was the turning point for the rest of my life - and that comment will actually do you good even though it stings big time at that moment. About 10 years (and about 30 pounds less) ago I had two women ask me when my baby was due and when I said that I wasn't pregnant they looked at each other and laughed then walked away. Boy was I humilated. To have something like that happen 3 Xs in one week would have just sent me over the edge back then...or over to the bakery. Sorry that happened Foxgluvs.

[knightfree]

As I'm perusing around this place, this forum, I just love how honest and supportive you all are to everyone. Here, in this place, so many people really understand the pain that one another has gone through and also the joy of each new milestone or personal success.

In reading Kandra's response to Foxgluvs I was reminded when I went to Brazil with my husband (he's from there, and he was a boyfriend at the time). I'd been there the previous year, but gained a whole lot of weight in one year. So an acquaintance of DH comes to the house and comments about me to DH, but he thinks I'm a new girlfried b/c he didn't recognize me. :cry: And the guy made a big deal about it. I was in a different country, culture, with a language I barely understood and no support system...I just wanted to hide.

You know, as I think about it, I can understand why the guy thought that-I must have looked very different, but didn't want to admit it completely to myself. If I really think about it, there's story after story...maybe that's something I need to write about...but anyway, I'm grateful for the empathy here.

Foxgluvs, I'm sorry to hear of your experience. I don't know what it takes for me to get moving, to make a decision to change. For you, it sounds like a very clear turning point that week that 3 people asked when the baby was due (I though people were more discreet these days..I don't have children, so I haven't had that experience). And as awful as it was, it helped you to go in a new direction. I repeatedly responded by eating more (emotional eater) to drown the pain. But on a few occasions, I don't know, maybe the stars are in alignment, something clicks, and I can do it. This feels like one of those times.

Kandra, your story makes me think of the other side of humanity, the cruelty and ignorance that exists-at least that's how I read that the women laughed and walked away. I'm sorry to hear of that, too.

But now is a new time, and this is the place to be, moving forward.

[Kandra]

In reading Kandra's response to Foxgluvs I was reminded when I went to Brazil with my husband (he's from there, and he was a boyfriend at the time). I'd been there the previous year, but gained a whole lot of weight in one year. So an acquaintance of DH comes to the house and comments about me to DH, but he thinks I'm a new girlfried b/c he didn't recognize me. And the guy made a big deal about it. I was in a different country, culture, with a language I barely understood and no support system...I just wanted to hide.I'm sorry that you went through that. Especially not having a support system of any sort to talk it over with anyone. Especially since the emotional aspects were what was getting you to gain in the first place. It can be such a vicious cycle.

That story reminded me of a funny story. Years ago I went on a crash diet (another starvation/low cal/low fat thing) and lost about 70 pounds. Dh left his beeper at the house so I dropped it off at his office. The two secretaries didn't recognize me since I'd dropped so much weight and had cut my hair and dyed it so I said that he had left it when he stayed over at my house last night...then I winked and walked away thinking it was funny. I told dh about my joke and he was PO'd and said that they were really mean to him all day and wondered why. I thought it was a riot. I thought they would have said something to him and then he'd explain that it was me. The moral of the stories: Some people just don't see past fat.

[knightfree]

Wow Kandra,
That is lol funny. And no, I don't think most people do see beyond the fat (although a few have pleasantly surprised me). It's just another category to assign, generalize and stereotype people to. I feel that in our society it is the "acceptable" prejudice.

[Sallie]

Hey Knightfree! :wave: Welcome

I don't know, maybe the stars are in alignment, something clicks, and I can do it. This feels like one of those times.

Something has 'clicked' in me this time, too. I am losing slowly, but still losing. And that's ok...this is a journey for life, not a diet, not for an occassion.

A few years ago, I was sitting at my desk at work, and a co-worker came in and asked for my keys to open another office door. She pointed to my front pocket...I asked her what she was pointing at...she thought the keys were in my pocket! They weren't...it was a fat roll!! I laughed it off, but inside I was cringing with embarrassment :blush:

Best wishes on your journey,
Sallie :rose:

[Kisal]

Welcome aboard, Knightfree! Nice to meet you! :)

[Rissa6247]

Welcome and good luck on your journey. :wave:

[ndurance1]

Welcome, and Good Luck on your low carb journey!!!

[knightfree]

Sallie, Kisal, Rissa, and Ndurance,
Thanks for the welcome and the well wishes. It means so much to me to have your encouragement. Here's to all of us having a great LC day! :yay: