Melody, i di the same kind of pantry clean out and i think it is an essential part of serious weight loss. it is harder when there are others in the house but if you think aboiut it, when you have kids, they are learning from your example and that includes eating habits so i would suggest that if there are less than perfect snack foods in the house they should be limited and they should be a a seperate spot to the usual food, eg somewhere the kids can access them directly when given permission but you do not access at all and once the snacks have gone, the drawer/cupboard is not restocked until next shopping day. It might sound tough but i would hate to think that one day in the future the kids would have to learn the same tough lessons as us- for me it was simple, i live alone, so i do not have to worry about others likes and wants.
I agree you too that we do not see ourselves properly too, i knew i was big but certainly did not think i weighed close to 400 pounds, i had not weighed myself or months as i could not find a scales that i could weigh in my wheelchair, i thought i was about 80 pounds less. When i made the commitment to lose weight after my ms flared, i had sought out a scales i could use at home, i found a platform that fitted over a standard highweight bathroom scales that allowe me to weigh in my chair, thats when i got the unpleasant truth! Once i started losing weight i found it hard to see any progress, i got a bit down when i got to 50 pounds lost as i could not see any difference, i felt as though i was so huge that 50 pounds was not enough to notice, luckily i had taken some digital shots on the day i started and had takenn follow ups each month after so i used photoshop to overlay the newest shot over the original, then made the newesr one transperant and because the shots had been taken in exactly the same position i could see the difference, and it was substantial! so i have carried on doing that a well as taking body measurements etc, its like we need to re program our brains to see the real us. I still look huge to me, i am still big, i still have a BMI in the high 30's but that is better than the 61 it was this time last year. My current problem is that due to my disabilities i can very rarely try clothes on in stores, they often do not even have change rooms that are wheelchair accessible so i have to buy the sizei think is right and take it home to try, i found that i have a tendancy o buy the size that is too big. To get around it i have tried to get into the habit of buying what i think is too small to chase down into, and sometimes they are too snug as intended, all too oten they are the right size- i have gone from size 34 elasticaticed waist fat lady jeans, to size 22 tailored jeans with a proper fitted wasit ban,d ( australian sizes) this is great as even stores that deal with larger sizes tended to go to size 26 only then i had to rely mail order, at size 22, i seem to have so much more choice, i can buy stuff i like not just because its all that i can find in my size!


Silverlady, i hope you find the crutches help you as much as they helped me! I had been getting dreadful pain in the joints at the base of my thumbs in particular and thats where i felt the benefit first. I also found some gloves aimed at people with arthritis, they are made from neoprene, fingerless gloves and are made by a number of companies that make knee, ankle braces etc, the type you buy at sports goods stores or drug stores. These are good for me when using the crutches/canes but also make great wheelchair gloves too. OT/PT's can sometimes custom make supports for wrists etc too. I really would investigate the feldenkries technique imentioned before, even if you only do some internet research. I have progressed back from wheelchair 100% to limited walking and the right aids and the techniques i was taught hashelped me maximise what i am able to to do. My prosthesis is really heavy, the knee is locked in extension which puts a lot of extra stress on my lower back due to hitching my leg to walk but the techniques i was taught has helped me to stretch my lower back out properly when i take my prosthesis off to minimise pain and stiffness

sorry to waffle on for so long
Karen