Does it have to be a dress? How about nice black slacks, heels and a dressy top? Or a jacket and coordinated blouse. Cute earrings, cute bag and you're set. Do you have a Nordstroms? Was recently looking for a dress to wear to a wedding and saw some really cute things in the women's section. I don't wear women's so nothing worked for me, but I ended up with a print skirt, sleeveles beaded linen top and matching cardigan sweater which I got at Macy's. It was Jones New York, so nice fit and quality. I hear you about the dresses. I'm a size 12 pear, and every one I tried on was horrible. Too big on top, too small on the bottom, too low, big arm holes. I feel your pain. Good luck, and let us know what you do. (Oh and congrats on the weight loss. Keep going.)

i have had hypothyroidism for along time now am glad to have found someone to talk to that can relate! i have alot of things going on, like weight gain,muscel weakness,palpatations and a number of other things! what i would like to know is if anyone has a problem walking? Not everyday but more often then not?I am currently seeing a doctor in Boston to fiind some answers! looking for any relief!living with this is extremly more difficult as time passes. If anyone has any advice besides the norm please tell

Your snacks aren't that great, really. Goldfish are high in fat and salt. Popcorn is only ok if eaten with nothing or a butter flavored sprinkle stuff which isn't all that great. Pretzels are in high salt, too. Keep a container of cut up fruit in the frig, oranges, apples, pears, grapes, pineapple, melons in season. The acid in the citrus will keep the apples from browning for several days. Also keep a container of baby carrots, celery sticks, red bell pepper sticks, cuke slices, snap peas, jicama, etc. sliced and ready to eat. Having these foods easy to grab and munch encourages healthier snacking. I also keep a container of prewashed baby salad greens in the frig. Lowfat, low sugar yogurts are good too. I keep the new Wishbone salad spritzers on hand. Very low cal, decent flavor. The good of a salad is easily undone with a rich fatty dressing. I have a 14 year old who grabs her own salad fixings. Even my 16 year old son will happily eat a salad. Add a few raisins, candied nuts (a few!) or croutons (I make our own) and usually they fill up on good stuff. I also keep tuna packed in water and hard boiled eggs for a high protein, low cal quick meal. Also stocked is turkey and/or chicken lunch meat for sandwiches. One serving is only 60 calories. Switch from whole milk to 2%. Mix them together for a while until your tastes adjust if you need to. Watch portion size, too. Try splitting in half your usual serving sizes. Eat the half. You and your kids might find that the half is really plenty and you are simply continuing to eat because it's there on the plate. Plate food in the kitchen rather than serving family style bowls. Switch from ice cream to sorbet. Treats are fine. It's better not to deprive yourself or kids, just eat them in small portions, very small! My daughter was a competitive gymnast from age 8-11. She could eat anything and never gain an ounce. When she quit (injured) she kept eating the same way. I talked to her about making better choices now that she wasn't getting the same amount of exercise. She did plump up but eventually slowed down her eating and when she hit a growth spurt she trimmed down. More exercise is a must. Dance class is a great place for many girls. Look for something fun like hip-hop or jazz or whatever is currently popular. Lots of girls love cheerleading. There is probably a team she can join that isn't a school thing. Anything that gets her moving will be good. I grew up with grandparents who didn't even think about regular exercise as a must. I had a weight problem from an early age. I have lost and gained hundreds over the years. When I had kids I was determined to spare them the agony of a weight problem. I popped them into gymnastics classes as soon as I could. Age 3 for my son, age 18 months for my daughter. It was a great foundation for anything else they have ever wanted to do. Girls have few opportunities to build upper body strength, gymnastics is a great way to do this. Even if kids don't compete, they become strong and flexible and have good understanding of what their bodies can do. Trampoline and tumbling classes are great if kids don't want to do beam and bars which are difficult and scary. Everyone can tumble!

SG, Thank you so much for your insight--I believe you are a true "dog whisperer"! Let me clarify a few things and ask specific training & environmental questions: First I'll say, due to you and Annz' kind help, I believe I have corrected one of my problems. When I designed our new home I made space under the wall cabinets in the laundry rm for the dogs' kennels--next to each other. I thgt I was so smart doing this, but for my dogs' personalities, this may be one big problem. So hours ago, I moved Tiger's kennel to a different room (pantry next to L. rm) and he went right in! So now they will have their own space--away from each other. ~~I am also not going to allow either to sit under my desk while I am working--maybe that made Pepper (the Wheaton) think Tiger was getting special treatment (?). #2: The dogs do know I am TOP DOG for I, also, use their food & bowls to show my dominance--pretend to eat a kernel from their bowls before putting bowl down--pick up while they are eating & touch them/their food while they are eating. Never a problem--never a growl or resistance. Also, when we pass thru a door outside I am to go first, after I have them sit-stay & wait for me. I have them sit/lay/stay on command from time to time during the day to reinforce this too. ~~A trainer I consulted after the first attack told me that they both knew I was top dog but I did things to allow Pepper to think she was my equal--that we were BOTH top dogs. So I've been doing these things for a long time---more strictly for about a yr--but now you'll see NOT STRICTLY ENOUGH. ***Let me be specific in my info and question: When I open a door to let them out, Pepper does bolt out the door ahead of me about 1/3 of the time. I use my correction sound (Ehhhhh) and she immediately returns to my side to sit/stay until I give her the "OK" to move. (Sometimes just hearing the correction sound from me, she stops & returns to my side.) Specifically, WHEN I say sit/stay--she ALWAYS obeys. If I give NO command, she will start thru the door. ~~~Writing this out, I see I'm slacking and creating top dog DOUBT in her mind. So she isn't totally convinced that I am top dog? Or am I teaching her that I AM top dog but if she "assumes a top dog behavior" there is no real consequence besides "re-doing the situation" and moving on? SO, I need to go back to square one and take better control--using a lead to control, give commands EVERY TIME AND be persistent. But is it as "simple" as that? I can & will do these things correctly now but what else am I doing or what else can I do. Surely my "allowing" her to even consider disobeying my top-dog status isn't the only reason she's "comfortable" risking punishment in order to attack Tiger? I believe Tiger knows Pepper is Alpha dog and is comfortable with it. It has to be ME & my behavior that affects Peppers attacks. Hope I've been somewhat clear about what I do & don't do in order for you all to help give me instruction & advice. tks again in advance, CB