# How far can you walk?



## Emma (Apr 2, 2007)

This question is only for the ssbbw/bbw. I'm just wondering how far you can walk? If you don't want to answer that's ok, I'm just wondering if I'm normal or not for my size. lol


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## AnnMarie (Apr 2, 2007)

It's funny, I know all different size of fat girls and they can all walk totally different amounts of time/pace, etc. And it's not always "bigger=less, smaller=more", etc. It has a lot more to do with how much they still do, seems like it's about "use it or lose it". 

That being said, I used to be able to walk a LOT more than I can now, but as long as it's just level and fairly constant, I can walk pretty far. Doesn't mean I won't sweat or want to sit for a minute at some point, but I do just fine. 

I get into trouble more often when I'm shopping or something, with lots of walking, then long periods of stopping and just standing. I get to be in more lower back pain or stress if I'm standing. I'd much rather be moving at a comfortable clip than just standing and shifting weight foot to foot. 

I don't know a distance, I don't really walk around with any knowledge of how far I'm walking... lol. Stairs kill me though... my knees hate them with a passion. 

Oh, and once I walk around forever, if it's hot and I start sweating... ugh, I'll be ready to be done mighty quick after that. I HATE sweating and once it starts nothing I do will stop it. (Been that way forever, it's not specifically weight/stamina related... my Dad has the same thing.)


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 2, 2007)

I do a walk for AIDS every year = 6.2 miles (10K) which doesn't include the walk to the subway to get there and to go home. I'm sore and cranky after though and refuse to get up from the couch for hours. I could probably walk more but it would piss me off. If it weren't for the cause I would remain seated at home, but I suffer through it. I teeter at around 400 pounds give or take.


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## Emma (Apr 2, 2007)

I hate sweating too. I just ask because I figure I can't walk that far, yet the other day I walked loads and my friend lives a distance I thought was too far yet I've just walked there and back and not really been that bothered. I guess I'm shocking myself.


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## Tracyarts (Apr 2, 2007)

Not far. I have mobility issues due to chronic pain in my lower back, hips, knees, and ankles. 

On a good day, I can manage most errands and can even walk for an extended period like at a mall or a park if there are places to sit and let the pain pass before moving on. On a bad day, I pretty much can make it from room to room, one end of the house to the other, out to the car, etc... 

Good day? Ten to fifteen minutes at a stretch on foot, maybe as many as thirty minutes if it is a very good day. Bad day? Three to five minutes at the most and then I have to sit and let the pain pass. 

Tracy


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## EbonySSBBW (Apr 2, 2007)

I'm 5' 8 and 430lbs. I walk 1.7 miles on my treadmill, 4-5 times a week (which is over 8 miles per week just on the treadmill) for good health. I am working my way towards 2 miles and have actually done 2 miles, just not consistently yet. I'm also at the point again where I need to increase my speed so that my heart rate is back in my zone (I wear a heart rate monitor when I walk). That's a good thing. My workouts have definitely increased my ability to walk when I'm out and about. I can go and go. I also work in a school (school social worker) and so I have to walk around a lot to get kids out of class and such. I have huge legs but I also have some serious muscle going on in those legs.


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## AnnMarie (Apr 2, 2007)

I have to agree with Lilly there, I could walk more, more often, but it would piss me off. I don't like being sore, cranky, hot, semi-breathless, etc. So, depending on where I am and whether it's necessary to walk a bunch, I will opt out. 

Good example, if we're at a huge hotel in Vegas (I had one last year at Stardust, but really didn't need it at all, not a huge hotel in my frame of reference) I'll get a scooter. There is NOTHING like an indoor moped to take the hassle out of going from gambling to lunch to pool a few times a day. You can get back to the room and change clothes, run quick errands, go find so and so at the pool, etc. I technically "could" walk all over, but by day 2 or 3 I'm going to be exhausted and probably paying the price with a sore back or something... so I scoot to the "main area" I'm going, park it and walk around the rest of the time... it's a nice mix of the two. 

But yeah, I hear you Em, sometimes people just don't realize they can walk it because they either haven't really tried or they just don't want to. It's easy to surprise yourself!!

I walked around for over 8 hours in Ikea last spring (4 hours, then lunch, then 4 more hours). I was pretty much fine the first 4 hours, the last 2 hours of the end of the day were awful... feet burning, sweating, trying to find piles of rugs to rest my fat ass on. LOL


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## tinkerbell (Apr 2, 2007)

As long as I have comfortable shoes, I can walk long distances. We've been trying to walk our dogs a couple of times a week, and I do fine as long as I remember to put on decent shoes. Pretty sandals just don't work sometimes.


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## ashmamma84 (Apr 2, 2007)

I have taken up walking for excercise (as well as yoga), so I can walk very very long periods of time. I have some really comfortable walking shoes so that makes it easier - now, I do have some lower back pain and my knee bothers me sometimes, but I think I do well being a 5'2'', 200+ lbs. chick.


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## MsGreenLantern (Apr 2, 2007)

I walked home from school a couple times without dying and thats 2 miles. But I wouldn't make a habit out of it, just because I sweat a lot 

I'm a rather short and stout type, 5'4 250ish, side stitch and sweat are my only issues


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## furious styles (Apr 2, 2007)

i will not walk..so that a child...may live..


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Apr 3, 2007)

When I walk for exercise, I walk for an hour or three miles.
This doesn't include any other walking I might do during the day.

Tinkerbell is right about the shoes, too. Good shoes (read sneakers with a good bottom) make all the difference in how far you can go comfortably.


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## Caligula (Apr 3, 2007)

Not that I have this problem, I'm like 5'9-10 and 185....play a lot of soccer...but my 2 girl cousins are both well over 350 pounds and around 5'5 each.(age 25 and 27) When we went to France the both of them were having so much trouble. The heat, distance, crowd, added to the obvious issues of them being quite obese. They did fine when we walked on flat open areas, but the more people the more flustered they were......i dunno if any of y'all have that problem..but they sure did. They are great people, but aren't in very good shape for their weight, unlike what some of you have said that you walk X amount of miles a day. They pretty much go to school/work and sit on the couch or lounge around, plus they smoke. So ya know, it's probably really relative to the person I think...but I don't consider myself an expert..the topic just peeked my interest.


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## prettyssbbw (Apr 3, 2007)

I really can't walk far without rest. For instance,Halfway through grocery shopping i am beat! I am out of breath and hot.I will walk short distances without grumbling sometimes,though i have to really be in the mood!Lately I have been taking advantage of grocery delivery etc. It is way much better than going out and having to walk alot!


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## PolarKat (Apr 3, 2007)

Not a SSBBW.. but some people say if i'd wear lipstick....

Like AnnMarie was saying it's the use it/lose it. I make it point to walk some distance every day in the summer, but don't do nearly as much in the winter (Ice/gravity/Fat guy.. don't mix too well). So it's the same cycle each year.. 2Km at the begining of the summer and my back & calf muscles get sore, by the end of the summer I'm fine (igonring the sweaty bit) with 10+km


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## HotBBWnKC (Apr 3, 2007)

Sometimes I enjoy a nice stroll with a friend (especially if it includes shopping) and well other times I am forced to do it. For my work as an Event Supervisor I can walk 6 miles easy in an 8 hour shift. I also find myself going up and down very high and steep stairs as well since I work in the music and entertainment business (they really do need a tram to the double letter rows in the nose bleed sections :doh: ). I must say this keeps my legs in excellent condition, and the looks I get from some patrons when they see a big girl haul her ass up those stairs faster then they made it is worth all the sweat it took to get to the top. I will say my stamina falls when I work outdoor concerts and events in very warm weather. I can do it on a nice breezy day in the 60's and 70's but man when it hits the 90's and up I just slug around unless an emergency occurs or the boss is in sight...lol After 8 years on the job I still am nice and plump at 350!


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## bigsexy920 (Apr 3, 2007)

It all depends on the shoes Im wearing and how much i feel like sweating.


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## Tooz (Apr 3, 2007)

LillyBBBW said:


> I do a walk for AIDS every year = 6.2 miles (10K) which doesn't include the walk to the subway to get there and to go home. I'm sore and cranky after though and refuse to get up from the couch for hours. I could probably walk more but it would piss me off. If it weren't for the cause I would remain seated at home, but I suffer through it. I teeter at around 400 pounds give or take.



Anyway, I quote this because I'm somewhat the same way. Given the correct shoes (and a situation of me not having to be somewhere where I have to look all pretty and put together), I can walk as long as I need to, as long as it's at my pace. I'm in the same weight bracket, and I don't really have any mobility issues. Well, my left foot is messed up, but that's not weight-related. I messed it up somehow. Also, if I try to walk faster than everyone else (well, people at UB walk pretty fast), I get tired much quicker. There's a lot of walking on campus, so that keeps me somewhat fit, I think.

When I lived in Massachusetts, I regularly walked the 4 miles or so to Neen's house. I never had a problem doing it.


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 3, 2007)

I'm like that too in a way. I can do just about anything a thin person can, it just takes longer. I tend to avoid going on walking/bike tours with a group because I will certainly lag behind and I feel this pressure to nearly kill myself trying to keep up. This is REALLY not safe, seriously - never push a fat person. People I'm with tend to get frustrated having to wait up or slow down for me all the time so I tend to turn down invitations. When others are added to the equation I can almost feel an anxiety attack coming on which slows me down even more. People can be really rude.

I've tried to organize fat girl walking tours but I get no takers. *shrugs*




Caligula said:


> Not that I have this problem, I'm like 5'9-10 and 185....play a lot of soccer...but my 2 girl cousins are both well over 350 pounds and around 5'5 each.(age 25 and 27) When we went to France the both of them were having so much trouble. The heat, distance, crowd, added to the obvious issues of them being quite obese. They did fine when we walked on flat open areas, but the more people the more flustered they were......i dunno if any of y'all have that problem..but they sure did. They are great people, but aren't in very good shape for their weight, unlike what some of you have said that you walk X amount of miles a day. They pretty much go to school/work and sit on the couch or lounge around, plus they smoke. So ya know, it's probably really relative to the person I think...but I don't consider myself an expert..the topic just peeked my interest.


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## Tooz (Apr 3, 2007)

Oh, right, Lilly-- this AIDS walk you do, when is it? I assume it's in Boston from your post about it.


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 3, 2007)

The AIDS walk Boston is always the first Sunday in June. :batting: The pressure isn't nearly as great because there are people walking at all kinds of fitness levels so you don't feel like a loser plodding along. Plus there are stops along the way with water, orange slices, concession stands, band performers, port-a-potties, corporate whores giving away samples of their stuff, etc. Always an excuse to slow down or stop.


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## MissToodles (Apr 3, 2007)

Before I gained weight, I could walk without some rest stops. Now that the weight has added on and not helped my left injured knee, I have some issues. I've been told I walk very well for someone my size (whatever that means, it seems rather abelist to me and other supersized people). On really humid days, I will limp due to the knee injury. I used to be able to walk up hills in my neighborhood, albeit I was out of breath! I can still do that but it will take a while for me. I have walking poles  which help excercise my upper body but take pressure off the lower extremties. I walked a lot growing up. My dad was always between 300 -400 lbs when I was growing up (and almost 6'1) and I could never keep up with him because he walked at such a fast clip. He walked quite a bit before his health declined. Em, don't feel shamed if you can't do a lot. Any movement is good movement for your body.


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## Tooz (Apr 3, 2007)

LillyBBBW said:


> The AIDS walk Boston is always the first Sunday in June. :batting: The pressure isn't nearly as great because there are people walking at all kinds of fitness levels so you don't feel like a loser plodding along. Plus there are stops along the way with water, orange slices, concession stands, band performers, port-a-potties, corporate whores giving away samples of their stuff, etc. Always an excuse to slow down or stop.



I would absolutely love to come take part. I DO have a 25 dollar coupon for Jetblue...:batting:


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## BitsyAintMyName (Apr 3, 2007)

I don't do much walking around in the winter and so I have to spend a few weeks building up my stamina in the spring. I'm usually ok if I bring water and if I balance my bookbag correctly. I catch the bus everywhere and so I end up doing alot of walking anyway. Just wear the right shoes. You can't go hiking in Chuck Taylors. Believe me...I tried.


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## Jes (Apr 3, 2007)

LillyBBBW said:


> The AIDS walk Boston is always the first Sunday in June. :batting: The pressure isn't nearly as great because there are people walking at all kinds of fitness levels so you don't feel like a loser plodding along. Plus there are stops along the way with water, orange slices, concession stands, band performers, port-a-potties, corporate whores giving away samples of their stuff, etc. Always an excuse to slow down or stop.


God, I LOVE corporate whores!


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 3, 2007)

Ooo, maybe we can walk as 'Team Tubby' with a carbo load party the night before. :wubu: 



Tooz said:


> I would absolutely love to come take part. I DO have a 25 dollar coupon for Jetblue...:batting:


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## Jes (Apr 3, 2007)

to the fridge.


i can walk far, though I too hate the sweating. with sneakers, I've walked 5 miles easily (with some breaks though--I was with a friend, we walked downtown, had a snack, met a political candidate (didn't vote for him). Slow and steady always wins the race, for me. And good shoes. and stretching! people can forget how important it is! nice 8-count stretches with lots of support. and stretch again when you're done.


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## Tooz (Apr 3, 2007)

LillyBBBW said:


> Ooo, maybe we can walk as 'Team Tubby' with a carbo load party the night before. :wubu:



I am SO in. I think. Must check dates of summer happenings.


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## Tad (Apr 3, 2007)

Tooz said:


> I am SO in. I think. Must check dates of summer happenings.



I'm predicting a sudden upsurge in FA volunteers for the Boston AIDs walk at the "handing out refreshments" stations  

-Ed


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 3, 2007)

Jes said:


> God, I LOVE corporate whores!


 
One year Ben and Jerry's was there handing out a brand new ice cream flavor on one side of the Charles and there were people handing out Dove bars on the other. *looks off wistfully* Yeah, that was a good year. :wubu:


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## TallFatSue (Apr 3, 2007)

I've never really thought about this, but I can probably walk several city blocks with no problem. The key is to walk. One thing I can't do for long is just stand around for long periods, because then my feet start to hurt and sometimes my ankles swell a little. Once I was just standing at a reception without thinking about it. By the end of the evening my feet hurt so much it took about 2 months for them to really feel normal again.


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## BBWTexan (Apr 3, 2007)

I've never thought much about how far I could walk in terms of distance... probably because I haven't actually tested myself. That being said, I enjoy walking and have spent hours at a time doing it while on vacation and such. I lived in D.C. all of last summer and by the nature of the city, there's a lot of walking involved in taking in the sights and just seeing the city. It wasn't uncommon for me to leave the house around noon and come home late that night after having walked constantly for the majority of that time. When I'm involved in something, like sightseeing, I just don't even notice it. Additionally, I'm at school 4 days a week and when I leave to go have lunch or something, I just find it easier and faster to walk the couple of blocks than to worry about driving. Plus, I find that a nice leisurely stroll gives me time to think.


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## RedHotAva (Apr 3, 2007)

I hadn't really thought about this before. Whenever I'm out on a big shopping trip, I basically walk all day nonstop (about 8 hours) and as long as I have on comfy shoes, I have no probs at all. A couple months ago, I was at the Orlando convention center, and to avoid paying for parking, I parked my car about 2 miles away from where I needed to be! I didn't realize how far it was until I actually made the hike, but I went back and forth 3 times that day, in addition to walking around the convention center, and my only beef was with my uncomfortable shoes. Same deal with walking around NYC- if it weren't for the shoes....


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## activistfatgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

I'm another vote for a fairly long distance walker, assuming I can keep my own pace. If I'm forced to speed walk/jog, I'll make it a couple city blocks before meltdown, probably including grimmacing and crying. 

But with a slow, steady pace, my feetsies take me lots of miles. 

Stairs: anything more than 2 stories makes me want to kill people.

I used to walk so much more in college, and I miss that. Now I drive to work. Sit down at work. Drive home. Sit down at home. Summer is better cause I walk in the evenings and weekends but Michigan winter usually means I'm lazy.

I walked probably 4-5 miles over the weekend in Chicago. I tend to get head aches and sore feet. I know why the sore feet, but headaches I'm not sure why.


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## lipmixgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

midsize fat girl... the big apple in the big apple... living in manhattan - i walk... endlessly... i am sure that i could walk 10 miles easily and leisurely... 

"team tubby" - lilly, i like it... or perhaps "group gargantua"?


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## Fairia (Apr 3, 2007)

With using public trans, having no car and walking to places in town and back to when it was like this in college, my walking stills are still top notch. I would've been alot heavier if I have some of those luxuries.


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## Esme (Apr 3, 2007)

I've been thinking about getting a pedometer for the past few weeks. I've been curious how much (or little) walking I actually do in a day, and I know I'd like to increase that. I feel better when I move more. I'm hoping a pedometer will inspire me to increase my walking a bit more. Has anyone tried one? If so, any luck? Tips? I know the national "goal" is 10,000 steps a day. I'm guessing I'll clock in at somewhere below that figure...


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## fabfatgrl (Apr 3, 2007)

Ummm... I'm 5'7"... 278 pounds give or take... and I regularly walk 5 miles per day... pushing a double stroller with two munchkins in it. I'm sure I can walk further than that... but that's our regular day. (We live in a city where it's easy to walk everywhere.) Walking has never been an issue for me regardless of size... walking fast is a different story.


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## Theatrmuse/Kara (Apr 3, 2007)

Right now I am weighing in at 378, am 5 foot 4 inches and walk on my treadmill about a mile four times a week.........as far as beyond that, whatever it takes for daily life, teaching, performing (sometimes difficult to stand on risers for over 2 hours) etc.......although I, too, do NOT like to sweat and if walking around with inclines.....prefer level ground!

I also walk slowly because of my many ankle/foot injuries over the decades and do NOT want to break anything again...............THAT slows me down in more ways than I want to talk about!

Canes or casts......bleck.......best to avoid em at all costs!:doh: 
Hugs, Kara


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## fatgirl33 (Apr 5, 2007)

With a little girl around, we find we do a LOT of walking now. Lily can walk very well now, but we still use the stroller a lot, and it's kind of nice because you can use it store your bags, and it slows your pace a little, so walking become more a relaxed thing than a mad rush.

Even though Sam has 170+ lbs on me, she can walk at least as far (if not as fast) as I can. For whatever reasons (probably genetics?) she doesn't tire too easily and can walk for pretty long distances. I'm not sure what a mile or a kilometer is on foot, so I'm not sure how far we go, but on weekends we typically spend an entire afternoon out walking to the park, etc. and are on our feet most of that time.

I haven't been remotely athletic since grade school, so maybe that's where I fall behind, despite being lighter? Neither of us cares much for stairs (another great reason to have a stroller with you is so you have an excuse to use the elevator!).

Brenda


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## Aliena (Apr 5, 2007)

Being someone that has had major mobility issues in the past, I was rather pleasantly surprised at my ability to walk this last weekend in St. Louis. In fact, I felt as though I could do more, A LOT more!

I've been working out 5-6 days a week for a few months now, before that it was more like 3-4 in the pool. I'm noticing major changes in my pain level, as in less pain, and my stamina has picked up greatly. 

It's still hard work though. Yesterday I had to talk myself into doing my routine. 

I don't know how far or how much, but I do know it's further than I imagine. I too have also considered getting one of those pedometers. I'm curious as to how much I do walk in a day.


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## Tad (Apr 5, 2007)

Aliena said:


> I don't know how far or how much, but I do know it's further than I imagine. I too have also considered getting one of those pedometers. I'm curious as to how much I do walk in a day.



You might want to ask around and find some other big folk with pedometers to see what brand(s) work for them. When my wife was a bit bigger (and by that I'm only talking a size 20, but she carries her weight mostly around the hips, which will be relevent in a couple of seconds) she got a cheap pedometer. For each of her steps it seemed to read most often two steps, sometimes one, sometimes three. All I can think of is that she jiggles/bounces a bit around her waistband, and that the pedometer was picking up each jiggle or bounce as a 'step.'

All just to say I'd look for testimonials or else see if you can try them out in a store first.

-Ed


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## TallFatSue (Apr 5, 2007)

Theatrmuse/Kara said:


> Canes or casts......bleck.......best to avoid em at all costs!:doh:


You got that right. Thank goodness I've had only a few minor scrapes over the years, because people who have had major injuries say that broken bones may heal but they never really completely return to normal. It's the same story regardless how thin or fat they were.

With that in mind, at my size definitely try to avoid falling, at all costs. The other day at work someone left a cable lying around and I tripped on it. As I fell over, I grabbed a nearby bookshelf for dear life and managed to keep myself upright. The poor bookshelf wasn't so lucky though. Kee-rash! Books flew everywhere, and the bookshelf itself was smashed. But better broken furniture than broken me. :doh: 

At my weight I always knew my legs were strong, but looks like my arms are strong too. I'd better be careful not to karate-chop the table at my next department meeting. Hi-yah! 

Anyone for a bear hug?


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