[IBelieveInMe2]

purplecow: Congratulations on being down 30 pounds!!! That is so AWESOME!!! I don't think anything is more inspirational than RESULTS! That must feel terrific to be OUT of plus sizes. I can't wait for those days again! I can get by with some XL tops, but I usually still need 1x in the cute stuff. What a great buy on that Ann Taylor blouse! Very happy for you! Keep up the great work!

[IBelieveInMe2]

Monica: So sorry to hear that you fell off the sugar-free wagon. Do your best to hop right back on board as soon as you can! Glad to hear that Holly inspired you to tackle part of your garage. That's great! I think we should designate HOLLY as our official "kick clutter's @$$" cheerleader! She also inspired me to go through some of the way too many t-shirts I have and put a large pile aside to donate. I have WAY more clothes to go through that I am not wearing, but at least I sort of made a dent. I am trying to find my swimsuits from last year. So far, I have looked several places with no luck , but I'm not giving up. We have a pool in our back yard, so I need/want to find them soon! I plan on swimming a lot this year for exercise. I'm not a very good swimmer, but just doing my sloppy amateur laps should help. We are going on a 5-day cruise in January, and I REALLY need to get moving on losing some serious weight. I had hoped to shed the weight by summer, but ready or not, summer is almost here and the weight remains. So my new goal is to lose major weight by cruise time. I try to look at each new day as a new opportunity to get things right in the weight loss department, but lately I feel as though the days are passing me by before I can get anything accomplished in that area. It is so frustrating!!! Best of luck to you on your South Beach type diet. You can do it!!! I will be cheering you on!

[Coop27]

Purplecow - how frustrating to lose your post! Congrats on getting into the smaller bargain blouse!

Holly - you're right, it is so much more important to be healthy than to be slim! I'm not sure where the cut off is exactly, but you sound like you're doing well!

Kathleen - still a tiny touch of toothache, but getting better.

Still feeling quite upbeat - summer just arrived overnight here, it hadbeen unusually cold up to now, but suddenly the trees are all green again! My waistline is continuing to shrink slowly, I've lost 10lbs since changing medications. Unbelievable how these things impact us! Still a fair way to go though...

[Lisaluvshearts]

I am a mess. I am eating way too much. I am gaining a lot of weight. I havent been as honest with all of you as I should be. I honestly don't know what to do. I am seeing a therapist but...I just dont know what to do?

[Coop27]

Originally Posted by Lisaluvshearts

I am a mess. I am eating way too much. I am gaining a lot of weight. I havent been as honest with all of you as I should be. I honestly don't know what to do. I am seeing a therapist but...I just dont know what to do?

Lisa, I was the same with my mum. I'd be sitting there thinking "eating's not going to make it any better" while stuffing my face. I'd try not to, then think "not eating isn't making me feel any better either" and start stuffing my face again. It will pass. Why not try to distract yourself? Can you try knitting to keep your hands busy? Or do something to negate the calories - I know your back hurts, but is there anything you can do? Even just a slow walk?

Please don't feel bad for not being open, we know what you're going through. We're here when you need us x

[EasySpirit]

Kathleen, I am trying something new with my Spring/summer clothes that I read in a magazine. I brought them down from my attic, laundered them, then turned them all inside out. When I am ready for winter clothes, I am donating any items that are still inside out! If I had them last year, and I do not wear them this year, they are going!! Then, I will do it with my winter clothes when I bring them down in the Fall.

If you still can't find your swimsuits, I have had very good luck buying them on swimsuitsforall.com and swimandsweat. I need suits for the beach and for the Y, so I am always on the lookouts for bargains.

Holly, how did the day go when you went to work for the rat b*stard?? Did he give you another $2.00 bonus? I am still working on the garage. Why do I have four crockpots? I use my small 1 1/2 quart one and my 4 quart one - I never use the huge one or the old round one! Why do I have three different size George Forman grills? Because I tell myself, you would use it if you had a larger one or a smaller one......... I have so many duplicates! They are go, go, going next year. I put a sticky note with the date on each one - If the sticky note is still on something in TWO years, that item is going.

Lisa, Coop is right - it is a very hard thing to go through. Sometimes you are fine, sometimes horrible - but you do get better. The first year and a half or so were really tough on me. I still have times when I want to show my mother something or ask her something or just talk with her, but it in no way can be compared to the first 18 months or so.

Hello to everyone else. Let's keep trying.

[Lisaluvshearts]

I'm sitting here today crying. I am so sad and scared. I am sad mom's gone and I'm sad that I am in such grief. It's been a long time since I had a depression and now that I am suffering, I'm just scared. I don't know how to heal.

[Coop27]

Lisa - there are no quick fixes I'm afraid. I lost my mum 15 months ago now, and I still don't feel "there" yet. It's a long road. I have to say, my sister dealt with things by avoiding everything she thought would be too tough (I.e. Christmas), where my dad and I felt it better to just face the painful things and get it out the way. Everyone is different. My sister eventually came round to feel that it was better to face the painful things too though. Once you make it through the firsts (birthday, mother's day), you'll see you're capable of amazing strength, and it will help you get through the next big one.


My OH's dad is starting to feel his health decline again. I haven't mentioned his health for a while, but he discovered he had lung cancer in November, and had a course of radiotherapy in December. It shrunk the tumour (we know he's not curable), but his health is starting to decline again, a little sooner than expected. He's being tested to enrol in a new drug trial though, and I hope it will make a difference.

[purplecow]

Keep talking to your therapist and take it one day at a time. We're all pulling for you!

[Lisaluvshearts]

Thank you so much, Coop and purplecow. Seeing that there is hope in your posts helps me.

That is one of my fears, that this depression will never go away. I'm also afraid it will lead me down a path that I have been to before, having to be hospitalized. That is a huge fear, it scares the bejeezus out of me. Yesterday was awful, I cried so loud, I wailed. My dog was upset. I felt bad.

I'm supposed to go see a friend today, I don't feel like going, not sure if I will or not.


Thank you so much for understanding what I am going through and posting positive thoughts to me.

[Coop27]

Lisa - in a really weird way, I find your posts reassuring that the way I reacted myself wasn't odd! I live in an apartment building and once wailed so loud, it woke the neighbours at 3am!! And our walls weren't that thin... When I talked to a friend about her depression, it surprised me how similar our struggles were, but at least I knew the reason for my depression (I've always had a reason for my depression, even before that). I know you're scared to go down that path, but I hope knowing the reason this time will help save you.

[Lisaluvshearts]

Coop, thank you so much for understanding my pain. Man, this is such a big adjustment, it's so ****ing hard. She's been gone a couple of months and in a way, I feel worse than I did when she passed. I guess it is sinking in that she is gone from my life. Thanks again for understanding.

To all the wonderful ladies that post here, I miss you.


I spent some of my day at the humane society. They are closing on June 9th, I am heartbroken. Where will all the strays of my town go? There isnt going to be anywhere.

Jennifer and I decided to adopt a dog and a cat, so we went today and looked. The cat we wanted had a bad eye and we were unable to adopt her. They told us she couldn't go to a home with other cats. I think that is stupid. They only had one other cat who wouldn't come see us. We looked at dogs too but came away without one.

They only had 3 dogs to choose from and were very busy. I think that is wonderful, perhaps they can adopt out all of the animals.


We are still looking for a kitten for Ruby.

I am still down today but whats new?

Thats all for now. Much love to all.

[IBelieveInMe2]

Lisa: I'm so sorry I haven't been here the past couple days while you've been having such a hard time. Please hang in there... if not for yourself and Jennifer, then for all of us here in this group who love you, too! I am so happy that Coop and EasySpirit are able to share their experiences with you. They've been there and survived and you will, too. It is just going to take time. I am sending my prayers and a huge hug!!!

P.S. - Did you ever have that job interview?

[EasySpirit]

I just got back to the Cape after a long weekend of Red Sox games, fun and too much eating - oh, well...back in the saddle!

Lisa, I was numb for the first few months - My mother died totally unexpectedly - she was combing her hair to go out to lunch when she said she had the worst headache in her life. A few days later we turned off the machines, and she did not take one breath; she had stroked out. That was in November, and I was numb through Thanksgiving and Christmas. I even had my usual Christmas get-together for my neighbors, had my house decorated, etc. I was in denial, numb, depressed. Whenever any of us were depressed or had any problem, my mother would say, "Put a smile on your face; put one foot in front of the other and MOVE!" So, that is what I did. The sadness took over in the early Spring; Mother's Day and my mother's birthday were tough that first year. Then, what was the second Thanksgiving and Christmas hit us all like a ton of bricks. Probably because of the time of year of my mother's passing, I am going to say it took 14-15 months for acceptance. I still want to ask her questions, tell her something, etc., but it is much, much easier to deal with.

I know the feeling that you will feel that horrible grief forever, but you won't. It lessens with time, which you need to give yourself. Go easy on yourself; do things that give you comfort. DO NOT berate yourself for feeling the way you do, and do not worry about the depth of your depression. It is NORMAL; it is a part of life. Losing your mother is one of life's greatest sorrows. But, you will get through it.


Hello to everyone else. I hope you are all doing better than I am on the dieting this week.

[Lisaluvshearts]

HI ladies,


I am feeling better, not so down. I've been taking my meds better than I did before. I hate taking my Lamictal, the pill is dry tasting. bleh I now see that it is important for me to keep up on taking it consistently. I haven't been laughing but my mood isn't so dark.


We got a kitten yesterday. He's so cute. I will try to post a picture.


I went to my job interview but the company has no clients in my area. I'd have to drive a ways to get to work. I decided to see what else is out there and keep looking. Meanwhile, I am broke. It's really hard.

EasySpirit, I do feel better as I said but yeah, the firsts are going to be really hard. My mom's birthday is next month, she would have been 85.


Kathleen, thank you so much for being so kind. Yours, EasySpirits and Coop's posts helped me a lot.





I will post again soon. Much love to all.