wow, loads of people changing jobs and having new challenges in their lives. It's good to read what everyone's doing!

Unfortunately i've nothing exciting to relate. I'm off to the middle of no-where in the desert in central Australia for 10 days tomorrow morning for work where i'll be doing nightshift for 9 days in a row, and i can guarantee you that that doesn't qualify as 'exciting'!! I do like my work though, so not complaining really.

The bit i'm quite excited about is that i'll be able to buy in my food and eat exactly what i choose and hopefully not be lead astray by anyone during this time, and hopefully get a run/jog in each day at some point too.

The other thing i'm quite excited about is that my diet is actually working!!!! Shock, horror!!! I'm ACTUALLY losing weight!!! And i only have 6lb to go to be my dream weight (as in, it's-never-going-to-happen-you're-kidding-yourself dream weight!!!)

Lisa ~ That's pretty cool about teaching lessons! I teach violin on the side, too. Only have one student at the moment, but am aiming to have more hopefully in the future. And the good thing about trying to lose weight now is that shoot, if you can do it now, you can do ANYTHING and maintenance should be a breeze.

ange ~ So good to hear that you love what you do for a living. I'm always encouraged when I hear things like that. What kind of work do you do? And you're so close to your goal weight, too!

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Have symphony rehearsal tonight, then aiming to be in bed early b.c I really want to try to make a 6:15AM yoga class tomorrow... Ambitious, sure. But I'm a Feather and anything is possible!

hi alex our customers are mining processing plants and i test new chemicals that our company has developed to improve their processing efficiency, so normally i'll do some tests in the lab first, and hopefully the next stage is a plant trial where we bring in tonnes of the chosen product with equipment to dose it etc and monitor the effect on the process, which is what i'm doing at a uranium plant this week. Trouble is it's a 24hr process so the monitoring during the trial period has to be round the clock!

I get to go to heaps of interesting places around the world. It's pretty specialist so i'd have a hard time getting a different job at equivalent level, but it really suits me and i love it!

your job sounds interesting!

I watched Mrs Careys Concert last night. It's an aussie 'film' or really a 'documentary' following a girls schools preparation for giving a classical concert at the Sydney Operah House. Some really talented kids - especially the lead violin!

Ooooh, Ange ~ Your job sounds so interesting! I love science-y type things. Wish that I had put in the study hours to qualify for a job like that. How long have you been doing it? That doco sounds interesting... will have to check it out.

Confession time. Maintenance is so, so hard. When I was weighed at the doctors office a month ago in the middle of the day, I weighed 138, with clothes, purse, shoes, AND coat. I figured that put me at around 133 for naked morning weigh in and I was good with that. I also began birth control pills that week. I had been eating out of control ever since. I could say it was because the BC was making more hungry, but was I eating because I was hungry or just to eat? Just to eat. So I braved the scale 10 mornings ago, and saw 138 staring back at me, my absolute red line weight. I decided to start eating less and healthier foods. I had not been perfect, but better. The past two days have been perfect, plenty of water, good clean foods in normal amounts, and I got a light run in both days, so I decided to revisit the scale. 142 pounds!!! WHAT? HOW? I wasn't expecting a drastic loss, but maybe a 1 or 2 lb water weight loss over the past 10 days. Instead I am UP 5 pounds? And I normally do not fluctuate. My breasts have been really sore the last four or five days. They always get bigger when I start BC (haven't been on it in 1.5 years). But 5 pounds bigger? I don't think so. And my period is due to start, but again, I don't usually retain water because of salt, monthly changes, anything.
I really don't want to start counting calories again, but I looked it up and I haven't tracked calories since the end of June. In those four months I have went from 130 to 142, so obviously something must be done. Why don't I want to count calories? It isn't time consuming;it isn't difficult, it is just....restrictive. But look where loosening the reigns has gotten me. 12 pounds fatter. No more excuses.
On the plus side, with just two days of drinking more water and eating healthy foods, I feel better and have more energy. I feel so foggy when I overeat junk food.

aimeebell - I know exactly the feeling. I decided just to 'eat healthy and not to much' and 'be active'..I felt totally fine but I went from 135-150 in two years..so now I'm back to counting calories and my weight is dropping again. I really hate the feeling of restricting myself..and thinking about calories all the time..but its the only way I lose.

Alexis- thats cool you play! I teach voice and piano, I have about 25 students, I've been doing it for 5 years. I'm getting tired of it though so I'm excited to hopefully start grad school.

I've so far had about a week staying on plan, my clothes are starting to feel looser and I tried on clothes at the mall and I was easily fitting into a size 8..I think 5 more lbs should get me back into size 6's.

Hey guys...
I know this is really strange since none of us really know each other, but I am in such a dilemma and I need some advice. Asking friends and family is a dead end because everyone knows me well and will tell me what they think I want to hear, or have their opinions based on my life. I need someone who doesn't know me to offer me something and maybe provide a different perspective.

If anyone is willing to help, send me a private message and maybe we can chat on instant messenger or I could just send you a really long winded e-mail. I know this sounds weird but I am so confused right now and I can't decide what to do. Thanks everyone.

Oh, and it has nothing to do with weight loss or anything like that, so I would totally understand if no one wants to get into something that has nothing to do with this board

I sent you a pm pinkrunner

So I'm over my calories by like 300..hit 1550 But I did have dinner and wine with a friend I haven't seen in a while which was nice so I guess it was worth the extra 300 calories. She also noticed I had lost weight and said I looked great!

Hey Pinkrunner ~ I pm'd you, too.

Lisa~ Sounds like those extra 300 cals were well spent! And isn't that the best feeling when people comment on your "new look"?!?!?

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I'm just trying to keep my head in the game. I was at 152.6 yesterday, didn't weigh this morning, but have been eating a ton of "winter comfort food" (sweet potatoes, rice, crackers, ect...) Was kind of like bonding time with the momma, but if I'm going to have those times (and I most certainly will this winter) then I will just have to budget for them and make up for the cals as I go along....

Well guys, I didn't end up taking the job. Thank you to everyone who sent me a message I appreciate that so many were willing to help. It was a really agonizing decision and I have serious regrets, but overall I've realized that my husband and I will be able to save more money and be better off financially if I stay here and reapply next year when my husband will be able to join me. Because my situation ended up being so crazy (stuff with my husband's job changed and we're not entirely sure when he'd be able to get to me) the department I wanted to work for was very understanding and said that they won't hold any of this against me and that I'm welcome to reapply next year.

I've been incredibly stressed out over this decision though, and it's made me lose my appetite. I've lost three pounds in the past couple of days. I'm not updating my weight on here because it's not "real" weight loss and I know it will just crawl back on.

This entire situation has made me realize one thing though: I need to make this next year worthwhile if I'm not doing my dream job. So I am going to take weight loss more seriously than before, and try to get into really great shape. My goal is to be at my goal weight by the time I reapply for the job again (which I'm guessing will open up sometime around next July).

I just want to thank everyone on this board. I love reading about what everyone is doing and how you're all progressing. If anyone needs advice, I'd be happy to return the favor since so many of you responded to my problem :-)

Pinkrunner - glad to hear things worked out, it sounds like you made the best decision for your family

I'm down to 141!! Almost in the 130's! Also I just realized i'm having my wisdom teeth out a week before Christmas, not sure if this is a blessing or a curse.

morning, feathers.
Congrats on making a decision pinkrunner and being inspired to make it a great year. And good luck reapplying next year.

Ooh, probably not a perfect time, Lisa, but I didn't have any trouble at all when I had mine out. Plus I suppose it will help you stay away from all the goodies in the week leading up to Christmas.

My cold didn't knock me down too much. In fact I got a really nice long run in right in the middle of it. But now it's colder here and I'm having trouble motivating to get outside. Eating is okay, except for a little too much Halloween candy this weekend.

some people will just stop at nothing when it comes to weight-loss techniques...

Hi Guys, I'm joining the feather crew as I just crossed over to 139. I will be feeling pretty normal at 125 but in the long run want to get back to my old under-110. For some reason I'm suddenly feeling motivated and it's coming off steadily! Think I just had gone against my solitary ways and tried to "join up" with WW and exercise groups. I do better by my little old lonesome.

Feeling productive professionally too. I was a full-time musician for 30 years, now thanks to a late-life degree I'm a writer! But it's all up to me to get anything done, and feeling less blubbery has definitely cleared the brain.

Good luck! Mine were quite easy (next to no pain or swelling - in fact, I was a violator and ate some crispy indian treats 24 hours afterward....which may be part of the reason I'm still in this featherweights forum....). Hope you have the same (minus the fried, crispy treats)

I figure either way you win. Option 1: easy recovery, life is normal very soon (woo hoo!). Option 2: not as easy recovery, but you get to enjoy some pudding (woo hoo!) and probably eat less than normal and lose a pound or two (woo hoo!).