Hi guys,

If you've been on here for a little while, you might remember me. I was on here pretty much every day from June until mid-September. Everyone here was super helpful, whether I needed advice or just a little cheerleading to get me through the day...I managed to lose about 40 lbs between the beginning of June and the end of August, and I was feeling good...

...then September 14th happened. While I was riding my bike home from the grocery store, a man jumped out of his car, pushed me off of my bike, and tried to drag me into the car with him. I screamed at him in 3 languages, probably broke a few of his ribs by slamming him against the car trying to avoid the open door, and managed to punch him in the face before another truck came up the road and the headlights spooked the guy. When I called the police, rather than trying to help me, they told me that I was stupid for being alone at night in such a dangerous area (mind you, it was 9pm on a Friday night roughly 2 minutes from my apartment). They made it sound like it was my fault, and it made me feel incredibly unsafe and insecure. Since people were already blaming me, I blamed the weight I'd lost...after all, no one would have wanted me if I was still almost 200 lbs and invisible. So I stopped counting my calories and left the site.

Since then I haven't exactly been good with my eating, but I haven't been exceptionally bad either. Recently I found a gym half an hour's bike ride from my new apartment (in a better lit area, on the busiest street in town, so even if some jackass wanted to try grabbing me from behind a guardrail, they would have an awful lot of trouble stopping, never mind trying to keep people from noticing) and I've been going pretty regularly after work. I stepped on the scale this morning and my weight was a few hundred grams less than when I left off here, so rather than wasting another 2 months, I think it's high time to come back.

When I logged on, I came back to an inbox stuffed with well wishes and support, which frankly was quite the surprise. I don't know anyone on here irl, yet so many people reached out when I was in a time of need. So thank you, lovely ladies of 3FC. It really means a lot to me that you would care so much about a complete stranger.

Seriously. Thank you.

Hi Hotaruchan! I was just thinking about you earlier today- I was reading through old posts and came across one of yours.

I'm so sorry that happened to you! I would have been scared to death. The police you called clearly suck. Jerks.

I'm glad you haven't gone too off track with your weight, although I certainly wouldn't have blamed you if you did- I would feel exactly like you described. But I am happy you've managed to get back on the horse and have started going to the gym again.

Glad to see you're okay!

welcome back!! i was JUST wondering the other day what happened to you! i never thought about using the PM function on here (doh!)...what a scary thing to happen! good for you for how you fought back! ((hugs))

Hotaruchan, it is wonderful to see you back! You have always been an inspiration by coming so far in such a short space of time. I'm so sorry to hear about you ordeal but you seem to be doing well and coming out of it on top! I wish you the best of luck for the rest of your journey!

Hotaruchan - I'm so sorry to hear this awful thing happened to you. I'm sickens me that people like this are out waiting for these opportunities. I'm very happy your back because regardless predators are going to be out and we have to be careful.

Hotaruchan, it is great to have you back. I'm glad you gave that creep H E L L! And that you are now in a safer neighborhood.

Oh my gosh!! That is so crazy scary. I have been wondering how you were doing. I didn't know that had happened. I'm glad you've kept up the work. It always stinks to stall but atleast it didn't take much to get back. And more importantly working out will hopefully give you more confidence to be able to live there. I am amazed at the horribleness of some people.
Glad to see you back,
Bethany

I didn't join until after you left but I am glad to see you here and it is terrible to hear what happened to you. The sad truth is, sometimes the police don't want to take any blame so they blame it on the victims. But you were certainly not to blame. Great to see you here, I look forward to you being part of the fatchick community!

I am so glad that you're ok. You did everything right in that situation, and I'm so glad you got away from that horrible person. I can't believe the police would regard your story in that way. Thank goodness you've gotten a new apartment. It's lucky you had the resources to make that happen. I hope that will go a long way to making you feel safer.

I don't think this had anything to do with your weight. I think it was all right place at the right time (or wrong place, as the case may be).

If it were me I'd be pumping iron like nobody's business! Hopefully that never happens again to you, but there are a lot of girls here in Alaska at the university I go to who take defense classes. There have been incidents on the campus of attacks and such, but every once in awhile you hear about a woman who gets attacked and just beats the crap out of the guy because she'd been taking self-defense classes and working out.

Oh my gosh, that's horrific. So sorry you had to go through that

I remember reading your thread and feeling concerned at the time.

Glad you're back and hope you can put that awful situation behind you. Nobody should have to go through that, let alone be made to feel that it was their own fault.

Best of luck with your continued weightloss

I'm glad you're ok!!! Hugs

Welcome back!

I don't have any words, other then

a) so glad you are safe

b) cops are stupid and don't seem to understand situations where the slightest bit of empathy is required


welcome back!

I'm glad you're okay and back and I'm so sorry that happened to you!