Nancy,

I read your post about your job. I made the mistake of staying in a position that made me miserable. I kept telling myself that I would change positions "as soon as" and ended up stuck. I was with my company 20 years and hit the "glass ceiling". I didn't want to leave the company because of all the vacation, seniority, etc. But, the company was in a cutting-back mode and there was no chance for advancement. I was stuck in a job that was high-stress, and then I got sick.

Of course, that is NOT going to happen to you. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you are unhappy, make the change now. You deserve to be happy in your professional and personal life.

Never postpone joy.

Please forgive me if I am out of line.

Nelie~ WAY TO GO!!!!

Hello Amy--- It looks like you have been making lots of positive changes in your life. I am very excited that you have stopped smoking! Keep up the good work!

Woo hoooooo Nelie!!

And Amy... back!

4MeNow - You are definitely not out of line. That is one of the great things about this board - getting to hear different viewpoints and wisdom from other people who have been where you are. It has only recently gotten to a place where I am unhappy - I actually used to love my job. In some ways it is many people's dream job. I report to a boss who lives halfway around the world, I run the office and as long as I get my job done no one bothers me at all. The problem is that I care about the people but don't feel good about the direction the company is taking. I feel helpless because I can't do anything about the mistakes I see people making all around me. I am also rather entwined there so it will be hard to get out. They couldn’t hire someone to replace all I am doing because for example I have full check signing privileges and you certainly couldn't give that to a new hire. Time will tell, but I am definitely going to start positioning myself to be able to leave.

Amy - Welcome back! I am so glad to hear you got out of that toxic job. Also congratulations on quitting smoking. That could certainly account for some of the weight gain. Don't worry about it though - the important thing is keeping at it. For some reason I had thought you had already moved, but October is right around the corner!

Misti - Are you doing some sort of strange age reversal program? Each picture you post looks younger and younger!

LOL thanks, Nancy! I am trying! Actually I was disappointed as I had a better one but the file is corrupted. I can get it back but not until Monday as it was taken at work.

Congrats on all the weight you have lost!!! Way to go.

[QUOTE=VioletSwerve;1407235][FONT="Georgia"][SIZE="3"]Hi everyone. I havent been around for a loooooong time. I am starting back on my journey starting Monday. The bad news is that I have gained back what little weight I did lose before. The good news is that I am starting out at the same weight when I started the first time, not any higher.

Congratulations on getting back on track Amy! Dieting and stopping smoking around the same time, I am very impressed! I have to do one goal at a time. Right now it's dieting...then drinking the correct number of glasses of water per day...finally exercising...eventually I want to juggle all three at once

Vicky

HI ALL!
WELCOME BACK VIOLET!!!!!!!! We MISSED you! I'm so glad you've come back. I stalled out for quite a while and coming here was a key for me not to backslide as well, and helped boost me back on the wagon... repeatedly. I'm glad you're taking control before the damage hit a new high. The combination of Curves and WW - and a little help from your doc & your friends @ 3FC - sounds like a good plan! GO FOR IT! And you QUIT SMOKING, TOO?? That's a REAL challenge, especially combining it with weight loss too, but you can do it! I hpe KC works out for you - don't you go and lose track of us in the chaos!!

NANCY, I've heard that the VAST majority of separations/divorces are due to finance issues rather than infidelity or other things - Like 80% or something. I believe it. Dealing with that sort of stress day in and day out can just kill a person. I'm glad you at least see the problem before you get in as deep as I did. Perhaps you still have a chance to remedy the thing. At least when they cheat they KNOW exactly what they did wrong and they know why you're upset. But with the spending problem, they really don't get it. They can't see what the problem is, much less what must be done to fix it... and generally I have to think that (like infidelity) they don't really WANT to fix it. It's kind of like court ordered drug treatment: If they're changing their behavior against their own will, how long will it last? How many other problems will appear? sigh.

Chickies, I'm ready for bed, but have 'paperwork' that MUST be done before the sun pops back up. I'm walking the American Heart Association walk tomorrow morning, too, so I'm off now.

Take care - and don't stay up too late, k? Especially you, LILION. ...Well, OK, it IS a weekend. Do whatcha want.

I decided to post a few photos on the picture page... series of progress pix. Wow I can't believe how horrid those first ones were! I still have a long way to go but I can definitely see progress!!!

Hi peeps .. just a quick stop in ... just got back from my trip to the city with Scoot and Ash and Jamie (my friends son .. my "shared" son lol). It was a lovely trip in the test drive car .. for once I didnt get car sick going over the ranges between our side of the island and the other ... so that is definitely a car I hope we get rofl ...

When we had dropped off the car we went to the main mall and had a look at some dvds .. but we didnt find any we liked .. then when we were leaving Scoot said Burger King?? OMG .. soooooo tempting ... I said "sure, why not .. if Im gonna screw up my diet might as well do a good job of it" ... BUT .. as soon as I said that I thought of coming on here and telling everyone and thought OMG .. what am I thinking!!?? Sooo I said to Scoot .. hunny .. I prefer to go to Subway if we gonna go out for lunch? So back to the car park and off we drove closer to the city to find a subway I had my usual - 2 x 6" on wheat - Subway club and Roast chicken. Total kj for lunch was 2600 .. a bit more than I would usually have thru the week - but my daily intake is an average of 7000kj (about 1650cal) and breakfast was 1000kj ... so Im still well under cos dinner is mainly vegetables Oh .. I didnt finish my 2nd roll tho .. ate about half and gave the rest to Scoot.

When we were leaving Subway Scoot reminded me that there was a lovely German bakery up the road .. ooooh .. I hadnt had anything like that since I was in Germany in 2004 .. so I said ok .. lets go .. I will do my fill on the smell and then we can go home lol .. we went in there and Scoot went and ordered a blueberry white choc sponge roll .. OH NOOOO ... I had 2 teaspoons of it .. he offered me more but I said nope .. that just took my lunch up to 3000 probably rofl .. so we went for a bit of a walk through the street and window shopped

So it was my treat day and I had a lovely time (weather was beautiful too) and considering how badly I could have done if I was out a few months ago compared to now I did very good while still enjoying a treat

Tonight its cornfed chicken breast with steamed veges .. my fave!

Just a couple of personals -

NELIE - WTG hun .. that is definitely a momentous achievement .... I am now picturing 100 blocks of butter!! WOW!!! And Im sure you will reach your ultimate goal cos you know you have done so well already!

4MENOW - Hiya and welcome on in ... what a great way of thinking!! Im sure with your mind set in the way it is you will achieve whatever you set out to do Well done!

MELISSA - Get well soon hun ... boy there must be something going round on the boards cos a lot of ppl are going down with something!

TRIX - well done on avoided the EE ... definitely a big achievement on these boards Crap about your haircut tho hun .. at least it will grow out .. eventually.

NANCY - Good luck on your future choices ... life is definitely too short to keep working in something that makes you miserable ... at least for a long term ... there is always a tomorrow ... but that doesnt mean you will eternally have access to them lol ..

VIOLET - Hiiii and welcome back to the boards and good on you for getting back on your healthy journey ... I know it will be hard doing both weight loss AND quitting smoking ... so if you find it too overwhelming I hope you wont just disappear ... sometimes its a case of dont focus on the weight loss and just eat healthy and focus on quitting the ciggies. I have been smoke free 5 years in December ... unfortunately that is why my weight went up so much lol .. but I know it was stressful cos I had been smoking almost 10 years.

Oh ... someone mentioned alternatives to Dennys in the #1007 I think ... unfortunately we dont have a lot of those places in NZ ... there are only 2 Dennys restaurants in NZ .. one is in Auckland and the other is in a suburb of Wellington (there might be one in the South Island too I suppose) ... the only other chains we have in NZ are : McDees, BK, KFC, Wendys, Subway, Starbucks ... ummm .... think thats all .. oh Cobb & Co and Valentines are 2 restaurant chains .. but I dont know if they are overseas as well or not rofl ..

Anyway .. better start getting dinner sorted out

Great days all and sorry if I missed your achievements today .. but I do wish you wonderful!

Huggies

Nelie! 100 pounds!! WooHOOOoOOOOOO!!!

A number of us have reached that milestone, with more coming!!!!!!!

Nancy – I was once told to never consider yourself irreplaceable for a job. Somehow your company would get by without you. Plus, if you keep thinking about THEM, what about you???

Amy – Welcome BACK!! Of COURSE we understand about this whole weight loss “thing” and why you’d bow out for a time. We’re just glad you’re back!

Katt – WTG on going out to lunch!!! Sounds like you did great!

4MeNow – Welcome!!

I just want to invite all the returnees and newbies to our 300+ exercise thread. We’re trying to make exercise a habit! We set goals of minutes of exercise for the month and report back to the group. Then we also keep track of the group total. We have exercised over 100,000 minutes this year and going strong! You can join any time in the month! Check out our stickied thread at or near the top of the 300+ page!

Just a quick note (mean it this time rofl) .. have just posted my starting weight pics .. and then the ones Scoot took of me tonight .. Im gonna try to plan my next pics for when I havent had a busy day and am more relaxed .. Im even wearing a sleeveless top which is something I havent done for about 3 years!! (mind you .. it was just around the house rofl).

Wyllenn - will be back to the exercise thread next week Have the doctors on Monday but that is the afternoon so will get it done in the morning ... its definitely a great inspiration going there I would have been there more often this week but I was doing non-set exercise .. lots of cleaning and moving of furniture ... so didnt add any of those to my minutes .. was I supposed to??? If so then I think I need to up my minutes rofl.

Misti - Have just seen your pics hun .. WOW!!! You are looking FANTASTIC!! Great job!

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments
I did decide to treat myself yesterday and I went shopping at Lane Bryant. I had some coupons (real women dollars) and bought 8 tops for 80 dollars. I bought a couple nicer ones and a few plain ones. All size 14/16. I don't know what I'm going to do when my 14/16 tops become too big...

Misti - Boob lady indeed! You have come a long way and it shows.