Sorry chicks, if I step on any toes here, but seeing that's it's September 4th and yesterday I turned 40... I see it as a sign to start a new thread!


My name is Renée and I live in the Netherlands, though I am originally from the US (New Mexico to be exact).

I am not married yet (was supposed to be October but that's another story for another time - my date is now March 6th 2009), but I am living together with my Dutch partner, a great guy, a great dad to my two step-kids (she is 10, he is 7). My biggest challenge that I have (or my greatest "excuse") is that we live 130 km (or just over 100 miles) away from where I work so I lose 20 hours a week just traveling back and forth to the office. Since June I actually have been renting an apartment in the town where I work, or rather, a room, but I'm going to stop that as of the end of this month. 1) I'm not doing any of the things I said I was going to do (eat right, prepare meals, go to the gym, have a social life), 2) I am working WAY more than I was before, which causes stress, which triggers stress eating and not going to the gym and 3) I simply really don't like living away from my guy. Plus it will now save me €300 a month that I can put towards my bills and/or my wedding.

I love where I work and I just got a promotion, so finding a new job in the area where I live is not an option right now. Because of this promotion it's really important that I stay here for a while to have the experience to move on to somewhere else. I have struggled in the recent past with depression, job loss, divorce, almost being broke, temp jobs, etc. - this is too much of a good thing to leave too soon.

What else can I tell you? Well, I'll put it out there... I'm desperate for support. Really desperate! I honestly have no one here that I can check in with on a daily basis and I could really use some support. I am a lifetime WW'er - which sometimes depresses me even more... I LOST the weight, I KEPT it off, but in true emotional eater style I gained it all back in my really bad period a few years ago.

I am a Weight Watcher but my eating/lifestyle philosophy is based on whole, nutrition foods, superfoods, and moderation. On top of that, then, the choices I would make would be calculated into points. Theoretically of course... WHEN I'm actually counting points. *sigh*

If you've made it through all of this, thank you and again, I'm sorry for starting the thread, I'm just really eager to reach out and to meet you guys and to get support and give it where I can.

Renée

Hi Renée, glad you started a new thread, it'll be good getting to know everyone here! Congrats on the wedding

-Susan

thank you Susan! Good to meet you!

I want to hear more about your wedding, Renée! And how lame am I...I got to change my CW down another ell bee this morning, so every time I make a post I stare at the new number. Some would say I need to get a life...

-Susan

hey! you don't need to get a life! unless I do as well... my scale said 204.4 this morning and last week it was 205 it's the little things in life!

So, my wedding...
Well, you see, I've been married before. TWICE before. Yes, I'm one of those people. I joke all the time and tell people I'm going for Elizabeth Taylor Status, but of course inside it pains me that I've done this all before. The fact I'm doing it again scares me to death, but I have finally come to a point in my life where I'm not doing things because it seems the right thing to do.

Anyway, we were supposed to get married in October. Mind you he asked me almost 2 years ago but I have been putting it off. Why? Simply because of my weight!! So, weight loss or not we were going to get married. And guess what... with the regulations here to get married, we missed our registration to get the date we wanted! We wanted to do it here, including the kids, so we were bound by their school schedules. This is the second time we've postponed now so I said, "right, that's it, we are going to Vegas!" And Ron practically jumped up in the air and said "YES!!" So, that's it. We are pretty much eloping!

I have a weird relationship with my parents/family, and his family is also on the weird side, and no, it doesn't include the kids, but we are good with this decision now.

A few friends in the States will probably come, but honestly, if it's just me and him I'm ok with that too. BUT... yes I need to have a hot dress and a nice 'do and it will be a beautiful day in the way that we want it, so now I'm actually excited about it!

Well that sounds great! Good for you. Would love to see wedding pix when it's all said and done.

-Susan

I will definitely share pics when we have them

Renee, NEVER apologize for starting a thread. That said, Happy Birthday to you and welcome to your 40's. It sounds like you have a lot going on in your life, but you can accomplish weight loss along with all of your other successes. I'm 44. Mother of 4. I do not work my hubs of 14 years does that while I do everything else. It works for us. I was a yo yo dieter my entire life. All through my adult life I would gain and lose the same 30 pounds every winter and spring. Talk about a revolving closet!! I started focusing on being healthy 27 months ago. It's a slower losing process, but there has been no up and down. I'm either maintaining or losing. I'm looking forward to getting to know you. Hopefully we can give and get support together.

Welcome to 40's, Velveteen! It's a good place to be. I'm sure that the others from the chat thread will join over here soon. It helps to post on the old thread that you are posting a new thread, so I told everyone else about it.

Good luck with your wedding plans.

Hi Renee welcome to the 40's and happy birthday. A Vegas wedding sounds like fun.

My weigh in and I'm down half a pound. I'm just rolling along maintaining. I know what I need to do. Here's to a better week.

It's absolutely pouring rain here at the minute. All from Gustav, it's going to lower our temps which is a good thing.

oops, sorry! yes you are right, posting the link in the old thread would have been helpful!

lovn - great to meet you and thanks! and I just didn't want to be like new girl jumping in too enthusiastically but I'm glad you guys are ok with me starting the new thread. That's great you've been losing and/or maintaining... slow is better than NO, right?

Diane - thanks and great to meet you here too!

Clydegirl - thanks very much!

We are all just chatting away on the old thread lol.

Hello All,

Just wanted to post a quick response to Rennie about Curves. I belonged there for 2+ years and really enjoyed it, although it did get a little boring at the end. The reason I quit was because I wanted dh to start exercising and he of course can't go there so we joined the local community center which has a gym. The thing I liked best about Curves is that I didn't have to think at all, I just jumped in and started working, the faster you work the harder it is. Now I have to remember where I set the machines, but at least dh is feeling better (minus the cancer treatments but that's another story). I lucked out when I joined my mom was trying to get me moving so she paid the joining fee for my birthday, and I paid the monthly, it worked for us. Whatever you decide I hope you can find something that works for you.

-Tech

Hi, I'm really glad August is over... whatawackymonth. My leg infection caused a rapid rise in my temperature Saturday night even after 8 days on antibiotics, we went to the emergency room and I was admitted to the hospital and given vicadyn (sp?) intravenously, I was released Tuesday night. I've got a picc line in my arm now and will continue with an IV taking cubacin for 7 more days through homecare. I really hope this knocks the beast down for good. This was MRSA if you get an infection have it tested right away, it is very antibiotic resistant, don't mess with this it's insideous.

On a lighter note the doctor's office scale says I lost 3 pounds.

Hi Renee, welcome to the 40's and congrats on your wedding

Hey Renee, et al- I'm a WW lifer too and brand new to this (or any weight loss) site. You can tell by my handle I'm as surprised as the next guy what I'm doing here. To shorten my story: I was fit all my life, naturally thin with no effort, after two kids in less than two years I joined WW to learn how to eat properly. Lost every ounce of the "baby fat" and 10lbs more for cushion. And kept it off for many years. At 38 yo I actually think I heard my metabolism come to a screeching halt. And I packed it on. I am rapidly approaching my pregnancy weight. ugh

Enough of that!

Happy Birthday and welcome to your 40s! It can be a really liberating time in your life. It sounds like you have so many wonderful things going on! I'm with you on the commuting thing: My dh commutes 20 hours a week too --- he packed on the pounds for the first year. (He's a WW lifer too.) He went back on the program (no meetings, no time for that) and lost 20lbs in almost no time (he is a man for sure). He realized his new sedentary life really didn't require the calories he was ingesting.

I'm glad to see this forum out here. I think we all could use a little support on this one. I just want to be healthier. I'm back to eating right and moving more. It's a start, right?