Ups & Downs Support Group: August 2014
 

:welcome3: to the Ups & Downs Support Group! Here is our August 2014 thread. Everyone is welcome to join the group, as long as you are willing to give and receive support in your weight loss journey. We named the group Ups & Downs to reflect the many ups and downs in our weight loss journeys, in our life with depression and (for some) on meds, and in life in general. If you are a regular, please post to let us know you found the new thread. If you are new to the group, please tell us a little (or a lot) about yourself. This is OUR forum, so post away!!! :grouphug:

Still Low Carbing!
 

This was my 7th day eating low carb and I have done really, really well ~ especially the past 3-4 days!!! :carrot: As of this morning, I had lost 2 pounds..... which isn't much, but that dreaded scale FINALLY budged again and I think it is 2 "real" pounds! :D :carrot: I am hopeful once again and encouraged by the strength and willpower I've shown in resisting the bad carbs. Exercise has been pretty good, but I need to get more cardio days in on non-training days. I have stayed crazy busy with the kids lately, but have managed to get a good low carb week in under my belt, so I am feeling pretty good tonight! :broc:

Fi: You must be SO incredibly excited about getting your kittens this Sunday!!! Best of luck as you finish up the BERP and get your bedroom ready for the kitties! :hug:

Amy: Best of luck to you with your sinus surgery on Tuesday! I know you are dreading it, but thank God you will have it over with very soon now. And hopefully you won't have as many sinus problems anymore. I will definitely be praying for you. Please let us know how you are doing as soon as you are able. Good luck with your highlights, too, and finding the right hair stylist. You have had one heck of a time with stylists lately!

:wave: Waving HELLO to everyone else and wishing you all well!!! Sending :dust: to each of you! I actually have a little to spare tonight! ;)

Excited to be at the start of a thread instead of jumping in on page 10!

IBelieveInMe2: (I never caught your first name, or whether or not you share it) congrats on the great couple of days! I'm sure it feels really good to have your hard work pay off on the scale :)

Amy: When my stylist and I talked the last time, we discussed the Balayage mostly being a way to phase back into my natural blonde color. It's a pretty honey blonde when it's grown out, but right now it looks completely gray. At 22, I'm feeling a little too young for gray growout. So it's gonna be a transition from my natural blonde roots to the brown dye it is right now.
That sucks about the stylist, but good for you for realizing it's not somewhere you wanna be! I am sure that once you find the right one, she'll do wonderful things with your hair :)

I did really well today, which I was surprised about. I have been working on my water intake and reducing my late night snacking, and they were both successful today!

My goal is 80 oz. of water each day, but I got to almost 100 today :) and I've been struggling with getting home from work around 10 or midnight and grabbing unhealthy food and snacking (or more). But tonight, I got home and brushed my teeth within the first 10 minutes I was home, which kept me from eating anything I would regret. Plus I found things to keep me busy until I got tired--I cleaned up my bedroom and counted the change in my change jar, which got me sleepy enough that I don't feel like I need a snack :)

*Waves*

I'll jump in here, I guess. I'm Grace, I'm 33, and I struggle with depression issues around my weight, my relationship, and my son's disability.

Hi Chelaina,

Good luck with your Balayage, that sounds very pretty. I'm going more for a caramel or dark blonde look. I like the stylist who was late today, I may end up going back to her. I'm going to check out another salon today.

Sydney,

Welcome!! I hope that you find this group helpful!

Hi all. I'm a new member to the site and glad to see a depression support group. My depression is mild compared to most so I'm lucky in that regard but I've been having a low week and it's reflected in my diet, I'm eating a lot of rubbish and not taking care of myself.

:welcome: AryaStark & Sydney! We are so very glad to see you here!

Kathleen Woohoo!!! Way to go! :cp::cp::cheer3::cheer3::cheer2::cheer2: I am so glad to hear you are having such success! Keep it up! I know you can! :D

Amy I hope you find a stylist soon. A good stylist is hard to come by!

Chelaina - :yay::bravo: Yay avoiding the late night snacking. Brushing your teeth is such a good trick. :) It must be challenging to have to work that late. I admire your restraint. :)

Food has been ok. Exercise has been pretty consistent and daily (yay!!!) Weighed in at 191 at the doctor's yesterday. :D I also ate pretty moderately throughout the day. My biggest goals right now are cooking dinner and adding more veggies. I did well yesterday making a cheap pot of beans and rice, but it was seasoned pretty well and my non-veggie boyfriend enjoyed it. I bought some new tea, which I LOVE. I also finally purchased a scale, which I promptly put in the closet and will not get out except for once a week at most.

I hope everyone is well!

Welcome!!!
 

A very special :welcome: to Sydney_2009 and aryastark!!! So happy you both found the group and posted!

I will be busy this weekend with my (handicapped) daughter's sled hockey camp, so if someone would welcome any other newbies, I'd appreciate it. Will check in whenever possible (late night maybe).

Sydney, I have a 15-yr-old daughter who has Spina Bifida, which has its own set of stressors. I also get depressed about my weight and ~ at times ~ my hubby can be difficult to live with. So I can really relate!

Gotta run, but wanted to send a quick WELCOME to you both! Best of luck on your weight loss journeys. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! :hug:

Thanks for the warm welcome :)

IBIM2, it's nice to have someone who can definitely relate!

Hi. I am new here and I too deal with depression issues. I've found that certain meds make it difficult to lose weight. Is this true for others or am I just imagining it. I hope to give support to others too.

Lauranya, :welcome:
I think it's definitely true for a lot of us that many aspects of depression (including meds) can make weight loss difficult. I'm not on any currently, but I know some here can share their experiences with those difficulties.

Also a big welcome to Aryastark (great username, btw), and Sydney_2009 :)

Amy: Yours sounds pretty too! I hope it works out with the stylist that you like, and I know we're all excited to see how it turns out :)

Kathleen: Have lots of fun with your daughter's camp!

Hannah: Thank you! :hug: I'm glad to see that it's going well for you. And my work shifts can be difficult, but when your only work for the day is from 7-midnight, it's not so bad.

Tomorrow, however, I start my second job. I work 8-5 there, and 7-12 at my other job. I'm really worried about not meeting the goals I have about food and water intake, and that it's going to wear me out. On top of that, I took my mom out to lunch today, and I am definitely feeling the sluggishness from the fried food we had. Trying to detox a bit with lots of water and some veggies, but I still feel crappy :(

Really excited to see how this new job goes, and I'll maybe have a chance to let you all know tomorrow night between shifts!

Hi...
 

Hi there...

Chelaina, I hope that your Balayage looks beautiful! I had an interesting consult today with a stylist who said that perhaps doing a few foils is more what I'm looking for because Balayage doesn't quite get to the root, so I'm considering that. I liked this stylist, I'm going to hopefully meet a few more stylists, then decide.

Ugh! My allergies have been terrible! I'm dreading my surgery but I'll be so glad when it's over. My Mom and I are going out to eat the night before my surgery. She's so sweet to come down to be with me.

I'm tired, I'm going to bed soon. I started tracking again on WW, I went to a good meeting last night.

Take care.

Amy

:wave: Hello, everyone. I've been focused on working out this week. I swear, this entire effort is a full-time job in itself. I started a 31-Day Squat Challenge and a 31-Day Crunch challenge today. Day 1 was 30 reps for each of the moves. Since I've been doing more than that at the gym, I actually upped the number I did tonight. My knees were crunching during the squats, though.

Fiona: Congratulations in the kittens arriving this weekend. I know you'll have bundles of fun with them. I love kittens (and cats). Enjoy their adventurous antics.

Hi, to everyone and welcome to all the new members of the group.

Lauranya
 

Lauranya: :welcome: to the group!!! You are not imagining things! I have been so incredibly weight loss resistant for a few years now. It is definitely due to my depression meds and I also recently found that I have a thyroid issue. Between the two things, I have been fighting a losing battle. :( It is REALLY frustrating, but I refuse to give up on myself. I keep telling my psychiatrist that my weight is the biggest source of my depression at this point. He actually alerted me to my thyroid condition after some routine bloodwork this year. Thank God, because my primary doc wasn't going to even put me on thyroid medication! :mad: Not that I want to be on yet another med, but (as my psychiatrist noted), our thyroid is what regulates our metabolism, which is obviously crucial to weight loss. I am now on a low dose of thyroid med, but it has just put me back up to within a normal healthy range. I wish my doc would take my dose a bit higher to kick my metabolism up a bit more, but since I am at least at the bottom of normal, he won't. :( I am considering getting a second opinion, but first I am committed to a pretty strict low carb diet and consistent exercise to see if I can finally lose a significant amount of weight now that I am on a thyroid med. I have done REALLY well for a week and lost 2 pounds, which may sound insignificant, but getting the daggone scale to budge down at all feels miraculous to me at this point. I know I CAN lose weight on these meds, though, because (prior to my thyroid issue), I lost over 35 pounds about 3-4 years ago (on Jenny Craig). Sadly, as soon as I started eating "regular" food again, I put all that weight and more back on. :cry: I am SO sick of feeling fat and ugly, and it has been way too long now that I've been significantly overweight. :( I am determined again to LOSE THIS WEIGHT and KEEP IT OFF! I need to and want to do it for myself AND for my family! Sorry to ramble, but I just want you to know that you are not alone in your struggle to lose weight on meds. It DOES make weight loss much more challenging and frustrating, but YOU CAN DO THIS!!! And I will be here cheering you on! :cheer2: Best of luck to you! I hope you will find the group to be helpful to you as you reach for your goals. :hug:

Chelainabear
 

Chelainabear: Good luck to you as you begin your second job tomorrow!!! I will be thinking of you and wishing you well. You are going to be a very busy lady working both jobs. Do you have a plan for taking food to your jobs with you? I am not big on planning, but realize the importance of it. "They" say that PLANNING is so crucial to success with weight loss, especially under more challenging circumstances (like working two jobs).

Hi!

I just want to welcome all the new members! I hope everyone enjoys this great group!

Have a good night!

Amy

All I can think about is kittens! =smile= Best wishes to all, especially the newcomers! It's great to see new faces here. Please keep posting!

Oh, and in case anyone's interested, I made a collage about friendship—which is also a collage about two cats. Be sure to read what I wrote underneath it. Here it is.

Worthy
 

Worthy: I sure hear ya on this whole weight loss effort being a full time job in itself! I feel like I have to constantly be vigilant about what and how much I eat, how often I exercise, and getting proper sleep. Putting it all together is a constant challenge. Remember, though, that it is about PROGRESS and not perfection! We have to do our best and let the rest go. Now if I could only practice what I am preaching..... :lol:

Sydney
 

Sydney: Is that your little girl in your avatar picture? OMGosh, she is ADORABLE!!! :love: Please tell me about her (if you feel comfortable doing so).

Fi
 

Fi: I can feel your excitement about your precious kittens through cyberspace! Can't wait until they are officially YOURS!!! Please post pics ASAP! :D

Originally Posted by IBelieveInMe2:
Sydney: Is that your little girl in your avatar picture? OMGosh, she is ADORABLE!!! :love: Please tell me about her (if you feel comfortable doing so).

No, she's not mine, but she is adorable! I have a boy, and he's 4. He's also got Down syndrome. He's a funny little guy...he's obsessed with green and he loves animals and books. He would eat yoghurt all day every day if I let him, and he LOVES Toy Story. :)

Originally Posted by IBelieveInMe2:
Chelainabear: Good luck to you as you begin your second job tomorrow!!! I will be thinking of you and wishing you well. You are going to be a very busy lady working both jobs. Do you have a plan for taking food to your jobs with you? I am not big on planning, but realize the importance of it. "They" say that PLANNING is so crucial to success with weight loss, especially under more challenging circumstances (like working two jobs).

I have been thinking about that! One of the jobs has a deli so I can make salads or sandwiches if I want, but I usually just grab a couple pieces of chicken (fried strips, sadly) and some green peppers and pickles to snack on. It's so busy when I work that even getting 5-10 minutes to sit down outside is a difficulty. The upside being that the food is free.

With my second job, I'm not sure how it works yet! It's at a group home, so I may eat meals when the girls living there do, I'm not sure.

And thank you! Busy is definitely the word for it :)

Sydney: Your son sounds sweet and adorable!

worthy: Congrats on those new challenges, it sounds like you are on a good path to be successful with them :)

Fi: Ahh, I am so jealous of you and your kittens! I'm excited to see how that goes for you :) I'll check out that collage soon.

But I should head to bed, I'm up in 5 hours to head off for my 14 hour work day.

Chelainabear My heart is with you today as you go to both of your jobs. I can totally understand how tough a schedule like that is. Through most of my college career, I have had 2 jobs with a full time class load. Classes start again at the end of the month for me. I am in graduate school now so I only have night classes, which definitely makes things easier.

Perhaps planning out what you will take would be a good place to start. Or just planning on what you will eat at the deli. Like, take one chicken strip, and savor it (if that is what you like) then eating a salad or sandwich. So you can still get your chicken strip fix and eat a little healthier. But those are just some things I would try. Experiment! Also - do you have any days off? Is there any way you can sneak some exercise in there? That may not be an option for a while until your body gets more used to working that much. I know I would be EXHAUSTED!

Worthy You are such an exercise inspiration!! :D

Fi KITTENS!!! We must see pics!! I demand it! :P And that collage is very beautiful and thoughtful gift.

Sydney What a wonderful little boy he sounds like!

IBelieve: A 2-pound weight loss is in no way insignificant! :cheer3::cheer2: Every ounce lost is a major step toward lasting weight loss and long-term health goals. Keep your focus on healthy eating patterns and making good food and exercise choices. I know it is wicked hard. This week provided major struggles for me, too. I have been craving sugar really badly but, as psychologically painful as it was to go through the process of denial, I did it. Keep your focus on those low-fat proteins! Keep cranking that exercise up a little each day. You can SO do this. Hope your daughter's team comes out victorious at hockey camp this weekend. It sounds like loads of fun for everyone involved.

Fi: That's my favorite collage so far. Really beautiful. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of the kittens from you instead of the breeder. I'm excited for you!

Chelainabear: You're making great progress on your water intake. I thought my dr. was crazy when she told me I had to be at 120 oz. per day :o but eventually, I made it and now I feel dehydrated if I drink any less than that! Good job distracting yourself from unhealthy snacking in the evening. :cheer: I hope the new workplace allows you to have a water bottle at your workstation so you can take sips throughout the shift.

Definitely take some time to do some planning and pack a insulated lunch bag with a healthy meal (or two) and healthy, high-protein snacks so you won't have an excuse to grab those fried chicken tenders. :chicken: When I was starting out on my program, I would buy a 1-pound chunk of lean ham or turkey at the deli and cut it into 4 oz. servings at home. Now, I buy a rotisserie chicken, clean it off the bones and chop the meat into bite size pieces. I weigh out 4 oz and put it in a plastic container to take with me along with vegetables. :hun: When that gets boring, I toss the meat with 1 T. low-fat honey mustard dressing. Salad is always a good option, but make sure about those add-ons like bacon bits, cheese, olives, croutons, nuts, etc. It doesn't take much to turn a healthy salad into a 400-calorie disaster! Although it is a lot of work, I do much better controlling those add-ons when I make my salad at home where I can weigh and measure all the ingredients, including measuring out the low-fat dressing into a separate container to take along. :)

Sydney: Welcome to the group! :wave: You've come to the right place to get support. How old is your little boy? My nephew, who has Aspergers, watched the original Toy Story obsessively as a young child. We thought he was largely non-verbal until the day I realized he was actually speaking in terms of dialog from the movie. For example, he would point at birds and repeat, "Fly." We couldn't tell if he was using the word as a noun or a verb. Turns out, it was a verb. Watching Toy Story with him while babysitting one evening, Buzz Lightyear was caught in a ceiling fan when Nick pointed at the TV and said, "Fly." It was a discovery that opened up lines of communication, finally, when he was 2. "Tia" was Potato. "Pia" was Pig. And on and on. He just turned 18 and he still loves the movie. His food obsession? Baby carrots! :carrot:

Amy: I hope your quest for a new stylist yields success. You certainly have been trying hard to find someone!

ARYASTARK: Welcome to the group! :welcome3: I hear you on the emotional eating issue. I am a non-purging bulimic who is still in the process of learning how to control my knee-jerk reaction to sugar binge. If you haven't checked out the book, Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen, (plus she has a website:). The book helped me view my binge eating behavior in a different light. I believe Fiona also had success using this book. Another tough task to master is learning to take care of yourself. That's why I chose the screen name WorththeEffort2. Folks here just refer to me as Worthy. It helps me reinforce the message that I AM worth all the effort and all the hard work that goes into making healthy choices.

Hannah: :congrat: on the weigh in at the doctor's. I am SO craving the experience of Onederland! I have strayed from my vegetable intake, so really need to do a re-set. Something that has helped me is to weigh once a week, either Saturday or Sunday, and taking my measurements at the first of every month. That way, even if the scale doesn't move, I can see progress through changes in my measurements.

Laurany: Welcome to the group! :welcome2: I'm so glad you've joined us. Yes, I've found that certain meds to make weight loss difficult but (as much as I totally hate to admit this), I've also found the more I increase my exercise, the better my mood seems to be. I have to push to the point of that natural chemical release and *bouuuuush* my brain and body are flooded with the same feel-good chemicals that sugar consumption use to generate.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Like I said elsewhere, this has been a super tough week for me in terms of handling cravings. I'm going to give some thought to my grocery list for today, and once we're home from town, I'll hit the bike for a long ride. I did manage to get out on Wednesday for a 10-mile ride. I need to do 12-15 miles each day this weekend to continue building up my endurance. The more healthy and fit I get, the longer and harder I have to work to burn large numbers of calories. I just keep telling myself, "I am an athlete!" I'm not a very good athlete...but still... :lol: I have to own some kind of identity. :D

Hey everyone! And welcome to everyone who is new to the forum!

I apologize for my absence, but this week has just been CRAZY!

Holiday World was great, though I'm still pretty bruised from the coasters. I think I updated everyone on how the day was and how I ate decent and actually had a loss the next day! Tuesday was a rest day because I was so sore from the theme park! Wednesday I started my new job at the law office and it was amazing! My little desk is awesome and I have a wonderful view of the Catholic Church cathedral outside of my window. Learning the job is a bit difficult. Lots of calls coming in and I'm still learning who to transfer calls to and how to input new appointments, but I love it! I'm adjusting to my new schedule which is harder than I thought. Realizing at 3pm I have two more hours to go is going to take time to get used to! Needless to say I've been tired this week even though I've worked the same amount I usually do. That plus homework for school made it impossible for me to get into the gym this week. It was also TOM which meant crazy cramps and just wanting to go home and lay on the heating pad. I'm hoping next week I can get into the gym at least a few days.

I stuck to my calories each day which is roughly 1600cals per day. Even without exercise other than Monday I still managed to lose 1lb this week, putting me at 177.5lbs!!!!!! So happy! I can't wait to see what I could lose once I'm able to fit the gym in during the week!

I'm so very happy right now! I'm not scared or worried to go to work. It is actually enjoyable for me now even though I feel like I do a lot more work than I did at my last job. That is okay! It is definitely fulfilling. Also, I heard mention that they think I would be good as a case administrator, so I definitely think I will be moving my way into another position in time. Always great to know upward mobility is an option and they already think you would do well in that position.

Well, I've been lazy all morning. Hubby has already mowed the lawn and is going grocery shopping so I need to get my butt to the gym!

Hi there...

I hope everyone is having a good day. I rested a lot due to bad allergies, they were awful. I had a consult with a stylist, she's very nice and bubbly, her prices are affordable. She's the second stylist that told me that the highlights that I want are more foils, so I'm hoping to book with her to get some done, but I'm still considering going to another stylist for Balayage. We'll see.

I'm a bit tired from the allergies. Ugh!

Take care,

Amy

Worttheeffort, August is 4 (he will be 5 in summer)

Fleury you're a superstar!!!

hannah: Thank you! I definitely needed that virtual support today. I only got 4 hours of sleep, and I ended up going in an hour early to the second job, so in the last 29 hours, I worked 20 of them. Wow!

And thanks for the tips, I'll work on making those healthy choices at work :) Today I didn't eat on my breaks, but I did have a cookie when I first got there--they were fresh out of the oven, and I figured I'd work off at least a few of the calories running all over the place for the next 6 hours.

I don't really have any days off, but some days I only work 2-5 hours, so I'll definitely fit in workouts then. I plan on doing at least 30 min. of cardio after work tomorrow night, I only work 5 hours and it's at my less physical job.

worthy: I know what you mean about the water, I'm starting to really crave it. I was almost at 120 today :) And those are all great ideas! At least for my deli job, I'll try them out.

And you ARE an athlete! Even 10 miles biking is more than I could hope for, keep up that great work. And good luck with grocery shopping, I know it's hard to practice restraint there.

FleurDeLis: WOW! Congrats on all the joy that your job brings you, and good luck with those 3:00 hurdles. So proud of you for the loss, and for your amazing attitude :)

Amy: I really hope you find someone you like for your hair, I know it's a struggle :hug:

Sorry about the long post! Just wanted to get replies before I share. I have good and bad:

Bad:
I'm EXHAUSTED from working today. I'm pretty sure I died and I'm typing as a ghost.
Workplaces with all women have a lot of drama and I'm just not interested. I just want to do my work well and have a little fun.
I'm back up to 264 today, :(

Good:
I've been doing really well with my water and nutrition goals (late night eating being my main concern). We also went for a 30 minute walk at work today!
When I'm working at my new job, we eat lunch with the girls living there, and they get healthy stuff. So I do too :)
I LOVE the new job. I only shadowed a shift today, but I really like the feel of it, and the attitude of the employees.
I'm getting my hair done tomorrow :)

Hi there...

Chelaina- I hope your hair looks beautiful! Have fun! For now, I'm getting Balayage on Saturday. I'm excited, just a little nervous.

I can't believe my nose and sinus surgery is Tuesday. I'm dreading it!

I'm excited my Mom is coming tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to seeing her.

Take care!

Amy

Hello!
 

Hello Everyone! My daughter's sled hockey camp is over now. It went really well. She had an absolute blast, worked really hard, and she even got to play with a few men's USA gold-medal-winning paralympians during camp! The USA men's sled hockey head coach was also coaching her for much of the camp! It was really cool. She was one of the only girls on the ice, but kept right up with the guys!!! :carrot: I am so proud of her! :D

Yesterday was my first really big test on the low carb eating plan. I have done so well for about a week and a half now, but I was really CRAVING carbs all day yesterday. I stuck to my eating plan except for one breadstick that they served me out to dinner. I wasn't going to eat it; then I was going to eat one bite; then another; and..... well, before I knew it, the whole thing was gone! :( It could have been much worse, but I don't like how I was craving carbs so badly and then gave in at all. I think it was because I was tired and a bit bored while we waited around at the sled hockey camp. Thankfully, I survived the day with only eating the breadstick off plan, and today I am right back on board with low carb everything.

Fi: Assuming you picked up your new kittens as planned today, please tell us ALL about them when you get a chance!!! :goodvibes Hope things are going really well!

Chelainabear: I feel exhausted for you just READING all the hours you are working!!! At least you love your new job and maybe working so much will keep you from overeating. Great that you were able to get a good walk in at work and that you are eating healthy lunches along with the girls! Make sure to get plenty of sleep and take as good of care of yourself as possible while you are working (e.g., periodic breaks, healthy snacks, etc.). It will be a challenge, for sure, but you can do it! :hug:

Amy: I am thinking of you as you prepare for your sinus surgery on Tuesday. Remember to do some deep breathing whenever you are feeling anxious about the surgery. Everything will be fine and you will be so relieved once it's over, which will be soon! Good luck to you, my friend! Sending my prayers! :hug:

Sydney: Your little guy sounds precious! :love:

Worthy: Thank you for the encouragement! It means a lot to me! :)

Sabrina: It is so good to hear from you! I am so relieved and happy to hear that you love your new job! You must really be impressing them if they are already talking about promoting you to another position! It also sounds like your weight loss is moving forward. Great!!! Glad to hear that things are looking up for you a bit! :D You deserve it! :hug:

Waving hello to everyone else and wishing you all well!!! :wave:

Amy: Good luck with your surgery, and the balayage! I will try to remember to post pictures of mine, but I ended up just lightening the ends and doing an all over light honey brown that I really like. It's really close to my natural color, which was my end goal anyway :) And I hope you have fun with your mom!

IBelieve: I'm so glad your daughter had such a good time! That camp sounds like an amazing experience :) After all that excitement, I would have eaten a whole basket of breadsticks! I know you feel frustrated about the cravings and giving in to eat one, but you're right, it could have been much worse. keep up the good work!

I ended up not working out tonight, I had a longer day that I anticipated. My hair and work both took longer than I expected, and I'm still so tired. But I have like 5 hours between my dr. appt tomorrow (talking about depression/anxiety treatment!) and work, so I'll go then. I was thinking about even walking/jogging to the dr. and back, it'd be a couple miles.

Nutrition wise, though, I did well. I barely got to my 80 oz. goal, but I ate really well. I have a hard time with putting food back/throwing it away when I'm full, but I did it TWICE today! I consider that a huge success.

I really need some positive vibes and good thoughts today...

I didn't mention it, but I had an absolutely horrid day at work on Friday...the worst day I have had there yet. It started out great - I remembered to bring my favorite tea and I was finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as my piles were noticeably diminishing. Then a woman who has a very kind heart but rough exterior scolded me on how she was embarrassed in court because of a mistake I made and how I should "try harder and pay more attention." I was furious. I already responded to her saying that I wasn't perfect and mistakes happen to even the hardest of workers.

However, I recalled an incident last year where I had made a mistake in one of her cases and she went directly to my boss without telling me anything. As a result, I was humiliated and I had a long talk with my boss. Which, admittedly, wasn't horrible, but is the closest I have ever come to getting in trouble there. So anyway, I decided that I would approach my boss with the mistake I made before she had the chance to. I explained to her what happened and how I was sorry that I missed the mistake before she took the files to the judge.

My boss was upset, but not at me. She explained that isn't part of my responsibility, but was actually up to the person who takes the files to the judge. She then said that I was a great employee and to not worry at all about it. She also told me that she would not say anything to the other woman unless she approached my boss about me. Well, not surprisingly, I guess she had went to my boss, because when I was downstairs and out of the office for a moment, my boss came down and warned me that the other woman had gotten a rough scolding from my boss's boss (haha I know, confusing) and that I might get the cold shoulder for a bit. She also told me that if the other woman had issues with the way I did my job, that she could do all the work herself and not worry about me messing up her files.

I went back into the office, and the environment was completely different. Everyone hushed when I came in, there were whispers from across the room and side glances. I knew instantly that they were talking about me, because that is what they do and I just happened to be the target of the day because of what happened. I knew I was coming in after the other woman had a chance to blow up and tell the whole office what happened. Eventually the other woman along with an additional coworker were intentionally speaking loudly so I could hear, saying "Oh, (name), I know you are so swamped with your workload. I will help you when I get back from lunch" to which she replied "That's ok. I almost have these files done".

I never told my boss nor this woman that I didn't want to do her filing - she made that decision on her own but still tried to make me feel guilty because of her workload. I should add that this additional coworker who is now helping her was talking about how "mean" the other woman was, behind her back, to everyone else, including me, not two weeks earlier. Ugh. Anyway, I left early that day because I needed to get away before I got too emotional about it. I am still not quite sure what to do today. I am going to be professional as possible and keep to myself for a bit, at least.

I am really sorry for the rant, but I just needed to get that out before heading to work...I just feel so betrayed and hurt. I should have expected it because they do this kind of thing to each other. I just had never been the target before. I just really REALLY try hard to be a genuine person and not gossip about others. I am not perfect, though, and I am certainly no better than anyone else. But to have these people be my friend one minute and then try to hurt me (that is what it feels like to me) the next is downright cruel.

I am sorry that I did not add any personals, but I promise I am thinking of each and every one of you.

HI! The regulars know me, but I guess I am a newbie to the names I don't recognize :D I'm Holly, have seasonal depression (I love summer and dread late fall, all winter, early spring) and pretty low self esteem and those are my struggles.

Hi Kathleen, congrats on doing very well on low carb!! I'd say ONE breadstick is a victory! glad your daughter had fun at the camp :) Musta been thrilled with the Olympic heroes.

Fi, kewl collage (as usual!) and anticipating your kittens arrival.

Hi Chelainabear, I am sorry you have to work 2 back-to back jobs! ( I laughed out loud about your 'typing as a ghost' :D but sorry you were so tired!)

Hi Syndey, glad to meet you :wave: your little boy sounds adorable :)

Hi Amy!! hoping that your surgery tomorrow goes well! glad your mom is coming to visit, is she staying long enough to help you out after surgery?

Hello aryastark (love that name too, loved Arya!) and I'm glad that your depression is mild compared to what it can be; that's how I rate mine also. :welcome:

Hi Hannabeanies; I"m so sorry about the experience at your work..boooo to that co-worker who is so immature!! I'm impressed at what your job sounds like. and congrats that you were told you WERE a good employee!! keep THAT in your mind as the dumb ladies are passive-aggressive-yakking.

Hi Lauranya :welcome: I found it to be impossible to lose while on Lexapro; I've had very good luck with Wellbutrin XL.

Hi Worth!! Way to go on your huge efforts on your working out. And soooo close to Wonderland :D

Hi Fleur!! congrats on loving the new job! that is so great :) and hey you are losing pounds aren't you!! :cheer2:

well I did not work out FOR A MONTH and that is so out of character for me, just have not made it a priority and using all kinds of excuses :( and not being mindful of eating.

However the summer job is keeping me mostly happy :) and summer, and my yard, and my motorcycle :D oh and yes of course my husband :D and dog Eddie. It is raining this morning so I will have to 'cage it' (what we bikers call driving a car) but at least I can drink coffee on the way.

This Saturday is our big Toy Run; and as I am President this year I have been very involved and even though I am looking forward to it, I also just want it to be over! Just praying for a safe day. Have been in contact for months with local counties' law enforcement for coordinated traffic control/escorts etc., and a million other details . WHew :D

I will TRY to stay in closer contact so I don't seem to be a newbie, lol!

Oscar and Nénu (pronounced "nay-noo") are safely home, and I can think of nothing else but my babies! Yesterday couldn't have been more perfect: when Bob and I first arrived at our breeder's, we were immediately struck dizzy with joy to be surrounded by so many lively, affectionate adult oriental shorthairs. At the door they mobbed us the way dogs do, rubbing against us, jumping onto us, offering us toys to throw for them—and so gorgeous, every one of them....WOW. And then we went upstairs to the nursery (the master bedroom) and immediately fell in love with our dear little kittens, sleeping wrapped in each other's arms, in a cat bed on top of the human bed.

After that, the time went quickly. We had lots to learn about our kittens and all the other cats from Julie, and lots to catch up on since the last time we saw each other. We went out briefly to lunch at a diner, but otherwise spent our time enveloped in the company of many charming orientals. The collage titled "friendship" I'd made as a gift for Julie and Roy was a big hit: they asked lots of questions about how I made it and just couldn't have been more sweet & appreciative.

Then it was time to drive home with Oscar & Nénu! Much to our amazement, they slept through the whole 3 1/2 hour trip, sacked out in the same cat bed we met them in (smelling like home), inside of a small traveling crate, buckled securely in the back seat. We didn't hear one peep out of them, the whole way.

But when they emerged in our nursery, the master bedroom (& bath) of our house, they were full of crazy energy, happily exploring every nook & cranny, finding their water & food bowls, their litter box, their scratching pad, trying everything out as if they'd just checked into a fancy hotel. =laugh= And of course lots of time exploring Bob and me, too, batting at our toes & fingers, snuggling up against our bodies, eagerly participating in games with us....and so on.

We all four slept together in bed last night, despite the fact that Bob and I had provided them with a cushy new cat bed with a warming pad under it. They thoroughly checked out their new cat bed, but when it came time to sack out, they wanted to be with us!

I just took a photo with my iPad: the two are curled up in Bob's lap while he's reading in bed. Nénu's head is on top, Oscar's below. Here's the photo..

Back to kitten-land! =big smile=

hannah I am so sorry you had that experience at work. :( However, I think we're all proud that you chose to act with professionalism and class, and though you may have been the target today, people will start to notice that your coworker never seems to be at blame for her problems (as she tells it) and they'll get tired of it. Keep your head up! I hope today goes better for you :hug:

VermontMom: Hi! And thank you :) And have fun with your Toy Run, I'm sure it'll be a blast, those pesky details always seem to fall into place.

Fi: Eeeek, Oscar and Nénu are adorable! It seems like you hit it off right away :)

I had my doctor's appt. today for depression consult/treatment and it went really well. My family doctor has dealt with a lot of the things that I do (PCOS, anxiety, depression, etc.) so she's firm and helpful, but not pushy. I was afraid she would try and convince me that I'm not actually depressed, like some doctors have before. But she did have me do some blood tests just in case there is another cause for some of my symptoms, encouraged me to do counseling, and prescribed an anti-depressant.

I was going to run afterwards, but I think I'll just do zumba/Just Dance in my room, because it's very hot outside. Either way, getting my cardio in today, before my 10-hour shift :)

Hi...

I'm postponing my surgery, I haven't been feeling well. I'm slowly feeling a little better.

I'm going to get my hair colored and cut on Saturday. I was going to try highlights but I'm going to think about it. I'm going back to a salon I used to go to, I'm trying a different stylist and colorist.

Have a good night.

Amy

Thanks for all the welcomes.
Celainabear- I know what you mean about different diagnosis because one of my doctors said I have bipolar and the other doctor said he is treating the symptoms of bipolar. What is the difference. Don't get me wrong I would love not to be it. Anyway, I have more trouble with the anxiety than anything else.

Vermontmom- I had the same success with Wellbutrin but unfortunately it put me in a manic state no matter how little I took.

Fiona W - Kittens are so precious. I recently got myself a little shih tzu puppy. He is really adorable but a real handful. Also there is no sleeping in anymore which is good for me because I had a tendency to sleep too much when I wasn't working.

Hannah - sorry about your day at work. Hope things go better

Hello!
 

Hannah: I am so sorry that you had such a horrible experience at work Friday!!! :( I am glad that you told us about it, so that we can support you. Your coworker sounds like she is a bully. Those kind of people who are petty and talk about others drive me crazy! Everyone makes mistakes sometime. You are human, for God's sake! She should have looked over the document before she gave it to the judge anyway, as your boss wisely noted. I am really happy to hear that your boss supported you. It sounds like your boss has this lady's number! I understand why that atmosphere (when you walked back into the office and they had clearly been talking about you) hurt and angered you. Do your best to IGNORE their nonsense and keep working hard and doing the right thing! As long as your boss knows you are a valued employee and supports you, that is the main thing. Focus on that. Here's what I say to that mean employee..... :p ........ :lol: Don't mess with our Hannah!!! :mad: Hope this week is going better for you! :hug:

Fi: Oscar and Nenu are ADORABLE!!! It sure looks like they are bonding quickly with you and Bob! That is so awesome! :D So happy that you finally have your precious kittens and that all is well so far! :hug: So........ is the BERP finally over? Or is it still a work-in-progress?

Chelainabear: I am so glad to hear that you had your consultation with your doctor and that she took good care of you and prescribed an anti-depressant. I hope it helps. I also encourage you to try to find a qualified counselor that is a good fit with you. It can make such a positive difference! Just want you to be healthy and happy! :hug:

Holly: So great to hear from you! You sound like a busy bee, as usual. Good luck with your Toy Run this Saturday! Haha, I like that term "caging it!" :lol:

Amy: Sorry you aren't feeling well and had to postpone your sinus surgery. I was anxious for you to get it over with. I hope you will be able to fit it in soon, so that you can get some relief from your symptoms.

Lauranya: Good to hear from you again! I have been diagnosed bipolar, too, but my biggest issue is also anxiety. Your little puppy sounds cute! :) What is his name?


Low carb is still going well. Haven't weighed myself the past couple days, so not sure if I've lost any more weight. I am trying to be happy with LOW carb, rather than striving for NO carbs, which is virtually impossible. It is testing my all-or-nothing, perfectionistic tendencies. I fight feeling like I am failing when I eat ANY carbs at all. It feels like I have to be perfect to lose any weight at all, which is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating!!! :( I will weigh in tomorrow morning to see where I stand. Did some laps in our pool today and walked quite a bit Saturday night. Have had to cancel training lately because my schedule is just too full leading up to my kids starting school. I need to fit in some exercise each day. If I don't "just do it," the day flies by and it never gets done. I am so darn busy right now that my head is spinning! :dizzy: I hope things settle down once the kids start back to school. My handicapped daughter is starting high school this year, and I am extremely anxious about it, but trying to remain calm for her sake. I am waiting for the principal to call me back about a meeting to discuss her needs. I think we will all feel better prepared once that gets done. My son will be a senior in high school and I don't know what I am doing regarding a college search. That is a big source of anxiety, too. Also, my house is a total disaster right now. I am so overwhelmed!!! :dizzy: Breathe..... Breathe..... Breathe.....

P.s.
 

Just posting again, so that I can subscribe to our new thread. I keep forgetting to do that! :dizzy:

Amy: Sorry you're not feeling well, but good job feeling comfortable saying that you're not ready.

Lauranya: I've just had doctors that told me "You don't have depression/anxiety, just reduce your stress and work on being happier" like wth I obviously am struggling to do that, which is why I came to you.

Kathleen: Two kids in high school is rough! My younger sister and I are 3 years apart, and I think that year gave my mom more gray hair than any other (except maybe this one). College searching and other stuff is hard, but if you ever need to, you can shoot me a PM! I just graduated and while I was there I worked with HS seniors and incoming freshmen on things like apps, fees, etc. The HS counselor (or whatever they call the person who helps with college and career planning) can also be a huge help! Mine wasn't, but my teachers were. They all went to college, so if your son is close to any of his teachers, they're great resources for him too. And I'm sure they all want to see him succeed :)

Take some deep breaths, have some tea if it's your thing, and know that we all believe in you. You can do it!

I had kind of a rough day, food-wise and personally. I ate a good breakfast, but didn't make enough time for lunch, and got to work in time for a snack of baby carrots. Dinner was all weird because Mondays at the house are kind of strange, so all I had then was a granola bar and water. So... I caved on my way home and bought fast food :( I didn't get a soda, and I got two small things, but it was still late at night and crappy food. I'll do better tomorrow.

And I LOVE my new job. The staff seem fantastic and I'm excited to have a lasting impact on the girls' lives. But I kind of have a little crush on one of the senior staff members. Apparently all the girls in the house do, and I just feel silly. Plus it makes me like 100 times more self conscious about my weight. I mean, I'm used to people not being interested, I really am, but when there's any interest on my side it makes me all self-conscious and weird. I hope it goes away soon, the guy is incredible but he has a serious girlfriend and wouldn't be interested anyway.

Other than that, I jogged 2 miles and got my 80+ ounces of water.