I was doing really good for the month of July, I was eating very well most of the time, and indulging once a week. I was working out between 3-4 times a week, and I had lost 5 pounds and was feeling really good.

Then I fell off the wagon. I got rejected for a job - which I thought was going to be the start of my career, then I had to sign up for a Debt Management Program to help get my finances in order. Then I was insulted by my boss and she called my degree in Religion "worthless" and that I was in a dead end job. Which is something I already knew, but she isn't the warmest person in the world and is missing that sensitivity chip. I also realized that I don't want to spend the rest of my life working in hotels as a desk person, trying to move up in the company.

Then a few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to go back to school and study Court Reporting. So the past few weeks have been me spending my evenings trying to work everything out with the school (Bryan College in California, I'm in FL), financial aid, and my loan company. Because of my lousy credit, this has been an extremely hard and difficult process. Needless to say, I've been under a TON of STRESS.

Because of all this stress, I've been really wiped out emotionally, mentally and physically this month. I haven't been watching my diet and I feel it. I haven't worked out in a few weeks, because I just haven't had it in me. I feel really guilty on top of everything else now as well.

BUT, I am planning on getting back onto schedule tomorrow. I'm going to have a fresh start with a new starting weight and get back into eating healthy again. I am positive that I have regained the weight I lost. The good news is that my classes are completely online - so it will be somewhat easy to keep up with cooking, eating healthy and working out with my schooling.

Whoo! I it feels good to get all this crap off my chest. Thanks for listening!

I am so impressed with you for dealing with your credit and taking a huge leap to go back to school and change careers. I am feeling the financial stress thing too. I bought a house right before the market tanked last year, and I also want to go back to school but feel totally tied to the house and feel like I'll never be able to rent it or sell it and it will ruin my credit forever.

I just started keeping an excel spreadsheet of my expenditures and I have some habit-changing to do. I had to call my mom yesterday for a pep-talk on how it is possible to survive on the east coast with $x00 of monthly disposable income, after the house and utilities are paid for. I am losing hair from the stress, and actually losing weight too, since I've really been neglecting the calorie counting and exercise for the last few weeks and yet lost about 3lbs.

Anyway, enough about me. Welcome back

Thanks! I feel like a lot has been layered onto my shoulders in a very short time. I think that any time you are ready, you can find a way to get back into school. It would have been a whole lot easier on me, had I not gone through college already. I burnt up a lot of grants and scholarships the first time around, leaving me loans that cover most, but not all my school costs. So I have been trying to get a private student loan, which has been extremely painful, because my credit is horrid.

But I have a co-signer so, hopefully I get it. I'll cry if I don't, basically.

Hey Phantom Goddess! I'm going through some money problems right now (my business just lost a major client that was about half of my monthly income...), so I totally get where you're at. I'm worried because I keep reading news articles about how you only have so much self control to use - that it's like a muscle that fatigues over time. I'm so nervous because I'm putting so much time and effort into finding new business clients that I don't know if I'll have enough left over for healthy eating and exercising.

I'm just so stressed right now! I guess I just have to think of some of the healthy changes I've made as a part of my life that I don't question anymore. Good luck with the school situation - I hope it works out for you!

Thanks for the comments everyone! I weighed myself this morning and I've actually lost a pound, so I haven't gained anything back over my bad days. I got back on the wagon today. I also bought a couple of workout dvds off of amazon today with a giftcard I received from MyPoints.

I'm looking forward to them!

You go girl! Way to find more ways to make yourself get back on the wagon easier~! I'm guessing your boss is not the happiest person but just remember that anything you want to put your mind to studying, is NOT a waste of time! I don't care if you are studying basket weaving! A degree is a degree and you earned it! Hmph!

So I have totally been where you are. I would really like to recommend a book. Its called Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. I TOTALLY understand how money stress can screw with you.

Now that I have my finances under control I feel so much more confident about my weight loss.

Good luck!

Just remember how good it feels to be back on track. Don't you love the feeling after a good workout? What about after a light, healthy meal that has you full but not over stuffed? Or when you realise your pants are fitting the way they used to (and in a good way!)?

You CAN get back on the wagon. I hope everything turns out with your financial aid!

I have to agree with crcossel The Total Money Makeover is an amazing book and will do an awesome job of motivating you with your finances. Also, if you can come up with the extra cash Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey is also well worth it. It is a 13 week course in finance and it is amazing!!! It cost about $100 but it is worth 100x that if you will apply the principles to your life.

that's brilliant! way to go

its good that you wrote all of the things that were troubling you and stressing you out, as i heard that the very act of writing things out helps to let go of it. so good for you! for sharing. and thats super that you're back on the wagon! good luck !!

Oh gurl, i'm so sorry your stressing. I am the saME WAY when i stress. And don't let anyone get you down about having a degree in religion. At least you have a degree!! What the heck does she know anyway, rigght??

I also am going back to school, and doing online classes. Sometimes when i tell people that, i get funny reactions, as if an online degree isnt as good as an on campus one. It can get discouraging, but i just ignore it now.

You should definitely start working out again! I always find it a great stress reliever!

It's funny. I get the same look when I mention taking court reporting online. The problem with C.R. is that is offered by very few schools in the country, and only three of them are in Florida. One is in my city, but it's on the other side of the city and in a not so good area. Their class schedules and facilities are actually subpar and the school is more expensive than my online school of choice.

Also, going the online route also saves my old suv from wear and tear and the cost of gas.