TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY RALLY CHECK-IN

I am looking into this, Leslie, thanks. Great idea and pretty strange for me to even consider yoga as a person who, less than two years ago, could not bend over to tie my shoes! M.

ok first- put a new pic up here- maybe you are trying to look like the old reenie?you have come a long way baby and you need to show it off! sorry- didn't mean that to sound hurtful.... seriously- everyone has given great advice- i found completely by accident that i can mix carnation chocolate instant breakfast ( sf) in warmed milk with a scoop of any whey protein and a sprinkle of ginger and of cinnamon--and i am out like a light very very soon after drinking it...try it i have no idea of calories and frankly don't care--maybe you are worried too much about teh weight and it is hanging on for dear life... sorry- i know that didn't help--i'm gonna sign off now before you smack me!!!! oh- i owe you an email or something-michael is doing well- but is not back to work. long story.

Margo, I cannot even consider using the word "hurtful" in the same sentence in which appears your name! You are always warm and empathetic and caring...never, ever hurtful. As for your concoction, I might have to look into this - sounds delicious, if not a bit suspect in terms of homeopathy! As for the new pic, I just don't know how to slap a new one on the board! Any advice? If I send a new one to you via an email attachment, can you put it up for me??? M.

c'mere you !!!!{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}} first-NO!!!if anyone can help you with a pic it is NOT me!!!! seriously-you have to contact the photo ppl here at obesity help... reenie-you have really touched home here with some of us...i ,too,am the child of divorce ( if my parents had stayed together i am sure one would have killed the other!) so swore that i would never stay together for the kids--and it took me 26 years to finally wake up and smell the abuse and get out of my first marriage !yes; the kids have probs but they also have grown thru this. i/we cannot tell you what to do as we do not live in your shoes...we just care too darned much to sit quietly!but listen to what all have said.....

Reenie, Take a deep breath and screw the one pound. You're doing the right thing so don't worry about the weight. In fact, I remember a time around the sixth month out when I couldn't lose and ounce no matter what I did. That went on for about six weeks and it got to the point where I was laughing every morning when I got on the scale because it was so ridiculous. I was only eating 800 calories a day and exercising like a crazy woman, but nothing moved until it was good and ready. As for the sleep... people are probably going to slap me, but I'd recommend 1/2 a glass of red wine or Tylenol PM before bed for just a night or two so you can at least get caught up. Your lack of sleep is adding to the tension and anxiety which keeps you from sleeping which adds to the racing mind and on and on. You need to break the cycle. When I get into a bad cycle with back spasms, my doctor gives me something to knock me out for just a couple of nights so I can catch up on sleep and get rest. I manifest tension physically instead of emotionally or mentally so I end up with back spasms when I'm stressed. Just getting a couple of nights of sleep helps me get things in perspective. As for the resolution, I'm doing OK. I loaded up on the Lean Cuisine carb concious meals and I usually do pretty well with those. I even eat them for breakfast. I've been getting in my water and have planted vitamins all over the place so there's no excuse for not taking them. I even have them in my night stand so if I manage to forget throughout the day, I can at least take them at bedtime. Love ya, Cons

Connie, if anyone even thinks of slapping you, they're gonna have to answer to me...and everyone else on this board as well, I'm sure!!! I love the idea of a small glass of wine (does it have to be red???) before bed, but I have to say I'm worried about becoming dependant on anything to help me sleep - I come from a long line of compulsive, obssesive substance abusers so the genetic makeup is firmly in place. By the way, I rely a lot on the Lean Cuisine meals, especially for lunch; easy, no-brainer food choices and most are really tasty. I'm in this with you, sweetie, keep up the good work and I'll do likewise...Love, M.

Hey Reenie Girl, I just checked in , haven't been around much this week. I would not worry about that darn lpound. You are doing the right thing for yourself if getting back on track. It might just be water weight too!! as for sleeping when I get behind I use Tylenol PM or the benedryl they both work pretty much the same. If i really want a good night sleep I take 2 of the tylenol knocks me out for 8 hrs. As for the stress I deal with it all the time (not well either) all I can sy is get on some kind of anti-depressant. I am currently out & don't have insurance till next month. So I have been really stressed myself. It does not help with the munchies either. The exercise will ehlp with stress better than food does. So get enough of that & that should help. Hang in There, We are always here for you, you no that!! Marilyn, the Bearlady

Thanks, Marilyn. I think the best anit-depressant for me is remedy the cir****tances that are making me so upset. Jim and I are trying to stay together; we are in intensive weekly marriage therapy and on some days, things are better. But it's the preverbial 1 step forward, 3 steps backward routine and I'm just plain exhausted from it all. Still, we have these two great kids together and I'm trying so hard to put their needs first and keep our family intact until they are both through high school -- that means another 5 years, and the only way I will survive another 5 years is if things change radically in terms of our partnership. I simply cannot accept or acquiesce or settle for a life that is not fulfilling; life is so damned short and we have been through hell to get where we are today. It's all very complicated -- I don't know about you guys, but my nerves are on end and screaming, "LIVE, LIVE, LIVE!" -- life at full tilt to the extent possible. Is anyone else wrestling with this??? M.

Hey Maureen, You know what? I love you. I have two things. 1- the racing thoughts at sleep. I got in a bad, bad habit when I was little. I couldn't sleep until I solved all my problems. When I was little, that was easier. I would just have to get up earlier to check my homework. Now that I'm a grown-up (yeah at 32 I guess I'm having to face facts), it's not that easy. My problems are not 'solveable' like that. Please consider a psych eval. Let a professional determine whether or not some short-term medication can bring you the relief you need so that you can sleep soundly, think clearly, and put the thought you want to put into your decisionmaking. I have had so much trouble sleeping lately that I finally bit the bullet and went to see a shrink myself. I haven't filled the prescription (yet) but I am almost desperate enough to do it. I hate that I've become so short tempered and snap-decision-ish because I'm so tired because I never want to sleep, I can't relax, I feel so pressured. 2- I don't want to make a difficult situation worse for you by muddying the waters. But my mom stayed with my dad "for the kids" and I wish that she hadn't. She was going to leave him when I was four years old.. instead, after years and years of repression, crying silently into my cat's fur hidden in my closet while they fought (if they saw me cry my father would threaten to 'give me something to cry about), stashing Velveeta under my bed when I was eight so that I was assured at least of eating, finally when I was nineteen, we came home from my uncle's funeral to find that my father had packed up all his stuff and left while we were out. All those years of people pretending that things were fine when they weren't.. as a child that teaches you that your needs are subordinate to maintaining the status quo. It also left me with real ephemeral boundaries when it comes to what I'm willing to do or give to men in order to feel 'loved'. And lastly... when you stay together "for the kids", and the kids know it, and they also see that you're miserable.. and they could end up feeling responsible and guilty. When parents divorce, they always stress you should tell the kids its not their fault. When parents are miserable because they don't divorce, what do they say? Well, we're staying together 'for the kids'. Picture telling your son, it's not your fault we're staying together, and see what you think, how you feel, when you say it. I love you baby, I hope you don't take this the wrong way. -Jen Please talk to your therapist to make sure have left me with difficulties expressing my needs he walked out to move in with his girlfriend while we were at my uncle's funeral, when I was nineteen

OK, sorry, but here comes a story... Several years ago, I was sitting on a Mexican beach cafe with a friend, waiting for breakfast. The weather was gorgeous, a full breakfast was only 99 cents and beautiful blue water as far as the eye could see. At the table next to us was a woman who lived in this beautiful little town and was full of issues. She vocalized each and every one of them loudly. She hated her neighbors, her retirement check was late, the waitress was slow, the coffee was cold and on and on. I turned to my friend and said, how can anyone live in paradise and be so miserable. His response stayed with me and is a mantra for me. "Wherever you go, there you are." Reenie, don't wait until you get your marriage right, or you're divorced or until the kids are 18 or tomorrow or next week to live. Live now and live in the moment. Wherever you go, there you are, so live happy wherever you are. Love, Connie