WELL, NOBODY'S PERFECT BEING FROM TEXAS, THIS NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN SOME OF YALL CAN IMAGINE I';VE BEEN IN SCOTLAND 20 YEARS, AND STILL FLINCH IF SOMEONE CALLS ME A YANK

AS FOR BFL, I MUST LOOK INTO LOCAL FACILITIES BEFORE I "SIGN UP". I WOULD HATE TO REGISTER, THEN FIND OUT IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET TO A GYM 3 TIMES A WEEK OR SOMETHING. I WANT TO BE AT LEAST SEMI-PREPARED BEFORE I COMMIT MYSELF SO THAT I DON'T SABOTAGE MYSELF BEFORE I START.

HOW ARE THE 6 MEALS-A-DAY GOING, BTW? I'M WONDERING IF I CAN BEND THAT ONE, AS I CAN'T IMAGINE ORGANISING THAT; I FIND 3 MEALS CAN BE HARD TO MANAGE! I GET MY PROTEIN SORTED NO MATTER HOW MANY OR FEW MEALS I EAT, BUT 6? I GUESS I WOULDN'T FEEL HUNGRY, HUH?

Pardon the intrusion from a Texas "yank" ....

Beth, there is no reason for you to join a gym.... you can do all this at home! All you need is a set of weights (I bought all I need for $30) and a bench (or a coffee table!). HA! Then you don't have the excuse of "no car to get to the gym!" And you can do your cardio on the exercise bike....you're good to go!!

OH BUGGER I GUESS I'D BETTER GET BACK TO THE BOOK AND SEE WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I WAS ACTUALLY AMAZED AT HOW EASY IT WAS TO COME UP WITH GOALS; ONCE I STARTED, THEY CAME OUT QUICK AND EASILY. MY PROBLEM WAS LIMITING IT TO 5

AS FOR MY NEGATIVE HABITS THAT GET IN MY WAY, THOSE WERE EASY TOO. GOSH, THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE AS HARD AS I THOUGHT. WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE ACTUALLY *DOING* IT, OF COURSE

THANKS, TERIDOODLE

Just wanted to check and see how U were doing? I can see that you suffer from emotional eating and as many have pointed out U need to figure out what is causing this for U. There are lots of books dealing with this, one being "get with the program" by Bob Greene. Or maybe U need to talk to a councellor. Also I see U are on prozac. Maybe U need a diiferent antidepressant? I hope things are going well for U. Keep in mind this is a WOL, all of us have our ups and downs.

Thanks gwilson... Yep, I think I am doing better. I am very much an emotional eater. ANd Believe me, I am very aware of the many reasons that cause this.. I have been in therapy on and off my whole life. The prozac I take is not only for depression, but mainly for OCD and anxiety... also over the years I have been on many different kinds of anti-D's and prozac seems to suit me the best. believe me... this is the happiest I have ever been! (shock horror ). I do so appreciate your concern. It is a real comfort to have this board to go to when I get a minute. I battle over-eating AND under-eating ever day. But I am far from alone .
Doods.

HEY THERE, SWEET THING (HOW'S THAT FOR A GOOD TEXAS GREETING, EXCEPT IT SHOULD BE SAID WITH AN ACCENT, SO "SWEET THANG")!

I READ THIS YESTERDAY, BUT COULDN'T ANSWER IT. MY HEART WAS SO FULL I HAD TO MAKE SURE I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ANSWER PROPERLY. I AM NOT SURE IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, BUT I READ EVERYONE'S POSTS AND THINK HOW STRONG AND CAPABLE AND AMAZING THEY ALL ARE...THEN THERE'S ME I READ THIS POST, AND WAS OVERCOME BY WHAT YOU MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH TO HAVE HAD TO HAVE COUNSELLING ON AND OFF YOUR WHOLE LIFE, ETC. IN AMERICA, COUNSELLING IS SO COMMON AS TO NOT BE UNUSUAL, BUT IF IRELAND IS ANYTHING LIKE SCOTLAND, DAMN!

I'VE BEEN DOWN A SIMILAR ROAD; POSSIBLY FOR SIMILAR REASONS, POSSIBLY NOT. THE A.D. ROUTE DIDN'T HELP ME AT ALL; I GAVE UP AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS ON VARIOUS ONES. PROZAC MADE ME FEEL LIKE I'D HAD TOO MUCH CAFFEINE I HAVE A FRIEND WHO TAKES IT AND WAS TOLD SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE ON IT FOR LIFE. IT EVENS HER OUT AND HELPS HER SO MUCH. SHE FELT DOWN ABOUT "NEEDING" IT, BUT I REMINDED HER SHE'D TAKE INSULIN IF SHE WAS DIABETIC, OR THYROXINE IF SHE WAS HYPOTHYROID...

I'M GLAD THE PROZAC HELPS YOU AND AM SO PLEASED TO HEAR THIS IS THE HAPPIEST YOU HAVE BEEN IN YOUR LIFE. I HAVE FOUND EACH DECADE HAS GOTTEN BETTER. UNDER 10? FORGET IT; DON'T EVEN GO THERE! TEEN YEARS? NIGHTMARE. 20S? CAME TO SCOTLAND, BAD FIRST MARRIAGE, M.S. DIAGNOSIS, MOVED TO ABERDEEN, STARTED UNI., A MARRIED BOYFRIEND (OOPS, LONG STORY). 30S? MET AND MARRIED CHRIS, GRADUATED UNI., ECTOPIC PRENANCY, MOVED TO INVERNESS. 40S? DISCOVERED LOW-CARBING, MOVED TO LOSSIE, FOUND YOU GUYS...NOT BAD FOR A YEAR AND A HALF

YEAH THINGS, DO GET BETTER, THANK GOD. I PRAY YOUR LIFE BECOMES MORE RAINBOWS THAN RAINDROPS, THOUGH IN IRELAND, IS THAT A REMOTELY POSSIBLE WISH?

Hi dear Beth...
You seem to be doing so brilliantly... something to aspire to for me. Having said that I am much much better. These last 2 years have been the only time in my life I remember feeling in any way at peace.. and I think to have reached that at 32 is not so bad. My own Grandmother never ever found it, and died miserable and angry and haunted... not knowing there was a clinical, treatable reason for her unhappiness and violent behavior. I am lucky in that I have never been outwardly violent, I took it all out on myself with anorexia and self hurting. Thank god for my kids sake.
I think I am going to have to make a trip to Scotland one of these days (probably when Grace, age 2, turns 18 and doesn't need me quite so much ) I want to have a cup of coffee with you!
Off now to reply to you in our exercise buddies forum!
Doods.
Ps, what did you do in college?

MY GRANDMOTHER (GOD REST HER SOUL) CHASED MY MOTHER AROUND THE KITCHEN WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE ONCE. MY MUM WAS 25 AND HAD DISAGREED WITH HER SHE WAS THE FUNNIEST HUMN IMAGINABLE, AND THE MOST AWFUL. IN THIS DAY AND AGE, SHE'D HAVE BEEN HELPED. AMAZINGLY, SHE LIVED TO A RIPE OLD AGE. WE AREN'T SURE EXACTLY HOW OLD, BECAUSE SHE WAS "39" UNTIL HER YOUNGER SISTER TURNED 65 (THAT REALLY PISSED HER OFF!). THE COURTHOUSE WHERE HER BIRTH CERTIFICATE WAS HOUSED, BURNED DOWN (I STILL THINK SHE DID IT ), SO THERE WAS NO WAY OF FINDING OUT.

I ASPIRED TO ANOREXIA, BUT BULIMIA WAS MY EATING DISORDER OF CHOICE A COUNSELOR I HAD ONCE TOLD ME THAT BULIMICS TEND TO ASPIRE TO ANOREXIA, BUT ANOREXICS' BIGGEST FEAR IS BULIMIA. INTERESTING. I HAVE DONE SOME SELF HARMING HERE AND THERE, BUT I AM TOO MUCH OF A COWARD, AND DO NOT LIKE PAIN!

AT UNI. I WAS WELL INTO GEARING UP FOR A WELL-PAYING PROFESSIONAL CAREER; I DID ENGLISH AND PHILOSOPHY I THEN DID A LIBRARIANSHIP COURSE, SO AM QUALIFIED FOR THAT, BUT A BAD RELASPE IN 1994 ENCOURAGED ME TO CHOOSE QUALITY OF LIFE OVER FINANCIAL GAIN, AND I HAVEN'T WORKED SINCE. I FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT (THE AMERICAN WORK ETHIC?) BUT KNOW IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE. FATIGUE AND STRESS BOTH HIT THE M.S., AND WORKING UNFORTUNATELY TENDS TO STIMULATE BOTH IN ME. NOW AND THEN, WHEN I AM FEELING WELL, I TOY WITHTHE IDEA OF GOING BACK TO WORK; CHRIS LOSES HIS HEAD. AS SOON AS I AM POORLY AGAIN, HE SAYS, "RIGHT, FULL-TIME WORK, IS IT?" WELL, IF THAT DAMNED LOTTERY WOULD JUST COME UP...

SO MAYBE WE COULD MEET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE IRISH SEA; WE CAN HAVE COFFEE ON THE FERRY

This is getting weirder and weirder.... My Dad is a poet and a Prof of English in Trinity College here in Dublin, so was my Mum, but now she is a prof of english in UMASS in the states.
I knew you studied english!!!
we ARE twins.
Doods.

And I haven't had a job since age 18... honestly.
And I don't feel one bit guilty...
I aspire to my eldest daughter marrying prince william (if she loves him and is happy and doesn't take any s**t from the "men in suits") Just so i can really p*ss the monarchy off and be the first irish catholic queen mother... no I am not selfish at all....
Doods... and pardon my french please.

O.K., SO NOW IT'S GETTING SCARY. MY MOTHER LECTURED IN ENGLISH FOR AWHILE, AND MY FATHER (THEY DIVORCED WHEN I WAS 2), WHO JUST DIED IN FEBRUARY, DID ENGLISH AT UNI. AND WAS A POET. HE IS LITTLE KNOWN OUTWITH HIS LOCAL AREA, BUT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, HE WAS QUITE WELL KNOWN AS A LOCAL CHARACTER. HE USED TO SOMETIMES PAY FOR CIGARETTES AT HIS LOCAL CONVENIENCE STORE WITH POEMS, AND GOT HIS COFFEE AT A NEARBY COFFEE SHOP FREE, JUST FOR SITTING THERE AND WRITING.

WHEN MEG MARRIES PRINCE WILLIAM, CAN I PLEASE COME TO THE WEDDING? WE COULD HAVE SOME PARTY!

WE'VE GOT COMPANY COMING TOMORROW, SO IF YOU DON'T HEAR, I'M NOT IGNORING YOU-JUST PLANNING WHAT TO WEAR TO THE ROYAL WEDDING I THINK IT IS HIGH TIME WE HAD AN IRISH CATHOLIC QUEEN MUM. THAT MIGHT EVEN BE ENOUGH TO TURN ME INTO A ROYALIST