music lover 88

oh no! its only after the yo-yo thing the past couple years that I've finally settled at losing 30 pounds from my original weight. I guess I just have to make sure not to gain anymore, its so hard to be consistent though! I am working at it though, trying to make my eating habits better, etc., and I definitely drink lots of water, so I'm glad about that.

I haven't noticed any excess skin, its kinda hard to tell though. I guess I was worried if I lost alot of weight again then there was bound to be some excess. I mean I have lots of stretch marks and stuff, it seems like there's too much for it to go back where it was 6-7 years ago.

I've been trying to lose weight for a while now, and have finally fell into a consistent routine. I heard that if you lose weight gradually then you won't have excess skin? Is this true, will my skin shrink as I lose weight? I've lost about 30 pounds in the last two years, after going back and forth with excercise and diet. I want to lose 40 more pounds but I'm going to try and do it consistently, not going back and forth for a couple years. If I make it a goal to do this with in the next 5-6 months, is it too much too fast for my skin to keep up?

I've never been one to take vitamins. For some reason I always thought it was something people my parents age needed. But I will look into taking a mult-vitamin, it can't hurt and will make me healthier, thanks!

Faeries- Thanks! I'll try the NutraOx. I had been using Pantene ProV "Thick and full" and it works better than other stuff I've tried but I never felt like it was doing the best job.

I'mthatgirl- I can really say for how long, its been continuous through college, but it just feels like to a point where its the thinnest its been, and I don't want it to be any thinner. I never thought about a vitamin deficiency, what kinds of vitamins would help? I dont have insurance, otherwise I would make a doctors appointment.

Yes, its definitely thinning. When I put it up in a ponytail or something, I can tell it feels less full when I go to put the hairtie on.

Yeah I just graduated college last semester, and I had a LOT of stress going on at the end there, and trying to graduate. But things have mellowed out so, I'm not sure why, still this is happening. I know that naturally people lose hair daily, but is there something I can use to make my hair stronger? Has anyone tried a certain shampoo or spray or something thats made their hair stronger/thicker? I'm female, by the way.

Ok, this has been freaking me out for a while, and I've tried different shampoos, but I don't know what to do anymore. Everytime I wash my hair or brush it, there is SO much hair that falls out. I used to have really thick hair when I was little, in high school I did alot of different things with my hair--coloring, highlighting, different styles, and I think that may have caused some irreversible damage. And now, I'm so afraid to do anything to it because SO much of it falls out. Help! Does anyone have any suggestions?

They followed my every gesture, all eyes were on me. They trusted that I would guide them, they worked together, fed off of each other and me, and achieved something great. What an amazing feeling. I had to hold back the tears, I didn't want to cry in front of them. I'm still in awe as to how great these kids are. Its sad that I can only be with them for a semester, I'm done student teaching in a few days and will graduate soon. I always loved performing and treasured the feelings I experienced while playing. It was through live performance that I first discovered how exhilirating it is to completely "let go." To have a convincing performance, to make a real connection, I can't fake my emotion. It has to be real. Which means there can be no barriers, no hesitation between me and whoever it is I'm playing for. I have to trust completely and take the risk of expressing what I feel inside. Then comes the excitement of taking that risk and knowing that you've connected with someone on a deeper level. I was unsure as to whether being a band director was right for me, whether I had chosen the right major. Just because I enjoyed performing didn't mean I would like teaching. But today I'm up on the podium, conducting a piece with my advanced group, and something clicked. I gave everything I had and they gave back. They listened to each other, worked together, and put their trust in me to create something beautiful. Every student was engaged, they were so loyal, watching me eagerly to see where I would take them. Its amazing to have that kind of connection with the band, and know that you are working with each other on a much deeper level. I was worried teaching band wouldn't be as satisfying as being a performer. I thought I wouldn't find the same thrill or excitement. But I feel now, it will be just as, if not more, fufilling.

Wow, I have been feeling this need for affection ever since I my ex and I broke up about 6 months ago. I'm glad you started this thread, because even if we haven't exactly figured out how to deal with it, it helps to hear people talk about it...and it has been so incredibly hard for me these last few months too. Ren, I am studying to be a teacher as well, I'm interning at a middle school right now and it helps to be around kids. They aren't "huggy" like kindergarten kids, but I receive attention and recognition which is nice. The massage idea sounds really good, if I weren't having financial trouble then I'd be finding the fastest way to get one. I've never heard of the "cuddle parties," I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I think I will look into it.

Thank you for your replies. And I know I shouldn't think about him...but I guess I was hoping it wouldn't always be that way. I dont want these memories to always be painful. He is an amazing person, I respect him so much. I guess I just need to give myself more time. I called him today because I felt so bad. I know he was surprised to hear from me because it had been so long. I told myself I wouldn't call him unless I was ready. I don't know whether this is going to backfire yet, I called him during a weak moment. But it felt good to talk to him. Like I had someone on my side again, something familiar in this foreign life I seem to be leading.

I swore this exact same thing about five years ago. And I know exactly how you feel. I was in a similar situation to yours. Being able to leave the house was almost impossible. I was so incredibly angry with my parents and the way the treated me. When I was 18 I decided I was going to be independent and they didn't deserve to have any part in my life. I transferred to a college where I could live on campus. Moving out of the house was the best decision I ever made. I was able to do exactly what I needed---to be independent of my parents. It made them realize that I needed a life of my own and that I was no longer a child and they needed to treat me as such. I know things are difficult for you right now. But if at all possible, I would suggest trying to save up to get your own place. Do you know anyone you could room with or are there dorms at your university? I found that when I moved away from my parents that my relationship with them improved, over time. I never expected that to happen...I would have bet someone money that my parents would never again have any part in my life. It took a long time, about 3-4 years before I could finally let go of all that anger and repair my relationship with my family. I don't think it would have happened if I hadn't found a way to remove myself from the situation I was in.

Every night before going to sleep, I used to think about my boyfriend, if I wasn't already laying next to him. I thought about how me made me feel, and the wonderful memories we shared. I wanted to fall asleep remembering those things, hoping my dreams would be as sweet. Since the break up, this has been one of the hardest things for me. Because I couldn't think about those things anymore, it hurt too much and I didn't want to be reminded of them. I've been doing ok for the last few months. I've been getting on with my life, moving to a new place, starting a new job, and finding myself again. I used to have these crying fits, rather sobbing fits, where everything would come crashing down and I couldn't control the pain. It was horrible to endure, but I feel like that needed to happen. I would feel somewhat relieved after crying that much, like I could finally let go part of a burden I'd become used to carrying. In the beginning I would cry like that everyday, then every few days, then once a week or every few weeks. I'd reached a point where I couldn't remember the last time I'd cried so hard. I felt like I was healing, I was finally becoming strong again, becoming independent. Recently I let myself think about him again. I was feeling overwhelmed with my job, feeling alone like I didn't have anyone to turn to. I needed comfort...so I let myself think about how I felt when I was with him. I wanted to remember the simplicity, the happiness, comfort and security. I wanted to remember what it felt like to have someone love me so much and care about me like that. Then, I couldn't stop crying. I felt worse. I don't know what to do. I think it was a mistake to revisit those memories and emotions. Dont people say that you shouldn't hold things in and suppress your feelings though? But in this case would it be counter productive to healing? I have spent so much time trying to move forward, making myself a better person. How long will these memories haunt me? When will it be okay to let myself feel again?

Hello Notanymore, I've read some of your other posts, and I want to say I admire your strength and willpower! You have come so far! I don't know if I would be as strong having to see my ex everyday in class, and trying to get on with my life. Three months is a long time yes, but the course of healing doesn't have a deadline. I've been broken up with my ex for almost 5 months, and have maintained NC for roughly the last 2 months. I know my life is better now, I can feel it, and I'm sure you can too. But there are surely times I wonder if I passed up "the one" for me. Those thoughts decrease with time though, and the more time that goes by, I become more confident that I'm going down the right path. Think about why things didn't work, you said she lied to you. Sometimes we have to remember the bad, to remind ourselves why infact the situation was unhealthy for us. I think you should continue NC, especially if you feel your emotions are unstable. This hardship will be well worth it when you come out feeling better in the long run.