Sometime after I plateaued and couldn't seem to lose weight for the life of me, I gave up mentally trying to reach my goal weight. At that time I wasn't even sure after working on my weight for 18 months if I wanted to work hard enough to lose those last 20-35 pounds. A year went by and I maintained. Eighteen months went by and mentally I began to have some problems. It was after that when my husband declared we were going to have to go into bankruptcy that I fell apart and started a what would turn out to be 18 month weight gain of 20 pounds ! I would have plenty of finacial and medical set backs to aid in my excuse not to exercise as well as just out right lose my motivation to fight. The only thing that has kept me going or from losing it all is that sense of I'm not going back to the way it was before.

I still pretty much eat healthy, exercise periodically, and count my calories. I just haven't put it all together. I would come back to CK and keep paying because I knew it and my friends here were my lifeline to not giving up. Friends like Nadine, Terrie, and Marg,and Amy were with me from the beginning and have always encouraged me. Nadine has always been a mentor of sorts with her stella exmple of how it's done. When ever I would get totally lost, I would go to her page and read it. Terrie's running and Amy's work outs would get me back outside to my workouts. Margorie's encourement always made me feel better about myself as did my other friends who would pop in from time to time. I found without them, I could not hang in there for I needed the emotional support from people who understood the hard realities of keeping food at bay and making exercise a part of my life.

We may be connected by the internet, nut the personal connection is still very personal. I actually used to wonder if my internet friendships were as strong as my church friends. My CK friends, over these past three years as I celebtrate my third year here on CK, I am telling you, your relationship is just as important to me as my friends I see in the flesh everyday. For three years you all have given me your friendship with much devotion. Thank you for taking me in and making me part of your life. Your friend, Lory