DanC_84

I worked in a supermarket my whole way through Uni. I actually didn't mind it but then the job I had before that was a glass collector at a bar at the races and people just used to hurl abuse and projectiles at me, so I guess stacking shelves seemed ok. How far into your degree are you?

Yeah, it sucks how unhealthy food is way cheaper than healthy food. It makes it really hard to diet properly when you are a student. It can be the determining factor in a moment of weakness. It sucks that you are finding it so hard to get a job, there is just nothing available huh?

I experienced similar feelings in my stomach when I started my campaign last year. I remember putting it down to just a massive change in diet. My stomach was used to seeing certain things enter it and then I drastically altered that input and it felt wierd.

I don't know if that is actually what was happening but that is what I attributed it to. I was eating absolutely horribly though. And I mean horribly.

I know, I am seriously starting to get suffocated. I love my parents to death, but my mum has this habit of wanting to know absolutely everything that I am doing, all the time. I kind of live a little bit separate to the rest of the family, but still, I really, really want to move out. It is a struggle though, I feel like I have looked at and suggested 1000 apartments but none have received the tick as of yet.

LOL, you will have to let me know what it is like. I grew up in a similar situation. I went to a private boys' college my parents chose. We pretty much never even laid eyes on a girl, let alone actually got to talk to one. That is why I am so keen to move out, I want to live by myself! I am 24 and I feel just like a massive, half grown-up kid.

Yeah, I am a cog, LOL.

It is ok though, there are things I enjoy about the cog lifestyle. It will be better when I'm not still living at home with my parents. I want to move out it is just so difficult to find a place!

I definately sometimes miss that feeling I had when I was 17 and just out of school though. I was single and I had heaps of free time. It was awesome just being able to go over to a friend's place and sit and listen to music and watch movies all day. It is a bit sad to think that is all over now.

I would love nothing more than to say "**** the Machine" and live without it. The problem is I know I don't have what it takes, haha. I have grown accustomed to and need the comfort of the machine too much.

I would love to travel as well. It would be awesome to do like a full-year thing. I think that boat may have sailed for me now unfortunately, considering I am old now.

I really would have loved to do something related to History. It was always my favourite subject. I studied it for three years at University before I realised I wasn't going to get a job unless it was teaching, and I didn't really want to do that. So, I changed to Economics. Not quite as interesting.

Haha, yeah I'm pretty sure what you consider to be "not that cold" I would term as freezing. Our summers are ridiculous. As in mid-30s celcius and humidity in the 90% range. It can be unbearable. We are heading into "winter" here now and it is still nearly getting up to 30 most days. The cold was one of the things I loved most about London.

What do you want to do? I would love to do what I "want" to do, but sadly it isn't possible.

That is the one thing I really do not miss about uni, the exams. I hated being examined constantly. I stressed out way too much as well.

I hear things are really bad over there employment wise. Emily's father is Irish and he keeps in touch with some people from back in the UK and it doesn't sound good. We haven't really been hit hard out here so far. I hope we don't, otherwise I could be in a little bit of trouble.

LOL, the whole "non-event" thing is why I want to go to Ireland. I want to rent a cottage in the countryside there. I love cold weather and green things. I have lived in a city for my entire life, non-event sounds awesome to me!

Hey Roxi,

Meh, I'm pretty good. At work which is never fun. Browsing the forum at regular intervals makes it tolerable to a point.

I am glad I can provide some limited form of encouragement! You have started so well, I have every confidence. What is happening over in Ireland? I really, really want to go to Ireland. I should have gone when I was in London early in '08, it was just that the whole trip had been meticulously planned (not by me) and we didn't have the opportunity to see the rest of the UK. Hope all is well with you, how are your exams going?

Yeah, I was in exactly your boat, so I know 100% how tough it is. It just sucked.

We went to this party when we got back from Europe and friends of mine were making jokes about my weight, and how I was going to eat various people at the party, in front of people I barely even knew. I started the diet and training the next week and whenever I felt like I might stop I just thought about how horrific I felt for the rest of that night.

You sound like an extremely strong person though, a lot stronger than I was/am, that is for sure. You can definately do it.

Believe me, I know how tough it is.

I struggled with weight from 2002 right through to last year.

It was being mocked constantly that eventually got through to me. My mates have always perceived me as a very thick-skinned person who could take it and dish it out, so they never really held back on it. I would laugh along but inside it was ripping me to pieces. That is why I will never, ever criticise anyone for their weight. It used to make me miserable.

My girlfriend didn't really help either to be honest. When we got back she realised she had put on 4 pounds to reach the massive total of 132 and she was wailing about it like it was the end of the world. It makes you feel pretty ordinary.

I know it sounds sick as hell but the way I lost the weight was just constantly reminding myself of every single think I hated about being overweight. Your thread is a great idea too, except you need to be 100% transparent with it, otherwise you will just cheat yourself. I know I used to.

Just wanted to wish you luck with your weight loss.

It is crazy how much your situation is the same as mine was, except perhaps not as severe. When I got back from Europe last January I was over 280 pounds! I am a pretty broad guy and almost 2 metres tall, so I deluded myself into thinking I was just "big". Anyway I hit rock bottom when I got home and since then I have managed to get rid of 50 pounds, so I am still carrying a little extra but at least it isn't dangerous.

You can definatley do it. I can tell by the tone in your post that you are at a similar place to where I was and you have just had enough with it. Best of luck.