What a difference a year makes!!

**Parma-Beth** · December 31st, 2002, 09:57 AM

Okay, January 9th will be one year since I started Phentermine and signed up to join the forum (formerly Beth-C). It's been a great year! Full of highs and lows, ups and downs (wonderful mood swings!), making new friends, having a few agruements, and learning a lot about myself, life, and how I want to live it.

Here are a few of the things I've learned:

PMS still comes, whether or not you give in and eat the entire pan of brownies and gallon of ice cream (Chunky Monkey or Mint Chocolate Chip). The difference is whether or not you'll gain 5 pounds or more self respect.

Regular exercise isn't a chore and it won't kill me. In fact, it makes me feel much better and threw my sex drive into over drive (lucky hubby!

)

I never thought I could or would walk, let alone hike, 5 miles for fun. Maybe if my car broke down and my cell phone wasn't working, but fun? No way! Well, surprize, now I have the pictures, and the memories of doing it just because it sounded fun and I wanted to enjoy the vistas.

Going out to eat isn't as much fun now that I am paying more attention to what I'm eating. Now that I realize how much fat and calories are on that plate, suddenly I'm not all that hungery.

I wasn't getting old, I was just fat and really out of shape. Who whould have thought carrying 100+ extra pounds could make you feel so bad? My knees don't hurt any more, I no longer snap, crackle and pop like an old woman when I take the stairs and I don't require naps with my kids (though sometimes I still enjoy them.)

I'm not alone in my stuggles and I've met some of the coolest, non-judgemental, supportive people during this journey. Thanks for being here for me and letting me return the favor. I count all of you among my blessings!

Now, let's go tackle the New Year!!