Welcome!

Here it is ....my very first blog posting. So, let me fill you in on why and what I hope to accomplish with Step Back from the Edge.

Why? I've spent 20 + years teaching in a public high school. I'm a reject from a major weight loss program.  During the last year I was diagonosed with  Gluten Sensativity and I broke four bones in my foot (2 pins-removed, 1 plate-still in there) and had one hellish case of poison ivy that nearly had me hospitalized. To put it in high school vernacular: the last year has sucked in a major way.

What do I hope to accomplish? As I was flirting with the edge, I realized I need help, support and a way to share (read: vent). I need to know that I'm not the only one teetering on that edge of ....well, I'm afraid to find out what comes after the edge.

What led to dancing to the edge? Hmmmm......well, teaching in a public high school is stressful enough and recent political events have made being a public employee VERY STRESSFUL. But that's not all. The "perfect storm" started brewing a few years ago. Remember I mentioned that I'm a reject from a major weight loss program? Yep, that's me and here's that story. I joined, I lost 48 pounds, I became an employee of said national chain and I got fired. That's right. Fired. After losing the weight (I hate it when people refer to it as My Weight as in, "I see you've kept off your weight" or " Uh-oh, your weight is creeping back") my fear became my reality. The WEIGHT really was waiting around the corner ready to regain it's hold over my life. And I got fired because of it. Thanks...really, thanks major national weight loss program for your sensitivity.

Then came the gluten sensitivity diagnosis...huh, it wasn't a really l-o-n-g flu and the puffiness and bloating wasn't in my head! (again, thank you national weight loss chain for your sensitivity).

Then the poison ivy. Never ever had it before but it nearly put me in the hospital. I've wondered if both new sensitivities go hand in hand?

Then the broken foot. Then one surgery and 2.5 months on the couch with said foot elevated and said butt growing by the day. (thank God for OnDemand) Oh...and no exercise. I was working with a trainer and working out 5 days a week. But all of that went bye bye.

Then the edge came into view. I knew I needed help. I have a wonderful, loving husband who's so supportive and so perplexed about me. I have loving grown children and a beautiful first grandbaby who is the BRIGHT SPOT in my suckity-suck-sucky year. My sister and my neice, my friends and co-workers are wonderful. But I was rapidly approaching the edge.

So, that puts us here. Hey! Guess what I found!? WedMD has a FREE online weight loss program that asks how much do I want to lose? How much and what kind of exercise can I do? It counts my calories and has an online forum....for FREE! I signed up and within a few months those couch pounds will be gone.

So, if you're approaching the edge, what had led you there?

Let's band together, hold hands and step back.

Thank you! I feel better already!