


!!! I feel the same way - even though I am learning about it being other people's problem if they treat me weird, I'm so conditioned to take it personally. I think most people are, and it will take a lot of practice!
Deep breathing is so great. We actually do that as one of our singing exercises so we sing from the belly. (And incidentally, one drumming teacher taught K that if you say No from your belly, people take you seriously.)
I wish you lived nearby, too! We could pool resources and make nice low carb foods to share, cheer each other up, and have a good exercise buddy! I always have trouble finding good pants when I look for them. I only find nice ones when I am looking for other clothes. I think it's hard to find pants that fit right and flatter you and are the right thickness for the season, as well. Please don't despair - those pants exist and you will find them while looking for something else!!
I think what is so hard about the last pounds is that it requires us to stay under 1,300 calories a day or exercise like mad to make up for that, stay pretty low carb, and not stress. Well, staying under calories itself can be stressful, and staying very low carb can, too. I think it really requires a special kind of discipline and also a lot of planning, plus plans for if the day didn't go well - what to do to make up for it. We will get there - we just have to keep experimenting with how to do this, and keep starting over if we get side tracked. It's like with meditating, when you get caught up in thoughts, you refocus on breath or nature or whatever, and eventually after doing that some months, it suddenly is a lot easier because you were persistent for months beforehand.



!!! Things will get better!!!!!