Weight Loss Diary 2017 - Goal 1-0-5

With my parents for a few days. Will return back to my lonely life on Sat lol. Once I have work, things will get busy for sure. I am still waiting for the background check to clear. It will be such a relief when it does.

Few life updates:

Health
I bought a wig - just to see how it looks - it's on the cheaper end and it's not as close to my hair color but wanted to try the quality and the brand. It was around $30. I looked up some that are closer to my shade and with more density but I think I need practice. The one I bought last year was so expensive and unfortunately I think overplucked. I should have returned it but it was COVID and it was my first time so I didn't know what I was doing. I want to normalize wearing fake hair.

I had my pituitary MRI on Tues and there is one tomorrow morning on Fri. The hospital experience was ok but it worries me...hospitals...they are not pleasant places.

Today I heard something about habits and rituals and how under pressure we go back to our habits and routines and rituals. And how we default to our habits and routines in times of stress. I must admit, for me it is binge eating and eating unhealthy, it's a difficult pattern to break when that is a source of comfort and familiarity.

Finances
I have a friend that wants to retire at 45...or 50 at the latest. We talk a lot and I have been thinking of finances lately. I live in an expensive city where rent just keeps going up. Rental rates are at pre-pandemic rates now and my condo under normal circumstances is $700 more per month than the rate I got it at during the pandemic. This is making me think of buying, which is very expensive, but I will have to bite the bullet and do it if I want to live in the city - or anywhere really. My landlord is probably going to kick me out at some point to get back his original rate.

So anyways, I have been thinking of how to save for retirement as I turn 40 in a few years and I will need a nest egg too. I have not been the best with money historically. I am not the most spendthrift but I have not been saving much the past 3-4 years between health issues and moving to an expensive city. So there are some things I need to educate myself on in terms of investing in stocks and real estate. I am very late to the game but I need to secure myself because I may very well end up alone.

- I definitely need to buy a place and work out the monthly costs of owning

- My girlfriends and I have toyed with the idea of getting a duplex/triplex - and eventually moving in when we are older together - this is something I am willing to invest in but not sure what kind of expensive downpayment it would require
 
Hi, Misty. Is the price of renting out of proportion to the price of real estate? It is here in Tasmania. If you can afford to buy you could possibly have a friend share & help out by paying you rent. That's what our younger son did for many years.
Is the background check for a job you have applied for?
 
Cate said:
Hi, Misty. Is the price of renting out of proportion to the price of real estate? It is here in Tasmania. If you can afford to buy you could possibly have a friend share & help out by paying you rent. That's what our younger son did for many years.
Is the background check for a job you have applied for?
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Hi Cate, yes, the mortgage would probably be close to market rental rate . At the price I am paying right now, it does not make sense to buy but my lease is over in Jan/Feb and I feel like my landlord will try to get in at the market rate because right now I am paying $700 below market per month. That's a lot of money for him to lose over the course of a year.

There was a huge dip in rent last year because people were moving out of the city to live in the suburbs (more land and everyone was working from home instead of travelling to the city to work). Housing prices have sky rocketed as people moved into bigger houses. Landlords renting condos/apartments in the city had to lower their rent because the condo market was tanking and they needed tenants. People that were still in the city and students moved into bigger condos and units that they'd historically never be able to afford.

But now we are back to pre-pandemic rental rates.

Landlords over here sometimes give notice, even if it is a white lie saying "my daughter needs to move in" and then rent the condo at the market rate vs the discount rate they previously offered. They can't all of a sudden start charging someone $700 more for rent (we have laws in place for that) so the best solution is to give notice...with some B.S. reason...get the old tenant out and get a new tenant in at a more profitable rate. My landlord is on the cheap side so I see him doing this....and I just want to be prepared.

Yes, I need to calculate the cost of ownership. Some pre-construction condos are cheaper. Condo fees and parking spot fees are in addition to the price of the unit.

Background check is for work!
 
It sounds like you have some serious homework to do on whether or not to buy. I am very grateful to have the security of living in our own home.
So, the work is a yes, conditional on the background check? Well done, hon!
 
Hey Misty, good to see you still rocking along and fighting the good battle.
misty22 said:
I definitely need to buy a place and work out the monthly costs of owning
Click to expand...
Always a big decision, but long run it is how most people build up a nest egg. You are wise to be considering it. I think you are about the right age, you should be able to pay the mortgage off by the time you retire. However if that is your goal I would not wait a lot longer.

The problem always is timing. Real Estate prices always go up in the long run, but are quite unpredictable short term. My sense is that if you can figure out how to do it financially then do it. In the US prices are pretty high right now, but interest rates are at near record lows, don't know Canada though. If you hold it for 20 or 30 years its value will go up, it has to, just the first few years that are uncertain.

And while your rent will always go up your mortgage payments should not.

misty22 said:
not sure what kind of expensive downpayment it would require
Click to expand...
In the US 20% is ideal, it will get you the best mortgage rates, and help you qualify. However there are ways to do it with less. A realtor or loan officer could tell you. In the US a lot of people I know get help from their parents with a the down payment on a first house, don't know if that would make sense for you.
misty22 said:
My girlfriends and I have toyed with the idea of getting a duplex/triplex
Click to expand...
Be careful with any kind of joint ownership. Problem is no matter how well you know people you can't predict what the future will bring. Cate's idea of renting part of the house to others is a good one, just so you are the only owner.

Best of luck with it, an exciting time for you!
 
Its a tough market right now. I feel for anyone looking to get into buying a home at the moment, at least in the US. Not sure how other places are doing. When I was going through a lot over the last year and a half with DW and wasn't sure if we were going to make it, I started looking at apartments and realized that since I bought my house 20yrs ago, my mortgage was less than what most rentals are costing, it was an eye opener.
 
Cate said:
It sounds like you have some serious homework to do on whether or not to buy. I am very grateful to have the security of living in our own home.
So, the work is a yes, conditional on the background check? Well done, hon!
Click to expand...
Yes, I am starting my research on home ownership!!

Yes, work is conditional on background check, they are 33% percent done and praying it just goes through smoothly as I need to start working lol
 
toodamtall said:
Its a tough market right now. I feel for anyone looking to get into buying a home at the moment, at least in the US. Not sure how other places are doing. When I was going through a lot over the last year and a half with DW and wasn't sure if we were going to make it, I started looking at apartments and realized that since I bought my house 20yrs ago, my mortgage was less than what most rentals are costing, it was an eye opener.
Click to expand...

It certainly is a crazy market, I'm in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area even, prices are only going up. They keep talking about the bubble bursting but it just never does. Once immigration, foreign students and foreign investors are back in, I imagine it will only inflate.
 
alligatorob said:
Hey Misty, good to see you still rocking along and fighting the good battle.

Always a big decision, but long run it is how most people build up a nest egg. You are wise to be considering it. I think you are about the right age, you should be able to pay the mortgage off by the time you retire. However if that is your goal I would not wait a lot longer.

The problem always is timing. Real Estate prices always go up in the long run, but are quite unpredictable short term. My sense is that if you can figure out how to do it financially then do it. In the US prices are pretty high right now, but interest rates are at near record lows, don't know Canada though. If you hold it for 20 or 30 years its value will go up, it has to, just the first few years that are uncertain.

And while your rent will always go up your mortgage payments should not.


In the US 20% is ideal, it will get you the best mortgage rates, and help you qualify. However there are ways to do it with less. A realtor or loan officer could tell you. In the US a lot of people I know get help from their parents with a the down payment on a first house, don't know if that would make sense for you.

Be careful with any kind of joint ownership. Problem is no matter how well you know people you can't predict what the future will bring. Cate's idea of renting part of the house to others is a good one, just so you are the only owner.

Best of luck with it, an exciting time for you!
Click to expand...
Rob, thank you for that advice! Yes, min downpayment is 20% here too.

Yes, I am waiting for the job to kick in, once I pass the background check, and then I can also provide the docs I need to the bank to assess how much of a mortgage I can qualify for. Fingers crossed all goes well on that end.

Re: joint home ownership, yes, I know that is tricky and renting out - I honestly never thought of it till Cate mentioned it. A condo would be just me but a house with multiple rooms may be a better rental situation.

Also, so good to have you back xo
 
I'm probably in the 113 range as I spent a few days with the parents and ....let's just say they have all the 'good stuff' - things I would not normally buy. I've decided to cut myself some slack when I am at their place. That said, back on the bandwagon as of today.

So about 10lbs to go.

The cooling in my condo has broken...so it's been interesting have the windows open at night, I'm in the city with three hospitals around me so night sounds and ambulance sounds...I haven't been sleeping well but it's ok. Hoping they can fix this tomorrow.
 
misty22 said:
The cooling in my condo has broken...so it's been interesting have the windows open at night, I'm in the city with three hospitals around me so night sounds and ambulance sounds...I haven't been sleeping well but it's ok. Hoping they can fix this tomorrow.
Click to expand...
I was in the waiting room for my ultrasound yesterday & read this. As I was reading it an ambulance screamed past :oops:
 
Cate said:
I was in the waiting room for my ultrasound yesterday & read this. As I was reading it an ambulance screamed past :oops:
Click to expand...
Isn't it weird how the universe comes together sometimes? I hope your ultrasound goes well, Cate xo
 
So some good news and some bad news.

Good news - I start work next week! Bit nervous and anxious but I am sure it will be OK.

Bad news - Tumour grew a mm to 4mm - I'm not sure what size it can start causing symptoms but at 10mm it can easily press against the optic nerves and require surgery. Some other things to look out for are migraines, no menses, leaking breasts etc. There are a host of symptoms if it's causing issues.

I feel it's already causing symptoms...with irregular cycles and hair loss but....my endo would disagree. I'm re-doing my bloodwork and will keep doing bloodwork every few months at least. MRIs will happen annually.

I am taking it a day at a time right now.

CW: 111.8lbs
 
i'm not sure how wide spread this is, but at least in my city housing is not a buyer's market right now. i must get 1 or 2 letters from brokers every day who are looking for properties. i used to get a few every month, but the pace seems to have kicked up a few notches the past year or so.

on the positive side... there is rarely ever a downside to buying in any market + mortgage rates are the lowest i've seen in my lifetime (60+ years).
 
I didn't exercise much but got in a 6km walk. I didn't eat as well as I should have but oh well. Let's see how the scale shows up this weekend.

CW: 111.2lbs
 
alligatorob said:
Sounds like good exercise to me.

How goes the thinking about house hunting?

Sure hope it just goes away! Best of luck with it, let us know.
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I have to keep looking! It will take a while to find something appropriate.

the tumour won’t go away … it has to get bigger to be approved for surgery (10mm) or start causing serious complications - they don’t do preventative surgery because it’s close to the brain and if the hormones can be managed then they won’t bother with surgery.
 
CW: 113lbs

Today S. texted me asking how I was. I responded with a flat, hey, good thanks. And that was pretty much the end of the convo. Why even bother texting...I guess I am still mad/hurt and unimpressed by how it all went down. I don't want to put my heart on the line for someone who can't even text properly and with purpose. A part of me is whispering that I will be single forever but I'm just tired of always chasing. Why can't the guy chase...

Anyways, what I really came here was to talk about my diet. I'm struggling with it. I feel I need to give up my morning coffee and dairy. There is still some inflammation happening inside my body and that's the only consistent stressor I can think of. On the days I can, I have been having celery juice twice. My parent's juicer is really helping, thankfully.
 
I started a new job - and so far I'm so confused. I don't know what's going on. My mind is a bit of a mess. It's normal, and I just need to put some time into work to pick it up properly.

I feel a bit all over the place - I don't have a proper boss. If I do, they'll be new as well. It's only week two so I need to cut myself some slack.

I've been seeing Andres on the side. There's a big emotional wall with him - and I brought it up on Sunday...and he basically flat out said he can't handle a serious relationship and he was hesitating to tell me...he considered ghosting me (which I told him was mean)... but he had the hard conversation with me. I felt upset. He had come over late Sunday and when he told me, he saw my not-so-great reaction and stayed with me because he felt...guilty...I suppose. He's going through some emotional turmoil, said it wasn't me...is starting therapy...which I have been telling him to go to since I met him two months ago. He said something like, "you pick fucked up men" ....and I know he was talking about himself but he knows my dating history and it just sounded very hurtful. I felt depressed yesterday and couldn't concentrate on work. I never thought Andres and I would be serious but as you spend time with someone there is always that glimmer of hope that it could be something more...and when it gets crushed, it stings.

I like a lot of things about him, there were so many pros vs. S. but Andres is very bottled up. He doesn't let me in. I can't read him, I don't know what's going on inside his head. He don't communicate frequently in between seeing each other. My silly texts go unanswered. He also lied to me about when his last relationship ended. He said two years ago the day I met him and suddenly yesterday it was nine months ago, two of which we have dated. His last relationship was five years long. For context, my last serious relationship was six years long and it took me two years to feel comfortable dating again (I got sick in between). But still, it was just a lot and it was hurtful and so the second week at work I feel a bit distracted.

I probably should just cut off all communication with him...I have one friend that would say to keep it casual until you find someone else but I find it hard to operate that way. Seeing someone when I know they don't fully accept me and don't see me as long-term. It hurts.

That said, I ordered a dress and will take a few new pics next week when it comes it and update my dating profile. I am so tired of situationships...

Anyways...my weight loss goal for this month is 109lbs considering I have six days till end of the week. Then for Nov I will aim for 5lbs to a goal of 104lbs.

Re: health, I am just trying to calm the inflammation and the acid reflux in my body. I bought liquid vitamins to give my body what it needs. Quitting coffee is so hard but it flares up my acid reflux so I am trying to reduce it ....I'm at half a cup currently. I'm going to try to forgo it over the weekend.

CW: 110.8lbs
 
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