Quote Originally Posted by alison_in_oh
Why do you need to find other people? I'm a woman, and I lift by myself in a gym. I use mostly machines but am migrating to free weights and apparatus that leverages my body weight (ie assisted pullups and dips, back extensions). I'm fortunate that my gym is next door to my work and about 5 minutes' drive from home (10 minutes' bike ride!). I find it pretty easy to make time to work out three times per week.

That said, I bet you could do your body a lot of good with a selection of home weights and this site: http://stumptuous.com/weights.html

Oh, and the Depo? DEFINITELY a problem! It might take you a year to get that crap out of your system but from everything I've heard, as much as 10-15 lbs. will probably melt off you like butter.
Thanks for the link; I've voraciously plowed through that site a few times, and I think it's great what Krista is doing for women who lift.

The partner thing has nothing to do with being female. I'd rather have a lifting partner for two reasons: spotting and motivation. A spotter is important, not just for safety but also to help me really work to exhaustion (just a finger's help can make a huge difference in finishing a set). The motivation thing, well, it's nice to have someone to coax you or yell at you, as the situation warrants.

I've now been off of depo for two months. I remember losing weight so rapidly a few years ago that co-workers worried that I might be anorexic, and I remember that I got off of depo for six months, but I don't recall if the time periods overlapped. I was also clinically depressed at the time, which ruins my appetite. I saw my doctor today about my cold, and she said she's happy to have me off the depo. (Turns out I have a viral bronchitis that's been making the rounds; joy! I should feel better by Sunday, she said.)