I was a thin child that never had to excercise because I wasn't raised that way. I wasn't taught to be athletic and cared soley about my books, not my moms fault cause she knew this is what made me happy and had far too many over-active kids to be worried about the one or the way we ate. She just wanted to make sure we fed so nutrition wasn't always number one with food choices...just having food was enough. I learned to love chocolate at age 7 and fell in love with cupcakes, cookies, candy bars, icecream, hot chocolate, chocolate milk but still was slim to the point where it didn't matter up until a few years ago when I started to gain.

I gained and gained for a period of 1-3 years and then plateau into the weight i am now only going slightly down here and there. It wasn't a problem because I felt like I was attractive and had a healthy sense of self and loved me so I wasn't really hurrying to lose it but the weight and the buying of the bigger clothes is becoming a burden financially and physically on my body.

So I now want to lose weight just to look like the hot thang that I always proclaim myself to be anytime someone remotely mentions my weight.

If I am honest with myself - I am fat because
1. I eat too much
2. I do not do anywhere near enough exercise

Until I emotionally accept that I need to do less of number 1 and more of number 2...I will always be "chunky", "well upholstered", "plump" and all those other patronising words that people use in place of plain old fat.

I await the day when I stop blaming "big bones"; "being so un-coordinated that I just CAN'T do any sports"; "no sense of balance so obviously I can't ride a bike"; "too heavy to run - I can't risk snapping my ankles" ... etc etc...

I used to be a skinny skinny child, but then when puberty hit, I became a chubby girl - not fat, but definitely always had an extra 15-20 lbs on me.

It stayed this until university. Since in my life, I do everything the hard way and backwards, I did not gain in my freshmen year, but actually LOST about 30-40 lbs, just through stress, not eating as much without my mother cooking for me, etc. So I went from 155-160lbs to 118lbs (at my lowest). I also took to running on the treadmill.

I kept the weight for about 2-3 years, then graduated, and went to teach abroad. My significant other at the time, followed me. And instead of the doing the typical tourist-y things in Asia, he decided to play video games. And although it was his prerogative, and I cannot put any of the blame on him, because it was my decision, I felt he contributed to my stagnant lifestyle. He didn't make any effort to work out, and I, in my loneliness, decided to spend time with him, and try to be involved with his interests.

Why he didn't take the same effort in my interests is a whole other story. But then I gained all back and then some!!!!

I came back home at 163lbs. And now am on my way down. I really don't know what I weigh now, because I find the scale disheartening. I'd like to believe I'm around 140-150lbs. I wear a size 4/6.

So that's my story, morning glory!

Well, it took me 10 years to figure it out, and it was multiple issues.

First and foremost, I began to have hypothyroid issues at age 28, which slowed my metabolism. As the condition worsened, losing weight became impossible. I gained 90 lbs in 9 years.

I also didn't have the most realistic idea of what healthy foods were. I was eating whole wheat and vegetables and not eating fast food or drinking soda, so I thought my diet was good. What I didn't realize is my diet was FULL of common allergens. I now eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

I also had some empty calories in the form of alcoholic beverages and coffee (with cream). I have since quit drinking both alcoholic and coffee beverages and drink water or green tea.