I work for rock bands and love animals, swimming, video games and music. I'm low maintenance, have many many friends, and the best family anyone could want. Overall I'd say I'm lucky as can be... I'm just also fat.

I've always been a little bigger than everyone thought I should be; even in high school, when I had what I'd now consider to be a perfect body, I was always a few pounds more than society appreciated. I started dieting when I was 14 or so, but have never had any sustained success. It bothered me but not much - I'm tall, with a large frame, but an hourglass shape and decent face kept me from worrying about my weight. I never lacked for suitors, and have many encouraging and loving relationships with friends and family. Weight never seemed like an issue important enough to focus on for long.

Now I find myself at 45, severely overweight after a lifetime of laziness. A bad car accident started me on the path to gaining in my 20's, and the scale has climbed due to my own lack of caring and determination. I've started hundreds of diets and tried to change my lifestyle, but I'd always get distracted - and the facts remain that I love cooking, I love food, and I seriously hate exercise. Combine that with a husband who actually loves big women, and the motivation to lose the weight is next to nil.

The things have changed recently, and that's what has me on this new hunt for health.