I'm 57 years old! (How did THAT happen???)I have always had to watch my weight, but in the last 10 years or so, my weight has begun to creep up on me a few pounds at a time, until I was at an all-time high of 170! What I said to myself was "I refuse to weigh more than I did when I was 9 months pregnant!"

Since October, 2011, I've lost 16 pounds, and still want to lose another 17, although frankly, I'd be happy to weigh 140 again...

I definitely feel that the menopausal years have made it more difficult to maintain (or lose) weight, but I can't deny that there have been times when I've had uncontrollable binging. I have literally eaten until I was miserable and then continued to eat...Seemed I was searching for just the right thing to satisfy me, but couldn't find it.

I'm happy where I am in my personal life, and have some long-term educational goals, believe it or not. At my age, that may seem odd. Suffice to say...I got a late start, but I LOVE school. :)

I've been using my calorie counter phone app since October, and find it a tremendously helpful tool for tracking "what goes in"...I DO know that I need to step up the exercise (I try to ride my stationary bike for several minutes a day, but apparently this is not enough). I've come to the fatsecret site as another inspirational tool in the box, so to speak. We are a kindred spirit, those of us who struggle against the scales!

My philosophy has been just to find a level of self-control and yes, even the dreaded "willpower" which the "experts" say doesn't work...well, I'm sorry, but it takes an act of your will to do pretty much anything, so to me, willpower IS important...

and so, there ya go...that's me in a nutshell.

Update: As of 7/12/12, I've reached my "135 pounds" goal...think I'll press on for another 5 pounds. That should put me back into my size 8 jeans. I can get them on now, but they're uncomfortably snug... nah...let's face it, they're tight :-)