Dawn-

Thank you for sharing that about yourself. We all have something in our life that plays a part in who we are, but does not define us.
I have battled my weight since I was in high school. I was 190 pounds before DH and I got married. Then came my saving grace Redux. Wonder Drug. Lost 30 pounds before we actually said I Do. Was 160 on my DisneyMoon. Then complacency kicked in. The weight came back. I was 197 when I got pregnant with DD. Only gained 11 pounds during my pregnancy. Had toxemia, on bed rest the last 3 weeks. But DD was fine, aside from a pinched nerve in her shoulder which resolved quickly. Went home and put on regular clothes. Then the weight piled on again. And I yoyo dieted. Lost, gained, lost, gained. DH did the same. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and my dr. told me that if I didn't lose the weight, I would get diabetes by 40 years old. My mother passed away in Dec of 2003, rocking my world. My mother was ill for most of her life, and I knew deep in my heart that she would not live to be old and gray. But I was not ready to lose her that soon. My DD was only 4 and my SIL was pregnant with their only child. I became the rock for many and had large shoes to fill. And food was a comfort, a friend. It reminded me of my mother, making the things she made or liked. And most of our weekends involved my dad and bro and sis in law and EATING.
In 2006, I had to have my gall bladder out. Fat, female, fertile, forty-the 4 F's for gall bladders gone bad. (I had 3 out of 4) And in the middle of this, we tried (unsuccessfully) to adopt a child. It was my friends niece, very long story on why she needed a home, but anywho, things did not go well for the 2 months she lived with us. There was therapy for all while she was here and for us after she left. Unfortunately, we had already planned our trip to WDW for Dec 06 with our friends as an adoption celebration, thinking that we would be finalized. Our friends were barely speaking to us, but refused to cancel out, insisting that things were "okay". It was miserable, I was miserable. And the topper was that the weather was chilly for Florida in Dec and I had to spend a lot of time with my nemesis: jeans. Yep, like a big ole hot Italian sausage stuffed in its casing. And I got more miserable. So when we got back I decided that enough was enough. I could not control what anyone else did, but I could control ME. And my body. And how it looked. And how how it looked made me feel. And I took action. Every journey begins with a single step. Mine was then. I had hit rock bottom and there was only one way to go-up (actually down, but ya know what I mean).
SO here I am almost a year after I started this journey (I started WW on 2/1/07) and have lost 50 lbs.

I feel better, look better and have lost not only weight, but baggage. I have let go the feelings of loss over the adoption that didn't happen. You never get over losing your mom, but it gets better as time goes by. I am done with the drama that is my father and his "female dog in heat" of a girlfriend. I am doing this for ME. I am the doer-I do for everyone else and neglect myself. Well not any more. I am making myself a priority. And while I will not be a supermodel, supermom or supernanny anytime soon, I will be the best person I can for myself, my husband and my daughter. Because they matter most to me.
Thank you for reading the only slightly abridge version of War and Peace-oh sorry.

I meant my life.
Its nice to have friends here, people who understand where you are coming from. Dawn has paid me a wonderful compliment, by asking me for help and advice, and I hope that I can help her and anyone else.
Okay, sap fest over. Feel free to talk among yourselves or return to the All Tupperware channel for the latest in burping bowls!
Edited to add: Since there is no shame in numbers, I show my weights on my weight loss ticker. While I am not "proud" that I was 215 pounds, its reality and I won't hide it. Or from it. So there, 215, I thumb my nose at you. You are gone forever from my life, adios, sayonara, hasta la vista, baby. Look out 115, here I come.