I have a super-whizzy scales thing. Well, no, I have a cheap version of one, and not really that whizzy at all. And I have never worked out how to tell it what ‘fitness level’ I am, so it seems to be presuming that whatever I weigh, it should base calculations on the fact that I’m entirely composed of flab. Rather, than, say, pure muscle, which I am, of course.

*cough*

Anyway, thank you , and hello

I hit my point of “ok, this is enough” when I bought one of those super whizzy electronic scales that told me my weight/muscle/water/fat composition, but more importantly, broke it down into such tiny increments that I could really see when not-scarfing-down-entire-pizzas was making a difference (even if it *was* tiny).

And then I got pregnant. We were trying, but I thought it probably wouldn’t happen with the whole “being obese” thing, and had just decided to stop trying for a bit and concentrate on the losing weight thing. So, pregnant good, but also has completely buggered up the losing weight thing.

Not sure what I’m wittering on about really, but I think you’re brilliant (love your writing) and congratulations on your weight loss, and yeah, I’m going to stop talking now.

Having lost shedloads of weight last year too, I now seem to have settled at a size 16-ish and it annoys me that I’m still just in the “obese” range of the bmi chart.

But when I’m out walking miles on the Downs with the mutt, healthy and non wheezing, or when I find an old pair of beloved jeans that not only zip up but Actually Look Rather Good, none of that bmi shite really matters.

(It should possibly be noted that my - and my husband’s - very cunning incentive programme for regular exercise involves a daily chocolate. But I don’t think that’s the problem. One high-quality chocolate a day? Frankly if I can’t even enjoy that, then being skinny just isn’t worth it.)

Ok. Have to go for a run now.

And no, it’s been food too. But for me, the ‘moving around more’ side of the equation was what made the difference - and I”m a bit boringly evangelical about that (ask Katy who will attest that my response to her every wobbly moment and complaint of things not going right is met with my cry of “Go and exercise!”

But yeah, more on the hows later. This was all about the whys, really

Or is there more to ask for?

I was hoping for a success story of “And now I’m thinner than Kate Moss and anorexics ask me how I stay so slim.”

Or not. So long as its a successful story. You’ve lost an impressive amount of weight. All by going to the gym? Honey, if thanking the academy helps, please do. All I ask is that you throw in a few pertinent tips for us porketeers who are still stumbling in the dark… (sniff, sniff, self-pitying sniff)

It’s really ace having a place to write about all this stuff. I’ve got all these things I was too scared to bore people with before. I’d like to thank my fellow porketeers, and the academy, and…