I lied about my weight on my driver's license - when I was 16! To say I struggled with my weight for a while is like saying the royal wedding was a small family affair. When I graduated from high school I'd been wearing plus size clothes for years. In 1994 I started taking prescription diet pills. I had success, but after a year, I started hearing about heart problems associated with the pills and decided to stop the treatment. And, wouldn't you just know it, my weight crept back up.

In 1997 I married my wonderful husband. I desperately wanted to be under 200 lbs for my wedding. I'm tall - almost 5' 11", so I told myself I was just not meant to be that thin. I had to carry some weight, otherwise I'd look like a beanpole, right?

Over the next six years I gained 75 lbs. Sadly, I didn't get any taller. I would diet, lose a few pounds and then gain it all back. I would exercise, drop a dress size or two, and once again pack it all back on a few months later. I chalked it up to my underactive thyroid.  Read More