Wow! You're no different than me! I thought I was alone. Wow!

Well looking at your posts I am encouraged, to be honest, that this step I have taken is most definitely the right one. "Gaining Weight" claims one member, "Need Some Advice" claims another.

I thought I was the only one out here with a weight problem that begins in the head. I have no problem dieting and losing weight when I stick to a plan. But stop the plan and stop the weight loss. In fact, stop the plan and restart the weight gain!

I recently had a diagnosis that changed me to my very core. I have kids, a wife and a great business and I ain't dumping on that for nobody.

I am not dying to eat the cake, the bacon sandwich, the fish n chips, the lemon meringue pie, the chocolate bar etc etc.

I am dying. Plain and simple. I will just die quicker if I put that crap anywhere near my mouth. Thats the plan behind my plan. Pay attention to what I eat. This site is fantastic. It has helped me redress the books. I may well have been a physical overdraft but I have put myself on forclosure notice and intend to repay every gram of fat back to the food cupboard. I lost weight this week. 0.1kg - Yes! 0.1kg - at that rate I will be at my target weight in 37 months. And you know what? That means I will be slim and my body will shrink with me. No fast path, no bull s##t.

Just plain old fashioned Dickensian "money in = money out = result happiness" type of common sense. If anybody thinks they are better than me because they can do it faster, then good luck to them. I gained weight because of what's in my head. My weight loss will start and finish in my head too. I have a psychological disorder a need to feed and I cannot view it any other way. I even call my blog "diary of a recovering fataholic" (http://recoveringfataholic.wordpress.com/). That's because I see what I have as a disease of the mind.

I had no idea I was in the company of equals with similar thoughts and feelings. I am proud to meet you all and in the words of the infamous Alcoholics Anonymous - I am Mario and I am a fataholic!

Oh Mario, you are definitely NOT alone!

Good job in figuring out it's a mind game. You should do very well with the attitude you have, your not dieing to eat anything.

Good luck to you in your quest for a healthy you, it makes no difference how long it takes to get to your set goal, the journey is what's worth the time you put into it knowing you'll be here for a long time with your family. Enjoy them along the way as well.

Welcome Mario! Yes, I have to agree we have a wonderful place here where we can truly express our feelings about our weight, weight loss efforts, diet plans, etc. And, where we are understood & not judged, in a way only those who have struggled with their weight can. You definitely have the right attitude & are on the right path. I've found using all the resources of the web site so helpful -- logging my food & exercise, journaling, joining groups, posting in forums, etc. Good luck to you!

Welcome, Mario! You are so right about the driving force for weight gain being in one's mind just as the driving force for weight loss must come from within. That said, there is still a lot to be said for gaining knowledge about nutrition, physiology, genetics and all the other factors that determine whether we are healthy or not. I suppose what I am driving at is that it is not all in our heads, nor is it all a matter of willpower. Knowing what drives us psychologically is invaluable but, hopefully, we will all find other valuable bits and pieces of the puzzle along the way. Welcome to the journey.

Welcome aboard! About a gazillion of us are just like you. Isn't it nice to NOT be special? LOL. Seriously, if you're up for losing some weight, you'll love this place. Enjoy the journey - it's the best thing you will EVER do to yourself.

Welcome..... . If you can overcome the 'psychological' hurdles, you can overcome the 'weight issue'........ Sometimes it involves a 'radical' lifestyle change. BUT... One step at a time. You have made the first step.... Welcome aboard

Welcome Mario. This place will definietly help. When I get the urge to eat, I get online and come here for the support of those people who are either where I am now, or have already started to change their lives with their weight loss. It's like replacing a drive for food - with friends!