I'm a 30's something male. over the last several years (really about 14 yrs) i gained weight pretty steadily. it was my own doing. i returned home from the military and made my career in the prison system as a correctional officer for 10yrs. my job didn't require much, if any, activity. then in Jan 2005 i made a career move to become a nurse. big change in profession but not in activity or setting. upon graduating and licensing i worked the nursing home for about 1 & 1/2 yrs. it kept me fairly busy on my feet but then i returned to the prison setting and have been back there for about 4 yrs now. in this time span of returning home in 1993 until now, i had gained approximately 100 lbs to a weight of 260 lbs. within the last few months i talked with my doctor and my wife about losing weight. both have been very encouraging and very helpful. about 2 & 1/2 months ago i started my 'diet'. i've tried diets before but never had any results. i've tried the 'diet fads' and 'diet products' on the market. none seemed to work. when it all came down to it i learned it wasn't what i ate but rather how much i ate. i must admit i do calorie count, which for me, has been the key. with all this said it has also been a great help having a site like this to use as a tool. by helping me keep track of my intake i have been able to even better manage my goal and stay on track.