Hello all! My name is Amanda and I am not real sure what I should put here but here goes. I am 36 years old, single and currently unemployed and looking for work. I am trying to get my writing career off the ground and am trying to find an agent to represent me and my first book, a cookbook! And I have a cat named Beau, who I completely adore. My kitty before that was named Cyra - hence my screen name - and I miss her dearly. I lost her to cancer in 2011.

I have never been thin, it just isn't my body type, but things really got out of hand when I started college. Little exercise due to all my studying and learning bad eating habits from my new roommate, I quickly ballooned. Then a bad car accident in 2006 that left me bedridden for several months, then in a wheelchair for several more, I finally topped out at 265 pounds! And of course with poor nutrition and bad habits, my health took a beating as well.

I have always had bad knees - well, since I was a teenager, anyway - and that makes it quite difficult to do physical activity for any length of time. And if I am not careful, I can get myself laid up for a couple weeks again. I would prefer to do water exercises but I admit I am very self-conscious about my weight/appearance and don't like to use the pool at my apartment if anyone is around.

I have tried all sorts of diets - low fat, low carb, Weight Watchers, Adkins, smoothies, etc - and I can make progress for a short time but it is quite short lived. So then I get discouraged and drown my sorrows in something totally bad for me!! So, I have a lot of work to do - and many obstacles to overcome - and I will be doing my best to get this situation turned around so that I feel as good as I look!!

Best wishes to everyone on a similar quest - and feel free to add me as a buddy, if you would like. (((Hugs!!!)))