Hello, I live nr Romford in Essex, UK, and work for an animal charity as a volunteer. I used to write for women's magazines (short stories) and I am getting back into my writing: it looks like a book is coming along well from all my notes but we shall see. I will be happy just to enjoy the writing of it and finishing it.

I am 53 very soon and feeling fat, unfit, and quite down about it though generally I'm an upbeat and cheerful person. I take tablets that are known to have an effect on appetite so I think I have for quite some time been blaming those and then eating what the hell I like! E.g. chocolate, cakes, biscuits, high-fat cheese etc... on top of an average day's calories... :((

Yes, it was daft of me to think I could eat like that and not gain weight but, hey ho, I now accept responsibility for how I look/weigh (and thus for how I feel) and have commenced - with my overweight husband who has been eating just as carelessly - a 1300 calories a day diet, more cals for my husband.

I'd be interested in being a diet buddy - especially if you are counting calories, or simply fat and fiftyish and needing support -especially if you have any good food shopping tips, tho I don't tend to go mad doing recipes as waiting for the kitchen to be redone - yeah, in about 2 years time - so for now it's lots of plain fish or chicken with veg and so on as no real space in which to cook/chop/create lol. I would also love to hear from any other Essex girls, whatever age or diet.

Good luck all!
TT xx