Thanks! Yes, it might be partly genetics. I sometimes thought (in hindsight) that I should have been "fatter" with the amounts of soft drinks and chocolate I was consuming. Although we did eat reasonably healthy (as much cooking at home as possible, very little junk food, olive oil), we didn't really know about the whole "fast glucose" thing that happens with potatoes, pasta, rice, white bread etc. The 29 extra kilograms didn't really look bad on me because of my length, but I can sure feel (and see) the difference.

Still, as you probably already know, there's genetics and epi-genetics. It seems possible to turn on "genes"/re-balance your hormones by eating the right stuff. I certainly have not gone "fundamentalist" on food, and still have my once a week french fries "debauchery", which did not hinder the weight loss one bit. (in fact, it made it easier to keep up)

I feel "full" very early on during meals (stomachs don't shrink, again, it's all hormones), and have learned to recognize that feeling, and stop eating (empty plate or not). No one can starve themselves thin; "eat less and exercise more" sounds logical, but it is much more complicated than that. Ghrelin, insulin, endo-canabinoids, leptin, cortisol (and others); they all play their part and work better with a balanced diet. And I know that's not just theory, as I can "feel" it.

The level of activity only could go up once a) the pain became much less and b) the food gave me energy. I don't remember who said it, but activity has never been a cure if you don't change the diet first. After a couple of weeks I just didn't get hungry between or after meals, so no snacking what so ever.

I started very very conservatively on my home-trainer (overdoing it causes inflammation too...) and that was a good choice it seems. It probably does help that I did a lot of sports as a kid/teenager/twin. I'm not sure if there is such a thing as "muscle-memory", but my body does recognize/responds to being active.

It may also have helped that it was (and still is) more about "getting rid of the pain and get healthy again" than it was/is about looking good in my bikini.

So yeah, "wide-o" ... it was a name given to me by two very good friends from Scotland. I'm not sure there is an equivalent in US-English. "Thick uneducated person", something like that.

Now, for other people reading this: I do not knock the "sugar binge" I had when I was just recovering from alcohol abuse. It really helped with "cravings", it made it possible to persist. I could not have done this in a million years just after I quit drinking. Quitting was the crucial part of recovery, almost the only thing that mattered, and that allowed me to start to watch my diet when I was ready for it. (about 9 months in). I enjoyed food & snacks again after I got sober (replacing the approx. 2200 calories daily from alcohol ), and that helped staying on course.

Five months ago, I was ready to accept a wheelchair as a useful aid. I didn't really feel sad about it, it was just the way it was, until I could recover later on. Yesterday evening, I danced for 90 minutes during the show. OK, I was exhausted afterwards, and my feet were killing me, but the feeling was just incredible.

This forum not only helped me to find the right supplements to correct shortages, it also pointed me towards people/books that really helped. Robert Lustig, Barry Sears, Robb Wolf, Michael Pollan, Gary Taubes, Christopher Gardner (and others); they all have very useful things to say when you want to eat proper food and/or want to control PN. The science seems to be out there.