I was born in 1960 and was a skinny little kid, but that changed when we took a 2 month trip throughout the USA and Canada. All that sitting, restaurant food, junk food and pop made me gain 30 lbs which I couldn't shake until I was 16 years old. I stayed slim until after I had my son when I was 25 and shortly afterwards was diagnosed with cold urticaria (anaphylactic allergy to cold temperatures- and actually anything cooler than body temperature in my case). This caused me to gain weight because I could no longer go outside, exercise (sweating caused any air to be cooler than my body temperature, causing me to get hives), swim- for the same reason as sweating, also if it wasn't heated water, I went into shock, and so on. No exercise meant a much larger me (80 lbs or so extra). So I have to find a way to lose this weight. I'm getting a little less allergic to cold, so can do a little more than I used to be able to do. I have also discovered that I am sensitive to wheat or gluten (I'm not sure which). I suffered from pain and stiffness in my muscles and joints for most of my life, which increased with age. The doctor said it was all in my head, so I went on an elimination diet and when I reintroduced wheat, I was in major pain. So I just don't eat it and I have no more pain. Simple as that. The doctor can stuff her diagnosis.

I'm happily married to Bill (since 1985) and have one son, Michael. We live on a farm in rural Ontario. I absolutely love all animals and we have several cats, rabbits, ducks and one dog.