Welcome, scaredkitty. You are in a good place here and will find some great advise your doctor, or friends not in the same situation you are in, will give you. I found myself drinking morning noon and night for a few months while I was home taking care of my son. I felt like no one understood what I was going through and went at my own pace. I quit cold turkey and fortunately am still sober. Determination and careful dieting, exercising will definitely bring you awesome results! Good luck with this, I hope to see progress in your later posts! Practical words are found in this forum, and you will never be short of praise and good words!