FWIW, a few comments to various posts on this thread:

1. You can help curb yeast infections to some extent by taking and eating probiotics, like yogurt with live cultures and live acidophilus (which should be stored in a fridge--the shelf capsules aren't reliable, from what I've read.)

2. I would be wary of talc; I read somewhere years ago that there were serious studies that linked talc use to lung problems (I forget what kind).

3. I am a fan of the cloth between rolls, but I'd never thought of diapers. Brilliant.

4. I would be cautious about creams and deodarants between rolls. I used to use a natural stick deodarant under my breasts for some time, until I realised that it was closing up my pores and creating little pimples, sometimes dry, like blackheads, sometimes more like whiteheads.

My four bits, J

Mine's 46. I still think it's a dumb measure: weight (kg)/height (m) squared? ultimately it's no more or less subtle than the old height/weight charts--just slightly different and calculable.

There's no simple adequate way to judge body fat.

But I'm still amused by finding out that I'm 'off the charts' according to most of these fearmongers.

I didn't say it did. But if one has to die to have the statistics of long-term weight loss work in one's favour, it seems a grim approach.

Besides, something, I have as a matter of policy given up responding to you. [This is an exception, since you asked me directly, and I won't even do that any longer.] It's very very clear that we read the same words and understand different things from them, and there's no point re-rehearsing the same arguments over and over.

Repeated studies show that approx 95% of people who lose weight regain it by five years afterward.

Any other practice with such a complete long-term failure rate would not be recommended by sane people for anyone for any reason.

Hi, hon,

It would be helpful to know slightly more specific questions. Are you asking where to find great clothes? How to bring up your gain with your friends?

The journey you're on is great fun, but you're right, there's stuff to think about and get used to.

You'll get lots of great recommendations about clothes. As for your friends, I've always been fat, so I didn't have the same problem you're facing, but I found it easier to make gentle jokes about my appetite and softness, so that people know I enjoy it without making a huge deal of it.

Welcome to gaining, btw!!