Greetings Glenda and welcome aboard!

I think you need to turn on the "smilies" in your profile options since it looks like you want to use them but they aren't appearing.

For most people, you can find out how long they've been LC'ing by clicking on their username and checking out their profile. There's usually some other interesting background there as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you if they are single, unattached and looking but, alas, that is my own private hell.

As for the first month, most people lose about 10% of what they need to lose somewhere between the first two weeks (for the less overweight among us) and the first month (for the more economy packaged folks. In my case, I lost 19 pounds in the first month which is just shy of 10%. In just under 10 weeks I am down a total of 32 pounds but am pretty well plateaued right now.

Plateauing is real common and something that you will want to get used to - otherwise it can be real frustrating and may even drive you off the wagon. But after you struggle through two or three you will realize that it is just the typical patter of loss and that you are really still losing fat it just isn't showing up on the scale just then. Patience and persistence are definitely the key.

I've rambled on long enough. The only other recommendations I would make right now are to browse the forums pretty extensively to get a feel for what is ahead and to start a journal here - they are extremely useful.

Keep the Faith.