First name: Jen

Geographical location: Mississippi

Age: 25

Marital Status: in a relationship

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: scientist

Pets: 1 dog Pumpkin

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, shopping, laughing

Height: 4'11

Eye/Hair Color: blonde/blue

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 1, 2011

Starting Weight: 159

Present Weight: 145

Goal Weight: 120(110)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: proving to myself that I can do this

Following any specific plan: nope, just good ol calorie counting and exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: this time I am actually losing and not just making excuses

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am really excited for everyone on here, I have been reading for a while but I have never posted!

First name: Jillian

Geographical location: Upstate New York

Age: 22

Marital Status: single (in a relationship)

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: sales/student

Pets: 2 pitbulls (lola and zeus) and a turtle (shelly)

Hobbies/Interests: music, art

Height: 5'1"

Eye/Hair Color: brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: officially starting to keep track monday 4/25/2011

Starting Weight: 215 or so

Present Weight: 215

Goal Weight: 125 (not sure what the best weight is for me)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: sticking with it

Following any specific plan: Zumba and turbo fire with my sister. training to become a runner with 2 friends of mine. Hopefully a 5k in september and a 10k in march!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I was just in a situation where i thought i was pregnant and all i could think about was being scared that if i gained any more weight, i wouldnt know what to do to fix it! I want this for real this time so i can start a family next year and be comfortable with myself when i do.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I definatley need help. still in that not sure if i can do it but really want to phase...

First name: Rikki (Rikkaela is my full name)

Geographical location: Chicago

Age: 25

Marital Status: so so single. haha.

Children/Ages: nope!

Occupation: i'm in field marketing

Pets: the most adorable dog named lucky

Hobbies/Interests: love love love me some live music. I graduated with a radio major so music is in my blood. Also, my best friends are in a band that just got signed to a major label so doing anything I can to help them out.

Height: 5'7-5'8 depending on the day.

Eye/Hair Color: blonde with blue eyes

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I guess we'll say 4/24

Starting Weight: as of 4/24 215

Present Weight: still at that 215

Goal Weight: I just put 150 out there because even that will be glorious.

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: staying on track. sometimes i lose it about two-three weeks in and give up. I guess i just need a better support system. anyone wanna help a sister out?

Following any specific plan: i'm going to start counting calories, my job is pretty active so once I get into the routine of counting and keeping track of calories, I will start to add a more routine exercise plan in.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm so so ready this time, and I want to have that good self-esteem i've been missing for awhile.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm ready to do this!

First name: Mariel

Geographical location: Chicago

Age: 25

Marital Status: Terminally single

Children/Ages: N/A

Occupation: Biding my time with a software-consulting gig until my next long-term job begins (end of the year)

Pets: 1 cat, 2 chinchillas

Hobbies/Interests: Movies (big Martin Scorsese fan), music, travel (especially train travel!), the Pacific Northwest, dreary weather, boating, Louis C.K., good beer, eating!

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/red like a Coke can

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: January 25, 2011 (this time around)

Starting Weight: 206

Present Weight: 198

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Boredom and depression, equally

Following any specific plan: Just calorie counting and moderate exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Honestly? Probably not much, except that maybe I'm more fed-up now than usual? I can no longer brush it off with "Oh, I'm still a teenager, but soon I'll magically morph into an adult with responsible habits and this will all take care of itself."

Anything else you would like to share with us: I've never participated in an online weight-loss forum before, so I'm hoping this might be something of an X-factor for me

First name: Nina

Geographical location: Paris, France

Age: 24

Marital Status: living with my awesome partner/boyfriend/fellow adventurer

Children/Ages: none yet, but hope to have some in about 10 years

Occupation: studying French, giving English lessons, nannying

Pets: 2 pet rats! Our apartment is too small for a cat or dog.

Hobbies/Interests: I love to be creative through painting, drawing, photography, learning new instruments and playing music, reading, learning new languages, being introduced to new cultures..

Height: 5'5''

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I was heavy as a kid, and have just yoyo-ed up and down my whole life.

Starting Weight: I was heaviest at 188 when i was 15, but lost weight in high school. My current "starting weight" is 165, the heaviest I let myself become since then.

Present Weight: 147

Goal Weight: 120

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weight loss: Not eating delicious cakes, cheeses, pasta dishes, fresh bread... Paris is full of temptation.

Following any specific plan: Eating more FRESH fruits and vegetables (the only meat I eat is fish, sparingly), cooking for myself instead of eating canned soup, portion control, making exercise a daily habit.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've been steadily, although slowly, losing weight since I hit 165 in grad school a year ago. Not having a car and walking/biking everywhere in Paris has been really good for me, and I'm learning how to control my portions. This is not a fad, but lifelong changes that can be lived everyday.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm very excited to join a forum like this, to be accountable and honest, and to help others achieve their goals too!

First name: Layla

Geographical location: London, England

Age: 25

Marital Status: living with my wonderful boy (5 years and counting)

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: international film distribution

Pets: none sadly i want a kitty

Hobbies/Interests: socialising! I really do love to drink and dance and run around like a fool. Also, walking, reading, movies, eating out.

Height: 5' 9"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/dark brown.

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:not sure really, mid feb this year i think.

Starting Weight: 168 at my heaviest, this time around starting fron 144

Present Weight: 135

Goal Weight: 126

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weight loss: socialising. Deinking makes me eat and eat and eat. It's the only time i crave junk food.

Following any specific plan: not really, I'm naturally a pretty wholesome eater, I LOVE veggies fruit wholefoods etc. It's what I was raised on so it's my comfort food. I AM giving intermittent fasting a go now though to kick start my efforts, it suits my natural eating pattern and seems to be helping already!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: this time I seem to have beaten my bulimia, and my life is a lot more settled than my student days!

First name: April

Geographical location: Birmingham, UK

Age: 20

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: N/A

Occupation: Administrator apprentice

Pets: 4 cats, 4 hamsters

Hobbies/Interests: Eating! Drinking, shopping, cats, socialising etc

Height: 5 ft 2

Eye/Hair Color: Blue and blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: August 8th 2010

Starting Weight: 168

Present Weight: 127

Goal Weight: 110

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Greed!! hehe

Following any specific plan: Nope, just low calorie and lowish carbs

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Realised its not about starving myself to lose weight quickly but about changing bad habits and losing weight gradually

Anything else you would like to share with us: Noopppe

First name: Li

Geographical location: Cleveland, OH

Age: 24

Marital Status: In a Relationship

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student, self-proclaimed gamer

Pets: 1 Yorkie-Poo named Bailey

Hobbies/Interests: Gaming, reading, ZUMBA

Height: 5'6

Eye/Hair Color: Brown eyes, Black hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: December 10, 2010

Starting Weight: 266.8

Present Weight: 242.0

Goal Weight: 145.0

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Staying focused, denying those potato chips, leaving the cookies and brownies alone, staying on track.

Following any specific plan: I'm doing Weight Watchers online right now because I can't afford the meeting but have noticed I haven't been doing as well without the support of the meeting. I also have been counting calories.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Calorie counting, actually looking at nutrition labels

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm all about learning, I want all kinds of criticism, I would love advice, I need that support from others who are going through what I am.

First name: Maggie

Geographical location: DC

Age: 21

Marital Status: In a relationship

Children/Ages: N/A

Occupation: Executive Aide and Student

Pets: None, sadly

Hobbies/Interests: Video Games, Chilling with Friends, Listening to Podcasts, Staring at my fat rolls in the mirror

Height: 5'3

Eye/Hair Color:

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Officially, today.

Starting Weight: 252lbs

Present Weight: 248.6lbs

Goal Weight: At least 180lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Being able to stay on track and not letting little trips knock me off course. Also, PORTIONS!

Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers Online. I did WW 2 years ago by going to meeting and I lost almost 50lbs, but it's been hard staying on the plan on my own without a support system.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Not having the support and having people around me who are on the same road as I am.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Just looking to give and get support. Also, some accountability and tough love is also good :-P

First name: Laura

Geographical location: Phoenix AZ

Age: 25

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: Nada

Occupation: Nurse

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: I've just recently been able to make time for hobbies (just finished school), so those would include- catching up with family/friends I've had to ignore for the last few years, reading, swimming, walking, laying out, watching the office

Height: Somewhere between 5'11'' & 6'

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: This time around, somewhere in September of 2010

Starting Weight: Highest weight: 253, this time around:240

Present Weight: 208

Goal Weight: 170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I loose a couple lbs in the beginning of the month, then when Aunt Flo comes around, I want to eat everything & lots of it- so I stall or gain for a week, and by the end of the month I've only lost a total of 2-3 lbs!! Gotta really find a solution to that one...

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting & working on making more time for exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:I dont know what clicked, but even when I only loose 2lbs in a month, thats still enough to keep me going- seeing that it is possible to get where I have never been weight wise.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Not really

First name: Liz

Geographical location: South of Boston

Age: 26 (the big 27 in exactly one month!)

Marital Status: singleeeeeeee

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: auto insurance claims

Pets: Gizmo, my 7lb little gremlin. I have no idea what she is.

Hobbies/Interests: Baking, Cooking, Animal Activism, Veganism, Blogging, Anything to do with Gizmo, Going to shows/concerts and lots more

Height: 5'3

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel Eyes, Hair changes often, usually black or burgundy

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Today! 4/28/11

Starting Weight: 165ish(i signed up on a whim and havent been on a scale)

Present Weight: same

Goal Weight: 125-130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: It will probably be staynig motivated and getting my butt to the gym at least 4x a week

Following any specific plan: Nothing specific. I am already vegan and have started(more like attempting) going High Raw for a little while

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am serious about it this time. I am going to be 30 in a few years and I don't want the last years of my 20s to be spent feeling larger than I know I can be.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm excited to have found an online community to get inspiration and motivation from!

Maggie, you and I are in the same boat girl. I'm doing WW online and I am having such a hard time without the support I got from the meetings. I never realized just how hard it is going alone until now. We can do this!!!

First name: Ashley

Geographical location: Ontario

Age:24

Marital Status:single

Children/Ages:none

Occupation:Labourer

Pets: Cats, Scrappy and Cal

Hobbies/Interests: Walking, reading, writing, hockey, computer games, drinking

Height: 5'4

Eye/Hair Color: both brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I started a few years ago

Starting Weight: 175

Present Weight: 144

Goal Weight: 120

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Chocolate cravings

Following any specific plan: Exercise and low calorie diet meals

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Going to the gym more

Anything else you would like to share with us: I used to yo-yo diet, but I don;t want to do that anymore. I know it;s bad and those kind of diet plans are starvation ones anyway.

First name: Trish

Geographical location: Texas

Age: Going on 25

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Ethan 2yrs

Occupation: Stay at home mom

Pets: 2 dogs: Missy & Ranger 2 cats: Crash & Twilight
& a whole tank full of fish!

Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my family and friends! Reading, yoga, cycling, shopping, my pets, gardening, movies, traveling.

Height: 5'5

Eye/Hair Color: Bule/blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Jan. 2011

Starting Weight: 187

Present Weight: 180

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Self control

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting, low carb/low sugar.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have you guys as a support system (:

Anything else you would like to share with us: