Screen Name: KimberCan

Age/Age Range: Early 30s

Family Life: Married, mother to my only who just turned 4

Occupation: Full-time SAHM, part-time (a few evenings a week) lab worker

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, gardening, entertaining, hanging out with friends

Favorite Music: a huge variety, with Harry Connick being my favorite performer

Favorite Color(s): blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: rollerblading, playing volleyball, Turbo Jam

What are your fitness/health goals? to get back to my post-Army weight and level of fitness, to control my panic attacks with exercise, and to lose the pain behind my knee

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Spring came! Actually, I went to the doctor and she switched my anxiety meds so that I stopped gaining, which makes losing a heck of a lot easier.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Getting the 4 year old to cooperate enough to find the time to exercise the way *I* want to and make the foods that I need to make to eat a healthful diet

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Hmmm...eat more fruit (challenging because of an allergy I have that makes lots of fruits no-nos) exercise more often, and make the exercise more intense. I hate to sweat, lol. (But I feel SO good when I actually do it!)

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sister's SIL, who we go on vacation with just about every summer.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Haven't really thought about it. Maybe a really hot pair of jeans with a super-trendy, sleeveless girlie shirt.

Screen Name:Shannie1985

Age/Age Range:22

Family Life: living with my boyfriend

Occupation:Personal Support Worker

Hobbies and Interests:Photography, books,

Favorite Music:I love pop music

Favorite Color(s):Pink, blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:swimming, walking,DDR,

What are your fitness/health goals? I need to lose around 150lbs, I want to eat healthier, drink a good amount of water, cut out fast food,

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I was reading a current People magazine featuring women who had lost 100lbs and I was inspired

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? keeping motivated, not sabotaging myself, willpower, stress eating

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I just in general need exercise more, learn how to follow a healthy eating plan,

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I want to look better than...the girls my crushes dated in highschool, that would be nice.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size: a sexy swimsuit or a cute summer dress

Hello All

This is my first post and I must say I need all the motivation I can get. I'm gald I finally joined b/c I believe this is the right place for motivation.

I have been trying to lose 30 for quite some time now. I did lose 20 pounds a couple of years ago counting calories but last Thanksgiving/Christmas I gain 12 pounds and before that I put on 5 so I was back where I started.

This time I am hitting it hard and want to finally reach my goal weight of 130.

Currently I am 156 pounds and doing heading a weight loss challenge at work.

Sincerely
MonaRae

Screen Name: bee optimistic

Age/Age Range: 17

Family Life: Moving out on my own in a few months and going to university to become a nurse!

Occupation: Currently a busy student

Hobbies and Interests: Soccer, scrap booking, shopping

Favorite Music: Ummm, currently anything upbeat and lively, but I love all types. Piano is great as I am an avid pianist!

Favorite Color(s): Purple and teal

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Running, Team Sports especially soccer! Yoga and pilates are really fun too!

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to lose the weight to feel better in my own skin. As it stands now I am a healthy active person and I am just looking to drop some weight and look great. One of my main goals is that I would like to be able to run a 10k race once I get to my goal weight. I am hoping one day to run the Boston marathon.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Just wanted to make a healthy lifestyle change as I move out into the world on my own.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I am an emotional eater and I tend to binge eat. It's funny, I love to exercise, it's my eating habits that tend to be lacking.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I would like to be on a scheduled work-out routine and a well rounded healthy diet.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: Well I guess no one in particular I just wanna fit in with that bikini beach crowd since I am moving to a beachy/coastal area.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size: Cute little tank tops and shorts, summer dresses, a bikini??? tons of clothes!! I am a shop-a-holic!!!

Screen Name: Reggiejimbo

Age/Age Range: 33

Family Life: Married with two daughters ages 10 and 3

Occupation: Self Employed

Hobbies and Interests: The usual, reading, scrapbooking, etc. But I am also sinnfully addicted to World of Warcraft PC game.

Favorite Music: I will listen to almost everything

Favorite Color(s): Brown

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Running and kickboxing

What are your fitness/health goals? lose weight and run a 1/2 marathon

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? There were several but the biggest was not wanting to be with my husband because my belly got in the way!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Depression, but who doesn't these days?

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Commitment, commitment, self control.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My husbands ex-girlfriend!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Tank tops and cute dresses and skirts

Screen Name: Sepialove

Age/Age Range: Early 20s

Family Life: Loving all those around me!!

Occupation: Student (college)

Hobbies and Interests: Dancing, internet, nutrition/exercise, writing, many different things...

Favorite Music: Any type of music as long as I can understand it and it isn't degrading towards women.

Favorite Color(s): Red, Blue, Black, Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Dancing, but right now I am doing other things to try to lose weight so that I can feel comfortable enough to go back to dancing.What are your fitness/health goals? Getting in shape, staying healthy

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Medication which made me gain weight in the first place...

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Patience

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Patience, consistency and positive thinking

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Beyonce (although I am not crazy about HER, I admit her body is on point)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? The types of clothes I used to wear back in 05 LOL. Nice summer dresses that compliment my figure, um... Anything that I want, because I will be looking really good!!

Screen Name: kilketay

Age/Age Range: 33

Family Life: husband, 18 month old daughter, 3 cats

Occupation: Systems Analyst

Hobbies and Interests: reading (esp. sci-fi), movies

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: jogging, weights

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose 23 pounds

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Before I got pregnant, I was 5-8 pounds from my goal. After the baby I lost enough to get down to 10 pounds from my goal, but then when I quit breastfeeding I gained 10+ pounds! It's just become clear that it's not going to drop off by itself.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I am a grazer. I tend to eat, eat, eat all day. It's a challenge to stop that. Especially when I'm bored or under stress.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1) Not letting pressure from friends or family talk me into going out and breaking my diet "just this once." It's not worth it! 2) maintaining motivation past that first burst of inspiration 3) Passing up free food in the office, at friends' houses, etc.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sisters

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Shirts that are tight across the waist!

Screen Name: The Clairinator

Age/Age Range:20

Family Life: Right now, just myself, hanging out with my family.

Occupation:College Student

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, playing the piano, a bit of drawing, and just relaxing with friends and family

Favorite Music: A fairly eclectic mix of modern rock, classic rock, blues, oldies, and whatever sounds good to me.

Favorite Color(s): Green, pink (it's grown on me lately), and red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Jogging, playing rugby

What are your fitness/health goals? I'd like to get into a healthy weight range for my height, so I'd like to lose about 30 lbs overall

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? It's built up over time, I've always felt overweight, and playing a sport, and being more healthy than I've ever been before has really inspired me.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
Mostly eating my emotions
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1.) Exercise in the off season more, ie jog 3x a week and doing weightlifting on off days 2.) Eating organic is a big goal, and something I need to do..cutting out that high fructose corn syrup, is a big one! 3.) Learn to love salads again
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
Haha, this is a fun question . My old roomie, and friend, we kind of had a falling out, but now we're buds again..but she always used to be skinnier than I am....
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
Oooooh, good question! how about some skinny shorts and a halter top?

Screen Name: xkatb15x

Age/Age Range:18

Family Life: the average family

Occupation:College Student

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, drawing, music and having a good time

Favorite Music: anything even those annoying songs that everone loves to hate exp: country music.

Favorite Color(s): torquoise

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: netball,swimming cycling

What are your fitness/health goals? healthy weight range for my height, so i need to loose 2stone.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? i met someone new and found they were talking about me behind my back about my weight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?film night(popcorn) and bread also how slow my metabolism is...

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1.) doing different types of sport ie long distance running 2.) not not eating then eating alot at one meal 3.) stop drinking coke
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
my sister she's one year younger than me but is the right weight for her height and shes pretty
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
wear a top that shows my arms

Screen Name: Twinkle Twinkle

Age/Age Range:26

Family Life:Alternating between living at home with my parents and sister and dog, and living with friends.

Occupation:Childcare Worker in a creche

Hobbies and Interests:Hmmm..I love going to concerts, and the cinema, and shopping lol!

Favorite Music:Ummm.. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Incubus, The Killers

Favorite Color(s):Black and red and navy.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:Pssssh, I hate excercise, which accounts for my weight issue lol! I dont mind swimming so much though..

What are your fitness/health goals? Not to dread excercise cos I get too breathless.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When the largest size in my work uniform got too tight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Grazing, I always want to taste stuff.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Water, cos I dont drink it - Stopping estimating calories - and stopping eating so late in the evening.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :My best friend, she's always been about 20lbs lighter than me.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? One of thoses strapless tops with th gathers around th back and chest.

Screen Name: Sakurahime9892

Age/Age Range: 15

Family Life: Lives at home with mom

Occupation: Student

Hobbies and Interests: Anime, Japan, Italy, video games, tv, and reading.

Favorite Music: Jrock (Japanese rock)

Favorite Color(s): Red, black, blue, and violet

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: DDR

What are your fitness/health goals? I wanna get into a single digit size by the time school starts again

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? High School... 'nuff said.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I eat when I get bored and have nothing else to occupy myself

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I'm addicted to soda and coffee, so I'm trying to replace them with antioxidant-enriched tea and water, try and not play normal video games and more DDR, and my chocolate weaknesses...

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Every other girl in my school (lol, Like I'll ever get that's pretty....)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A drop dead gorgeous Homecoming dress!

Screen Name: crafty mommy

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: I am married with a 3 year old daughter.

Occupation: Editor

Hobbies and Interests: scrapbooking (digital and paper), card making, stamping, party planning

Favorite Music: rock

Favorite Color(s): black, red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: none yet

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to be down 3 sizes by the time we go to Vietnam, hopefully next summer (we're in the process of adopting a baby from Vietnam). Ultimately, I would like to be down 4 sizes.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I've been thinking about it for a while (as my weight keeps creeping up on me ).

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Giving up on soda. White rice (love my rice). Sugar - I'm a sugar addict.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to start exercising, hopefully start to enjoy exercising. I need to make time for it. I always make the excuse of needing to do things for my daughter to not exercise or watch what I eat. But I know that it's just an excuse.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sister. She's gorgeous. She was the person who was a cheerleader, homecoming queen, prom queen, model. . .etc. She really is pretty. We look alike except she has darker hair and skin. . .and is a size 4 (and I'm so not a size 4).

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Dresses. I always feel like I'm wearing a mumu no matter what dress it is. I avoid dresses like the plague because I don't feel womanly in them anymore. I used to only wear dresses and skirts before I gained all this weight.

Screen Name:edzard

Age/Age Range:32

Family Life:Married for almost 11 years, 2 kids homeschooled DS6 & DD8

Occupation:Um isn't that a loaded question for moms?

Hobbies and Interests:WOW, reading, quilting (haven't had time lately though), gardening when motivated

Favorite Music:Almost everything, not all country though and nothing extremely hard

Favorite Color(s):Nature

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:Is this a trick question? Yoga...walking

What are your fitness/health goals? To be as healthy as I can so I am not old before my time, my mom just turned 56 and is at home on disability, can't walk and takes like 50 pills a day plus 2 kinds of insulin, most of this could be fixed with weight loss.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Seeing my moms list of meds and ailments that she was taking to yet another new doctor, it took a whole page and I don't want to be there

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?Eating, I love food and love to cook, and I love to cook with butters and fats ugh, gotta learn new stuff

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? All of them, lets see eating the right things, eating the right amount, and actually getting exercise in.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I would like to look as good as my sistern in law, she is so skinny after 2 kids, but she does work at it so that helps at least.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I would love to wear one of those skinny asian dresses that are so cool.

Hi Everyone! I'm new to the Counters.

Screen Name: AnneH

Age/Age Range: Almost 30

Family Life: Non-existant!

Occupation: Horribly busy and overstressed IT Professional

Hobbies and Interests: reading, surfing the web, video games, painting

Favorite Music: Almost anything except hard rock and metal.

Favorite Color(s): Tangerine

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Too many to list

What are your fitness/health goals? To look good and feel great!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Being unable to climb stairs without getting winded and chairs creaking when I sat in them- ugh!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Staying consistant.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to keep track of what I put in my mouth, I need to focus on food less and I need to cook more.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't know about better than but I would love to look like Jackie Warner from Workout! on Bravo.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Any dress! They all look horrible on me right now.
__________________

Screen Name: RGSG99

Age/Age Range: 33

Family Life: Married with 4 children

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, being with my family, gardening

Favorite Music: I like all kinds of music.

Favorite Color(s): Pink and green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I love my elliptical machine and I just started The Firm workouts. Those are tough!

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to drop 80 pounds (from 220 to 140)

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I wanted to buy cute clothes and I couldn't.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Discipline

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Watching what I eat, portion control, emotional eating

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My mother

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Cute undies (is that weird?)