First name: Ranna

Geographical location: Pennsylvania

Age:24

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: teacher

Pets:none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, movies, yoga

Height: 5'6

Eye/Hair Color: hazel eyes, brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: hmm..well

Starting Weight:around 170, my scale is crazy- so that's an estimate

Present Weight: not sure..

Goal Weight: around 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: late night eating, emotional eating, and being consistent with working out

Following any specific plan: calorie counting, working out every night

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:i've officially grown out of all my clothes and I am ready to live my life instead of waiting until I lose weight. I think I have also come to the (obvious) realization that this will not be easy. I have always looked for the quick and easy way- and I'm still overweight. Every time I read a success weight loss story- it looks like it took awhile and it was tough! The saying that has really inspired me is" Losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. Pick your Hard!"

First name: Jewels

Geographical location: Illinois

Age: 25

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Teacher

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: wedding planning, watching movies, walking & pilates

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: blonde hair/ blue eyes

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 2 years ago, but now I am truly dedicated!

Starting Weight: 170

Present Weight: 152.4

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: not being able to do as much cardio as I would like, I had major reconstructive surgery a few years ago.

Following any specific plan: calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am getting married this summer!

First name: Jaimie

Geographical location: Michigan

Age: 23

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: 0

Occupation: unemployed, student

Pets: 3 dogs

Hobbies/Interests: photography, scrapbooking, reading, writing

Height: 5' 6"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue Eyes, Pink Hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Tuesday, January 11th, 2010

Starting Weight: 290

Present Weight: 281.5

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: eating for any other reason than to nourish myself

Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers

First name: Irene

Geographical location: Vancouver, BC

Age: 20

Marital Status: in a relationship

Children/Ages: haha none of those, yet!

Occupation: student, aka a wanna-be nurse!

Pets: one crazy chihuahua!

Hobbies/Interests: reading, traveling, driving, taking quiet walks with my dog, having interesting conversations

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: eye colour: hazel, sometimes just green; hair colour: dark brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: back at it, on January 12, 2010.. starting my new years resolution early!

Starting Weight: 202lb unfortunately.. never been over 198... don't know how it got to that! (maybe all the late night eating?)

Present Weight: successfully lost 5lbs and kept it off, for not even a week now!

Goal Weight: according to my BMI, 155 would be a healthy weight for me, but I think between 155 - 165 is great with me

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: hitting that plateau... and somethings not being able to push past it.. so you just give up! ughh too many times with me

Following any specific plan: calorie counting!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: i'm being STRICT about it, and preparing all my food/snacks the night before to take with me to school or work! plus I want to go see my family in Greece this summer, and finally be able to go there and not be so nervous about showing my body.. and I wanna show my family a NEW ME!

Anything else you would like to share with us: this site is awesome for support so far!!

First name: Jen

Geographical location: Michigan

Age: 28

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Daughter, 2 y/o

Occupation: Annuity Processor

Pets: Dog - Yellow Lab , Haley

Hobbies/Interests: Hunting and fishing, reading

Height: 5' 10"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: This time - Jan 16th

Starting Weight: 190

Present Weight: 190

Goal Weight: 155

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Food!!!

Following any specific plan: Eating better, working out more

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Wii fun! Easier to exercise!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I have a genetic disorder (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) that's causing most of my joints to dislocate. I have always had problems with structured workouts, because if I pass that line, then I fall to bits. It's too hard to explain to a physical therapist or trainer, and I've had additional damage done by them. I do see a rheumatologist every three months, and probably will for life.

First name: Okiemute

Birthdate: 7/9/1983

Geographical location: Bowie, MD

Age: 26

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: No kids

Siblings: 2

Occupation: N/A at this time

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: Reading romance novels, reading weight loss magazines and tabloids. I love watching sports and I love reading my Bible.

Religion: Catholic

Height: 5'6

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1-2-2010

Starting Weight: 327

Present Weight: 317

Goal Weight: 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Looking in the mirror and regretting letting myself blow up. In other words, regret about the past.

Following any specific plan: South Beach Diet

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am not going to grad. school or any other type of school being fat.

Anything else you would like to share with us? I am a 26yr old virgin who's never had a serious b/f. Hope to change when I feel more comfy about my weight.

First name: You can call me Met

Geographical location: Indiana for awhile

Age: 22

Marital Status: Unmarried but I have a great boyfriend

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: PhD Student

Pets: A black lab living with my parents

Hobbies/Interests: The weather--it's what I study and all I really have time for!

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown for both

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Haha, well *this* particular journey is beginning today, otherwise "Since I was 13" would be more accurate.

Starting Weight: 180

Present Weight: 180

Goal Weight: 130 or less

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Food lover

Following any specific plan: Trying to combine WW with South Beach

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Heaviest weight so far, grad school makes things more difficult than college did.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I carry my weight well and always have, so it's been hard to get that "omg I'm so fat" motivation to get started. My friends are always surprised when I tell them my actual weight, because I don't *look* "that big".

First name: Ashley

Geographical location: Chilliwack, BC, Canada

Age: 25

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: 0

Occupation: Assistant Manager

Pets: 1 dog, Prudence

Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, Baking, Pilates, Camping, Reading

Height: 5'9

Eye/Hair Color: Green eyes, Brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: July 16th 2009

Starting Weight: 297

Present Weight: 225

Goal Weight: 168

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Understanding how many calories I need to consume to keep losing weight safely and to keep it off for good.

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm determined to lose the weight for good. I'm not following fad diets but rather trying to make permenant lifestyle changes that will allow me to keep the weight off for good.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm really hoping to make some good friends on here that I can share my weight loss achievements with and to get the encouragement I need to stick to my goals as well as help encourage other girls to stick to their weight loss plans as well.

First name: Rebecca

Geographical location: Boston, MA

Age: 24

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: finance

Pets: 2 male roommates...

Hobbies/Interests: food

Height: 5'3

Eye/Hair Color: brown, red

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: today

Starting Weight: 214

Present Weight: 214

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: my love of chocolate

Following any specific plan: week one: raw food only

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I plan to keep a blog of my progress. I hope this will make me more accountable to myself.

First name: Ashley

Geographical location: Las Vegas, NV

Age: 23

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: Zero

Occupation: Expo @ Applebees

Pets: 1 Cat Stripper

Hobbies/Interests: Singing, Dancing

Height: 5'7

Eye/Hair Color: Brown Eyes/Black Hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:1/1/10

Starting Weight:175 lbs

Present Weight:170 lbs

Goal Weight:140 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:Eating junk and eating late

Following any specific plan:Portion control

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:Watching what I eat and not eating past 9 pm

First name: Colleen

Geographical location: Sacramento, CA

Age: 26

Marital Status: Single (there should be a better term for those of us who are in a relationship, not yet engaged...cause I'm not really single!)

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Modification Analyst

Pets: The cutest great dane named Dana, 1 bengal kitty named Teka

Hobbies/Interests: Snowboarding, knitting, movies

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: brown and brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/1/2010

Starting Weight: 158

Present Weight: 154.8

Goal Weight: 130-135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: sticking with it

Following any specific plan: calorie counting for right now

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: It's been 2 years....I'm over being fat! It's been two summers I didn't feel comfortable in anything, I'm not doing it again

First name: Rashell

Geographical location: Australia

Age: 20 (I only just fit into this group)

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student

Pets: 1 Kitten named Casper (She is white)

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Movies and Music

Height: 6 foot

Eye/Hair Color: Eyes Blue/Hair Black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1st January

Starting Weight: 95kgs

Present Weight: 91kgs

Goal Weight: 65kgs (or close to)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Following any specific plan: Diet mainly

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have motivation this time around.

Anything else you would like to share with us: nothing that I can think of

First name: Shirley

Geographical location: USA South

Age: 27

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Son age 2 1/2

Occupation: SAHM

Pets: Outside dog

Hobbies/Interests: Photography, REading and spending time with my lil man

Height: 5'7

Eye/Hair Color:green/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Today

Starting Weight: 228.2

Present Weight: 228.2

Goal Weight: 165

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Eating loads of junk/fast food and eating way to late.

Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers, doing 30 day shred

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This is the biggest I have ever been and it is literally depressing me. I have always been able to lose the weight and right after I had my son I lost 34 pds and had only gained 14 during pregnancy but somewhere over the last 2 years I allowed myself to gain it back.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I don't guess.

First name: Nikki

Geographical location: Australia

Age: 21

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Masters Student

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Movies/TV, Wii!

Height: 161cm (5'3")

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 01/01/2010

Starting Weight: 117 kgs (257 lbs)

Present Weight: 104 kgs (229 lbs)

Goal Weight: 57 kgs (125 lbs)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Myself and my excuses

Following any specific plan: Joined a gym, got a personal trainer, eating better

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Seeing myself in the pictures from my dream holiday with my fake smile and extra pounds have inspired me to never feel that way about myself ever again..

Anything else you would like to share with us: I think I am finally in the right place emotionally to succeed at this and I look forward to have like-minded people to share the experience with.

First name: Crystal

Geographical location: Alabama

Age: 26

Marital Status: In a relationship (planning to elope in July)

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Medical student but soon-to-be pathology resident

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: Medicine, anime, movies, music, hiking, white water rafting, gaming, Hoarders, cooking, cooking, and more cooking

Height: 5' 4.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: January 13, 2010

Starting Weight: 190

Present Weight: 185

Goal Weight: 120-130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Get bored with exercise or using excuses like interviews to give up on exercise and dieting

Following any specific plan: 1200-1400 calories/day, exercise 5-6 X per week, strength training

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: In the past I have lost weight because I wanted a guy to love me more or be thrilled that I was smaller. This is the first time I'm losing weight for myself. My boyfriend is completely ok with my current size, but I want to get healthy so that I won't have problems when I'm older. My mom was morbidly obese and after gastric bypass and now being just over her ideal body weight, she has hypertension, borderline diabetes, and is a survivor of breast cancer. She also has chronic back pain with several surgeries, knee pain with resultant surgery, and GERD. All of these diseases are associated with being overweight or obese, and I don't want to live like she does because she was overweight or obese nearly all her life. Now is the time to prevent these preventable diseases and just happen to look better in a two-piece this summer. :-)

Anything else you would like to share with us:
I'm currently during upper body and lower body strength training on alternating days, but I'm plannin on starting Chalean Extreme on February 14. Anybody out there want to join me?