First name: Reena

Geographical location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Age: 29

Marital Status: Common law

Children/Ages: 2 kids my daughter is 9 and my son is 4

Occupation: Accounts Payable Administrator

Pets: none (I'm alerginc to everything...achooo )

Hobbies/Interests: Speding time with family and good friends. I love to laugh!

Height: 6' 9"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/dark brown with blonde highlight (for now!)

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 2nd 2011

Starting Weight: 300 lbs

Present Weight: 289 lbs

Goal Weight: 220-240 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: keeping it off! I just love to eat too much!

Following any specific plan: Ideal Protein

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: It's just clicking! I don't know how else to explain. I've tried so many other diets and hated every second on it. I have no cravings and I feel great!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I have spent my life pretending that I'm okay and comfortable with myself around all of my skinny beautiful friends, I'm going to be a skinny beautiful girl with confidence and I no longer give a S!*% what anyone thinks of me. I'm not listening to what the skeptics have to say. I'm doing this for me and only me!

First name: Rachel

Geographical location: Albuquerque

Age:20

Marital Status: Boyfriend

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student

Pets: 2 dogs, Flipp and Dyson

Hobbies/Interests: Raving and Reading books

Height:5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:

Starting Weight:193

Present Weight:187

Goal Weight:140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Bingeing

Following any specific plan: No

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I had promised myself when I was in middle school that I would never wear plus sizes. A few months ago I started having to shop at Torrid. I really want to be able to do things with my friends and not be hindered by my physical limitations.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Originally from Southern California. I only moved to New Mexico last year because school is so much cheaper here.

First name: Bee

Geographical location: Canada

Age: 27

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: House"wife"

Pets:None

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, cooking, photography, outdoors, cinema

Height: 6'1.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/Red for now

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 3/08/2011

Starting Weight: 265

Present Weight: 255

Goal Weight: 180

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Sometimes, I lose motivation if I don't lose weight fast enough. I've just got to be patient!

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting/low-carb

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: For the first month, I didn't lose even 1 tiny pound. I was very discouraged. But I didn't give up! I think that's the difference this time. I haven't given up, even when I don't see results on the scale. I just know that they'll come eventually if I keep working hard!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I love this community so far! I feel so motivated looking at all the stories people have shared!

First name: Lane

Geographical location: The cold, white north of Wisconsin!

Age: 26

Marital Status: Married for 2 1/2 years

Children/Ages: None yet

Occupation: Marketing

Pets: Two b*tchy cats

Hobbies/Interests: Dancing, reading, writing, web design

Height: 5' 8"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown & brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Hahaha - ten years ago? Feels like I've been dieting forever... Let's just say May 16th, 2011

Starting Weight: 183.4

Present Weight: 181.2

Goal Weight: 163.4

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Keeping up the motivation for more than a week at a time

Following any specific plan: Counting calories with Livestrong (sticking to 1,400-1,800/day), dancing, jogging and strength training with the Nike Training Club app for exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I feel like I'm ready to move past the "excitement" phase of setting up and trying a new weight loss plan and into the simple commitment of practicing healthy behaviors every day.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Can't wait to meet you all!

First name: Riley

Geographical location: Michigan and Southern US

Age: 28

Marital Status: Happily single

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Industrial professional

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: Classical musician, science

Height: 5'3" (possibly 5'4")

Eye/Hair Color: Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 2009

Starting Weight: 200+

Present Weight: 140

Goal Weight: 90-100

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Mostly family issues - everyone is expected to be overweight in my family and there is a lot of resistance to weight loss.

Following any specific plan: 1200 calories or less...

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I will not accept being average... I actually want to be thin, not average. My last attempt to lose weight didn't last long because I was content with being an average size. I quickly regained the weight...

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Kavuli

Geographical location: Cape Town, South Africa

Age: 27

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: None yet

Occupation: Stay at home fiance

Pets: None yet

Hobbies/Interests: Blogger, Hair Care, Crocheting

Height: 5'1

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 19, 2011

Starting Weight:151 (68.6kg)

Present Weight:151 (68.6kg)

Goal Weight: 110 (50kg)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Not eating anything after 8pm, eliminating fast food for convenience, cutting sugar out completely.

Following any specific plan: Not yet

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time it's much harder. I'm not as physically active as in the past, and I also don't drink as much alcohol as I used to, which I do believe was the reason I was so thin.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Not yet
__________________

First name: Cate

Geographical location: Georgia
Age: 22

Marital Status: engaged...getting married 10-15-11

Children/Ages: n/a

Occupation: nanny

Pets: 1 dog

Hobbies/Interests: outdoors, food/wine, and spending time with my nieces

Height: 5'0

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 10, 2011

Starting Weight: 135

Present Weight: 130

Goal Weight: 105

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Self control, consistency

Following any specific plan: Ideal protein

First name: Eileen

Geographical location: North Jersey

Age: 27

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Finance

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: Travel/Photography

Height:5’7”

Eye/Hair Color:

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 4/13/11

Starting Weight: 185

Present Weight: 181

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: over eating

Following any specific plan: trainer and counting calories

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: starting to workout with a trainer

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Demi

Geographical location: Montana

Age: 21

Marital Status: SINGLE

Children/Ages: None unless you count furbabies

Occupation: Transmission Line CADD Technician

Pets: 1 Basset Hound (Tracker) 1 Pit Bull/Boxer Mix Rescue (Murphy) 2 DSH Cats (Salem and Louie)

Hobbies/Interests: Drafting/Designing, Dog Training, Reading, Painting, Music, Weightloss LOL

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel, Reddish Brown with Caramel Highlights!

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: on and off for YEARS, This is the last time I'm starting: 5/13/2011

Starting Weight: 297

Present Weight: 291

Goal Weight: 145

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Staying motivated. If I don't see results I end up getting frustrated. I've finally realized this about myself and am going to do it this time. OH and staying away from my mother's cooking! IT'S TOO DELICIOUS!

Following any specific plan: Eat less/healthier, exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have done a lot of looking inward and realizing why I do the things I do. I am out and living on my own so no temptations around the house!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I made it down to 185 my 8th grade year, and after my so called friends started calling me anorexic (I WASN'T) I gave up and ended up gaining every pound I lost back plus an extra 60 over my high school years and college. Lesson learned: Don't listen to anyone else, do it for YOU!

First name: Kim

Geographical location: Alabama

Age: 25

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: none yet!

Occupation: Homemaker

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, church, exercising, shopping

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 12th 2011

Starting Weight: 173

Present Weight: 165

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: my pcos makes it hard to loose/keep the weight off

Following any specific plan: Nope, just reduced cals and lots of exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm more motivated than I was before.

Anything else you would like to share with us:
My fiance and I are gearing up to start trying to conceive,and I want to be in the best physical weight to be able to get pregnant and carry to term.

First name: Sana

Geographical location: NJ, USA

Age: 26

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: none yet

Occupation: Home-maker

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, watching reality tv shows, movies, cooking

Height: 5'6

Eye/Hair Color: brown/black with highlights

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 05/20/2011

Starting Weight: 205 lbs

Present Weight: 200 lbs

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Motivation factor, eating right.. working out.. I get bored really easily and I even hired a Personal Trainer to help keep me challenged!

Following any specific plan: trying to eat right and workout - cant wait for the day until I can run on the treadmill again..

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: If I continue on the path I am on, I wont be able to have children without any invasive procedures, and thats something I dont want to do to my body - so Im giving myself the push and hopefully this forum will be a good motivation

First name: Claire

Geographical location: Ventura, California (1 hr north of Los Angeles)

Age: 22 yrs

Marital Status: Boyfriend/In a relationship.

Children/Ages: No children.

Occupation: Account rep at a textbook publishing company.

Pets: One dog (Labrador) and one cat.

Hobbies/Interests: Roller derby, journalism, playing bass guitar, making zines, punk rock, feminism, queer culture, science fiction, history, politics, etc.

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue eyes, hair is currently auburn-red.

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Today, pretty much...May 23, 2011.

Starting Weight: 210 lbs.

Present Weight: 210 lbs.

Goal Weight: 145 lbs.

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:
Insulin resistance (PCOS) and emotional eating. I eat to take the edge off whenever something makes me feel sad, angry or upset. I have tried to replace food with other things, but I haven't really found something that works in the same way yet.

Following any specific plan:
Not sure yet. Working on limiting food to three specific meal times and adding more fruits and vegetables. I don't have much faith in brand-name weight loss plans, so I am considering getting involved with Overeaters Anonymous and having lap band surgery.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I'm willing to acknowledge that I have a personal, internal problem, and I'm no longer blaming my rough childhood/adolescence for my weight. I'm tired of looking and feeling the way that I do, and I want to lose weight for me, not to please anyone else.

First name: Jackie

Geographical location: Pennsylvania

Age: 19 (20 in September!)

Marital Status: Perpetually Single

Children/Ages: Zero

Occupation: College Student (Communication - Music Double Major)

Pets: Dog - Pepper (Pom-a-poo)

Hobbies/Interests: Singing, Piano, Reading, Baking (cookies are my downfall), Amusement parks, ADAM LAMBERT, Harry Potter, and a slew of other things.

Height: 5'5

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/Dark Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I guess I'd consider that to be the beginning of the school year last September (9/2010).

Starting Weight: 198 (ish) Really fluctuated between 200 and 195 at my heaviest.

Present Weight: 171

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Binging on snack foods, lack of motivation to exercise, couch potato syndrome , and expecting results too quickly

Following any specific plan: Counting calories (hopefully 1300-1500 daily), and exercise 4-6 days a week

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm on the proper medication now. And I'm finally dedicated to long term change.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Excited for a new life!

First name: Vanessa

Geographical location: New Hampshire, on the seacoast.

Age: 22

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: No.

Occupation: Plant merchandiser.

Pets: None at the moment. Hope to get a couple of dogs someday. And maybe a horse.

Hobbies/Interests: Writing, photography, singing, going to the beach, riding horses.

Height: 5'0

Eye/Hair Color: Dark brown.

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 18th 2010.

Starting Weight: 203

Present Weight: 135

Goal Weight: 111

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Genetics and understanding how much I really should be eating.

Following any specific plan: I like to joke that I follow the poverty diet + manual labor workout. But no, not really.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I had to change my mindset completely. In the past I had an all or nothing view of weight loss. I thought that if I was never going to be skinny, what was the point of even bothering? I finally came to realize that even if it's not my ideal weight, it's still better to be at 180 than 200.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Even though it's cliche, I've found that weight loss really IS about a lifestyle change.

First name: Krystal
Location: CT
Age: 25
Marital Status: married
Children: yes, boy Paul Jr.7 months
Occupation: SAHM
Pets: 2.5 year old Yorkie he's my other baby
Hobbies: Working out, shopping, hanging w my family and friends, Church, reading magazines and cleaning
Height: 5'2
Eyes: brown
Begin weightloss journey: March 2010/ 192 pounds
Current weight:178
Biggest hurdle: finding the time to workout with an infant schedule. Also making sure I find time to eat
Specific plan: Fat Smash/calorie counting
Different than before: I'm learning how to eat healthy and that excersise is an important part of my weightloss.