First name (if you want to tell): Emilee

Geographical location: North Carolina

Age: 25

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: 2 girls ages 16mos and 4mos

Occupation: stay-at-home-mom

Pets: none, i have my hands full with my kids

Hobbies/Interests: reading, writing, working out, playing with my kids, hanging out with my hubby, church activities, decorating, learning new beauty secrets

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: green/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: around the middle of Sept. 2008

Starting Weight: 243

Present Weight: 241

Goal Weight: around 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: trying to find time and energy to exercise is very hard when you have small children. this is my biggest obstacle but im committed to taking care of myself so that I can take better care of my girls.

Following any specific plan: portion control and EXERCISE , i dont want a diet, i want a lifestyle change

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: this time im doing it for myself and not for some jerk that doesnt care about me anyway

First name (if you want to tell): Jamie

Geographical location: Wisconsin

Age: 27

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: One - Age 17 months - Kendalyn

Occupation: military contractor

Pets: 2 dogs - Maltese-poodle mixes - Buddy and Lili

Hobbies/Interests: my family! Going out with friends

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: green/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: tomorrow!

Starting Weight: 165

Present Weight: 165

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: My husband. Eats constantly and whatever he wants!

Following any specific plan: Trying to eat better...work out more.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm doing it. That's it! The picture on my profile finally put me over the edge! Plus, I'm going on a trip in Jan with a bunch of skinny chicks and I refuse to be the fat girl!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I would really like a or some weight loss buddies. I need someone to be accountable to and help out! Let me know if you are interested!

First name (if you want to tell): Francisca

Geographical location: Santiago, Chile
Age: 26

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: Not yet

Occupation: Lawyer

Pets: Florencia, a poodle toy

Hobbies/Interests: reading, sports, hanging with friends, movies..

Height: 5'7" (I think... 1.70 mts)

Eye/Hair Color: greenish and light brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Today! Sept 29th

Starting Weight: 172

Present Weight: 170

Goal Weight: 110

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Binging!

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time Iīm not in a hurry, I just want to do it the right way and I donīt care how long it takes..

First name (if you want to tell): My friends all call me Anti...no joke

Geographical location: UK

Age: 26

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Accountant

Pets: Cockatiel - Frankie

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, drawing, gaming, hanging out with friends

Height: 5'8''

Eye/Hair Color: Blue eyes, mid-brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Yesterday (29th September 2008)

Starting Weight: 222 pounds

Present Weight: 222 pounds I guess...not weighing myself every day

Goal Weight: 148 pounds

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Snacking in the evening when I'm bored

Following any specific plan: Not really, just trying to cut down on fat and sugar, eat only when I'm hungry and have smaller portions

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've now got the support I need from all you lovely people here

First name (if you want to tell): Laura

Geographical location: New Hampshire

Age: 22

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: I'm working as a cashier to save money for grad school

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: reading (especially historical fiction), writing (fantasy), watching TV (particularly cop shows), and knitting.

Height: Five foot five

Eye/Hair Color: Brown hair, blue-green eyes

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: um... I'm not exactly sure. When I hit my heaviest, I vowed to lose weight, but I didn't become serious until a few weeks ago.

Starting Weight: 206

Present Weight: 191

Goal Weight: 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: emotional eating.

Following any specific plan: Nope. Just taking it one day at a time, excercising, trying to eat well, that sort of thing.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm serious about needing to lose the weight.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Nope.

First name (if you want to tell): Marianna

Geographical location: Finland

Age: 21

Marital Status: in a relationship

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: full-time student, part-time job as a cashieer

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: music, reading, writing, exercising, a cosmetics-addict

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: green/ light brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: there's no exact date

Starting Weight: 140

Present Weight: 135

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: emotional eating

Following any specific plan: exercise exercise, a healthier diet

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: this time I'm aiming for overall health, not just for looking better

First name (if you want to tell): Erica

Geographical location: North Dakota

Age: 22

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: in college studying Forensic Psychology

Pets: 1 dog (1/2 Shih Tzu 1/2 Poodle) named Mylee

Hobbies/Interests: going to movies, traveling (I love Vegas), shopping

Height: 5'0"

Eye/Hair Color: brown eyes and blonde hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: July 27, 2008

Starting Weight: 156

Present Weight: 133

Goal Weight: 115

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I love love love fast food and it's SO hard not eating it!

Following any specific plan: I joined LA Weight Loss on July 27th

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am sick of looking and feeling the way I do, and I finally want to change for good. All of my diets in the past never seemed to work, but LA weight loss has REALLY helped.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Just joined this forum for weight loss support :-)
__________________

First name (if you want to tell): Stephanie. Steff mostly.

Geographical location: Massachusetts

Age: 23

Marital Status: long term relationship

Children/Ages: nope

Occupation: accountant

Pets: two. a 3 year old yellow lab named zehava (whom I just might be a little obsessed with ) and a 3 year old lovebird named melon

Hobbies/Interests: shopping/fashion, dining out, getting healthy, my dog, dogs in general, and anything fun

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: hazel

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: September 29,2008

Starting Weight: 168 (ish)

Present Weight: 168

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: food. carbs mostly. staying motivated.

Following any specific plan: just healthy eating and exercise.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: i'm tired of being unhappy with my body and never being able to fit into the clothes that I really want.

First name (if you want to tell): Meg

Geographical location: Ann Arbor

Age: 27

Marital Status: living in sin with boyfriend

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: graduate student

Pets: boyfriend has cats.

Hobbies/Interests: cleaning, baking, reading, walking

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: hazel/black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: three days ago (Oct. 1)

Starting Weight: 145

Present Weight: 143

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: liquid calories (soda, etc)

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting, cutting back on fat and salt, drinking plenty of water, walking more

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This is my first effort, actually. I hope to learn from everyone here, though, and to take it nice and slow so the weight I lose stays off!

First name (if you want to tell): Jessica

Geographical locationN

Age: 24

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 3!! 6,4 and 1 year old.

Occupation: full-time mother

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, music,dancing

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/ light brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: September 1st

Starting Weight: 158

Present Weight: 144.6

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: my mothers cooking!

Following any specific plan: EXERCISE!! , very low fat diet, nothing to drink other than water.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm trying to do it the healthy not so easy way out.

First name: Jessica

Geographical location: Glendive, Montana

Age: 24

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Haylee, 7, and Rick, 5

Occupation: Press Clipper

Pets: Two evil cockatiels, Lucy and Butterball

Hobbies/Interests: Knitting, spinning, reading, writing, and cooking

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown (at least naturally....)

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 10/4/2008

Starting Weight: 250 lbs

Present Weight: 250 lbs

Goal Weight: 125 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Eating the right foods when we go out to eat - which is a lot, really.

Following any specific plan: South Beach Diet.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: The fact that I'm actually sticking to a plan?

Anything else you would like to share with us: Not off the top of my head, sorry!

First name: Kim

Geographical location: Arizona, but moving to North Carolina the first week of November

Age: 27

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Byron-10, Elijah-8 (will be nine next month), Abigail -2(will be 3 next month), and Connor - 1 month

Occupation: housewife

Pets: none yet, we want an english springer spaniel after the move

Hobbies/Interests: crocheting, reading, cooking

Height: 5'3" or 5'4" (not really sure LOL)

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 9/4/2008

Starting Weight: 176 lbs

Present Weight: 160 lbs

Goal Weight: 114 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Loosing weight without it affecting my ability to breastfeed. Also I have quite a sweet tooth LOL and I hate exercise!

Following any specific plan: nope - just healthy eating and some exercises I learned over the years.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have never really dieted before or exercised LOL.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Can't think of anything important.....

First name (if you want to tell): Rachel

Geographical location: East Midlands, England

Age: 24

Marital Status: Living with boyfriend (hope to marry him soon)

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: In between jobs

Pets: A spaniel named Jazz

Hobbies/Interests: reading, writing, spending time with my boyfriend and friends

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: Blonde hair and blue eyes

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: The current journey would be 8 October 2008, but I've been on countless other journeys, previously

Starting Weight: 153lb

Present Weight: 151lb

Goal Weight: About 133lb

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: My boyfriend never stops eating and has a really bad sweet tooth (he's one of those skinny bottomless pits) and is also a fabulous cook and cooks for me a lot, as well as taking me out to dinner. But he knows i'm on a diet - he's happy because it means I won't steal his food off his plate, haha

Following any specific plan: I work by using the weight watchers points plan instead of counting calories but i'm not really actually doing weight watchers.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm not really depressed about my weight anymore - i'm a more confident person than I used to be and I don't think I have a big weight loss problem. I just want to curb a few pounds but i'm not hung up on it like I would have been once upon a time ago.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Hmmm... well I broke my seven year vegetarianism a month ago and i'm eating meat again now.

First name (if you want to tell): Vontella

Geographical location: Where everything is fried or double fried

Age: 22

Marital Status: Single, but taken

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Student, soon to be accountant in the next 8 weeks

Pets:

My lovely cat; he is my baby. He is a stray that my family took in about 3-4 years ago and loved on ever since. He was diagnosed with kitty cat AIDS last week (its not transferrable to humans) so he has become a complete inside cat and hates it and I am tearing myself up trying to help him get accustomed to inside life. I also have two fish that I like to watch as I go to sleep.

Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, Crotcheting, my girls bible study I belong to, ballroom dancing, puzzles, photography.

Height: 6'0"

Eye/Hair Color: Green but change with the amount of sleep I get/ brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Late April 2008

Starting Weight: 317

Present Weight: 281

Goal Weight: 165

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Learning portion size, and quality vs. quantity

Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers with no meetings

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:

I got on the scale at the doctors office and it registered at 325 and I said enough and bought the books online and the rest is history. Plus, I got tired of hearing at my yearly OBGYN exam that I was fat and needed to lose weight or else I was looking at not making it past 60.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

I love career I am headed into, I want to make a difference in the world. I am trying to find ways to put my knowledge of business and accounting to help small businesses (i.e. mom and pops) and other individuals that otherwise could not afford an accountant or other high grade business professional to help run their businesses and make them profitable and grow. Also, I want to help individuals become financially literate and in control of their own finances so even in the bad times they can find a way to make things happen.