First name:Rhonda

Geographical location:Oklahoma

Age:45 (until Thursday)

Marital Status:Married 15 years

Children/Ages: No children

Occupation:bank teller

Pets:5 cats 1 dog

Hobbies/Interests:reading, surfing the net, gardening

Height:5'6"

Eye/Hair Color:brown eyes, auburn hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:Janury 25, 2009

Starting Weight:188

Goal Weight:145

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:Portion control

Following any specific plan:need advice on this one...

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:Health and very tired of how I look & feel

Anything else you would like to share with us: I want to make real changes in my life toward better eating habits and tired of the diet merry-go-round, different "types" of diets that don't work...sick & tired of that

First name: Robin

Geographical location: North central Idaho

Age: 41

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Charlie (5 yr old dog), Sam & Ellie (7 1/2 yr old cats)

Occupation: Electronic Medical Records Consultant

Pets: See "Children", plus some fish

Hobbies/Interests: Home improvement/gardening/landscaping/woodworking

Height: 5'9.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Forever

Starting Weight: 210 (this time)

Goal Weight: 160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: eating/depression/hypothyroidism

Following any specific plan: natural, whole foods

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm now border-line diabetic - incentive
Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Tanya

Geographical location: Memphis

Age: 42

Marital Status: Divorced

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Software developer

Pets: Highway the husky, almost 14 years old.

Hobbies/Interests: Dogs, reading, TV

Height: 5.5

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: This time January 2009

Starting Weight: This time 176

Goal Weight: 145 to 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Carbs, love carbs

Following any specific plan: Low carb

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Keeping it off for good.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am back on low carb diet after losing 103 pounds back in 2004 - 2005. I gained 30 pounds since getting into a serious relationship and I want to take it off for good. Got a little to comfortable I guess, but I can't let it get out of control, so here I am.

First name:Chriss

Geographical location: Southern MN

Age:40

Marital Status:M

Children/Ages:F/17, M/14

Occupation:Sous Chef

Pets: D/2, C/2

Hobbies/Interests: reading, travel

Height: 5' 1"

Eye/Hair Color:

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Starting again 2.9.09

Starting Weight: 135

Goal Weight: 120

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: exercise - just not that into it!

Following any specific plan: WW

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

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name:Carrie

Geographical location: Parker, CO

Age:41

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 3 Kids, 15,13,& 3

Occupation: Self-Employed

Pets: 2 Cats, 1 Dog

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Family Time, Hiking, Camping, Skiing

Height:5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/More gray every day

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:1967

Starting Weight:201 (this time)

Goal Weight:160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: sticking to it this time!

Following any specific plan: Fat Smash (worked before)

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Just tired of being embarrassed and hating the way I look!!!

Anything else you would like to share with us: Would love to talk to anyone going thru same challenges...

First name: Julie

Geographical location: Chicago Suburbs

Age: 45 on Thursday - yikes!

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: son 22 / daughter 19

Occupation: Plumber

Pets:

Hobbies/Interests: scuba diving, walking, sports

Height: 5'-11"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/ blondish grey

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Feb 2nd, 2009 (day after Super Bowl)

Starting Weight: 193

Goal Weight: 160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Not eating junk food and less alcohol consumption. I love a glass of wine in the evening and my favorite food group is pizza and beer!

Following any specific plan: Count calories (1200-1500/day), eliminate fatty junk foods and exercise regularly

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Nothing, this is what worked for me in the past

Anything else you would like to share with us: In 2000 I lost about 70 pounds. Some of it has slowly crept back so I need to work on dropping it again.

First name: Heidi

Geographical location: Western PA

Age: 43

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 boys, ages 7 & 9

Occupation: Consultant

Pets: 1 cat

Hobbies/Interests: hiking, cooking, reading

Height: 5' 7"

Eye/Hair Color: hazel / brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 2/10/09

Starting Weight: 186.6

Goal Weight: 155

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Just doing it...

Following any specific plan: My plan is pretty basic: exercise, healthy food choices, portion control.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Nothing, this has worked for me in the past.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I had lost weight in 2005 and did great through 2007. But then I lost the motivation to exercise, and here I am now... up 30 lbs. I hate to admit it, but I guess I must be a yo-yo dieter... Maintaining weight loss is just as difficult as losing weight, and I guess I got tired of the struggle.

First name:Cherry

Geographical location:Louisiana

Age:46

Marital Status:married

Children/Ages:2/24 & 25

Occupation:sales

Pets:2 labs

Hobbies/Interests:cooking, reading, hanging with friends, movies

Height:5'3"

Eye/Hair Color:Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journeythis time) today 2-17-09

Starting Weight:211

Goal Weight:130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:I love to eat!

Following any specific plan:south beach

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:I am sick of being fat! plus I need to help my husband lose some weight, he was jsut diagnosed with diabetes. I'd like to keep him around

Anything else you would like to share with us:this is the 1st time Ive done the online thing so fogive me if I mess this up

First name: O'Shea

Geographical location: Mobile, Alabama

Age: 44

Marital Status: Married - 15 years

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student

Pets: 2 dogs

Hobbies/Interests: Writing, Swimming, Volunteering at the SPCA, Landscaping

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Dark Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 02/22/2009

Starting Weight: 213

Goal Weight: 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I take corticosteroids due to kidney transplant. Prednisone makes losing weight very difficult for me.

Following any specific plan: Low fat, low salt diet. Similar to diabetic meal plan.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am getting help for depression and am putting together a weight loss support team.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am approaching weight loss with a "one day at a time" attitude. If I am less successful on some days, I commit to starting anew rather than abandoning my effort entirely.

First name: Cris

Geographical location:Maryland

Age:40

Marital Status:Married

Children/Ages:Kathleen 17 Ryan 15

Occupation: Domestic Godess

Pets:None

Hobbies/Interests:Walking, Music, Hiking, Reading

Height:5'8

Eye/Hair Color:Hazel/ Medium Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:June 08

Starting Weight:315

Weight Now:258

Goal Weight:165

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:Finishing/to finally be healthy

Following any specific plan:High Protein, carbs from veggies, eating low GI foods, At least a gallon of water a day, excersizing Every day.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:Had chest pains one morning. Diabetes/Heart problems in family history. Not willing to die yet. Finally have the motivation to finish,to really live.

Anything else you would like to share with us:Any advice/help I am ALWAYS open to. Thanks so much.

First name: Tanya

Geographical location: Eastern PA

Age: 45

Marital Status: not married, but together 23 years

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Nurse

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, scrapbooking, learning to cook, activities with
family and friends

Height: 5' 4"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/ brown from the bottle

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: April 30, 2008

Starting Weight: 263

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: maintainence

Following any specific plan: calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: lifestyle changes that I can live with for the rest of my life. No extreme dieting or exercising that I can not maintain

Anything else you would like to share with us: love the support of this site!!

First name: Anita

Geographical location: Florida

Age:40

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 4 children (18,17,12,9)

Occupationeacher

Pets:2 cats I am allergic to

Hobbies/Interests:Reading

Height: 5'1"

Eye/Hair Color:Red Hair/Brown Eyes

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: TODAY!

Starting Weight:200

Goal Weight:130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Drinking more water, and not eating fast food/cheap food.

Following any specific plan: No, have done that too many times. I think I will devise my own plan

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I am sick of it and embarrassed and just turned 40! I am tired of feeling like I am hiding out because of my weight.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I have a couple of old injuries and a recent "new" injury which makes it hard to exercise. I think I will try a swim class.

First name: Anne-Marie

Geographical location: Ontario, Canada

Age: 40

Marital Status: Common law relationship 10 years

Children/Ages: nope

Occupation: arts program consultant

Pets: 1 geriatric cat - Maya, 1 newly acquired pup - Rocket

Hobbies/Interests: knitting, photography, cooking!, reading, painting

Height: 5 ft 11

Eye/Hair Color: brown / blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: July 2008 (for real)

Starting Weight: 220

Goal Weight: 170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: laziness, motivation to exercise through tiredness, complacency about plateau-ing

Following any specific plan: portion control, food record, no more junk food or liquid calories (juice, pop), eating whole, organic foods in moderation

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: My commitment is REAL instead of imagined. I am now conscious of the REAL effort it takes to be mindful of what I eat and how much I exercise. Less talk, more action!!

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name:Suset

Geographical location:Prince George BC.....Yes..the Great White North.

Age:39...I'll be 40 in June...sigh

Marital Status:married

Children/Ages:none, just Fur babies

Occupation:Correctional officer in a Med. Security adult center

Pets:2 Dogs, a Lab Aust.cattle dog cross (Meeko the Wonder dog) and a Viszla (Tova aka. Superbad)

Hobbies/Interests:Love being outdoors, hunting, fishing ect. Yoga and beginner running (havent gotten farther than 3km in one go YET). Love learning about wines, love to read IF I can learn something new, training my dogs is also an interest of mine.

Height:5'7"

Eye/Hair Color:Hazel / Blonde (and a bit of grey, but everyone else cant seem to see it)

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:I was 9....the doctor told my mom I needed to go to a dietician as I was too heavy. In hindsight MY MOM should have went, I was 9!! what the h*ll was I cooking and eating!! I just ate what I was given, and of course what I could steal/sneak when no one was looking. I have always been chunky/husky (OMG!! I hate those adjectives even more now than I did then!!eww!)This time around it has been a few months but I need to commit to a date....How's today grab ya!!??

Starting Weightruthfully......186..3lbs away from the heaviest I have ever been.

Goal Weight:150lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:eating to placate myself emotionally and portion control.

Following any specific plan:currently no, just counting clories and controlling portion sizes.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:I have hormonal imbalances to deal with, and I have never felt more desperate to make positive change.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Non-Hodgkins cancer survivor, 6 years cancer clean. I am a great sprinter, really focused right out of the gate...but I have difficulty with hanging in long enough to foster real changes. I get discouraged easily but I am not a quitter, just need to be held accountable.

First name: Jacqui

Geographical location: Ohio

Age: 47

Marital Status: M

Children/Ages: Son-21; Daughter-19

Occupation: Retired/Homemaker

Pets: One huge dog and 2 cats

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Writing, Antiquing, Decorating

Height: 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Blonde

Starting Date of Weight loss Journey: March 12, 2009

Starting Weight: 216 lbs.

Goal Weight: 145 lbs.

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weight loss: Motivation

Following any specific plan: No, I'm just trying to do what I know is right and healthy, without gimmicks or severe calorie cutting. I am keeping an eye on calories however.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am not just interested in losing weight. I want to change how I eat and exercise for good.

Anything else you would like to share with us: It's important for me to come to a site like this because it helps to keep my motivation high. I know that I will go through lapses of motivation and willpower--that's natural--but as long as I don't lose focus, I know I'll be able to pull through it.