First name: Helene

Geographical location: British Columbia, Canada

Age: 45

Marital Status: Married for 13 years

Children/Ages: 2 boys, 5 and 6 years: one adopted, one in process of being adopted

Occupation: Civil engineer/project manager - not working right now due to latest adoption. I have started taking some accounting courses while I'm looking for work in order to have more skills that better suit the city where I now live

Hobbies/Interests: reading, learning, health, family, traveling

Height: 5' 5"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: almost 20 years ago, when my PCOS kicked in

Starting Weight: 198

Goal Weight: 138

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: PCOS, multiple food sensitivities too numerous to list

Following any specific plan: counting calories on Spark People and exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: this time, I don't have a time deadline. I'd rather lose weight slowly and keep it off. I have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't and I'm sure I'll learn lots more.

Anything else you'd like to share with us: I really like the people here!

First name: Kathi

Geographical location:South

Age:44

Marital Status:divorced

Children/Ages: 3-24,23&18

Occupation:customer service

Pets:no

Hobbies/Interests: photography, beading, collaging, gardening, fishing, camping, writing and literature

Height:5's"

Eye/Hair Color:both brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: ongoing x 10 years, started again on 7/18/09

Starting Weight: 170

Goal Weight:130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: herniated disc, then a leg injury in a recent car accident have kept me from working out x 4 months

Following any specific plan: investigating several, meanwhile trying to use common sense

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: finally found a dr who didn't just tell me I need to lose weight to help my health issues, she agreed that not only insulin resistant but also am now prediabetic and is working with me to find some solutions.

Anything else you would like to share with us:I'm a breat cancer survivor x 5 years and need to lose the weight so I can have some additional cosmetic surgery.

First name: Katy

Geographical location: Michigan

Age: 46

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Son 39, Son 29, Son 25, Daughter 22, Daughter 20

Occupation: Fire Department Clerk

Pets: Dog, Cat, Fish

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, computer, word puzzles, puzzles

Height: 5'10"

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel/Salt & Pepper

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: July 2009

Starting Weight: 250

Goal Weight: 180

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I have a thin husband & thin children. The food in our house isn't the healthiest. No support for me.

Following any specific plan: Still looking at options, but reading "You, On A Diet"

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I'm actually walking every day.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

Hi,

First name: Ash

Geographical location: Northeast Georgia

Age: 49

Marital Status: 18 years married

Children/Ages: dd who will be 15 in september

Occupation: I was a chemist, but I retired in 2006. I start back to school to get a Masters in Social Work, August 2009.

Pets: Miniature poodle, Meeko

Hobbies/Interests: TV (The Cleaner, Saving Grace, L&O), Cooking, Reading

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1974 ...Wellness journey 7/2001

Starting Weight: 197

Goal Weight: 144 or so

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Lots of bingeing triggers, emotional and stress eating

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting (Lose it! for iTouch), abstaining from bingeing triggers, increased protein and lower carbs, adding exercise slowly.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm paying attention to what works and what doesn't work. Journaling all of that. Participating in 3FC.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Jan

Geographical location: Florida

Age: 40 next week!

Marital Status: Single with a wonderful BF

Children/Ages: Combined total 4 Girls 9, 12, 15 Boy 17

Occupation: Desk job

Pets: Cats/dogs

Hobbies/Interests: Hanging with the kids and dogs

Height: 5' 3"

Eye/Hair Color: brn/brn

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Jan 2008

Starting Weight: 205

Goal Weight: 130/135?

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: getting through the plateaus, keeping myself eating enough calories (the mindset of eat to lose still doesn't sit well with me)

Following any specific plan: Just watching what I eat and exercise

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Tried the quick fixes, but only lifestyle changes will last forever

Anything else you would like to share with us: These last few pounds are the hardest to lose!

First name: Tammy

Geographical location: Seattle

Age: 41

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Lab Rat

Pets: Dog and Cat

Hobbies/Interests: Currently? flyfishing and tying, knitting, trying to understand medieval Persian poetry, lots of reading (hmm, nothing resembling exercise in my hobbies....)

Height: 5'5.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown and er...Brown. (Whatever the dye bottle says at the time).
Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Aug 1 2009

Starting Weight: 193

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Getting up and out to exercise in the dark Seattle winters, avoiding fast food when I've let myself get starving-hungry, saying "no" to the French pastries calling from the bakery windows

Following any specific plan: General Inspiration: Secrets of a Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm not as focused on the results--more the process.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I found reading 3FC to be so inspiring. Glad to be here!

Hey there--i am brand new here and SO glad that i've found this place!! Here's a little bit about me:

First name:Caroline

Geographical location:upstate new york transplant from downstate

Age:47

Marital Status:married-24+ years

Children/Ages:22/19/18

Occupation:bank teller

Pets:2 old beagles

Hobbies/Interests:cooking, music, walking/exercise

Height:5'8"

Eye/Hair Color:brown/gray(but dyed lt. brown) i went gray early!!

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:Feb. 1, 2009

Starting Weight:235

Goal Weight:165 currently @ 175

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:not really negative encouragement at home--but rather non-existent(although my 2 girls are pretty good)

Following any specific plan:started eating MUCH better(i've always been a junk food junkie) and started exercising again

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:its so much harder at this age than when i was younger--every advance is really treasured because of this

Anything else you would like to share with us: i'm happy i found a place where i think i'll be able to share successes and difficulties and hopefully help somebody else out along the way

First name: Sue

Geographical location: Southern Michigan

Age:42

Marital Status:M

Children/Ages:ds, 17 on his way to college in a few weeks, dd, 15 with a driver's permit, ds, 11 and ds, 9.

Occupation: Elementary Special Education Teacher for students with learning disabilities

Petsne dog, chance....beagle/sheltie mix, think furry beagle

Hobbies/Interests: Not much time for hobbies with 4 kids, but I love to read, read, read, have a small fixer-upper cottage on a lake so that is a hobby/project also enjoy fishing/boating, love bargain shopping...rummages, goodwill, etc.

Height: 5' 2"

Eye/Hair Color: green/blue

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 7/11/09

Starting Weight: 175.6

Goal Weight:125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: attitude

Following any specific plan: calorie counting with exercise, trying to give up carbs and sugar, but I am struggling with that one.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm just sick of myself, I can't continue to be the fattest, the most likely to have health problems, the one who has no energy. I want energy!!!

Anything else you would like to share with us: ??

Because of my disability, I have lost most of my friends. I tried to reach out and let my friends know that I'm not absorbed with my problems but I do need their friendship. However, I gave up after my phone calls started to go unanswered. Any support and e-mails I receive from this group will be greatly appreciated.

First name: Elizabeth

Geographical location:OHIO

Age:43

Marital Status:Married

Children/Ages:girls 5 and 19, boy 13

Occupationeacher

Pets:4 dogs,15 silky chickens, 2 hissing cockroaches, 1 leopard gekko

Hobbies/Interests:Riding quads, animals, photograpy

Height:5'

Eye/Hair Colorpn't know my original hair color and refuse to find out

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:AUG 11,2009
Starting Weight:179

Goal Weight:135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:snacks, snacks, snacks

Following any specific plan: trying Jenny Craig

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

Anything else you would like to share with us: Soon to be a grandma (in Sept.)Daughter recently moved back home when her husband was deployed to Afganistan. I will be her birth coach.

First name: Joy

Geographical location: Kirkwood, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis)

Age: 47

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: a happily unemployed librarian with a technology background

Pets: none (allergies)

Hobbies/Interests: reading, gardening, walking, photograpy, digital scrapbooking

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: hazel , used to be brown now it's grayed to more of a yellow -- I've been getting compliments on the color this summer.

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: next week (part of my problem -- it's always next week...)

Starting Weight: 220+ (another part of the current problem -- I'm afraid to weigh myself)

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: getting started, apparently

Following any specific plan: currently exploring

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: the long exploration, this forum, the related blog

Anything else you would like to share with us: happy to be here!

First name: Nell

Geographical location: Croatia /Europe

Age: 41

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: logistic

Pets: few years ago 6 cats, at the same time , now none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, music , dancing

Height: 5'3''

Eye/Hair Color: brown / brunette

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: last time - end of march '08

Starting Weight: 247

Goal Weight: around 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: love for food in general ...

Following any specific plan: calorie counting and exercising

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Thinking about my health ,makes the difference this time.

First name:Anna

Geographical location:Illinois

Age:40

Marital Status:married

Children/Ages:1/ age 12

Occupation:teacher

Pets:2 elderly beagles

Hobbies/Interests:Zumba

Height:5' 7''

Eye/Hair Color:hazel/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journeyoday(8/28)

Starting Weight:181

Goal Weight:150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:Yo yo dieting

Following any specific plan:low carb, writing down food

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:trying to find lifestyle instead of temporary fix

Anything else you would like to share with us: I have gained and lost the same 40 pounds two times before. I would like to make it permanent this time!

First name: Deanna

Geographical location: Ohio

Age: 45 in October

Marital Status: living with boyfriend

Children/Ages: son who is almost 20, granddaughter is 10 months

Occupation: asst director in the mental health field

Pets: male kitty, Loki

Hobbies/Interests: writing, reading, jewelry making, painting

Height:5' 8''

Eye/Hair Color: brown

Starting Date of Weight loss journey: August 20st

Starting Weight:252

Goal Weight: 180

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: the hungries I get from taking psych medications

Following any specific plan: food journal, calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I want this, I am ready for this, I want to make life long changes not just temporary changes.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am a proud mother and grandmother, I work in the mental health field, I am lucky to have supportive family and friends and I just dig this site!!!