Hi,
Since I am new here I thought I would introduce myself here.

First name: Jackie

Geographical location: Japan

Age: 47

Marital Status:married, hubby is Japanese that is why I'm here

Children/Ages: 4, 3 boys 18, 15 and 12, one girl 7

Occupation: ESL teacher, I run my own little school

Pets: 2 dogs, beagle mix and a rather strange lab, if you've seen the movie "Marley and Me" our dog is rather like Marley.

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, cooking, I'm learning to sew and knit.

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: brown (when I get it colored) / hazel

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Jan 4th 2010

Starting Weight: 100kg (about 220lbs)

Goal Weight: 60kg (about 130lbs)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: stress eating, eating at night with my skinny son

Following any specific plan: No, going for a life change as my whole family needs to eat healthier. Husband has health problems, high blood pressure, heart problems and kidney failure meds help but diet is important. Also besides my oldest son who needs to put weight on my other kids seem to be following me and gaining weight, so this year more healthy meals and snacks and a lot more exercise. Even the dogs have become fat, definatley time to change something!!!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am doing this for myself not to please anybody else, plus I want my family to be healthy so we are in this together!!

First name: Donna O.

Geographical location: Worcester, MA

Age:47

Marital Status: happily married

Children/Ages: 21, 19, 15

Occupation: Law Firm Client Manager

Pets: 2 German Shepherds

Hobbies/Interests: watching sons play baseball, shopping with Mom & daughter, spending time with my hunnie

Height:5.6

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1-5-10

Starting Weight:231.8

Goal Weight:160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Learning to eat healthy, curbing the cravings for sweets, choosing to exercise 6 days per week

Following any specific plan: 400 calories meals 3X per day for now

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm not looking for the big goals yet, just working on 10 pounds this next few weeks, from there another 10 pounds until I'm down to my goal.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I've never done anything so difficult than this in trying to keep my willpower high and not give in to my temptations. This is my year...no more New Year's Resolutions. For the past 21 years every year, I've watched the new year come and no weight loss. THIS IS MY YEAR...YAHOO!!!

First name: Tonya

Geographical location: Midwest

Age: 41

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: Joshua 12 & Megan 10

Occupation: Administrative Assistant

Pets: Cat - Oliver "The SUPER hunter"

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Photography, Travel, Cooking, Hanging out with family and friends.

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel/Blond

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/11/10

Starting Weight:172

Goal Weight:135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Feeding my family while sticking to my diet.

Following any specific plan: Atkins

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am tired of dieting and only making it partially through. I want to be healthy and look good while in my 40's not be the chubby mom and friend.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am in the beginning steps of having a hysterectomy due to not being able to maintain a healthy hemoglobin (iron) level. I am really hoping that this will help me with my weight loss goals as my low iron makes my energy level really low as soon I don't watch what I eat my weight comes right back even with very moderate increases in calorie intake.

First name: Colleen

Geographical location: Southwest WI

Age: 44

Marital Status: Married to Tim

Children/Ages: 2, Ericka-23 and Ryan-20

Occupation: Insurance

Pets: Lost my 4 year old Saint Bernard--Still miss her a lot!

Hobbies/Interests:
Camping, motorcycle riding, animals, computer stuff

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 01/11/10

Starting Weight: 298

Present Weight: 293

Goal Weight:
149--the normal half of me...not the fat half!

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weight loss:
Binge eating, eating when bored

Following any specific plan:
Eggs for breakfast, Lean Cuisine at lunch, soup for supper. Fruit in between.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I have you all to help me stay motivated. Like this morning when I got on the scale to see it was up from yesterday.

Anything else you would like to share with us:
I love feedback! Give me all your ideas and suggestions please!

First name: Vicki

Geographical location: Near Atlanta, Georgia

Age: 45

Marital Status: Married (25 years this year!)

Children/Ages: 2 boys (18 & 16)

Occupation: Data Analyst

Pets: 1 goofy yellow lab

Hobbies/Interests: reading; tennis; hunting; bowling

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/14/2010

Starting Weight: 195

Goal Weight: 125

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Time to exercise

Following any specific plan: eat healthy; smaller portions; exercise regularly

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have a Wii Fit Plus & I LOVE it! I know I'll be able to stick to this exercise b/c it is so much fun!!

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Leigh Ann

Geographical location: Apopka, FL - NW of Orlando

Age: 40 until Jan. 29!

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 5 boys (19, 16, 13, 12 & 10)

Occupation: Stay at home mom with 2 very flexible part time jobs

Pets: Schnoodle (half Schnauzer/half Poodle) - Jake

Hobbies/Interests: reading, watching my boys play sports

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/ Strawberry Blonde to cover the gray!

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/10/2010

Starting Weight: 160

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Can I only choose one? Learning to cook healthy for myself and my skinny family. Making time to exercise.

Following any specific plan: meeting with a nutritionist and group from church to encourage me and teach me to eat and cook healthy foods, eat smaller portions, and to exercise regularly

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: My husband and I are going to work out together. I am also prepared to stick with this sensible eating plan because I am sick of not being able to wear the clothes I already have that I still like! I also want to help my children develop healthy eating habits.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I bought a thumb ring that says "Anything is possible when you have faith." I wear it on my right thumb all the time. Every time I reach for food, I remember my commitment to God, my family and myself to be healthy.

First name: HOPEFUL2010

Geographical location: Hawaii

Age: just turned 40!


Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 beautiful children

Occupation: Education

Pets: horse, bunny, dog

Hobbies/Interests: The ocean, hiking, playing with my children, baking, hula, paddling

Height:5'8

Eye/Hair Color:brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/19/10

Starting Weight: 198

Goal Weight:145

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Horomonal rollercoaster, the love of food!

Following any specific plan: 5-6 portioned complex carbs / protein meals a day, water...

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
My body is different, I'm older and losing weight has been a challenge, but putting it on has been a breeze! lol...

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm just HOPEFUL and DETERMINED to get healthy.

First name: Marci

Geographical location: England

Age: 40

Marital Status: happily married

Children/Ages: 2 girls (4 1/2 yrs and 10 1/2 months)

Occupation: sahm

Pets: 3 cats

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, cooking, travelling, spending time with my family.

Height: 5'5 1/2"

Eye/Hair Color: green/blue (depending upon my mood)/brunette, but color it red

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Jan 18th 2010

Starting Weight: 211.6lbs

Goal Weight: between 125-130lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: eating all my children's leftover food, and eating when I am bored!

Following any specific plan: Going to try and return to eating the way I learned when I went to Slimming World

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I just feel much more determined and motivated to get healthy, more so than I have in the past!

First name: Jessica

Geographical location: Utah

Age: almost 44

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: daughter/10

Occupation:Lab Tech

Pets: Dog-Koda

Hobbies/Interests: Knitting, reading, skiing, chickens

Height: 5 foot 6.5 inches

Eye/Hair Color:Hazel/brown-greying

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:April 2008

Starting Weight:254

Goal Weight:160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:keeping at it

Following any specific plan:weight watchers

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

Anything else you would like to share with us: help

First name: Susie

Geographical location: Texas

Age: 42

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: girl age 9; boy age 1

Occupation: SAHM

Pets: One outside dog named Sundae

Hobbies/Interests: Right now just keeping up with a one year old encompasses my whole day!

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown Eyes and Blonde (for now) hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 1/4/10

Starting Weight:234

Goal Weight:174

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Following through to the end. I've lost the same 20 pounds over and over only to get complacent and quit.

Following any specific plan: Doing my own thing, more Calorie Conscious than Calorie Counting. I know exercise is key for me and being consistant with that has GOT to become a lifelong goal.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Knowing how I've done in the past and improving on what did not work while continuing with what DID work.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

Geographical location: Canada

Age: 43

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: One 11yrs old daughter

Pets: 2 dogs

Height: 5'8"

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: No time like the present 30Jan10

Starting Weight: 227.5

Goal Weight: 150lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Emotional eating and taking care of everyone else but me

Following any specific plan: still trying to figure that out

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'll have 3fc to lean on this time

Anything else you would like to share with us:
Gosh, I can't believe I'm over 200lbs, let alone 227lbs. I used to be self-conscious of my "chicken legs" ... Now what I wouldn't do for a skinny thigh !! I discovered emotional eating in my 20's and have been struggling with my weight on and off since then. The past 5 yrs have been the worst. I have been avoiding getting on the scale, because I knew by the feel of my clothes that I had gained more weight. I'm tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin and watching life pass me by. I promised myself that 2010 was going to be a year where I made some progress ... I've lost a month, but I don't want to lose a minute more.

Thanks for listening

First name: Kristi

Geographical location: Texas

Age: 42

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 daughters - 14 & 18

Occupation: Web Team Support Specialist

Pets: 2 dogs & a cat

Hobbies/Interests: Frugal living, sweepstaking & getting healthy

Height: 5'5

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Dark Blonde thanks to Chemo

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 2008 originally but fell off the WL Train due to Cancer diagnosis in Nov 2008. Back on as of Jan 28, 2010

Starting Weight: This time around - 197

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I love food and have a problem letting it control me. Oh, and did I mention I hate exercise?

Following any specific plan: WW Core mixed with the efforts of the Calorie King program.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time I am not attending meetings due to financial issues (hubby lost his job in August) and I have some battles with medication weight gain.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am happy to be here and am thankful for the support!

First name: Chrissie

Geographical location: South Central Indiana

Age: 48

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: Tina-26, Vanessa-21, Kelsey-17 & Jessica-16

Occupation: Retail

Pets: One dog-Tito (my baby) and two cats Miss Kitty and her son Tyger!

Hobbies/Interests: computer, word games, creating sig tags, reading, brain games.

Height: 5' 8"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: ??

Starting Weight: 205

Goal Weight: 160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: not knowing where to begin

Following any specific plan: not really

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: The last time I didn't want if for the same reasons I do now.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I suffer from psoriatic arthritis, severe psoriasis and epilepsy, I dunno if these would be factors to take into account.

First name: Lisa

Geographical location: Savannah, GA

Age: 47 in August

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: oceanography assistant

Pets: 2 dogs/2 cats (boy & girl of each)

Hobbies/Interests: reading, swimming, playing with my pets

Height: 5'3" (and a half!!!!)

Eye/Hair Color: Brown eyes... hair color changes with the seasons

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: sadly, I've been battling my weight all my life

Starting Weight: right now I'm 174

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: maintenance

Following any specific plan: calorie counting/portion sizes and exercising

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm older... going thru "the pause"... it is harder this go-round