Hi Dione,

Welcome, I too am a new user and am looking for a buddy and support. How I created my Intro post (you have my info in your post) is to copy that and paste in into a word doc. Then change the info in the questions to pertain to you. Copy that and paste it into a reply into a new post. I hope that is not too confusing. Kathleen

I love reading these capsule introductions! Here's mine:

Screen Name: ElizabethLou

Age/Age Range: fifties

Family Life: married, steps and stepgrands out on their own, two beagles

Occupation: writer

Hobbies and Interests: reading, cooking, gardening, stargazing, dogs

Favorite Music: pretty eclectic

Favorite Color(s): blue-green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking

What are your fitness/health goals? feel good, look good, take a decent picture, not be embarrassed when asked to step on the scale at the doctor’s office

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? upcoming special event on March 1, 2011

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? emotional eating, craving for sweets

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? thinking before putting something in my mouth, stopping before I’m full, walking every day

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? myself today. :)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? sleeveless tops, shorts, my own old jeans

March 1st.....
 

Hi ElizabethLou,

I too love reading these introductions. I find it quite inspirational to find other members with weight loss goals. I am determined to meet and maintain my goals and am confident that establishing on line buddies and keeping in touch will help me stay on track. Keep March 1st close in your sights, it will be here before you know it!

Hey hey!
 

Screen Name: ToriJ

200/173/130

Age/Age Range: 26

Family Life: Married, Mom of 4!

Occupation: Brand Manager

Hobbies and Interests: I love to shop for shoes and handbags :p Love to dance and exercise, especially taking the kids on walks and spending quality time with my husband.

Favorite Music: I enjoy a lot of music; country, pop, punk, alternative...

Favorite Color(s): Burgundy

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking is my favorite, but I really enjoy strength and cardio combo workouts.

What are your fitness/health goals? Well I have a full closet of clothes that I would love to wear instead of stare at. My goal is to be fit and healthy again to keep up with all the kids.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? After this last pregnancy, I need to lose a lot of weight I gained. Baby is only 3 months old, but I am anxious to be fit again. With the other pregnancies it took me about 6 months...with each one I have noticed I have to work harder to lose the weight in the same amount of time.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Staying away from junk food...my husband is a junk food junkie, but you couldn't tell by his washboard stomach :(

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Drinking more water for sure, and getting more veggies and fruits in my diet. I think I am good on exercise, I do strength and cardio combo 3x week, and 60 min power walk 5x week, and 4x 30min eliptical week.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Everyone *muahahahaha* No, really I just want to be at my "happy" again, where I feel confident no matter who I'm standing next to!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? My favorite pair of jeans and my heels :(

Screen Name: Marniadec

Age/Age Range: 23

Family Life: Single

Occupation: Student

Hobbies and Interests: I love dancing, playing with my cats, I'm training for a 5K, I also love cooking, gardening and House md;p

Favorite Music: I'll listen to everything that catches my ear!

Favorite Color(s): Hot pink, red, yellow.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Right now C25K

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to lose 88 pounds. I want to stay healthy, be fit and feel good about my body.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I had an accident that caused me to stay in bed for a while. I then discovered that I had reached 253 pounds and I was horrified.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I only struggled when I went back at my parents' house during summer break. I basically gave up and only tried to maintain.;p

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to implement more fruit and vegetables and stop counting on college to feed me. I also need to do more strength exercises.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Honestly? My best friend.;p We are both trying to lose weight and we are competing each other.;p

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?Short shorts, short skirts, short dresser, short everything!;p Oh and those old pants that I just remembered I used to have!:carrot:

Screen Name: shoeless

Age/Age Range: 30

Family Life: married 5 years, no children yet.

Occupation: actress and voice artist

Hobbies and Interests: mountainbiking, snowboarding, reading, cooking, EATING. :)

Favorite Music: alternative, 'indie', and Jazz. Love Muse and Mumford and Sons, and Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra

Favorite Color(s): Green and blue. And greeny blue. ;)

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Mountainbiking, snowboarding, dancing, swimming, when I'm into my running I enjoy it.

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to be 9 stone (that's a loss of 73lbs total). I would like to buy snowboarding gear not made for men! (all women snowboarders are apparently under a UK size 14)

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? 2 things: 1) I've just turned 30, and figured it's time to sort it out once and for all and 2) We've just booked a seriously expensive trip to the US snowboarding for January, and I really want to be fit (and slim) enough to enjoy it properly, and not worry about the airline or the clothes or how I look, or whether I can do it.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I love food and wine. I don't eat a lot and I don't eat badly, but not drinking and not cooking with cream and butter etc is going to be a challenge.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to drink less, I need to be more consistent with my exercising and I need to stop thinking 'one little bit won't hurt'.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? That's so hard! All my friends are beautiful, so I think I'd like to fit in, rather than look better than them! I want to look better than me, now.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Snowboarding gear MADE FOR WOMEN! That, and I have a really great, brand new pair of super cool 'boyfriend' jeans I was given a few years back that are a size 14 (UK) that have never fitted - I'd LOVE to get into those... :)

Screen Name: coco50

Age/Age Range: I just turned 50!

Family Life: Married 20 years, two boys ages 18 and 13, three dogs, two parakeets, one hamster!

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: movies, reading, quilting, hanging out with friends and family

Favorite Music: disco!

Favorite Color(s): purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: when I decide to be consistent, I like weight training and have recently dabbled in kettlebells, which I love!

What are your fitness/health goals? Mostly I want to feel better. I have so little energy and I'm tired a lot. I also want to wear cute clothes again!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I struggled with my weight when I was younger but managed to keep it under control. It's gotten harder as I've aged and I just don't feel good about myself. I hate seeing pictures of myself, especially knowing that I used to look good and now I just look terrible. I read Karen925's story on another board and she really inspired me.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Feelings of deprivation and giving up too easily. I know this is going to be a long journey and I need to get my attitude in order.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Obviously eat less and eat healthier, consistently track my calories, exercise consistently. I guess overall I need to work on my consistency, LOL!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : A couple of people who really drive me up the wall with their snotty, I'm-better-than-you attitudes, but they shall remain nameless!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? For the last few summers I've really been dying to wear tank tops!
__

Screen Name: 1travelchick

Age/Age Range: 52

Family Life: Head of household, with one working and very helpful 24 year old son living with me

Occupation: Travel Administrator

Hobbies and Interests: Travel, Photography, Cooking, Ballroom Dancing, Music

Favorite Music: Blues, Classic Rock, Bluegrass

Favorite Color(s): PINK

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Ballroom Dancing and Walking

What are your fitness/health goals? To become healthy and increase my stamina

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Came back from vacation saw photos of myself - not pretty!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Moderation

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Journal Daily, Fruits & Veggies and daily workouts

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? My old self!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A pair of Izod jeans that I bought about 2 years ago when I was on a great diet and exercise plan. Unfortunately, they are in the closet with the tags still on them.

bikini

Hi ! I'm susan, I like sports and singing.

Screen Name: sandcar150

Age/Age Range: 47

Family Life: Married with two girls ages 19 and 16

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: Gardening, reading, message boards, board games, movies and spending time with family

Favorite Music: All kinds

Favorite Color(s): Red and purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: T-Tapp and walking

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to comfortably fit into a size 6 and firm up my body. I also want to do my best to keep healthy my whole life so that, hopefully, I won't be a burden to my children in my old age. Plus, I'd like to be an active granny one day. ☺

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I just got tired of looking and feeling so much older than my actual age. My feet throbbed and I would grunt and groan gettin up off the couch. I couldn't even polish my own toes. I had had enough!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I have a big sweet tooth, so it is a struggle to keep those within moderation.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to get in more steps each day and just become more active by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from a store's entry, etc... I'm also now counting calories, so I need to be sure to make each calorie count but still allow a low-cal goodie (or two) each day to keep my sanity.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : It's really not a matter of looking better than anyone. I just want to look the best I can for me and my family.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Fitted shirts that don't show every bra bulge or muffin top.

Screen Name: opheliag

Age/Age Range: early 30's

Family Life: married with 3 wonderful (and beautiful!) children

Occupation: stay-at-home homeschooling mom

Hobbies and Interests: reading, music, piano playing, cooking

Favorite Music: Classic Rock

Favorite Color(s): Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I love workout DVDs.

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to have a healthy BMI.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? saw a picture of me. Yikes!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? snacking

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?

1. staying within my calorie range
2. being consistant with my exercise
3. being a better example for my children

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sister-in-laws are all thin. I would love to have a great family picture where I look just as good as they do.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Lucky Jeans

I just realized I never got around to introducing myself... I guess I will, a little late :)

Screen Name: cornellchick

Age/Age Range: Early 20s

Family Life: Single, living alone

Occupation: Software/web developer

Hobbies and Interests: Web development, piano, ukulele, needlework, bicycling, giving great massages ;)

Favorite Music: Lots. Way too many genres to even list. Pretty much anything except rap/hip-hop and twangy country.

Favorite Color(s): Red :val1:

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking, bicycling, elliptical, free weights

What are your fitness/health goals? Eat healthier, BMI < 25, and learn not to eat way more than I really need to!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I lost all this weight once already about 2 years ago, but it slowly came back. When the scale hit 170 one morning I felt terrible that I let this happen and I found the new motivation I needed to take the weight off and KEEP it off!!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Binging/overeating when I don't need to; emotional/boredom eating. I really have to cut that out.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1. Make sure that I don't make excuses not to get moving. I am already doing better with this by biking to work as often as I can, but sometimes if I wake up groggy or something I decide that I deserve a day off when I really don't. Of course, when I take the day off from exercise then I just feel worse than if I got a good workout! 2. Get better about not eating everything on my plate for fear of wasting food; take less food in the first place. 3. Not get knocked completely off plan when I go out to eat with friends!

(Evil motivation :devil: ) Who do you want to look better than? ;) Honestly... myself right now! Being in the tech industry there aren't very many women around the office that I have been secretly comparing myself to... so this is just for me!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Smaller jeans, and an awesome leather jacket that I still have yet to find... one day you will be mine, awesome leather jacket... I know you're out there somewhere!!

Screen Name: anajjana


Age/Age Range: 26


Family Life: been with a wonderful man for 1 year on sunday oct 17th


Occupation: school secretary


Hobbies and Interests: spending time with DB, going to the movies, playing with my nephews/niece


Favorite Music: watever catches my ear


Favorite Color(s): black, silver, gold, breast cancer pink


Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Wii boxing


What are your fitness/health goals? i want to one day wear a single digit size pants!


What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? i bought a size 20 pants that fit perfectly and i was shocked!


What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? i love, love, love pizza and usually would eat it evey friday evening and i sooooo miss that!


What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? i need to get serious about exercising and stop being lazy...i need to start counting the calories i drink...i also need to try to eat more veggies.


(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? i don't really have a specific person because i'm very confident in the beauty of my face/smile it's jus my body that i have issues with.


What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a sexy black dress with NO rolls showing!

Screen Name: KenzideRhae

Age/Age Range: 19, will be 20 in November!

Family Life: Single, live with my mama, my step-dad, and some of my siblings

Occupation: Full-Time Student, Part-Time Accounts Receivable Manager

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, writing, singing (sure do miss being in a choir!), partying, babysitting, cooking, walking. I always feel silly filling these out, I'm like uh, what do I like to do again? :P

Favorite Music: Some of my favourite bands and musicians are Elton John, Evanescence, t.A.T.u., Matchbox 20, Maroon 5, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, We are the Fallen, Jefferson Airplane, Carly Simon, Pat Benatar, Shakira, and Enrique Iglesias. I like rock, pop, hip-hop, loads of things, really.

Favorite Color(s): Red, yellow, and green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking. I do some of Leslie Sansone's videos if I don't feel like going outside, but mostly I just do a lot of walking.

What are your fitness/health goals? I'd like to get down to a healthier BMI and I hope to complete a half-marathon someday

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I had a really bad experience with a new doctor being horrendously rude to me because of my weight. Instead of getting down about it, I was like fine then, I'll lose some of it! Then I gave up junk food for Lent and dropped a dress size just from that and that kind of jump-started everything

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I've cut back on sweets for the most part, but when I do allow myself to have them, I tend to go a little overboard.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?

1. Working out when I plan to. I tend to plan out the days/times and then sometimes I just don't want to go, so I don't. Need to work on pushing myself to do it anyway.
2. Lowering sodium levels. I've lowered them quite a bit, but my blood pressure is just barely over normal levels, and I'd like to lower it.
3. More fruits and veggies regularly. There are some days where that's all I eat, and others where I just pack up on carbs haha. I'd like to eat them everyday.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? Everyone ever, please XD

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A cute bathing suit that I actually like! I used to just buy whatever fit and it usually wasn't something I liked wearing.