[summersmom98]

Screen Name: summersmom98

Age/Age Range:34

Family Life:I am married and have one 12 year old girl from a previous relationstip

Occupation:I am a technical writer for the military plane AV8 Harringer.

Hobbies and Interests:I love to paint, sew, hang out with my daughter and husband. I also love to spend time with my dachshund Peyton.

Favorite Music:I like most kinds of music. I would say may favorite is 80's hair bands..

Favorite Color(s):I like the colors green and orange.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I like working out at the gym as often as possible. My daughter and I ride our bikes when its not burning hot out.

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to lose 20 pounds. My biggest goal is to get my prolactin levels stable so I can ovulate and have another baby. We have been trying for 10 years. Ive tried clomid but it didnt work. Although due to insurance issues I was only able to take it for 3 months.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I was always thin until I met my husband 10 years ago. He is a chef... Ive been riding the usual weight roller coaster. Well now I am so tired all the time. (Most likely from life stresses and the prolactinoma) I think the chubby face is the worst part.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Keeping my self esteem up that it will actually work out in the end.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need more self control from ice cream. I think a workout buddy would be nice. I need to realize the weight didnt appear overnight so it wont disappear overnight either.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Nobody in particular.. Just better than I do now. Although my husband insists I love fine.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I would like to wear a stylish babydoll top without looking pregnant.

I really hate the way I look. I hate pictures of me also. Sometimes I think I look good and most other times I find every flaw possible. But I would gain 100 pounds to have another baby. It hurts me that I cant give my husband a baby.
__________________

[beautiful days]

Screen Name: beautiful days ........... 3fatchicks blog : jazzyjess

Age/Age Range: 23 years a month and two days.

Family Life: half samoan, so i have a really really really really large family

Occupation: student/library clerk

Hobbies and Interests: music.. finally graduating from college

Favorite Music: all kinds! serge gainsbourg, white stripes, murder city devils, the beatles, lcd soundsystem, jens lekman, **** robot, hot chip, sleater-kinney, bratmobile.. just to name a few.

Favorite Color(s): I'm in love with the whole rainbow

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: elliptical, zumba

What are your fitness/health goals? be healthy enough to go to disneyland and knotts and be able to fit in ALL the rides!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? i woke up with my hand numb, went online and read that it could be from diabetes. getting on a scale at a pharmacy and seeing i weighed 324 pounds.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? emotional eating.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? not overdoing my diet into oblivion, than gettting tired of it and quitting... again!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Beyonce, baby!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I'm comfortable wearing whatever right now.

[KarenBee]

Screen Name: KarenBee

Age/Age Range: 53

Family Life: married, lots of kids, 6 still living at home with us.

Occupation: recently started working part time at a thrift shop -- used to be a full time homemaker, and have had lots of different jobs in the recent past -- just can't seem to stick with anything too long --

Hobbies and Interests: sewing, internet, reading

Favorite Music: oldies; 60's and 70's rock, pop, and soul; classical; 70's disco; soft rock

Favorite Color(s): red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I don't really do any formal exercise -- my job keeps me on my feet walking and moving around for hours, and that's pretty much all the exercise I get

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to weigh what my driver's license says I weigh (158), and be able to easily fit into any size 14 pants that I try on.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I regained back a lot of what I lost in 2004

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? snacking -- it's hard to not mindlessly munch

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I should probably start some sort of formal exercise

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : most of the women my age that I know (wow, that really does sound bad)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? any pair of size 14 jeans that I try on

[jodicrutch]

Screen Name:jodicrutch

Age/Age Range:42

Family Life:married, 2 kids

Occupation:Pediatric Speech Pathologist

Hobbies and Interests:Reading, watching college football and basketball

Favorite Music:R&B, Gospel

Favorite Color(s):Peach, Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking, water aerobics

What are your fitness/health goals? To make exercise a habit that I actually enjoy. My health goals are to decrease/eliminate my blood pressure medicines

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When I realized that I am too tired and uncomfortable to enjoy physical activities with my sons. I want to be healthy and fit so I can enjoy our physically active vacations, instead of sitting and waiting because I'm too tired.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Staying positive and not giving up. Making time for myself to exercise and plan my meals, without feeling guilty about taking time away from my family.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1.Eating more fruits/veggies
2.Reducing the fast food urge or at least making healthier choices when we go
3.Making exercise a habit

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sister-in-laws (all 6 of them)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? cute jeans and a tankini swimsuit next year (without a coverup)

[nona337am]

Screen Name: nona337am

Age/Age Range: 28

Family Life: Mother to an 8 year old (who ruined my figure LOL)

Occupation: IT Industry

Hobbies and Interests: Outdoor Sports, Computer Technology

Favorite Music: All kinds

Favorite Color(s): Black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking, Weights

What are your fitness/health goals? Be athletic, lose weight and be healthy

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I saw a recent photo of myself and was mortified! So you can say I was scared straight! LOL

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Learn to eat and cook healthier meals. Prepare meals in advance and exercise everyday.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't want to look better than anyone but everytime I see Jennifer Lopez or Kim Kardashian's body - I cringe!!!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A bathing suit without a cover up.


Nona

[Kalymarie]

Screen Name: Kalymarie

Age/Age Range:24

Family Life: Engaged, getting married next spring.

Occupation: Merchandiser

Hobbies and Interests: Riding my horse, my dogs, swimming

Favorite Music: Country

Favorite Color(s): Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Running, Eliptical, BodyPUMP

What are your fitness/health goals? Loose 80 pounds, Run 5k

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Watching the video from my proposal and only being able to see how HUGE I have gotten

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating Better, Finding time to workout daily

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?Cutting out sweets, Doing more toning/weight lifting, building my stamina

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :My sister is 5'10 with the body of a supermodel, I would love to just be able to stand next to her and not look invisible

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?I can't wait to wear a bathing suit and feel comfortable, and SKIRTS

[Taffeta]

Screen Name: Taffeta

Age/Age Range: 21

Family Life: I'm living at home with my parents and brother while I work my way through college.

Occupation: Student working on BA

Hobbies and Interests: School...? Heh, I don't really have any hobbies, I need to work on that.

Favorite Music: Alternative rock and country music. Yes, you heard me. Plus a lot of other stuff. I like what I like, it doesn't matter who sings it or what genre it is.

Favorite Color(s): Oranges and reds, I really have a thing for autumn colors.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I like hiking, and biking, and rock climbing, anything outdoors. I don't own a bike at the moment :/ and we don't have any rock climbing places in town... So at the moment I use a Richard Simmons workout DVD and walk.

What are your fitness/health goals?: I want to weight 140 lbs, which is right around my ideal weight. Mostly I want to be healthy. I've always liked the idea of cutting out as much processed foods as possible.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?: Heh, it's actually kinda funny. When I was 15, I weighed 160 lbs and my parents started getting on my back about watching what I ate. I really didn't care at all, never really thought about my weight, but I literally got up one morning and decided I'd lose weight to get my parents off my back. I counted calories and exercised for 30min/day, and lost 20 lbs in about 2 months. I felt AWESOME, but I eventually fell off of the wagon, and now that I REALLY CARE I can't seem to get back into what my mom and I call the "click".

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?: It's kind of hard right now because I have very very little say on what food is available to me. My parents do the grocery shopping and I simply can't afford to buy my own stuff. My dad and brother couldn't care less about dieting (for the most part) and when they shop for food, it's always junk and sweets. My mom is dieting like myself, but her approach seems to be 'if it's not in the kitchen I won't eat it' and so doesn't grocery shop besides what she needs to make her Monday night dinner (we trade off nights for cooking) thus we end up only having what the guys bring in. Say I wanted something for lunch right now (which I kinda do now that I think about it) I would have a choice of a can of diced tomatoes, deli slices ham, and 100 cal pudding; or I could cook the 6-8 serving lasagna in the freezer >.> yeah. We just don't keep snacks, healthy or other wise, and since everyone (but me) eats lunch out at work, we don't have lunch items. We switch off dinner nights, and only buy what ingredients we need for that night, and none of us know the meaning of the word "breakfast"... So I end up with a mediocre lunch, and then binge on dinner.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?:
1) I need to actually get up and exercise every night.
2) I need to can sugar, or at least moderate it properly, whichever my willpower can handle.
3) I need to stop making excused and get things done.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: My current self...? I think that's the point. I don't really have anyone else in mind.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?: OMG I swear I have a closet FULL of stuff that I bought when I was a size 10 and it's all so cute! Some of my favorite stuff is in that closet... which do I want to wear the most? A really cute cocktail dress that I never got the chance to wear >.< .

[rainbowstripe]

I can't remember if I introduced myself when I was first posting in here (2 years ago) so I thought I'd better re-introduce myself!
Screen Name: rainbowstripe

Age/Age Range: 23 (24 on October 2)

Family Life: Been with my boyfriend for 2.5 years, live sometimes at his house with his parents, and sometimes at my house with my parents! Have a lovely sister too, she was married last July.

Occupation: Artist/Part time retail

Hobbies and Interests: Films, Music, Video Games, Anime, Art, Cute things/quirky things.

Favorite Music: No one genre, I like a huge range of stuff.

Favorite Color(s): Purple, Black, Pink, Turquoise.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam (though I'm still learning, it's hard to catch on sometimes!) Wii Fit, Exercycle/Stationary Bike. Walks!

What are your fitness/health goals? Become a healthier weight for my height (not necessarily BMI based), lose around 22 more kg (48 pounds), get fit enough to keep up with my boyfriend or at least be able to enjoy the outdoorsy things he likes to do! Have more clothing options!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Just getting sick of how I look sometimes, feeling like I don't quite deserve my super hot boyfriend (which is silly but true) and my dad's recent diabetes diagnosis. He currently weighs 66kg/145 pounds, which is too low for him and a side effect of his ill-health, but still made me feel terrible knowing that he weighs so much less than me!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Finding the motivation to continue to exercise day after day. Temptation to eat food that I know is not that nutritious for me.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
Need more stamina and motivation. Need to start enjoying more fruits and broaden the vegetables (though that is way improved already). Not beating myself up if I have an off day (which I rarely do).

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
Not really evil... but I want people to look at me and see a whole package, not just a pretty face or whatever. This is evil : I want my sister to see me and get motivated to lose weight as well as I worry about her health more than my own.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
I can't imagine actually feeling comfortable in a bathing suit, but it would be amazing if I did, I would totally get one of those vintage style pin up ones. My boyfriend has even said that if/when I get to that point, he'll pay airfares and accommodation for a holiday to somewhere tropical! Also can't wait to just wear normal things like skinny jeans and a tee shirt and not feel self-conscious. Short dresses without tights or leggings!

[leannerenee]

Screen Name: LeanneRenee

Age/Age Range: 30

Family Life: I'm single and live on my own.

Occupation: Nonprofit fundraiser/ event planner gearing up to work on my Masters.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, dancing, theatre, celebrity gossip, TV and hanging out with my amazing friends.

Favorite Music: I love Elton John and Eminem, show tunes and Britney Spears. I'm also really into Indie/ Alternative music.

Favorite Color(s): Pink and lavender.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I really love to dance and any kind of class that is dance-based like Zumba. When I am into it, I love to run but it takes awhile for me to stop hating it and start loving it!

What are your fitness/health goals?: Ideally, I want to weigh 130 or less but my main goal is to get healthy in general. I just hit 30 and I refuse to spend my 30's feeling unhappy about my body like I did through most of my 20's.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?: Turning 30 did it for me. I was superfit, toned and healthy until I went to college. I started piling on the weight and have never taken it off. I feel lethargic most days and am worried about the long term effects of my unhealthiness. I just finished a run in a musical, Cabaret, and I danced my butt off for two months and I was able to keep up with the younger dancers but my body really showed me it was out of shape and I was physically drained every night. I lost about 10 lbs but I started about 15 lbs heavier than I've ever been. Time to get this weight off!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?: When I get home from work the last thing I want to do is cook or work out. I take the easy way out and grab fast food and lay on my couch while I watch TV. And sticking to whatever I am doing! I always quit after I lose about 18 lbs and gain it all back.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?:
1) Packing a good lunch so I don't eat out every day.
2) Get myself on a regular exercise and sleep regimen.
3) Staying motivated!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: My 20-something year old self!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?: I'm five-foot-nothing, so jeans are impossible to buy. I want to buy a great pair of superexpensive designer jeans that can be tailored to fit ME. And a bikini.

[Likklebex]

Screen Name: Likklebex

Age/Age Range: 38

Family Life: Partner and one child

Occupation: Teacher

Hobbies and Interests: All sorts

Favorite Music: All sorts

Favorite Color(s): Aqua

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Wii Fit

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to lose 4 stones

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Fed up of not looking nice in my clothes and plus my OH said that if i reach my goal weight he will reward me with a marriage proposal!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Only just started so I'll answer this later!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Stop snacking, exercise more, continue to be motivated

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My Sister!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? nice dresses and jeans that fit properly

[Penultimate]

Screen Name: Penultimate

Age/Age Range: 20

Family Life: I live in a dorm on campus during the school year, but I come home to my parents' house for summer and I'm home on weekends a lot.

Occupation: Physics undergrad

Hobbies and Interests: (Copied from my profile >_>) Physics, Astronomy, Science in general, Playing Saxophone & Piano, Drawing, Reading, Video Games, Computers

Favorite Music: Anything but not everything!

Favorite Color(s): Blue with Silver

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Dance Dance Revolution, treadmill (running), stairmaster, freeweights

What are your fitness/health goals? To lose about 30-40 lbs, get into a size 7-9 pants, and lose my cankles, flabby arms, and thunder thighs!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I've been struggling with my weight ever since I hit puberty. Some attempts have been more successful than others (I lost about 30 lbs when I was 16, now at 20 I've gained about 10 of it back). I was raised by my family to eat what I want when I want, and I'm sick of being the fat one. I also don't want to follow in my mother's footsteps to a sedentary lifestyle, morbid obesity, hypothyroidism, and a plethora of other health problems.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I'm a notorious binge eater and I have no portion control! D: I'm also always mega busy with school so it's really hard to find time to exercise.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Exercising EVERY day, even if it's only for 5-10 minutes. I'm studying physics and all my classes are REALLY time consuming and require hours and hours of studying every day, so it'll be a challenge to find time...
2. Portion control!!! I almost always clean my plate. My stomach is a bottomless pit. I need to learn to save some for leftovers the next day!
3. Binge eating. I can go through an entire bag of chips or box of crackers or cookies in one sitting. It's amazing I only weigh as much as I do!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : XD Uhhh. I guess I don't care as long as I make my legs look better. I'm still not going to look great even after I lose weight because I have an ugly manly face with a big jaw and nose, so I'm just hoping that maybe having a nice body will make up for it...

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Dresses and skirts WITHOUT having to hide my cankles with boots or legwarmers!

[ready4skinny]

Screen Name: Ready4skinny

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: Married 10 years, one 8 year old, 2 fur babies

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: Handwork - Dollhouse minatures, quilting, crochet, needlepoint, reading, gardening...

Favorite Music: Country and Christian

Favorite Color:ahh - PURPLE

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: taking my son to school on our bikes, 6 miles, swimming, Netflix's - workouts, walking

What are your fitness/health goals? I was on the swim team in HS and would like to be able to do a 500 m race again, also to complete a 5k running/jogging the whole way

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Just tires of being fat, knees hurt, can't keep up with son, and TIRED OF DRAWSTRINGS in my pants.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? feeling entitled - if I workout then I EARNED - pizza, donught, cookies, shells and cheese....

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? diet-eating more fruits and veggies, not so many sweets - exercise- do it more regularly

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: My Sister, Sister in law, and I now its kind of crazy - my Mother in law, I have never felt on equal ground with her

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A new wedding dress! - for the renewal of our vows

[StarGetsFit]

Screen Name: StarGetsFit

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: Married and living in the husband's family's compound: 1 acre, 11 in-laws.

Occupation: Montessori Assistant

Hobbies and Interests: reading, hiking, cooking, putting off going to grad school

Favorite Music: I like a bit of everything

Favorite Color(s): Purple!

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I like to hike. I like exercise with a purpose, going somewhere, etc. I HATE just working out at the gym for the sake of working out.

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to be fit enough to participate in a Warrior Dash next summer.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Realizing how close I am to 300lbs

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I love food and I love eating, I really do. I especially like going out to eat.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Not eating fast food, drinking enough water, getting off the damn couch and exercising

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I just want to look younger. My fat face ages me.

[Shades]

Screen Name: Shades

Age: 47

Family Life: Live with my partner of 12 years in the countryside with 2 dogs and a cat

Occupation: Home-maker and Astrologer

Hobbies and Interests: reading, guitars, films, gardening

Favorite Music: Al Green, Barry White, Republic of Loose, Indigo Girls

Favorite Colour: Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I enjoy walking early in the mornings

What are your fitness/health goals? To be able to wear jeans again and normal trousers without an elasticated waist! To walk my dogs up and down the hills without getting out of breath

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Breaking though the 15 stone barrier and realising that lacing my shoes was making me breathless

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Giving up cold beer and crisps

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Actually getting on the treadmill, becoming more active, avoiding snacking

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't want to look better than anyone but Ellen Degeneres looks really fit. I find her quite inspirational

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size: My favourite pair of jeans and a lovely stripey jumper that I have which is too small. I have a wardrobe full of clothes I can't wait to wear. Clothes are a big motivation for me as I'm well tired of the tracksuit look

[CoCoMonkey]

Screen Name: CoCoMonkey

Age/Age Range: 41

Family Life: Married, 1 teenage son (14)

Occupation: Legal Secretary

Hobbies and Interests:I like to read, watch movies, swim, ride my bike, hike, camp & fish

Favorite Music: Country & Classic Rock

Favorite Color(s): Blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I don't have one yet, but I'm going to start Zumba this week, it looks like fun.

What are your fitness/health goals? Healthy BMI, work out 5 days a week

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? There was just a "click" in my brain that said enough, you are done with this and you can do it.

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?Working out, Getting Enough sleep, Portion control

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : There are a couple of ladies here at work that just think they are the bomb....yeah, I want to blow 'em outta the water!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A nice dress, a belt, jeans and a tank top.