Screen Name: Sassyinkpen

Age/Age Range: 45 in July

Family Life: Very happily married, son in the army, daughter graduating high school this year, two cats (which is very much like having toddlers again)

Occupation: Bookkeeper (Hubby and I own a sign shop for which I do the books, but we're looking to get out) Also - administrative assistant at another job

Hobbies and Interests: reading, writing, crochet, digital art, kayaking (low-key), sewing

Favorite Music: Classic rock, oldies, inde, alternative

Favorite Color(s): Purples, pinks, greens - lately liking tiffany blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Video fitness! I love kickboxing, weight lifting, fusion workouts, some barre, and classic FIRM style workouts with some weights, some cardio, some floorwork.

What are your fitness/health goals? That's complicated. I want to lose weight and feel good - I'm thinking 175 would be good to shoot for right now. But my biggest goal is to just stick with healthy eating and working out regardless of losing weight or not.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I've been on-again/off-again for years, and it's not really any one trigger really. I guess recently I started feeling like I'm running out of time, and then I had a realization that there was only one way this was going to work for me, so somehow that makes it easier.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Right now, it's mostly the fear that this will go like all the other times. I tend to love sweets and that's usually a struggle for me, but hasn't been since I started this. We'll see how I do with that when November rolls around. And wine - I like wine a lot.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? More veggies. I'm learning though! Learning how to deal when I start feeling resentful about all this. Better control when eating out/drinking with friends

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : No one really - maybe I want to look better than how I think people see me. OR - I'd love my reality to match the internal view of myself.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Boots, high heel shoes, stylish clothes. I want to go shopping in the mall and find things that fit me in MOST of the stores, rather than TWO of the stores.

Screen Name: tehshort1
Age/Age Range: 27
Family Life: Wife and 4 month old son
Occupation: currently Front Desk at a Hilton Hotel
Hobbies and Interests: crochet, tarot reading, playing with my son
Favorite Music: eclectic mix, godsmack, enya, flogging molly, etc
Favorite Color(s): blue
Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking - clears my head
What are your fitness/health goals? Healthy BMI
What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Lost 80 pounds then got pregnant and have gained most of it back.
What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? With an infant and a fulltime job - mostly having the time to plan and exercise. fast food is just too darn easy!
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1. eating home cooked food. 2. portion control. 3. actually having time to exercise
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : No one. I simply want to look better than I do now. I want to feel comfortable in a bikini
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? bikini

Screen Name: KayMayWill

Age/Age Range: 26

Family Life: Married 5 years to my best friend. :D

Occupation: DH is an over the road truck driver and I go with him.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, camping, cooking (and eating:o), painting.

Favorite Music: Lots and lots of different kinds.

Favorite Color(s): Purple!

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking? Lol I hate exercise!

What are your fitness/health goals? Get to my goal weight! There's something about 130...its like the unicorn of numbers for me.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I've started and stopped this same journey several times, and have always lost 10-30 lbs and then gained it all back plus some. I'm just fed up with it, I'm sick of feeling like crap, and I want my life back.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?. Binging. And not giving up.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? More exercise, binges, getting discouraged.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? Ha!!! Um..every female in my family? Mostly my cousins, we have a lifelong "who's thinner" battle.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Maxi dresses! I love them, but feel like they look like muu muus on me.

I loved reading all of your profiles! It is nice to get to know some of the faces around here. :)

Screen Name: Hannahbeanies

Age/Age Range: 23

Family Life: Committed & Cohabiting

Occupation: I am a file clerk at my local courthouse, but I am also a graduate student and graduate assistant

Hobbies and Interests: Animal rescue groups, Alley Cat Allies, volunteering and supporting my local farmer's co-op, reading (all the time), tutoring (which I am not active at the moment but would love to get back into it), activism

Favorite Music: Alternative, rock, classic rock

Favorite Color(s): Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I love the elliptical machine ( I actually want to invest in one), Leslie Sansone videos, yoga, and walking is my primary form of transportation :^:

What are your fitness/health goals? Reach a healthy BMI, lower my blood pressure

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Having really really high blood pressure at the doctor's. I have been hypertensive for a while, but for some reason the number just got too high for my comfort and it scared me. I decided that I didn't need to be perfect to lose weight, so I just started recording my calories then.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Emotional eating, sticking to it and not giving up, perfectionism

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Need more veggies, eat more whole foods, too many sweets

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? Hm. Well, my undergraduate degree is in dietetics (GASP! Yes I am a hypocrite :p) so in a completely vain way I want to be comparable to my peers.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Hm. I don't really care about clothes...but I guess a bikini?