[Amberelise]

Screen Name: Amberelise

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: My parents still live in Southern Illinois. My older sister is married and living in St. Louis. My younger sister is attending Georgia Tech. I'm up here in Chicago with my boyfriend and cocker spaniel.

Occupation: Legal Assistant

Hobbies and Interests: I like rollerblading, hockey, my puppy, I like cooking, I'm currently taking golf lessons. . . I just like to keep busy.

Favorite Music: I'm actually not a very big music person. I can listen to whatever.

Favorite Color(s): I like all color. I'll say white, though.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Rollerblading & swimming are my favorite. I also like pilates and yoga.

What are your fitness/health goals? First, I want to look good in my best friend's wedding photos. I'm her maid of honor and she is getting married on November 10th. THEN, I want to fit into my cute clothes I wore before I met my now ex-fiance. After that, I want to get my annual health screening here at work and blow this year's numbers out of the water.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I'm sick of my clothes not fitting. I think I finally got fed up with only having about 3 outfits I could wear.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Being sure to exercise. Limiting what I eat when I go out to dinner. (We go out to eat at nice restaurants a lot!)

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to be sure to exercise at least four times a week. I need to cut out my fat grams a little better. I have to give up my passion for breads.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: So many to choose from! I want to be the prettiest sister. (They're both size 0!) I want to make my TWO ex-fiances realize just how bad they screwed up.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?: My skinny jeans. A bikini - I've NEVER worn one.

[peachinabrownbag]

Screen Name: peachinabrownbag

Age/Age Range: Late 20s

Family Life: Married with cat

Occupation: Office Manager

Hobbies and Interests: writing, singing, dancing, reading, avid movie watcher, is gossip a hobby?

Favorite Music: Pop, rock, r&b, hiphop, alternative, 80s, 90s, dance, and more

Favorite Color(s): Red, pink, and brown

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Favorite? Right now, none!

What are your fitness/health goals? To get moving everyday, no longer be able to say I am sedentary.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? So many things, realizing the health risks and seeing illness in my parents.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? My use of food to cope with any and all emotions. Food has been a celebration, a comforter, a best friend. Now, I must learn how to be all of those things to myself. I am a celebration. I am a comforter for myself. I am my own best friend.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Quit eating fried and junk food constantly, to actually exercise consistently and to eat more fruits and vegetables

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? There is a girl who I plan to outshine, but I ain't giving names!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Cami tops and belts.

[lisat347]

Screen Name:
tringgs

Age/Age Range:
turning 20 this month. halloween!

Family Life:
love my mom! still living at home, obviously.

Occupation:
working in revenue control. posting payments and refunds for a hospital

Hobbies and Interests:
listening to music, bumming around with my friends, reading, going to concerts, i am now actually starting to work out.

Favorite Music:
i love it all. anything from lil wayne to alice in chains. im hardcore, haha.

Favorite Color(s):
green, pink and purple. i love bright colors, makes me happy. ya dig?

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
i hated working out. but i feel good once im done sweating now. cardio works it.

What are your fitness/health goals?
i want to lose 30 lbs and find a diet that i actually can see results from. i'm a yo-yo dieter. i want a flat stomach and a nice butt. im small on top but HUGE on bottom. i sware my *** could replace a table. i can just sit things on it. funny..

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
nothing really triggered it. i'm just so sick of not being able to wear what i want. too many diets. i want to actually own a bikini. i want to be comfortable, and have a boyfriend. i'm holding back. this weight NEEDS to come off

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
i'm impatient. i work out for a week, and expect to lose 20 lbs. i don't know who i think i am lol. i don't have a problem with eating healthy, but it's just finding the right foods to eat. i get bored with eating oatmeal and salad. i need a strict plan, i can stick too. and i need to work out a lot. for happiness, i will do this.


What are 3 things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1.) stop snacking when you're bored
2.) find a healthier way to lose weight, instead of starving myself
3.) be dedicated to my work out. it's just an hour, just push it out. it's worth it


What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
there's the little bikini i've been wanting to fit into forever. and i want to wear some tight jeans and a cute shirt. i don't want to hide anything with a hoodie ANYMORE.

[lisat347]

Screen Name:
tringgs

Age/Age Range:
turning 20 this month. halloween!

Family Life:
love my mom! still living at home, obviously.

Occupation:
working in revenue control. posting payments and refunds for a hospital

Hobbies and Interests:
listening to music, bumming around with my friends, reading, going to concerts, i am now actually starting to work out.

Favorite Music:
i love it all. anything from lil wayne to alice in chains. im hardcore, haha.

Favorite Color(s):
green, pink and purple. i love bright colors, makes me happy. ya dig?

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
i hated working out. but i feel good once im done sweating now. cardio works it.

What are your fitness/health goals?
i want to lose 30 lbs and find a diet that i actually can see results from. i'm a yo-yo dieter. i want a flat stomach and a nice butt. im small on top but HUGE on bottom. i sware my *** could replace a table. i can just sit things on it. funny..

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
nothing really triggered it. i'm just so sick of not being able to wear what i want. too many diets. i want to actually own a bikini. i want to be comfortable, and have a boyfriend. i'm holding back. this weight NEEDS to come off

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
i'm impatient. i work out for a week, and expect to lose 20 lbs. i don't know who i think i am lol. i don't have a problem with eating healthy, but it's just finding the right foods to eat. i get bored with eating oatmeal and salad. i need a strict plan, i can stick too. and i need to work out a lot. for happiness, i will do this.


What are 3 things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1.) stop snacking when you're bored
2.) find a healthier way to lose weight, instead of starving myself
3.) be dedicated to my work out. it's just an hour, just push it out. it's worth it


What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
there's the little bikini i've been wanting to fit into forever. and i want to wear some tight jeans and a cute shirt. i don't want to hide anything with a hoodie ANYMORE.


WE CAN ALL DO THIS!! WOO HOO!

[hepmelly]

Screen Name:
hepmelly
Age/Age Range: 21

Family Life: Married to my soulmate, no kids yet, maybe in a few years

Occupation: student (gonna be an english teacher for highschool kids/ waitress at the olive garden

Hobbies and Interests: sewing, concerts, writing, anime

Favorite Music: ska, symphonic power metal, classical, classic rock, (specifics = queen, elo, pink floyd, rush...)

Favorite Color(s): dark, vivid, pruple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: waitressing (kidding XD)...um..lets just say i dislike the elliptical the least

What are your fitness/health goals?
hmm, i want to have a healthy bmi, i have never been a normal weight, since i was born...about 15 lbs to go! i would also like to get my body fat into a more normal range...im about 33-35% now, i want it to be more near 25 or so.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
the first time, i was 182 lbs, and my mother told me to go christmas shopping for clothes, i went to the mall and had to buy a size 15 pants. they barely fit. while in the dressing room i noticed i had begun to have cellulite on the back of my ultra jiggly legs. i knew something had to happen. i lost 30 lbs in 3 months counting calories ( probably a little too strictly, but that's in the past now. ) More recently i saw the scale move up to nearly 160, and i decided that i needed to change my eating habits ( i hadnt been counting for about 6 months. ) That's when i decided to finish my weightloss progress. This time i am doing it right, this time i am doing it all the way.

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

i like to save up my calories until evening so that i can have a meal with my husband and feel more normal. It is hard to avoid giving in and eating all my calories early in the day.


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

well, i depend on my job to give me exercise, which it does, im a waitress..but i need to work on muscle building. 2, i need to work on burning fat, and 3, i need to avoid eating in class..

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

I am doing this for me, for my health. although i think not ending up fat like my mother's side of the family is definitely in there someplace.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
i cant wait to look good in my wide leg jeans, my green corset top that's just too tight to wear right now, and my grungy baggy old jeans. i want to be a size 7 and look great in a bathing suit.

[thinnythighs]

Screen name: Thinnythighs, but prefer Cinderellaphant.

Age: 35

Family: Husband

Occupation: Behavior Modification

Hobbies: Reading, spending quality time

Fav color: Black

Fitness goals: Get rid of the tummy

Trigger: Getting a kidney stone due to my bad eating habits

Struggles: Taking it slow. Want to be thin tomorrow.

Want to look better than: sister in law

Can't wait to wear: Lingerie

[MaggieJ]

Screen Name:
MaggieJ

Age/Age Range:
42

Family Life:
Married, one 16 yr old son

Occupation:
Customer Service

Hobbies and Interests:
Dancing, knitting

Favorite Music:
Anything I can dance to

Favorite Color(s):
Earth tones

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
Dancing

What are your fitness/health goals?
To get thinner, stay that way for life, the healthy way.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
Can't afford bigger clothes.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
Laziness, it was always easier not to eat, or overeat than to pick up something healthier and kept up with exercise.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Stay motivated.
2. Change my focus on what I can do and not what I can't.
3. Expand my palate, lose fear of trying new things.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
The me right now.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
My birthday suit with the lights on!

[Smiles101]

Screen Name: AnneMcGinty000

Age/Age Range: 14

Family Life: Live with my parentss.

Occupation:Student

Hobbies and Interests: Tennis, Shopping, Writing

Favorite Music:Pretty much everything.

Favorite Color(s):Bright happy ones.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:Running

What are your fitness/health goals? To be healthy and look good.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I'm kinda sick of skipping pool parties all summer.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? My friends. They're all skinny and eating junk food all the time. And school, the schedule makes it's difficult for me to get on a certain pattern of eating.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to stop being lazy. Having more self control, and not skipping lunch

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My cousin and Hilary Swank

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Short Shorts and Bikinis.

[beachmomma]

Screen Name: beachmomma

Age/Age Range: 34

Family Life: Married w/ children :-) 2 daughters 16 & 13 and son 10

Occupation: Director of Sales and Field Development for an adult home party company

Hobbies and Interests: I love to garden, write and read

Favorite Music: I love so many types of music!

Favorite Color(s): natural browns, tans, reds

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: No clue!

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to feel good in my skin. Not only in the reflection in the mirror but overall. I do want to be thinner but I want to be comfortable again.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? haha I was one of those "I am fine with my looks" people. I was always saying "no diet soda for me!" That I was going to enjoy life and eat/drink what I wanted. Until I returned from a business trip to Key West and saw a picture that one of our directors had taken of me. I was so embarassed. I vowed not to ever look like that again!

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Move more, eat more veges, get on a fitness schedule

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : uhm.. I don't know. i want to look better than me in that Key West photo! lol

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A sexy evening gown to our formal awards banquet next year!

[lorilove]

Screen Name: lorilove

Age/Age Range: 46

Family Life: Single (never married)

Occupation: Project Manager/CPA/Software Consultant

Hobbies and Interests: Gardening

Favorite Music: All

Favorite Color(s): Yellow

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Running - it is the most challenging but rewarding

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose weight and tone muscles.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I quit my job

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Stress and work life balance - I am an admitted workaholic

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Floor exercises - pushups/situps etc.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't need to look better but it is always fun to weigh less than my sister (natually thin)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Sexy Jeaans

[GonnaDoIt4Real]

Screen Name: GonnaDoIt4Real

Age/Age Range:26

Family Life:Married, One Son

Occupation:Student

Hobbies and Interests:Computer, Running, Watching Television

Favorite Music:Jazz, Reggae, Pop

Favorite Color(s):Green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I Love Tae-Bo

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to reach 150 Pounds and Get all My Vitamins and Be Healthy & Happy.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When I was skinny before and I let myself go and gained weight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating a lot. I do eat a lot and it is going to be hard to eat less.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to Exercise, Eat Less, Cut Back on Sweets

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My Skinny Friends

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? All Good Clothing Overall

[shrinkinglizzy]

Screen Name: slisette

Age/Age Range: 26

Family Life: living with the boyfriend of 2 years

Occupation: grad student/mental health counselor

Hobbies and Interests: knitting, sitting down, reading, making lists, crossing things off of lists, eating (unfortunately!)


Favorite Color(s): green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: swimming, yoga, gym classes, spin, jogging

What are your fitness/health goals? run a 5K, stay in an exercise routine

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? the mirror!! my fat pants are tight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? compulsive eating habits, nasty smoking habit combined with asthma, tendency toward slight depression

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? more veggies, less grease, regular exercise

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : hmmm...not really too worried about that.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? bikini, of course!

[Think Thin Be Thin]

Screen Name: Stacey

Age/Age Range: 25

Family Life: Living with my boyfriend of 4 years

Occupation: Social worker/part-time grad student

Hobbies and Interests: reading "chic lit", shopping, reading fitness magazines, looking at new recipes to try, hanging out with my boyfriend and drink wine with my best friend


Favorite Color(s): green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Turbo kick, elliptical, strength traing (getting into this!)

What are your fitness/health goals? lose fat, increase stamina, be fit, look good!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
Seeing a picture of me at the holidays and not being able to wear the things I wanted to- shopping is supposed to be fun!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
My love of food that I should not eat... chinese (the really fattening kind), fried foods and beer. I am an emotional eater and eat when I am bored.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
increase strength training, eat consistantly well, and try new exercises.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
I am doing this for me so as long as I look like the best me I am happy!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
Bikini (without feeling like a whale) and the cute clothes that are in right now (leggings, nice sweaters)

[dek6]

Screen Name: DEK6

Age/Age Range: 31

Family Life: Married to the most wonderful man....

Occupation: student/mom/wife

Hobbies and Interests: family, chill, tv, movies, music.....

Favorite Music: Everything but classic, jazz, and opera

Favorite Color(s): blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: bike and walk

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to decrease my chances of getting diabetes and high blood pressure (like my parents). I want to be a better role model for my kids, and I want to be comfortable in my own skin. I want to walk down the street with confidence, and not look at the ground because I feel like I dont deserve to look at "skinny" people. I WANT TO RUN!!!!!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I am tired of hiding behind my weight. I am tired of not living my life. I am tired of always being scared. I turned 30 in 2007 and I swore that by the time I was 31 I would be at my goal weight. Well 30 came and went and I was still 255. So when 31 got here I decided enough was enough.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? EMOTIONAL EATING!!! and Exercise....

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to make better choices when I go to a restaurant. I need to get my butt up and exercise every day. I need to keep a journal more..

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My step daughters mother.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
A pair of size 10 jeans that I bought in May. They are hanging on my wall as motivation.

[x crysie x]

Screen Name: I don't use messenger services.

Age/Age Range: 23 years old.

Family Life: Attached (I have a boyfriend, but I am not married), with no children.

Occupation: IT/Telecommunications.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, writing, concerts/shows, playing guitar, watching football/ice hockey, hanging out with my family and friends, etc.

Favorite Music: Mostly heavier stuff (alternative, metal, punk, etc.)

Favorite Color(s): Blue and black.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Sit ups!

What are your fitness/health goals? To become more interested/motivated in the "lower body workout" area (I can't stand running/jogging). To get back down to a LITTLE above my high school weight (I was 130 in high school, but only want to get back down to 140), and to get rid of my thunder thighs!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I had come out of a horrible relationship, and gained a LOT of weight, and didn't realize just how MUCH until I went to the doctor. When she told me my weight, I realized I was almost 60lbs. heavier than I had ever been before, so it was time to make a change! Plus, I had lost my energy, spunk, and confidence. I wanted to get it back, and figured that could only happen if I felt better about myself overall, and that involved shedding my excess weight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Avoiding temptation (sugars, alcohol, and starches), and keeping myself motivated to get on my treadmill.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Getting more strict with my calorie counting (I had been doing really well for many months, and I started going easier on myself, and found myself plateauing more frequently). I need to not let myself feel so discouraged when I DO plateau, and stay focused on the goal. And I need to get a little more strict with myself in regards to working out (mainly working out my lower body, as that is where most of my excess weight... actually-- probably ALL of it-- is).

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : This is horrible, but I really want to look better than my acquaintance Kristen. She and I have simliar body types, but she has always been SLIGHTLY smaller than myself. When I started dieting, she decided it would be fun to do it too, and she CONSTANTLY reminds me of how much weight she is losing in comparison to her. I don't think it should be a competition, but it seems that she wants it to be that way... so I guess I'll try my best to give her a run for her money!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Something that shows off my legs. I have NEVER been confident about my legs, even at my smallest.