Screen Name: Enygirl

Age/Age Range: 28

Family Life: living with Boyfriend

Occupation: Product development and Project Manager

Hobbies and Interests: reading, crocheting, quilting, video games, walking (my newest one!)

Favorite Music: Pretty much anything with words

Favorite Color(s): Yellow, Pink, Black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Yoga, Pilates, Walking, Slim in 6

What are your fitness/health goals? To for the first time in my life to be in a "healthy" weight-range. To learn how to manage cravings, not stress-eat and Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When My boyfriend and I got together I was #241 pounds... It was a turning point in my life that made me decide that I needed to do it for myself - and that I didn't want to be the "fat mom" or die of some disease that could've have been avoided if I took care of myself. I also look at my daughter, and I NEVER want her to go through life with the issues that being overweight brings.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Stress. When I stress out I stress eat- chocolate, chips.. etc.. and I stop exercising completely trying to keep on top of the things that made me stress out in the first place.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? More focus on the goal, regular schedule, STICK TO THE PLAN!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My original goal was to be smaller then my mom - and now I am. *and it felt AWESOME to box up all of my "fat-clothes" and give to her* And then my next person was to be in a smaller size then my little sister - and right now we're in the same size (but I weigh less hee hee) So now I don't have an evil motivation person.. but I'll find her - TRUST me!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? SKIRTS! I love short skirts (above the knee - not talking roller-derby style ) But I HATE my knees up!

Screen Name: Candogirl

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: live alone

Occupation: Student

Hobbies and Interests: reading, tv, music, ummm...walking

Favorite Music: Just about anything

Favorite Color(s): Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking Would like to try tai chi (sp?)
What are your fitness/health goals? Loss weight

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? got tired of being overweight

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? So far it hasn't been too bad
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? exercise motivation, exercise motivation, and... ummm... exercise motivation
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My friend Ashley. I love you girl, but your turns up, I wanna be the hot one now

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Gotta say lingerie

Screen Name: LessEveryDay

Age/Age Range: 30s

Family Life: Married w/toddler and nursing baby

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: Cooking, cake decorating (though I don't much care to eat it!), reading (mostly non-fiction), outdoors, sailing, camping

Favorite Music: Celtic

Favorite Color(s): Yellow

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking, biking, hiking, RollerBlading, backpacking, canoeing

What are your fitness/health goals? Be healthy by eating right, not just less.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Changing a lot in my life and sick of being fat.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Getting in enough veggies! I've never been one to binge and I really don't eat a lot of sweets. I like some ice cream and some cookies, but often these things to bad in my house! We never fry anything either. But, I ate and drank just a wee too much I guess!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? In theory, my "skinny" jeans, but they're probably out of style now. Really, I'll be happy not to have to wear muffin top camoflage!

Screen Name:mamac

Age/Age Range:35

Family Life: Married and mother of 4yr old girl, and 2 yr old boy

Occupation: stay at home mom, but also on-call casual at the Family Y and aslo volunteer there...(no reason not to work out righ??? :/ )

Hobbies and Interests:I love reading, writing, chatting, going for walks, and i used to be an avid cyclist...not professional...but rode everyday...havent done it for years now

Favorite Music: Radio rock, dance, hip hop..

Favorite Color(s): Red, orange, yellow..

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: biking, running

What are your fitness/health goals?

To get in good physical shape, strenghthening my core, and also i would love to learn to run...and eventually would love to run in a 1/2 marathon or something...

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

The biggest memory for me was, i went for coffee with a friend and i had a coffee and a fudge brownie, she ordered something sweet too, and her comment was "wow...it feels like my birthday today!"...i was like "really, why?", she said "because im having this cake/treat" That was a lightbulb moment...I remember chuckling and than saying, "what?, you dont eat cake often, she said "no, only on special occasions" I was floored...I thought everyone ate what they wanted to when they wanted to...so yeah...total light bulb moment for me...

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating more than i need to eat and emotional eating...treating myself...like I deserve food as treats...rather than something else...that has nothing to do with food!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Learning to cook all kinds of delicious healthy meals and snacks.
Getting myself to get in the habit and wanting to go get some excerices...rather than it being a chore or inconvenience.
Understanding my relationship with food and my body and excercise. I need to fine tune a plan that works in all these areas !

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : my sister...I dont want to just be thin, i want to be physically in better shape, with muscles, definition and endurance...not just a thin body....i want to be proud of my body and food choices...

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I want to be able to wear the cutest pair of low rider jeans ( and snug as a bug) wit heels and a sexy feminine blouse...
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Screen Name: scorpio88

Age/Age Range: 19

Family Life: Single and happy

Occupation: Makeup Artist / Student

Hobbies and Interests: Makeup Artistry, Animals, Hairstyling, Esthetics, Sports (huge Detroit fan), Shopping, Reading, Art, Travelling, etc.

Favorite Music: Rock is my favourite, like some country, pop, R&B..really anything but rap.

Favorite Color(s): Blue, pink, gold

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I love swimming but can only do that in summer months, so treadmills are my preference.

What are your fitness/health goals? To drop 20-25lbs by July, and finally be happy and healthy!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When I look at a photo of myself.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Trying to get my thighs thin! Those things hate me!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need more of a variety when it comes to exercise, and motivation. I end up going strong for 3 days, then I say "oh it's ok if I take a day off" which turns into 2 days, then 3, then I stop. Diet wise, definitely eating enough calories and getting at least 3 meals a day. Normally I eat 1-2 meals a day very late at night which I know is bad. I rarely get over 1000 calories/day.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : A co-worker of mine who seems to eat anything she wants and be thin as a rail!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? There are a few dresses I would love to wear that fall above the knee. Plus I want to start wearing shorts! I own 1 pair of shorts because I hate my legs so I keep them covered and summers in Canada can get quite hot. Right now I'm a size 7, and I'd love to be a size 4.

Screen Name: Goldm00n

Age/Age Range: 35

Family Life: Divorced mother with teenage son at home

Occupation: Livestock accounting

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, computers, Spending time with my son

Favorite Music: I love everything from 20’s jazz to nowadays stuff - I love Sinatra and the Beatles and Tom Petty

Favorite Color(s): Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I love my treadmill, put a movie in and go!

What are your fitness/health goals? To be the healthiest ME I can be

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I was at my ideal weight 3 years ago, I had quit smoking and I was working out 3 times a week – then I got into a serious relationship with someone who smoked and ate horribly – before you know it I was smoking again and eating the same horrible diet – 3 years later I had gained 60 pounds and felt horrible about myself - we broke up and I quit smoking and went on a diet the same day - now I am 18 pounds from goal!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? The lure of Ice cream

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to weight lift more, I would love to beable to really enjoy running, learning and remembering no matter how good it tastes Ice cream is bad for you.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : mwaaaa I’m not tellin!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? My Calvin Klein button fly jeans I have probably 10 pair,, and I fit into all of them 3 years ago!

Screen Name: CrazedLedZepFan

Age/Age Range: 25

Family Life: Single, 1-year-old daughter

Occupation: Mom for now

Hobbies and Interests: writing, music

Favorite Music: Led Zep

Favorite Color(s): black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: WATP, Gazelle, hiking

What are your fitness/health goals? Workout daily, eat better, lose 20!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Realizing after my daughter's 1st birthday I still hadn't lost the weight

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? junk food, especially soda; finding time to excercise!!

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

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't really think that way.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? my old Jimmy Page dragon jeans yay!

Screen Name: startanew

Age/Age Range:31

Family Life:married,3 kids

Occupation:graphic design/photo retouching

Hobbies and Interests:graphic design, photo retouching, photography, reading,gardening

Favorite Music: country

Favorite Color(s): green, brown, red-earthy colors

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: none yet-I'm working on that!

What are your fitness/health goals?Eating better with whole foods, feeling better about myself,getting healthy, looking better

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I have been binging a lot lately, I weighed myself a month or so ago and realized I was at my heaviest ever(275), that started the ball rolling. A couple of weeks after that, I was so stuffed, but yet I was standing at the pantry looking for something to eat- I realized something has GOT to be done, I can't live like this!

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? exercise- I don't

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Haven't really thought about that, I just want to feel confident when I go out, not be the heaviest in the room

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?Those cute babydoll type tops, lol, maybe I'm too old for them anyway, but right now if I wear one I get asked "when's the baby due?"

Screen Name: ladybug2008

Age/Age Range: 34

Family Life: single mom of 4 boys, ages 15, 12, 9, 7

Occupation: bus driver, college student

Hobbies and Interests: Love to read, sight seeing, love the outdoors...don't have much time for anything anymore..just try to get enough sleep!

Favorite Music: Anything I can dance to! Hip Hop, Rock, etc. many different kinds

Favorite Color(s): Uhhhh...

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds..this is the one I'm currently doing, and I like it better than any others I have tried, at least for my current fitness level...which isn't very good!

What are your fitness/health goals? To feel better about myself, be a role model for my kids, and of course...to look hot!!

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Seeing pictures of myself! Went to the doctor the other day, she told me it wouldn't hurt for me to lose 50 or 60lbs. I currently don't have any health problems, so losing weight, having a better diet, will keep it that way!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Quitting! Giving up! I am trying to look at it differently this time, this is for life, not a crash diet, or fad, this is for the rest of my life!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1. Drinking water 2. Exercising 3. Incorporating a healthy meal for the whole family ( I have a very picky seven year old, who only believes in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!).

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : No one person in particular, but I want to be a better looking me!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A summer dress!
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Screen name: Daffy 29

Age Range: Late 40's

Family Life: happily married to a wonderful woman (we're a same-sex couple), one adult daughter, one dog.

Hobbies and Interests: Outdoors (particularly at the cottage/future retirement home) walking, snowshoeing, kayaking. Hockey - Go Habs! Renovating.

Favorite Music: Anything but Classical and Jazz.

Favorite color: Green. And Orange.

Favorite exercise: Really and truly, I love to jog. I have not been able to in 5 years, but I am looking forward to being able to again, in about 40 lbs!

My health/fitness goals: To get my blood pressure meds dosage down, or maybe even completely gone; to have my bodyfat % back in the 'normal' range. Ultimately, I am in training for our planned active lifestyle retirement, which will include extensive renovations to our cottage, which we will do ourselves. That's going to take strength and stamina.

My 'trigger' that got me to finally decide to lose it for good: After not gaining an ounce during 2 1/2 weeks at the cottage over the holidays, I gained 5 lbs in 3 weeks, reaching my all-time high. Every time I bent over to tie up my boots, I would nearly b*rf!

What do I struggle with most: starchy carbs. I am a starchy carb addict. So, I avoid them now. I stick to whole-grain starchy carbs, and eat them sparingly.

Three things I need to improve in the diet/exercise area: 1. Eat more veggies - V8 is one of my staples! 2. Eat more veggies 3. Eat more veggies ...anyone see a theme?

Evil motivation: A family member got a little snotty when she had lost after I regained the last time. I plan on winning this little 'competition' by losing it for good.

What can not wait to wear? A long, plain, black linen dress with a slit up the side that I wore to a friend's wedding in 2003. Oh, and a black linen suit I bought for work at the same time. Same reason for both of them: I look and feel like dynamite in those items!

Screen Name: audreymonroe

Age/Age Range: 24

Family Life: Living with my BF - it's a wonderful life!

Occupation: law student

Hobbies and Interests: creative writing, singing, playing musical instruments, cooking, being out in the sunshine, laughing with my friends

Favorite Music: classical, showtunes, rock

Favorite Color(s): all of them =)
Favorite Exercise/Workouts: dance, tredmill in front of the tv, playing a light sport - not an exercise junkie
What are your fitness/health goals? 1) to be in the normal BMI range, 2) to have confidence about the way I look, 3) to buy clothes depending on how they look, and not if they are the only things that fit right, 4) this is the only body I'll ever have, and I want it to be as beautiful as I know it can be.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Each year I wake up on my birthday, knowing I'm a little heavier than last year, and it prevents me from wanting to really celebrate my life. That has got to stop.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Keeping a positive, fresh outlook for more than a couple of days. I'm generally a happy person, but I do need to start seeing real results.
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1) cutting down on alcohol calories, 2) upping the exercise, 3) planning my menu and NOT obsessing about food the rest of the day!
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My former, bigger self!
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Jeans that are snug on my hips and butt! I am pear shaped, and have extra weight on my hips and upper thighs. This is an area I eventually want to flaunt!

Screen Name: findingfawn

Age/Age Range: 31

Family Life: Married with 3 kids (9,3 and 2)

Occupation: homeschooling, SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: knitting, crocheting, and being with my family

Favorite Music: country

Favorite Color(s): don't really have one,

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Carmen Electra Strip Tease and because it's not family friendly Sweatin' to the Oldies

What are your fitness/health goals? 130 pounds

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? My 9year old seeing a lap-band comercial and saying "Mom, that's what you need!"

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
Eating more fruits and veggies, avoiding processed foods, sticking with an exercise program

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? Myself today! But I already look better than I did yesterday and tomarrow I will look better than today!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I'm thinking something only for hubby's eyes!

Screen Name: femme fatale

Age/Age Range: 29 (30 in September)

Family Life: In a relationship for almost 4 years

Occupation: Assistant Branch Manager @ a bank

Hobbies and Interests: Photography, Xbox, friends, music

Favorite Music: hip hop, R&B, classic rock

Favorite Color(s): green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Treadmills, a little weight lifting

What are your fitness/health goals? My big goal is to one day weigh 150 lbs But my mini-goal is to lose 25 lbs by summer

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? My boyfriend had suggested that I had let myself go. When I thought about it, I HAD.

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Exercise more, cheat less.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :hmmm.. myself, right now, lol.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a nice bathing suit.

Screen Name:
weemissnaughty
Age/Age Range:
21
Family Life:
living with parents - been with my b.f for 7months
Occupation:
up untill a week ago was working as a chef... now i work in greggs the bakers!
Hobbies and Interests:
going out with friends, would love to say guitar (as i spent £100 getting one the other week!) but not too good at it yet!!
Favorite Music:
mainly rock/indie/metal but pretty much anything
Favorite Color(s):
RED! pink/purple
Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
used to be martial arts but then with working in kitchens didnt have time!
What are your fitness/health goals?
1- be in healthy BMI, 2- be able to go shopping (WHICH I LOVE DOING!) and have the choice of any clothes there rather than having to think what will disguise my lumps and bumps! 3- feeling confident about my figure when i'm just wearing jeans and a t-shirt!
What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
I lost about 60lbs when i left highschool and then went to uni for a year and started working as a chef which made me put it all back on so when i got a new job with normal hours where i could eat at regular times (as a chef i was working 12hrs with no break so was eating the quickst thing i cud - deep fried! and then comin home n having a curry!)

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
saying no when my parents/b.f/friends say "ohh but you can have a curry/bottle of wine/desert just today - its only one day out of the week" but i have someone saying it to me almost every day!! hmph! lol
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
need to exercise more, try to find veggies i actually like, eat fruit rather than chocolate (i actually love fruit but when i want a snack i go for the bad thing - i forget that i like fruit!!!)
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
a friend of mines, i will spend hours deciding what to wear for a night out that wont show of lumps and bumps and i'll go to hers and she'll throw on any old t-shirt and belt and look AMAZING *sniffle*
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
just jeans and a t-shirt and look good in it =o) - especially my size (very small) 12 ripped jeans i used to love! kept them in the hope i will fit back in them!

Screen Name:
just keep swimming

Age/Age Range:
21

Family Life:
single, live with parents when not at school

Occupation:
college student

Hobbies and Interests:
learning, dancing, reading, enjoying this lovely spring weather

Favorite Music:
anything upbeat

Favorite Color(s):
purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
arc trainer, walking, strength training

What are your fitness/health goals?
to officially be a healthy weight for the first time in i don't know how long, to improve my endurance and strength

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
I lost 24 pounds two summers ago and have slowly but surely managed to put 20 of them back on. I much preferred the way I looked and felt back then, so I want to get back there, and then some!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
The hardest thing about counting calories is a college meal plan, where I don't even know what the heck I'm eating half the time.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
I need to switch up my exercising more, so I don't get bored and not want to go to the gym. I need to become better at estimating calorie content and portion size. I need to know when I am actually hungry and when I just want to eat.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?:
Well, me, mostly, but there are plenty of others...

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
I can't wait to feel comfortable with my appearance regardless of what I am wearing. I would also like to be able to feel good in a bathing suit.