Screen Name: Karma Kitty

Age/Age Range: 20-30

Family Life: Happily Married, mother to 1 baby and 2 cats

Occupation: customer service

Hobbies and Interests: camping

Favorite Music: everything, not a huge fan for country music though.

Favorite Color(s): green and black and grey and white

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: mini trampoline, yoga, step aerobics

What are your fitness/health goals? to be able to go skiing, hiking, biking, basically whatever I want to do without having to worry "am I to big to do that? " or " will I even be able to do that without passing out from exhaustion?"

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I had a baby and I didn't want to be a "fat mom"

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? keeping my calories under control

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? more natural foods. more veggies and fruit. less processed foods

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

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I have always wanted to buy a pair of Lucky Jeans, now I'm getting over that a little and just want to be able to buy designer jeans instead of Old Navy. You know, the ones that are sized by waist and dont normally go past a size 32 or 34.

Screen Name: slowie

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: Married, want to have kids soon

Occupation: computer programmer

Hobbies and Interests: math, reading, hiking, working out, health

Favorite Music: Tokio Hotel, David Bowie, NIN, Ween

Favorite Color(s): green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: yoga, body-weight exercises/strength training

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose a couple more pounds (I've almost lost 50lbs) then maintain and get stronger

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I slowly gained 5 lbs a year and hitting 170 lbs I think was the big trigger for me. Also reading The Hacker's Diet made losing weight seem possible to my meticulous, mathematical mind.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Getting enough vegetables and keeping up with cardio. Also resisting junk food.

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

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My former self? Not evil enough? OK, my sister.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Swimsuit!

Screen Name: 173to120

Age/Age Range: 21

Family Life: single, living with fam and working while on a diet.

Occupation: office job.

Hobbies and Interests: music, food, going out, traveling, shopping, volleyball, swimming, the beach, warm weather.... reading, fashion etc.

Favorite Music: r&b, classic oldies.

Favorite Color(s): i love all the colors of the rainbow but GREEN is #1.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: running/walking, and i LOVE volleyball and swimming but i dont do it much at all anymore. shame

What are your fitness/health goals? i would love to get down to the 120s and have a body that is toned/athletic... not too slim because i like having a butt and boobs LOL... i wanna still look feminine but i want to look GOOD in clothes...

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? seeing my chubby self in pictures next to my girlfriends who are much slimmer than me... but more importantly there are clothes that i would LOVE to wear but feel like i shouldnt because i dont have the body for them. and thats why i decided to change. plus i feel very out of shape... whenever i walk up a flight of stairs im out of breath, yuck!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? eating the wrong foods and getting enough exercise.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? eating healthier instead of junk, drink more water and EXERCISE more.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? i want to look better than myself at the point im at now... i want to be a slimmer/more toned me.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a bikini on the beach!!! no more tshirts for me

Screen Name: em30001

Age/Age Range: 24

Occupation: Childcare teacher

Hobbies and Interests: Singing, dancing, going out, staying in, watching movies, working out!!!

Favorite Music: Hip hop, pop

Favorite Color: Purple!

Favorite Exercise: Walking and Richard Simmons!!! Gotta love "Sweatin to the oldies"

Fitness/Health Goals: 140 lbs in my goal!

What was the trigger or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Pain in my knees, and clothes that I love not being able to fit.

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

What are 3 things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? motivation, daily exercise, cutting carbs

(Evil motivation) Who do you want to look better than? Everyone!! lol

What can you not wait to wear when you are at your goal weight and size? Definetly a bikini!!! For the first time in my life!

Screen Name: McTinez

Age/Age Range:29

Family Life: Engaged, no kids

Occupation: Scientist

Hobbies and Interests: Crafting, reading, hiking, going to the beach, shopping

Favorite Color(s): Blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Tennis, elliptical

What are your fitness/health goals?: I'm trying to lose ~20lbs, tone my arms, improve my fitness and be able to run for 20 minutes.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?: I have no excuse NOT to get fit! My job has good hours, I have weekends off, and I want to take care of my health NOW before it becomes a problem later. I also want to look good for my wedding on August 29.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?: Avoiding unhealthy snacks, my sweet tooth, getting the motivation to exercise.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?: Eating more vegetables, working out regularly, increasing my strength.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: I want to look as good (or better) than my sister, we are doing this together so I want her to look great too!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?: I'm getting a new bathing suit for the first time in 5 years, I also want to look great in my wedding dress!

Screen Name: Lewisempire

Age/Age Range: 35 (29 at heart)

Family Life: Happily married, dog, cat. I have Nieces and nephews whom I love dearly, but not really wanting any of my own. I guess that is weird, but I know there is a lot of time and effort put in to raising a child, not sure if I want to take on that big of a responsibility.

Occupation: I am an RN

Hobbies and Interests: Geocaching, jet skiing, walking, sewing/quilting/scrapbooking,

Favorite Music: classic rock, country, some rap now and then is ok too. It changes with my mood

Favorite Color(s): blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Geocaching or jetskiing, it doesn't feel like a workout, until tomorrow!

What are your fitness/health goals? 150-155#, working out to become a daily habit for me

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I woke up one day and weighed 219 pounds. Ugh, yeah I think you can stop eating now. Never ever want to see that again.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? overeating in the afternoon, evening time. And my husbands junkfood habit.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
overeating in the afternoon,evening time, and my husbands junkfood habit
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Anyone in town

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size I have a pair of short shorts that I wore rollerskating with my husband on our 1st date. They are sooo cute!

Screen Name: Shellerooskie

Age/Age Range:31

Family Life: Married, no children

Occupation: Registered Nurse

Hobbies and Interests: hiking, shopping, camping, anything outside when it is warm out

Favorite Color(s): Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Cycling class, treadmill

What are your fitness/health goals?: I am going to loose 30 pounds, I would like to increase my cardio strength.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?: All of the open heart patients that I take care of at work. Also, my work offered free registration at the YMCA. I thought that I would give it a try. While I was on the elliptical for 3 min and 45 sec, I thought that I was going to die. There was an older lady next to me just booking it on the elliptical. I knew then, "Crap... She is out doing me! I need to get more fit."

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?: cooking meals that my husband will eat and that is also in my eating plan.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?: Eating more vegetables , increasing my cardio, to work out 3 times a week

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

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?: A two piece of course.

Screen Name: 8675309

Age/Age Range: Almost 20

Family Life: Single, living away from home while going to school.

Occupation: University student.

Hobbies and Interests: Listening to all kinds of music, reading and watching tv.

Favorite Music: Upbeat top 40 type songs.

Favorite Color(s): Black.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Elliptical!

What are your fitness/health goals? To lower my cholesterol (cafe food got the best of me) and to be a healthier me. My main goal is to be able to fit into "regular" sizes and not have to shop at the "fat" stores.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Looking at pictures of myself. I hate the way I look in them, I want to change that.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Exercise! I'm very unfit so its going to take me awhile to get my fitness level up. Also, I like to see instant results. I have to learn that weight loss is not an instant thing.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Keep to my food plans that I make up, stop munching when I'm not hungry and get off my butt more.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I have someone in mind, but I can't tell

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Something from a store that my sister can shop in.

Screen Name: Clinkenwar

Age/Age Range: 35

Family Life: Married , 2 daughters ( 9 and almost 15)

Occupation: Mom/Photographer

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, Photography, scrapbooking,

Favorite Music: I like it all!

Favorite Color(s): depends on the day

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: running, tae bo ( at least for now)

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to feel better and lose about 40-50 pounds

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I've been on this journey for years but it started when I reached 300 pounds.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Not being able to maintain my routine

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
sticking with my routine, eating smaller meals more often

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I don't really have anything in mind.

Screen Name:quadluvingurl

Age/Age Range: 25 in a few weeks!

Family Life: My golden retriever and me =)

Occupation: Phlebotomist and nursing student

Hobbies and Interests: riding my fourwheeler, playing Wii, enjoying time with friends and family, cooking, watching a good movie

Favorite Music: country

Favorite Color(s): orange and blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking with my dog and taekwondo

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to lose a total of 60lbs and change my overall eating habits. (not so much fast food)

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I became frustrated buying clothes at the store and was struggling to get into my normal size.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? staying on track...I guess lack of motivation because I am doing it solo

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Staying on top of exercise by creating a routine and not just doing it "whenever".
2. Instead of the McDonald's hamburger, have a Boca burger.
3. Not relying on the 100 cal packs, switch to more veggies like carrot sticks.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : one girl that I work with...

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A halter dress!!

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Screen Name:chickeroo

Age/Age Range: 20

Family Life: i'm still a kid

Occupation: student

Hobbies and Interests: playing piano, watching movies

Favorite Music: brit pop, classic rock

Favorite Color(s): blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: step aerobics

What are your fitness/health goals? I've permanently changed my eating habits and I want to lose about 100 pounds (yikes).

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? simple activities like walking up stairs started to wear me out and i would get short of breath. it's time for a change!!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? definitely my emotional connection to food

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. keeping consistent with exercising at least 4 times a week
2. sticking to my new three food groups: whole grains, veggies, and fruit (also lean meats)
3. not relying on food to make me happy/cheer me up

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : i just want to look as good as my friends!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? oooh this is a major goal for: when i'm at my goal weight i want to buy an outfit at banana republic!!!!!!

Screen Name: LisaJean

Age/Age Range: 29 1/2 (for real!)

Family Life: Awesome husband and stepdaughters age 13 and 16

Occupation: College student

Hobbies and Interests: Homework, reading, cooking.

Favorite Music: REM, Kraftwerk, New Order, Bob Dylan

Favorite Color(s): Blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Cycling (indoor and outdoor)

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to lose about 80 pounds and never see it again.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Nothing in particular. There was that one time a few years ago when a friend asked about my "due date"! I guess part of the reason is that I really do want to have a baby, and I know that I'm in no shape for either pregnancy or parenting right now.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I love food!! And not the fruit, vegetable, and skinless chicken kinds. The baked, fried, rich, and chocolate kinds!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Keep up with the exercise
2. Avoid fast food
3. Control portion sizes

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Um... Jessica Alba? Haha that'll be the day!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Cute stuff from Victoria's Secret... and maybe, just maybe, a sweet pair of leather pants!

Screen Name: ashesnat

Age/Age Range: 25

Family Life: Newlywed with 2 puppies that are our kids. Tinkerbell is a 2 year old Boston Terrier that only weighs 8lbs & Petey short for Peter Pan is a 7 month old Boston Terrier that weighs 17lbs.

Occupation: Secretary

Hobbies and Interests: I love to spend time with my husband, dogs, family, friends and reading

Favorite Music: country

Favorite Color(s): Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Right now Walking the dogs outside when its nice

What are your fitness/health goals? My goal is to get healthier and to lose 60-70 lbs to reach that healthy weight.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? It was my wedding 3 months ago. When I got my pictures back and realized how big I looked and how the top of my dress looked too small.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Being hungry. I have a hard time with will power when I am bored or just want to eat.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to less, work out more and not cheat so much

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I just want to fit in a smaller size and look as good as my skinny friends

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Everything! lol

Screen Name: munchievictim (and boy, am I)

Age/Age Range: 18

Family Life: I live with my grandparents while I'm in college

Occupation: Full time student and aspiring writer

Hobbies and Interests: good movies, good books, writing, painting, music, hanging out with my friends, hiking..

Favorite Music: Led Zeppelin! The Doors! Pink Floyd! Jimi Hendrix! Janis Joplin! Bob Marley! I could go on and on...

Favorite Color(s): red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: yoga, the treadmill, outdoor walking/hiking/rock climbing (I wish I knew how to get more rock-climbing in!)

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to lose seventy pounds overall. My short term goal is to be able to run a whole mile, which I've never done not even in school during those damn humiliating Presidential Fitness Tests.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Seeing the big 2-0-0 on the scale for the first time. This year I have reached both my lowest weight ever and my highest weight ever.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Well, I've been afraid for awhile that I might be a compulsive over-eater...okay haha 'might' is a laughable term. I'm like a rampaging rhino in the kitchen when I get on a binge swing. I'll eat anything. And the urge is so strong that I most often can't/won't deny it. But now I know that all of that is just an excuse, and nothing is as strong as my own mind.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? 1) I need to excersize more, 2) I need to get in more veggies, 3) I actually need to eat more calories, because if I don't watch it (or actually, if I watch it too closely) I'll only eat around 800 calories a day because I don't want to have to write down all that extra food.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My best friend. haha. She's away at rehab right now (yikes) and when she gets back next year I want to be SLAMMIN'!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? All my cute clothes that I could wear at my low weight! I want to be able to fit into my favorite jeans without the button tearing off (wearing through my second button now, should give way any day. for the record, it's not so much because of my giant fat bulges but more my rough nature--I ripped the fabric one day trying to yank them on and now the button area is fragile. But, if I was skinnier, they would button without strain and there would be no problem.)

Screen Name: juls64

Age/Age Range: turning 45 on Thursday

Family Life: Married, son in the Navy, daughter at college- pretty much an empty nester

Occupation: Plumber

Hobbies and Interests: scuba diving, walking, etc

Favorite Music: classic rock, country, most anything that is upbeat

Favorite Color(s): Blue, navy blue, baby blue, royal blue, etc

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking, some weights, some video (Tae-Bo is favorite), shooting hoops, an assortment

What are your fitness/health goals? To lose about 30 pounds and get more fit

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Just knew my weight was creeping up there and that I was sitting around too much in the evenings after work. Also, I am a plumber and want/need to stay in good shape to continue being productive on the job

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? love pizza and beer!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Cut out junk food, exercise regularly, be consistent

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

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

Nothing at all !!!