[Lizzyg]

Screen Name: Lizzyg

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: I was just married July 27, 2008 but we've been together for 10 years We have 2 very spoiled chihuahuas. We adopted Cocoa first, and he's 4.5, and we found Pixie for free on Craig's list, and she's 5. We've had Cocoa for 4 years, and Pixie for 2 years. No children, and no plans to have any

Occupation: Dental office know/do it all

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, movies, tv (I love Grey's, Private Practice, Fringe, House, Ugly Betty, Big Love, United States of Tara, True Blood, and Lost)

Favorite Music: anything really. I dont like most country or hard core rock or rap music. But will listen to everything from classical (I played violin for 6 years) to eminem or something. I really do like most everything

Favorite Color(s): Sage green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Jillian Michaels is kicking my butt these days

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to get under 200 lbs. Its been so long since I was, and once I get there, I'll figure out if/how much more I want to lose. I just want to get to a size where I can shop at regular stores and the regular section, and not be pushed off to the dark, not well stocked plus sized section.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
Well, I hit 290 (I think it was higher, but I dont remember, it just never was 300) and I lost about 15??? lbs in 2007. I gained some back, and started 2008 around 280. I wanted to get married July 2008, and I didn't want to weigh that much. My sister was making my dress, and I didn't want to be so hugely fat and have her know my measurements (she's always been thin). I ended up around 250 for my wedding. I also didn't want to buy size 26 jeans, and I was pushing that size at 290.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Not binging.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Exercise - I think I can step it up and do more a day, but I dont. And with diet, stopping at 1 portion, even if I do have the calories for more.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: I dont really have one. Maybe just to be thinner so my patients dont mistake me for my former co worker who is 20 years older than me, heavier than me, and has 3 kids. I'm tired of them confusing us just because we're both fat. I'm 27! I dont have 3 kids, and I dont want to look like I have had 3 kids.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Hmm. I dont know. I'm comfortable wearing anything now. I'll wear sexy lingerie for my husband, I'll wear my bathing suit at the beach and not care about others. And I'll wear tank tops in the summer now. So I'm not sure. I just dont want to be huge anymore.

[ladyinweighting]

Screen Name: Ladyinweighting

Age: 63

Family Life: Widowed with a Dear Daughter and Son-in-law

Occupation: Mainly retired, but part-time online college faculty

Hobbies and Interests: Genealogy, Scrapbooking, Reading, Scrabble, Dieting, Travel, Exercising, and Reading.

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Elliptical, Bike, Treadmill

What are your fitness/health goals? 140 lbs.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
Developed Type 2 Diabetes.

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Drink water, Eat fewer carbs, Eat fewer calories.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? A pair of size 12 petite pants I bought for a Spring Pants Challenge

[blonde08]

Screen Name: blonde08

Age/Age Range: 18

Family Life: mom, dad, two brothers. boyfriend of 3 years.

Occupation: college student

Hobbies and Interests: computers, scrapbooking, tv, movies

Favorite Music: country

Favorite Color(s): purple, pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: elliptical, ddr, treadmill, rock n' roll stepper

What are your fitness/health goals? be in the healthy bmi range

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

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? veggies, exercise in general, and fast food

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I want to stay thinner then my bff, i know its horrible

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

[Vegaspunkermom]

Screen Name: VegasPunkerMom

Age/Age Range: 26

Family Life: Husband & Our amazing 3 kids!

Occupation: Stay at home Mommy!

Hobbies and Interests: Shopping, scrapbooking, reality tv, gambling, etc.

Favorite Music: Everything, depending on my mood.

Favorite Color(s): pink & black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: On-demand exercise workouts (BL, Jillian Michaels, Skinny *****, Exercise TV, etc)

What are your fitness/health goals? To be at "normal" weight & BMI for my height.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Had my tubes tied because we're done having children, and was tired of feeling like a "frumpy mom" I want to be a MILF!

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? exercise for a longer period of time, watching my nighttime snacks, & never stopping (even if I reach a plateau)

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: No one in particular, but I want people to look at me and think/say "She looks GREAT for having 3 kids!"

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? One of those cute bubble dresses, a tank top without flabby fat arms, and HOT lingerie for my husband without feeling yucky!

[Sparkleshine]

Hi,

When I was slim I had no food issues, weighing myself and watching what I was eating didn't even enter my mind. I ate what I wanted when I wanted. No problems with weight until I had my oldest son. I couldn't fit into my clothes, bought bigger clothes, weight continues to increase so do clothes. Before I know it I'm up two/three dress sizes.

Around 6 years ago, I did loose lots of weight by calorie counting but I didn't eat healthy and ended up looking gaunt and terrible. So much so people thought I had a serious illness!!!! I eventually started eating and got my figure back but didn't know when to stop. My weight has been up and down ever since.

I've been trying to lose weight for a wedding this summer and since January I've lost 18lb. My weight is 162 and my target is to reach 140lb. I'm 5ft 4in.

I've been trying to eat healthy food and watching what I'm eating. So lots of fruit and veg and less processed, fatty food.

I'd like to monitor my weight loss (can someone tell me how to add one of those cute counters) I'd like to see my weight loss come DOWN.

[Laine]

Screen Name: Laine

Age/Age Range: I'm 27

Family Life: Happily married with a 7 month old baby

Occupation: Domestic Engineer

Hobbies and Interests: Painting, reading, crafts, cooking, walking, watching movies

Favorite Music: Goo Goo Dolls, Sarah McLachlan, George Winston, Death Cab for Cutie, A Fine Frenzy

Favorite Color(s): Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking!

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to be in running shape again

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? There wasn't a particular thing...I just want to lose this weight and be healthier

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Be more mindful of what I"m eating, get off the couch more often LOL and drink more water

(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? My fave jeans

[daydreamer]

Screen Name: daydreamer

Age/Age Range: 36

Family Life: married with 4 kids

Occupation: stay at home mom

Hobbies and Interests: who has time for hobbies with 4 kids?

Favorite Music: almost anything

Favorite Color(s): depends on my mood

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:elliptical

What are your fitness/health goals? I'd like to get down to about 135, and be toned

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
just tired of being fat and not liking what I see in the mirror

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? finding time to work out, and binging in the afternoon

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? not binge when sweets are around, vary my workouts, stop my obsession with the scale

(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? a cute bathing suit

[Tacklenurse]

Screen Name: Tacklenurse

Age/Age Range: 50s

Family Life: Married 39 yrs, 2 children, 6 grandchildren, 1 chiweenie

Occupation: A/R Manager for DME company

Hobbies and Interests: Crochet, quilting, hand-held games, and fishing

Favorite Music: Christian

Favorite Color(s): Red and navy

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Swimming

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose 122 lbs in one year

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

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Writing down what I eat
2. Exercising more
3. Learning to say "no"

Who do you want to look better than? : My self as I am right now

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Clothes that fit rather than clothes that hide.........

[jennsreadytolose]

Screen Name: jennsreadytolose

Age/Age Range: 23

Family Life: just me and my boyfriend

Occupation: office assistant

Hobbies and Interests: shopping, going to shows, music

Favorite Music: rock

Favorite Color(s): lime green, teal

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: currently my jillian michaels 30 day shred dvd, it's tough but addictive! I am going to try and take a stab at running.

What are your fitness/health goals? To get down to a size 6, be able to run as long as I want and not feel tired, eat healthier.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? A recent photo, it was a real eye opener. It's burned into my retinas lol.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? So far it's changing my eating habits, I'll exercise, fine. Can't give up the fast food though.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1) diet diet diet
2)working on my form with squats and lunges, they make my back hurt
3)To eat breakfast (it makes me feel sick eating that early sometimes)

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?
Well the image of myself in my head, if that makes sense. The image I see of myself that looks and feels great. The image that makes me feel like I am going through **** now, but will be worth it in the end.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
This awesome lime green bikini I wouldn't even dream of wearing right now.

[lady1liz]

Screen Name: Lady1Liz

Age/Age Range:32-33

Family Life:Married mother of twin boys

Occupation:Admitting clerk

Hobbies and Interests:Not to many these days

Favorite Music:Raggaeton,merengue,hip hop,house,etc.

Favorite Color(s):Purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:treadmill & walking

What are your fitness/health goals?I'm currently @ 172 lbs. I want to hit 140 lbs before the year is over

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? My husband telling me "I want you to KNOW that you're fat"

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? exercising, I'm motivated but I'll do it one day and then not the other ... then I'll start over again but then get disappointed when I see NO results.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
NO CARBS
MORE exercise
NO fast food

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
myself BEFORE I got married (140 lbs)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
I'm currently a size 14 ... I KNOW I'll never really fit in a "0" but my goal is a size 6-8.

[DeniseW]

Screen Name: DeniseW

Age/Age Range: 29

Family Life: Husband of over 10 years and 4 kids 3 boys one girl. 9,7,4,& 3

Occupation: Police Officer

Hobbies and Interests: Scrapbooking, Baking, Playing with kids.

Favorite Music: Alittle bit of everything, but mostly Country

Favorite Color(s): Hunter Green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Treadmill, Wii Fit.

What are your fitness/health goals? To fit Comfortably in a bullet prooof vest. TO not feel so out of shape carrying 20 extra lbs with my uniform on..

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I went to Walmart to buy Diet food told the cashier I was starting a diet and she said "good I could tell you have gained weight" It was a slap in the face.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Getting the headaches to go away. My body is use to having everything it wanted and quanity it wanted. Having less food shrinking my stomach is something to get use to.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1) Hitting the gym more
2)finding more varieties of food to eat,
3)staying under my calories per day

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?
I don't want to look better then them but my friends, I want to go out with them and not feel like the fat girl.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
All of the clothes sitting in my closet with the tags on. Some are almost brand new got down to the size I wanted wore them once or twice and gained weight back. I'm ready to wear thouse clothes again! Soon.

[just_a_dreamy1]

Hi, everyone! I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and getting back to my goal weight again

Screen Name: Penelope

Age/Age Range: 25 in July.

Family Life: Just me and DB. We have one angel <3

Occupation: Medical administration

Hobbies and Interests: Nature, photography, reading...

Favorite Music: A little bit of everything.

Favorite Color(s): Yellow and blue.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking, biking, dancing

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose 20 lbs

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I just finally felt ready to get serious again. I've gotten to goal before, but I let stress sabotage me.

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I think I'm already doing great on my good days, I just need more of them

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Myself at my current weight!

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

[mythreesons]

Screen Name: MyThreeSons

Age/Age Range: 36

Family Life: Married with three young boys (ages 3, 2, and 9 months)

Occupation: Currently a stay at home mom. . .pre kids, I taught children with special needs for 10 years

Hobbies and Interests: my boys, baking, reading

Favorite Music: very eclectic...DH;s band is pretty good (they play classic rock)

Favorite Color(s): blue, green, red, yellow (it all depends on my mood)

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose 75 lbs and get healthier

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I want to be around for my boys. I want to be able to run after them without losing me breathe. My boys are definitely my biggest motivation.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? My all or nothing attitude. If I cheat I figure I screwed up and I binge for the rest of the day.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Having a consistent exercise schedule. Realizing that everyone cheats and that if i do, I need to jump right back on the bandwagon.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? either of my sisters (both of whom I love to death)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a nice fitted tank top

[brooksrm]

Screen Name: brooksrm

Age/Age Range: 25

Family Life: Single, lived alone when in college and then moved back in with parents and sister, 1 cat (mine), 1 dog (family's) who hates me

Occupation:
-Full time program specialist for a MRDD residential facility. Basically, I work in a house (not a nursing home, just a house) that has 8 guys who have mental and physical handicaps and other staff and I provide care for them. Repositioning, meals, entertainment, hygiene, you name it and we help them with it.
-Part time sales associate at hallmark
-Until recently, and hopefully soon again, graduate student. Got the MA, aiming for the PhD next.


Hobbies and Interests: Reading sci fi/fantasy, new movies, teaching myself crafts (e.g., knitting, cross stitching so far), games, and lately, working out.

Favorite Music: Anything but country! I like rock, pop, "emo", some metal, latin, R&B, classical, vocal, you name it and I probably have a CD of it.

Favorite Color(s): Green!

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: The elliptical at the gym! And swimming.

What are your fitness/health goals? To feel healthy (accomplished), and to first get out of the "obese" range, and then out of the "overweight" range (not yet accomplished)

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Having high cholesterol, being at an all time high weight, and seeing my pictures of our vacation at the beach was kind of what started it. Renewed motivation in January, when I usually resolve not to make resolutions.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Food! I do love junk food and high sodium food and eating out, which is a deadly combo of the two.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Some days, I need to pack more to eat at work because I don't eat ENOUGH calories those days. Need to improve upper body strength. Need to learn healthier alternatives or makeovers for my junk food cravings so I don't feel deprived and then binge later.

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

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? You know, I haven't really thought about that. Maybe a swimsuit where I don't look like a jellybean from the side? Jeans from a normal department would be lovely.

[amynbebes]

Never did one of these


Screen Name:amynbebes

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: Husband and 5 kids, Anna-Rebekah 13, Logan 12, Christian 7, Ethan 6 and Adan 8 months

Occupation: desk work at local sheriff's office and full time student going for nursing and an associates in arts

Hobbies and Interests: reading, photography

Favorite Music: punk, ska

Favorite Color(s):don't really have a fave

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:yoga

What are your fitness/health goals? to get to 145 and then see from there, to be able to run in a 5k and to keep up w/my snotty 12 yr old on the soccer field

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? My "fat" pants getting tight, seeing pics of myself

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. more consistent cardio
2. cut down on diet soda
3. make sure to get plenty of veggies in

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : no one particularly, wait, I know who now

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a rockin' pair of Seven jeans preferably in size 6-8
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