Happy Halloween everyone. Hope you all had a wonderful time and don't get a stomach ache from all the candy. So my question for everyone is what is your dream weight loss goal. Describe it in detail. (This should be fun )

Mine is. One night I want to go out to a club with all my girls and turn heads. Then get drinks bought for me and have guys come up to me, giving me attention and then to able to dance the night away. Then go to the doctors the next day and have the doctor tell me Wow you are completely healthy great job. Then to inspire all my overweight friends and family members to be healthy and happy

Last night, I was driving home through downtown. At an intersection, I had to wait because the light was red. A woman crossed the street. She was half lit up in silhouette by the lights of the oncoming cars. She wore black heels, a short black skirt, and a sweatshirt. She had these looooong legs.

I want those long legs. That's my weight loss dream. And nice shoulders and arms. It's for me. Not because people would check me out or whatever, but because I want to look in the mirror and like what I see and feel confident in my own skin.

My dream is to look in the mirror and see a slim version of me - I especially want to (and will) see it in my hips, thighs, tummy, and face. I want to put on any outfit in my closet, or at any store, and approve the outfit because I look incredible - not just because it "works" on my body type. Finally, I want to go home to see my college buddies who only ever saw me overweight, waltz into the room, and, you know, be one pretty lady!!!!

I haven't been thin in a very very long time, so I forgot what it's like, and am even having trouble imagining it. I want to be able to shop in all normal sizes, and cute stores where they sell to skinny people. I also want to stop feeling like a charity case, and just be hot. the end.

I just want to sit or walk without always adjusting things. I don't want to be hesitant to try on certain things because of my big butt! I don't want to avoid looking in reflective surfaces!

I feel like I sort of lug around my body, I want to feel energetic and free-er.

I want to be able to wear cute, funky, boho clothes from anywhere.

I want to be able to wear cute clothes without the rolls sticking out. I'm almost there!!!

My high school reunion a few days ago was when I realized that I was living my dream. I wore a tight, little black dress and I rocked that thing. I'm curvy and it SHOWED THOSE CURVES OFF. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking "Holy Crap! My dream body! right there!" I loved it and everyone loved how I looked. I got SO MANY compliments, I was with my best friends and it really was one of the best nights of my life.

My dream weight loss outcome is to be the girl that I think of when I think of people that look good effortlessly. I want to look at my legs, now firm from strength training and Zumba, and say to myself, darn don't I look good. I will have the gull to say what is on my mind when it really needs to be said instead of bottling it because I have confidence in myself not only in my appearance but in my presence as a person. My apartment will be decluttered because not only will my body be shedding unneeded weight but my place will lose unneeded attachments. My wardrobe will be of things I love to wear and not what I'm settling to wear because everyday is a glam day. My dream is to show not only with my body by with my everything that I am the best I can be and I'm worth it.

I want to be able to look at pictures of myself at social gatherings and special events without cringing. Seeing my 190 lb. self during college graduation was disheartening.

This too. I'm sick of wearing frumpy t-shirts and jeans. (I know there are pretty clothes for plus-sized people, but I never had the heart to dress up.)

When I was 26/27 I was in the fittest shape of my life. I was kayaking, climbing, running, biking, and doing multi-day hikes. Then I began to see a decline in my health and an increase in my weight- unbeknownst to me I had developed Hashimotos, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland. That went undiagnosed for 9 years and in the meantime I gained 90 lbs and had several injuries and illnesses related to the weight gain. Finally got diagnosed last year, and have begun losing the weight. What I want is to get back to that fit person that could do all those adventures and live life to the fullest. I know I'll never be 26 again, but I *can* be fit again. Losing weight is possible for me now, but it's just as hard as it is for anyone else- it's a slow process but I'm hoping by next year to be back down to a healthy weight.

My dream weight loss outcome is to able to wear pants without being self concise about my thighs.

My dream is to be as fit as I was when I was 40 when I used to play squash five nights a week and then windsurf all weekend. I know this cannot be, I am 60 and the sheer march of time means I can never actually achieve quite that level of fitness.

I could, however, go cycling in the Black Forest with my partner and walk the hard routes in the Koenigstuhl ... and be able to run if a wild boar looks at me in a funny way.

Just to be able to run ... that would be a dream in itself. Next year ....

You know, I never thought I would have an "outcome" other than "lose weight" but right now, after the FIFTH!! e-mail from my cousin trying to get me to buy the "Body by Vi" stuff she is selling (so she can get the product for free; multi-level marketing SCAM!), and after her sending me pictures of supposed "before and after" pictures of people who took Body by Vi (they CLEARLY look like they did weight training, too, not just drank the shakes), I would say the best outcome would for me to lose the weight the RIGHT way and really show her that you can lose weight by watching calories and exercising; you don't have to spend $90/month on what's little more than sugar and milk powder, and you will be able to maintain it.

You'd think after the first e-mail of me saying "I'm sorry, I'm not interested" she'd get the hint. But no-o-o. It's so bad that I now need to add her and everyone else on that side of the family to a blocked list when I update my status that has anything to do with weight loss. Because she comments or she'll say "counting calories SUKS!" (she's in her 40s and can't spell, either *sigh*).

So that's my end outcome. Right now, in the short term, it's just showing her that you can make a difference doing it right.

I don't have high hopes that she'll listen or see. She's not the most educated of women (neither is that whole side of the family.. rednecks, I swear - my 40-year-old male cousin JUST cut off his mullet this year) but at least I'll have a bit of something to smile at and maybe she'll stop trying to sell that junk to me.

Also, it kind of says something when she just out of the blue e-mails me about it and how I'll "never have to count calories again" and I'll "lose a ton of weight." Maybe I didn't think I needed to lose weight? Maybe I thought I was beautiful the way I was? Nice of her to show support by all but saying "Dude, you're fat!" (not that I'm not, it's just kind of funny).

Simply, reaching 160 and being able to maintain it would be great. Anything under 160...even better.

I'd like to believe that I look good in my clothing--just because it is stylish and made in a larg(er) size doesn't necessarily translate into looking good in said stylish item in said larg(er) size.

Lastly, and I know I've written this before, I want to be able to create via crocheting or knitting a beautiful garment (sweater? tunic? dress?) with luxurious yarn/thread for myself that I'm proud to wear and feel that I look good in.