[tinkertoy]

Hi Everyone!
My name is Rachel. I am from Arizona. I am really glad to be able to be a part of this group. I am married with two kids. I joined LAWL in June at 201 lbs. I was totally devastated and disappointed in myself. Although I am with LAWL on the new blue plan w/lites I live 1 1/2 hours away from the COD so I can only make it 1 every 1-2 weeks. So I basically feel all alone. I am glad to give support and could use some myself. My current weight is 167 and my goal weight is 130. Good luck on your journey, never give up and just say NO.

[mcbender99]

My name is Brenda and I am happily married with three great kids. I live in Minnesota and do not particularly like the winters. I love the summer! I can’t wait to be barefoot in the yard again. This snow thing is crazy. I have lived here all of my life but for some reason can’t seem to acclimate. I do like to go ice fishing there’s nothing like a good day of fishing. Any time of the year.

I have battled with a poor self image my whole life. Even when I was younger I was in no way overweight, but I thought I was. If I only knew then what I know now…how much worse it could get. I wish I would’ve been able to appreciate my younger body. I seem to have a really bad relationship with food. I love all the wrong ones! I have taken years out of my life to have my babies and make sure they were all healthy when they came into this world. I am great at taking care of everyone else, I haven’t been very good at taking care of me though. Well, I’ve decided, enough is enough! I’m sick and tired of being out of breath when I go downstairs to the freezer or laundry room. I’m tired of being afraid everytime I get on an airplane if this will be the time I won’t fit. I was so embarrassed on my last flight I couldn’t see the buttons to turn up my headset, they were somewhere under my 44D breasts and my bulging waistline. My days of embarassment and worry and fatique are over. I want to go to the beach, I want to run with my dog, I want to feel alive again. So, today, my journey starts…

[Dan2112]

Welcome!! We all know what you're going through, so you've come to the right place for support.. Post early and post often!

[LadyZaidi]

Brenda, I'm a native Minnesotan too. It definitely gets ridiculously cold there. I try to explain block heaters and "plugging in your car" and people in NY look at me like I have 2 heads. Ha! Welcome!

[okie in il]

Hello all! I've posted a couple of times on other threads here, but I've never introduced myself. My name is Becky, I just turned 40 on Dec. 5. I've been married for almost 20 years & we have 2 children (almost 16 yr old son & 9 yr old daughter). My DH is in the Coast Guard so we've moved around alot over the last 20 years. We currently live in Illinois, right outside St. Louis.

I've been on LAWL since November 2006. I'm embarrassed to say , I didn't stay POP so I didn't reach my goal when I should have. I started stabilization right before Thanksgiving at 160. Then I found out that my COD was closing & kind of fell off the wagon. I put myself back on weight loss so I could lose that last 10 pounds to get to my original goal of 150. Now that the holidays are over I plan on being POP so I can get this last 7 pounds off permanently. My DH & I are going on a cruise in 6 weeks to celebrate our 20th anniversary so that is my new incentive.

I look forward to getting to know everyone. I kind of went through withdrawals when the PWL forum shut down.

[stressrelief2008]

Hello everyone,

My name is Michelle (they call me Mick or Mickyliz). I'm 50 years old, a registered nurse in a surgery center. I'm married with two grown children and have two granddaughters. I was a LAWL member 5 years ago and did well on the program. My starting weight back then was 278 and I lost 76 pounds in a year. I had a hysterectomy and slowly started gaining weight back. We had moved to an area that didn't have a Center and I got lazy, stopped doing the program -- the rest is history. I'm back up to 270lbs. but, I am now ready to try again. I am glad I stumbled on this forum -- maybe now I can be successful again.
Mickyliz

[StevenBensMom]

Hello!

I thought it was time that I finally introducted myself as I have been lurking for a long time. My name is Kelly and I live in Western New York. I have a wonderful husband and 2 sons 15 and 11. I have been at this for awhile and hope to stick with this without the assitance of the centers, which like many of you I wasn't to thrilled about since counselors were constantly changing as were answers and tactics! So here I am and thank you for being such a warm, welcoming group of people.

Kelly

[bradleys mom]

Welcome Kelly! If you have any questions feel free to ask on the weekly Friends & Losers forum!

[alwayssmilin]

Hi, my name is Amy. I did LAWL back in 98. I lost 60 lbs and kept it off for quite awhile. Then the last couple of years life and eating everything and anything I wanted help the weight to creep back on. I started again on Oct 5th and have been doing great. We started a biggest loser contest at work that went from Oct 5th to Dec 31st. My team won AND I was the number one loser! We are starting round 2 on the 31st of this month.

I am 44 years old and I have a son that will be 15 in March.

Keep Smiling!

Amy

[warm weather dreams]

Hi My name is Beth. I had joined LA 2 years ago did fairly well, lost 30 ibs in 8 months then stopped going regular and slowly put it all back on. I am restarting now for health reasons. I know this diet works. I also started a biggest loser contest at work so there will be less temptations there.
I recently have had some major life style changes mostly coming off the night shift after 28 years working nights! Also recent stresses mostly being my husband unemployed and my health. I really want to have some control in my life so am actually enjoying restarting my diet.
I am the proud mom of 3 Jim 23, Patrick 20 and Kaity 16.
I love to travel with my Husband Dave, key west being one of my favorite places!

[gbirds1]

Hi All,

My name is Alyson, I'm 31 and I joined in March. I lost more than 70 lbs before my center closed. I have basically been maintaining for the past two months on my own. I am now hoping to start exercising so that I can tone up and lose a little more. I am thrilled with the way I look now, but I know I can still look better - I want to wear a bikini! I was very happy to stumble upon this website as I was very upset when the center and the online boards closed.

Good luck to all of you on your weight loss journeys.

[Riverratsal]

Hi Everyone, I am from Arkansas. I am 52 years old, have grown children and love to cook. I am in LAWL right now and am having a hard time coming up with interesting recipes. This web site is helping alot.
I work in an accountants office part time. I have my husband on a diet also. He has lost twice as twice as much as I have. And he drinks lots of beer! It sucks....
I am starting to get very frustrated because I keep hitting plateus. I have decided I have no metabolism!LOL

I joined LAWL this summer and the weight seems to be creeping off!!
180/168/155

Any suggestions?

[PolarBear2008]

Hey Everyone,

I have posted a couple of times on the other threads but thought I should introduce myself.

My name is Kimberly, Live in Canada
I have been struggling with my weight for almost 8 years. I have lost and gained all before (you know the drill). This is the last chance. I have to get the weight off.

I re-joined LAWL on January 31 and am starting LA Express today. Well trying to. It will take a lot of adjustment.

I look forward to chatting with all of you and supporting.

I can't wait until I can have a custom signature like the rest of you!!

[ChefsGirl]

Hi –

I’m Jill. I just turned 32 on New Year's Eve. I've lived in the Des Moines, Iowa area for most of my life and am surrounded by friends and family. I have a degree in Finance from Drake University and am a Senior Financial Analyst at a major insurance brokerage. I love my job.

I’ve been engaged to a wonderful man for the last 3 years. He is also 32, a few weeks older than me. He and my mother are my main supporters through my weight loss journey and every day I thank God that I have him. He is a chef and spent some time studying in France. Whenever the whole food preparation thing gets too much, I just hand my food journal over to him and he’ll take care of it for me. It’s like having a personal chef. I keep saying that this is how Oprah must’ve done it.

We don’t have kids yet, but want them in the very near future. Right now we are just spoiling our 2 labrador retrievers rotton. We have a purebred chocolate lab named Harry and a black lab named Jed that we rescued from a local shelter. They are huge, crazy and the loves of my life. We also have 4 cats.

I love live music, traveling, reading and dancing. I enjoy spending time alone at home just as much as I do going out w/ my friends.

I was always thin, beautiful and active growing up. I actually used to be a dancer. Around my mid-twenties I was in a bad relationship and apparently just quit caring about myself. I’m still working on figuring out what exactly happened. Since I was 21 I’ve put on 230+ pounds. Totally out of control.

I’ve done every single diet out there. Most of them a couple of times. I have never felt as energized and satisified as I have on LAWL. I really believe that this is it for me and I’m thrilled. I can’t wait to get my life back.

[JLem311]

welcome, Jill.

i'm Jillian, by the way!