First name (if you want to tell): Kris

Geographical location: Michigan

Age: 28

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 awesone boys, Keegan (3 1/2) and Riley (2 1/2)

Occupation: Admitting Clerk

Pets: A boxer, Roxanne

Hobbies/Interests: Anything outdoors... playing with my kids, biking, walking, camping, canoeing, road trips, white water rafting

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/dark blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 1, 2006 (This time!)

Starting Weight: 136

Present Weight: 135

Goal Weight: 120, I think...

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I love food, and I lack motivation. Enough said, I think.

Following any specific plan: Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover

Anything else you would like to share with us: I am really working on getting a lot of exercise. This is one area I have never been able to improve.

First name (if you want to tell): Molly

Geographical location: Montreal

Age: 24

Marital Status: hopefully engaged by the end of the summer

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Computer engineering undergrad but6really want to go to Med school for pediatrics

Pets: Turtle - Oscar, Rabbit - Boo

Hobbies/Interests: I'm all over the place but as of late I tend to spend more time at home watching movies or tv, crafting, cooking, playing board games, anything to do with the computer...

Height: 5'6" ... ok I'll be honest 5'5.75"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 9th

Starting Weight: 170

Present Weight: 170

Goal Weight: 120

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I tend to be one of those people who eats a lot with the intentions of starting my healthy eating the next day. I get discouraged easily when I slip and then at that point just say forget everything.

Following any specific plan: I'm planning on entering the BFL contest, other than that lots of cardio and pilates and just trying to eat better.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Someone who is supportive of me in my weight loss endeavour

Anything else you would like to share with us: Thank you for listening to me, it's very comforting to know that other people can understand what I feel

First name: JESS

Geographical location: BOSTON, MA/CONNECTICUT

Age: 21

Marital Status: SINGLE :-)

Children/Ages: ZERO

Occupation: STUDENT @ NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Pets: TWO CATS, SOX AND TUX AND A BETA NAMED WILLIAM

Hobbies/Interests: COFFEE, SCRAPBOOKING, ULTIMATE FRISBEE, MUSIC, WRITING, MOVIES/TV, SEX AND THE CITY, HOUSE MD., ADVENTURES:-) BEING OUTSIDE

Height: 5'6.5"

Eye/Hair Color: BOTH BROWN

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: ROUGHLY MIDDLE OF APRIL

Starting Weight: 202 lbs

Present Weight: 197 lbs

Goal Weight: CURRENTLY 150 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Being in collged and being around bad food and lots of ALCOHOL and having skinny tiny friends who can eat wahtever they want and don't understand what it's like to be overweight. No support system

First name: Amanda

Geographical location: Davis, CA

Age: 23

Marital Status: Engaged to partner.

Children/Ages: None yet

Occupation: Product Analyst for a medical software company.

Pets: Two cats - Bob and Pepper. Bob is dieting with me :-)

Hobbies/Interests: Being outdoors, cooking and baking, reading, and musicals.

Height: 5'8.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Eyes are this funky amber color with a ring of blue around them, hair is brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Mid-April

Starting Weight: 282 lbs (yikes)

Present Weight: 271.5 (still yikes).

Goal Weight: 170 lbs

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Remaining motivated when I have to travel for business (at least 1 week a month).

First name: Sage

Geographical location: Jacksonville, FL

Age: 26

Marital Status: Living with my boyfriend

Children/Ages: None of my own (long story...another day...)

Occupation: Real estate appraiser

Pets: A fish, and the pets in my backyard! (racoons, possoms, blue jays, squirrels, and lizards!)

Hobbies/Interests: Well, my hobbies are my part time jobs which include photographer and high school rowing coach, and of course, housekeeping!

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue eyes, long brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: techinically, sohphomore year of high school, but for this forum, May 12th

Starting Weight: 144 as of 05.12.06

Present Weight: 144 (same day)

Goal Weight: I would like to see the 120's for the first time in my life

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Eating without stopping (I guess you could call me a binge eater). Emotional eating? Food, that's the problem, sometimes I just can't stop!

First name: Abby

Geographical location: Brooklyn

Age: 24

Marital Status: engaged

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: lifetime student

Pets: Diablo the snake (kinda creepy I know) and FHs dog, Brutus

Hobbies/Interests: Swimming, reading (murder mysteries - hence my current schooling in forensic psychology), exploring NYC with FH

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/light brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 6, 2006

Starting Weight: 142.5

Present Weight: 136

Goal Weight: 120

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: It will be hard to say no to the crazy drinking nights with my girlfriends and when I'm out for a meal hard to make the right choices. Its going to be difficult to follow through with the diet and exercise if I don't see results right away (though I realize thats normal and I shouldn't let it bother me)

Following any specific plan: I'm on nutri-system, but because I am just a poor student I think that I will not re-order and instead just continue on their plan of eating every 3 hours and eating healthy. My FH and I also go to the gym regularly.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Spending the money for the system really motivates me to do well (something I worry about not having if I don't re-order) and I've never hd the support system like I have now from my FH. His committment to help me and to exercise regulary with me has so far been extremely helpful.

First name (if you want to tell): Brit

Geographical location: New York

Age: 29

Marital Status: living in sin with bf

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: corporate trainer

Pets: a stuffed dog that we pretend is real- we can't have one in our apt.

Hobbies/Interests: acting, reading, movies, tivo walking around the city with no place in particular to go

Height: 5'8

Eye/Hair Color: brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: on and off since high school. this time around Jan 06

Starting Weight: 188

Present Weight: 177

Goal Weight: 135-140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: late night eating. I like to eat with my bf and we both don't get done with our respective exercises (he is a marathon runner so it can be a long wait) until after 8pm and i have to learn that its ok to eat without him during the week.

Following any specific plan: exercise and trying to watch what i eat and looking towrads calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am closer to 30adn i am tired of being the "big girl" in the group. love my friends but hey can be harsh and i need to do it for my helath as well. When i spoke to my dr about what an ideal weight would be for me when we decide to start having kids he said i needed to by down at least 20lbs so i figured why not go for it!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I think we all have it in ourselves to do it. we will have good days and bad days - let's amke today the best day we can

First name: Claire

Geographical location: Romford, Essex (UK)

Age: 20

Marital Status: living with my fiance

Children/Ages: noneb as yet

Occupation: Cashier

Pets: Steve has, a cat, a snake, 4 rabbits and fish

Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, reading, writing, joining new forums, surfing the net, meeting new people, trying new things and wine lol

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Bout a week ago (19th May 06)

Starting Weight: only just (properly) started and I weigh 13 stone, 12 pounds which I think is about 194 pounds


Present Weight: probably the same

Goal Weight: Im not too sure yet, bout 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: The amount of chocolate I want to eat

Following any specific plan: Calorie counting

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Its nearly my 21st b-day and I want to be slim for that

First name (if you want to tell): Val

Geographical location: Hawaii

Age: 23

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 1, 2 year old son

Occupation: Stay at Home mom

Pets: 1 Pomeranian

Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, Reading, Playing with my son!!!, computers, walking, swimming!

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Forever ago!!! this time around when my son was born

Starting Weight: 260

Present Weight: 215

Goal Weight: 165

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: My husband and all the junk he brings to this house!! and lack of energy and motivation to exercise!

Following any specific plan: Nope... just eating healthy and getting my body moving!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time I'm SERIOUS. I need to be alive and healthy for my kiddo!

Anything else you would like to share with us: Not yet! lol

First name (if you want to tell): Melissa

Geographical location: Washington

Age: 26

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Kept Woman... i.e. homemaker

Pets: Stitch my crazy cat (not sure if sh'e a Maine Coon or a Wegie)

Hobbies/Interests: Music, movies, drawing, singing, breaking the sewing machine

Height: 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown for both

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Well its been since abot a year ago so May 2005

Starting Weight: 245

Present Weight: 220

Goal Weight: 155-160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Being easily distracted by Hubby, friends, shiny things, good movies, etc

Following any specific plan: South Beach and a daily walking plan

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I had the sudden urge to not be this person that I am, to not only be noticed for my weight issues or my wit or my oddness.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Yes... I want to be a Mongoose... just kidding.

First name: Jai

Geographical location: Sydney, Australia

Age: 28

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: student

Pets: Eli - 6month old, chocolate-coloured "spoodle" (cocker spaniel/poodle cross)

Hobbies/Interests: reading, music, going for walks, playing with my puppy, working out, surfing the net, watching tv, knitting, church,

Height: 5'0"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 4/4/06 from memory

Starting Weight: 156lb

Present Weight: 126lb

Goal Weight: probably about 100lb

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Having patience- weightloss takes time and sometimes I just want to be at my goal weight already. I sometimes get frustrated by how slow my weightloss is and question whether it will ever happen and whether there's a point to eating healthily. Of course there is, but sometimes I have a mental struggle. And I have 'fat-days' where I have to remind myself not to be so down on myself about my weight- I am doing somethig about it and like the old pantene ad says "It won't happen overnight, but it will happen"

Following any specific plan: It's an aussie plan called the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program- it's reduced-carb., low GI, lots of vegies, 2L water minimum and no caffeine. So far its working well for me.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I either didn't have structure to my eating or I wasn't that keen on the other diets I tried. More importantly though I wasn't comitted. I wasn't serious about weight-loss. It wasn't until I really accepted that my eating and weight were getting out of control, and realised that I had to do something to change. I took it one day at a time one meal at a time until it came naturally. I am comitted to seeing this though, despite the obstacles ( which are largely in my head). I refuse to be a slave to food anymore.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Sorry if my intro. sounded a bit intense, I'm not always like that... really

First name: Rachel
Geographical location: Ontario

Age: 21, almost 22

Marital Status: single

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: student

Pets: 1 cat, Leroy

Hobbies/Interests: Shopping, reading, sewing, horseback riding, dancing

Height: 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/blondish-brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Fall 2005

Starting Weight: 224

Present Weight: 190-194, depends on where in my apartment I put the scale

Goal Weight: I think 160, when I get there I'll see how I feel

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: My sweettooth and my grocery budget

Following any specific plan: just adding more fruits and veggies, trying to cut down on junk

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm living on my own now so I have no excuse not to buy/cook healthy meals