First name: Pat

Geographical location: IL

Age: 47

Marital Status: Divorced

Children/Ages: Girl 25, Girl 23, Girl 19, Boy 17

Occupation: Administrative Asst

Pets: 2 yr old Lab/Rott mix named Mike

Hobbies/Interests: Walking, Gardening, Photography

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Dark Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: June 23, 2014

Starting Weight: 235

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Keeping myself motivated, which I find hard while doing it alone.

Following any specific plan: Currently researching and trying different methods than I have tried in the past. Hoping by joining an online support group I will get over the hurdle of continued motivation.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm reaching out to strangers for advice/support.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Three years ago I was able to lose 60 lbs. I was 20 lbs from my goal weight when I lost my job to cutbacks and had to move back home. I was devastated and went back to my original weight (plus a pound) in a years time. I am still trying to pick up the pieces and although I don't have control over other aspects of my circumstances, I do have control over my weight/health and am ready to do something about it.

First name: Chantal

Geographical location: Ontario Canada

Age: 41

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: One, age 8

Occupation: Dandelion Farmer

Pets: Cat, turtle, guinea pigs, fish

Hobbies/Interests: Any crafts, knitting, embroidery, sewing, soapmaking, crochet, reading.

Height: 5' 8"

Eye/Hair Color: green, auburn (at the moment)

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: January 2014

Starting Weight: 171

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Food cravings, bad food choices

Following any specific plan: no, trying to eat more protein and less carbs

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:

Anything else you would like to share with us:

First name: Lynnise

Geographical location: St Louis, Missouri

Age: 41

Marital Status: Married for 24 years

Children/Ages: 5 sons and a grandson Shane 23, Stephen 21, Samuel 15, Seth 13, Spencer 10, Grandson Aiden 2

Occupation: Graphic Designer (Digital scrapbooking) Digital Coordinator for Scrap n' Art Magazine

Pets: 1 cat, our vermin killer whitesox

Hobbies/Interests: Painting, Drawing, Digital Art, Tennis, Geocaching,
Height: 5' 4"

Eye/Hair Color: brown, brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: July 2014

Starting Weight: 215

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: PMS!!!!! I eat great all month and literally gain weight during PMS

Following any specific plan: low carb

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: trying low carbs. In the past I tried low fat, it came off, but came right back on.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

__________________

1Bluerose68

age: 40 something

height 5'9

current weight(too much) 208

Weight loss goal: - 50 lbs( and keep it off), -5 lbs @ a time.......
Ultimate weight loss goal? To weigh 145-150.(perfect for my height and weight on Met Charts for women my age).

How will this weight loss plan be different?
I am exercising at least 5 x per week, not relying so much on aquatics, as I have become afraid of too much sun exposure.

So I have a better routine for exercising, in that now I go right after dinner, as I am Not a morning exerciser.

Do to all my years competitive swimming, now that I don't have to awaken @ 5AM to eat and swim, I am a bit lax in the morning, and that's totally OK too.

It feels good to not be so driven in the morning, to work my heart out, and not even close to the Olympic or National time level, so I must be real to myself.

Thats not my gung ho thing anymore. But, I didn't Totally give up on Any exercise, or eating right. And drinking ice water ALL day long is my other secret to not binging during the day.

I am eating more salad and veggies daily too.

When you re-gained the 60 lbs did you find that by ,"Moving back" that you may have been faced with some of the issues from the past that led to your original problem with weight gain?

I noticed that for me, it wasn't necessarily the place that I moved back to, but the weight gain was from issues that were encountered, more from age, and situational things that I had " 0" control over.

I suppose I had control over gaining the weight. For me, losing it took so much more effort than letting go of my exercise routines, meal planning, hydrating(not soda either), and making sure I had fiber always in my diet too. And talk therapy, for 3 yrs straight, helped me while gaining control over past hang ups, and the current weight gain/loss issues too.....

First name:Natalie

Geographical location: Sugar Land, TX

Age:41

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 girls, ages 13 and 9

Occupation: Recruiter

Pets: dog and cat (Paco and Ziggy)

Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, spending time with family

Height: 5' 8"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Beginning again on 9/1/14

Starting Weight:212

Goal Weight:170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Food addition - specifically sugar, cheese and pasta

Following any specific plan: no

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm done feeling like my body is falling apart.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Need lots of accountability. Would love an accountability partner

Welcome Natalie!

First name: Michelle

Geographical location: Grenada, The Caribbean

Age: 48

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages:

Occupation: HR & Training Consultants

Pets: 2 Dogs

Hobbies/Interests: Cricket, Pilates, Food!

Height: 5 ft 8 in

Eye/Hair Color:

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: October 2001 (that's not a typo)

Starting Weight: 242

Goal Weight: 175

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I like food!

Following any specific plan: No.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am getting older.

Anything else you would like to share with us:

After the weight loss plan started in October 2001, I went down to 203 from 242, by May 2002. Then I slacked off a bit and by 2004, I was back up to 229. I started back exercising in earnest. By my 40th birthday in 2006, I was down to 199 as I was working towards being Fit, Fabulous and Forty. Since then, I have gone up as high as 220 and down as low as 192 when I had surgery. I usually hover around 208, but after a period of not watching my weight, I am back at 220. I am going to do the Purium 10 day cleanse to get a jump start. People have lost up to 13 pounds in the week without starving themselves. Wish me luck!

First name: Rebekah

Geographical location: Mid West/ Great Lakes Region

Age:44

Marital Status:Married

Children/Ages: Daughter 26, Son 25, Daughter 22

Occupation: Hospice RN Care Manager

Pets: Cocker Spaniel and 1 cat

Hobbies/Interests: Boating, fishing, swimming, camping

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/ light brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 7/23/14

Starting Weight: 215

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Work schedule/meal planning

Following any specific plan: Healthy choices and calorie limit

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: No children at home any longer.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Trying a weight lifting program to build a little muscle as I truly desire to become more fit and active.

First name:
Julie
Geographical location:
Midwest
Age:
39
Marital Status:
Divorced
Children/Ages:
Boy 14
Occupation:
Teacher
Pets:
Nope
Hobbies/Interests:
Anything outside
Height:
5/7
Eye/Hair Color:
Blue/blonde
Starting Date of Weightloss Journey:
This time...Nov 1
Starting Weight:
230
Goal Weight:
140
Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: sticking with it

Following any specific plan:
Excercise and decrease in calories
What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:
I want to be healthy before 40

First name: April

Geographical location: Midwest

Age:39

Marital Status:Happily Engaged

Children/Ages:a fantastic daughter/ 12 and son/ 14

Occupation:Brand Ambassador

Pets:dog

Hobbies/Interests:weight loss... and gain, lol :-)

Height:5'4"

Eye/Hair Color:Blue/ Changes with my mood

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: this go-around- 11/04/2014

Starting Weight:304

Goal Weight:187

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss:health issues preventing exercise

Following any specific plan:South Beach or Atkins, but I'm a definite lo-carb gurl

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:determination

Anything else you would like to share with us:I look forward to a great journey, together!

Welcome Tonysgurl, FrecklesRN, and Yamfoot (hey, my name is Michelle, too!).

(and of course jbaasch, I've already see you around this joint!)

Hi, I am a newbie. Working off 58 pounds....looking for support/ friendly positivity.

Welcome Revalin!

First name: BrainBabiesBe (Sarah)

Geographical location: Canada

Age: 40

Marital Status: married 14 years

Children/Ages: son (9); daughter (6)

Occupation: researcher-teacher

Pets: other than my husband? none but wish for a cat (allergies....)

Hobbies/Interests: running, gardening (food), learning to play piano (not well), hiking, canoeing, backcountry camping

Height: 5'9

Eye/Hair Color: brown/blue

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 2009 (starting again today - December 13, 2014)

Starting Weight:177.5

Goal Weight: 150 (secretly: 140)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weight loss: great intentions followed by inconsistent behaviour; **lack of a community**

Following any specific plan: paleo (medical reasons - celiac and ibs; previous sibo)

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm going to engage with a community both giving and taking to provide accountability for myself.

Anything else you would like to share with us: