First name (if you want to tell): Christy

Geographical location: Detroit

Age: 27

Marital Status: Married for two years next week.

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Attorney.

Pets: My dog, Porter, a Saint, he's still growing and hopefully will weigh more than me soon!

Hobbies/Interests: reading, writing, shopping, movies, music, running, cooking

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/Blond

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: August 2004

Starting Weight: 180

Present Weight: 162

Goal Weight: 140-145

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Excercising consistantly

Following any specific plan: Kind of my own, low-fat avoiding some carbs.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time I KNOW no matter how long it takes I am not going back. I will reach my goal someday.

Anything else you would like to share with us: When I first started I thought taking a whole year to lose 40 lbs was a long time. Now I know there is not too much time as long as it happens...

First name: Sherry

Geographical location: Florida

Age: 24

Marital Status: Married

Occupation: Stay at home mom

Children: 1 stepson (11) and 1 son (2)

Pets: 1 dog, Brownie

Hobbies/Interests: The Sims 2 (I know computer games), and biking.

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue eyes and Brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: June 1st 2005

Starting Weight: 240 (Hopefully I won't get any bigger)

Present Weight: 240

Goal Weight: 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Not eating at night, and not eating emotionally. Not having enough energy too !!

Following any specific plan: Nope, just cutting back on certain foods, watching my calories, and excercising.

First name: Leanne

Geographical location: Las Vegas, NV

Age: 27 (turning 28 on Flag Day!!)

Marital Status: Married

Occupation: I'm the boss

Children: none yet (will start trying when I lose this weight )

Pets: 3 fish, 2 birds (Roger & Henry) and two dogs: Trambo is my mut (6 yrs old) and Wendy is my beauty queen Vizsla (just over a year old)

Hobbies/Interests: I crochet like nobody's business!! I love to swim and ride my bike even though it is getting way too hot outside. Used to go to the movies every weekend but we're trying to save money for Mexico this fall!!

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown eyes and Brown hair

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: April 28th 2005

Starting Weight: 220

Present Weight: 195

Goal Weight: 130

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I will not let myself give up this time...as many times as I fall, I WILL pick myself back up!!

Following any specific plan: Nope...I call it the "NAN PLAN" (my nickname is Nan ) I exercise EVERYDAY and eat 1200-1500 cals a day. It's working so far

First name (if you want to tell): Elizabeth
Geographical location: North Carolina
Age: 22
Marital Status: Married for 1 year!
Children/Ages: None yet
Occupation: day care teacher/student
Pets: cat, dog, 2 horses
Hobbies/Interests: photography, scrapbooking, being outside, reading, writing, crafts
Height: 5'6"
Eye/Hair Color: blue/blonde
Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: May 15, 2005
Starting Weight: 232
Present Weight: 228
Goal Weight: 150
Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: recognizing portions, not eating so many sweets
Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers
What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: We;re ready to have kids and I want to be healthy for them
Where do you see yourself in 5 yrs: Hopefully smaller, finished with school, with a baby

First name (if you want to tell): Melissa

Geographical location: California

Age: 25

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Artist

Pets:2 cats: Stitch (my kitty) a crazy Miane Coon; and Omar (hubbys kitty) a siamese with the IQ of a peach

Hobbies/Interests: reading, paintng, drawing, walking, dancing

Height: 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: February 2005

Starting Weight: 244

Present Weight: 228

Goal Weight: 165/160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Getting bored of routine

Following any specific plan: Nope

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time I am am otivated to do it. .

Anything else you would like to share with us: Losing weight with no help from diet pills and such is difficult, but much more satisfying.

First name (if you want to tell): Liz

Geographical location: Texas

Age: 22

Marital Status: Living in sin with my boyfriend of 3.5 years

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: early intervention specialist

Pets: none

Hobbies/Interests: reading, shopping, movies, cooking, traveling, swimming, laying out in the sun

Height: 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: Hazel/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: many moons ago

Starting Weight: 198

Present Weight: 153

Goal Weight: 140-145

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Mindless snacking

Following any specific plan: Kind of my own, keeping calories around 1500 or so and exercising everyday. Try to get a good balance of carbs and protein

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am taking it more seriously and getting results quicker

Anything else you would like to share with us: Keep up the hard work everyone. It really has taken me a long time to lose my weight and it's easy to get discouraged but it's all worth it when you go shopping and can pick the 5/6 off the rack and know that it will fit.

I thought I've already filled this out, guess not!!!

First name (if you want to tell): Jenn

Geographical location: Washington, DC area

Age: soon to be 28 (10/17)

Marital Status: engaged to a wonderful woman, my HB (honey bunny)

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Senior Public Policy Associate

Pets: a fish named Quinn and a cat named JoJo, our REAL kids,

Hobbies/Interests: too many to name but let's just say I will try anything once!

Height: 5' 7.5"

Eye/Hair Color: blue/blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 4/01/03

Starting Weight: 251+ (scale only went that high!)

Present Weight: 198

Goal Weight: 160, but a very toned 160!

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Chips. I love chips. I now need to avoid chips. And along those lines, binging. I am a huge binger. I can go weeks without anything bad and then BAM! one day ruins it all. My binging isn't what it used to be (one bag of chips v. 5 before) but I still struggle with it.

Following any specific plan: South beach diet starting this Sat! For round #2 that is...

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I really want to do it. Our wedding date is September 9, 2006. I want to be at goal in March 2006, so I can start dress shopping. I want to look GOOD. I want to feel proud when I walk down the aisle. I don't want to have THAT much lycra holding me in I have a long range goal. And I have a supportive HB this time around. No one was there to support me before. So it's a good thing!

Anything else you would like to share with us: Lost the first 40+ by changing the way I eat and by exercise. I have another 35+ to go and can not wait to get re-started!

~I am also a good ear so if you need one, drop me a line~

Jenn - congrats on the upcoming wedding! P.S. NO ONE has a wedding without lycra!

lofl jennicra!

First name (if you want to tell): Clare

Geographical location: Houston, TX

Age: 21

Marital Status: live with fiance

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: housewife/getting job soon

Pets: two norweigan forest cats, hobbes and fergie, they are brothers and are 1 year old.

Hobbies/Interests: playing games (mmorpg's mostly), watching tv, cleaning the house, spending time with my bf

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: June 1st 2005

High Weight: 205 (may 05)

Starting Weight: 201 (June 1, 05)

Present Weight: 191 (June 6,05)

Goal Weight: 140

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I am a binge eater...once I start I can't stop...always have to finish everything on my plate whether I'm still hungry or not I do well during the day but once dinner hits everything goes to waste!

Following any specific plan: Atkins

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: nothing yet

Anything else you would like to share with us: nope

Amy

Geographical location: Montana

Age: 26

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Insurance Manager (yup, its about as interesting as it sounds)

Pets: Two Pound Dogs: One beautiful, old (12yr) Aussie-X, and one spunky Swedish Vallhund

Hobbies/Interests: Bellydancing , Movies, Playing with my dogs

Height: 5'4.5"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Dk Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Birth (Kidding!), Really - May 2005

Starting Weight: 194

Highest Weight: 210

Present Weight: 191

Goal Weight: 140. I'll take it from there.

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Boredom/Frustration. I realize this is about the long-term, but sometimes I get frustrated that I'm not at my goal NOW, or I get bored with what I'm eating/doing.

Following any specific plan: Weight Watchers (we'll see), Zone's worked for me in the past.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: You guys No seriously, I've always dieted solo in the past, and now I have friends, coworkers, and forum-buddies to diet with.

First name (if you want to tell): Jen

Geographical location: California

Age: 21

Marital Status: Single--- Never had a Boyfriend, 21 never held hands, never been on a date and never been kissed.

Children/Ages: Does a dog count?

Occupation: I am a Photographer, but I am also a Multimedia student

Pets: My baby boy Ozzie, he is a mutt looks like Bengie, but hes the greatest, he is 3 1/2 years old---

Hobbies/Interests: Art, Photography, Painting, Playing The Drums, Writing, Designing, Spending All My Time In The Darkroom, Video Games and Just Being Jen

Height: I am a short on 4'8

Eye/Hair Color: My eyes are Blue--- my hair is dark brown, but sometimes I dye it Blue or freaky reds

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: FOREVER and EVER

Starting Weight: 164

Present Weight: 160

Goal Weight: 130-120 Depends where I am happy at and where I can get too!

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Eating Meat!!! I dont like junk food or sweets, I have a really hard time eating protine and dairy!!! When I dont eat those thats when I gain and not eating enough!!! I will go all day till dinner with nothing--- need to get better with eating like 6 small meals a day!!

Following any specific plan: I have done WW off and on for over a year, I did it hard core for 7 months and only lost 7 pounds--- my brother has lost 20-25 pounds from eating small meals---eating the right things and working out--- the good old fashion way--- I will still follow WW some but Good Old Fashion Good Eating And Working Out!!

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Well I graduated in 2002--- always been a short little muscluar machine, dance for 10 years, karate, swimming and benchpressing. So I would eat small meals through out the day and watched it close. I wa snever skiny but very fit and healthy. I got out of school had surgrey--- lost a year and gained 30 pounds--- I have tried so many fads--- but now that I will be a full time student again--- it will be easier for me to keep a daily diet and workout now--- lets just HOPE!!

Anything else you would like to share with us: PRAY

Here's my first post!


Geographical location: Iowa

Age: 25 (26 in July!)

Marital Status: Boyfriend of 4+ years

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Recently unemployed, and I am returning back to school in the fall and majoring in Child and Family Services

Pets: An orange tabby, Yomi. (I'll be giving him back to my parents when I move to another apartment in August )

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, singing, chatting, talking with friends, listening to music.... I'm looking for a new inexpensive, interesting hobby.. but have found none as of yet!

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown and naturally brown, but I like to lighten it when the mood strikes me. hehe

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I started in December 2004, but slacked off when I started my seasonal job in March. So today I'm starting back up again.. June 1, 2005.

Starting Weight: 172

Present Weight: 162

Goal Weight: 135, but I may change it if I'm not happy once I reach that

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: PASTA!!! And getting in my exercise. Also, feeling like I need a little something to eat right before bed... because I fall asleep easier if there's something in my tum tum! And portion sizes. Yikes!

Following any specific plan: No, I'm just going to try to eat smaller portions and exercise at least a few times a week. Everything in moderation... so I don't burn out or feel like I'm depriving myself.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've seen results from earlier in the year, so it's a motivator.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I get discouraged very easily. I can't stay motivated. Someone needs to give me a swift kick in the you-know-what if they see me "falling"

First name (if you want to tell): Marianne
Geographical location: British Columbia, Canada
Age: 20
Marital Status: in a LD relationship
Children/Ages: none - yay birthcontrol!
Occupation: student, visitor services at a tourist attraction
Pets: two cats at my parents'
Hobbies/Interests: shopping, reading, hanging out at starbucks (BAD!!), being with my girl friends
Height: 5'8
Eye/Hair Color: hazel
Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: hmm... April 2004
Starting Weight: 188
Present Weight: 185 (went down to 170 last summer, and then right back up - GRR)
Goal Weight: 150
Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: i live for chocolate, and i'm also a lazy butt. I'd much rather curl up on the couch with a book than go for a swim or a walk.
Following any specific plan: I'm sort of following Weight Watchers, but mostly trying to eat less junk and get more exercise.
What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I am realizing that my weight and size could lead to serious health problems in the future. I want to live a long, full life, and I don't want my body or my choices to get in the way of that. Previously, I just wanted to look prettier.
Anything else you would like to share with us: Not at the moment : )