Screen Name: meakulpa

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: married, 4 kids (12, 11, 9 and 6), and 2 pugs

Occupation: my husband and I own a printing company

Hobbies and Interests: reading, sweepstakes, video games, travel

Favorite Music: everything but rap

Favorite Color(s): purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: elliptical

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to be able to live a "normal" life without feeling tired or dragged down by my excess weight.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Seeing my sister, who went from being a size 26 to a size 6!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Dealing with those inevitable small weight gains that come from time to time. It always throws me and makes me feel like binging.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Need to no longer binge eat, be aware of what I am eating, and exercise regularly.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My sister

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Some really sexy lingerie!

Screen Name:

Cartp

Age/Age Range:
50
Family Life:
married , 2 grown kids, 2 grandkids

Occupation:
bank processor

Hobbies and Interests:
sewing, tv, laziness

Favorite Music:
Oldies (from the 70's and 80's)

Favorite Color(s):
Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
walking

What are your fitness/health goals?
be strong / learn race walking

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
I saw myself in the mirror ,sitting on the edge of the guest bed...and thought ,Oh My God ,when did that happen ?

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
compulsive eating

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
desire,strength,willingness

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
My ex's new wife,my husbands ex wife!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
Tight jeans and a tiny shirt
__________________

Screen Name: Scalewatcher

Age/Age Range: 51

Family Life: Married, 1 son, 3 daughters, 6 grandsons, 4 granddaughters

Occupation: Retired/Disable

Hobbies and Interests: Camping, walking, biking, exploring, relaxing by the pool

Favorite Music: Bluegrass Gospel

Favorite Color(s): Red, Maroon, earthtones

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking

What are your fitness/health goals? I want to be healthier and I want to be able to walk forever instead of being in a wheelchair.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I have always had weight problems. I have lost alot of weight on various diets over the last 30 years. Now I just want to be healthy and I know that loosing weight will help.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I am an emotional eater. I have PTSD and Severe Anxiety Attacks which doesn't help if you are an emotional eater.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to eat Breakfast,which I hate.
I need to make an effort to go for walks by myself not just when I have someone with me (PSTD).
I need to focus on moving my body and getting healthy and stop worrying about everyone else so much.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My husband's old girlfriend.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
I can't wait to wear clothes that are not plus sizes. I would love to wear a size 10-12 again.

Screen Name: Thelmissa, it's my friend's nickname for me, my actual name is Thelma.

Age/Age Range: I'm 18

Family Life: Single, live at home, college student. Hopefully live away from home college student next year.

Occupation: Student, looking for something though!

Hobbies and Interests: I'm currently a politics nerd, but that's useless here I see lol, I love music of almost any kind, looove reading, occasionally I get involved in a good cross-stitch pattern.

Favorite Music: Pop, hip-hop, rap, r&b, rock, country, etc. etc.

Favorite Color(s): Red and blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Walking/attempting to jog

What are your fitness/health goals? To be able to walk long distances/play sports without being winded.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? When a doctor told me I was borderline diabetic, definitely scared me. lol

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? My entire family are overweight, and have a strong emphasis on food-related get-togethers. >_<

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to eat more vegetables and fruits, and I need to start doing more exercise in general.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: Oooo hmmm. I can't think of anyone I want to look better than, but I want to look as good as my mom did when she was my age. She was GORGEOUS, sadly she struggled with keeping her weight down so she always thought she looked horrible. Everyone says we're carbon copies of each other though so I hope it's possible.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Shorts! And cute summer dresses.

*Screen Name: ellieflorida

*Age/Age Range: 16

*Family Life:
live at home with both of my parents, and my little sister

*Occupation:
student in highschool

*Hobbies and Interests:
art, photography, music, journaling, reading, painting

*Favorite Music:
I really dig bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Copeland, Dashboard Confessional, Brighten etc

*Favorite Color(s): blue, purple, greens, yellows, oranges

*Favorite Exercise/Workouts: weight regime (triceps, biceps, quads, obliques, calves), and running/jogging/walking

*What are your fitness/health goals?
I want to be able to run 3miles or more without getting exhausted. I want to HAVE to buy new clothes, and I'd like to loose a lot of body fat, replaced with lean muscle tissue

*What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
I just remember growing up and my mom was constantly on diets, slim fast, south beach, nutrisystem, atkins, you name it, she's probably tried it. i always heard her look in the mirror and say my thighs are fat, my stomach's fat i wish this i wish that, and i remember looking in the mirror and mimicking that, and i started believing it. as a child i was a little chubby, and i remember after i moved to a new city ,riding my bike around, (there are these nice trails where i live), and i was probably 12 or 13, and some kid ran alongside me on the street when i was on the trail, calling me fat, over and over again. needless to say, i cried and cried. i went through eating disorders, yo-yoing up and down on my weight, i'm here now to not do this quickly, but to do this right and adopt good eating habits

*What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
not going to the gym! or skipping meals

*What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
-go to the gym as often as i can!
-no skipping meals
-no snack junk foods

*(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
hmm i want to look better than this friend of mine! wow that does sound evil

*What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
shorts, tank tops, A BIKINI

Hi Everyone,
I've been reading and decided to introduce myself. I am a mother of 4 boys.
I've been calorie counting since August 1 and have been pretty successful with a loss of 21 pounds. I have 50 more to go... but off to a good start.

Every night when I am tempted to eat more I read this forum instead!

So thank you all for great reading and encouragement.

*Screen Name: clewles81

*Age/Age Range: 27

*Family Life: I have a husband and a soon to be three year old boy

*Occupation: I work part-time in the ER 3rd shift every other weekend

*Hobbies and Interests: I love decorating my home and researching things on the internet.

*Favorite Music: I love all kinds of music pop, rap, dance, techno, country,
80s...all of it!

*Favorite Color(s): red

*Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I really dont' have a favorite exercise but I walk on the treadmill and do a taebo video

*What are your fitness/health goals? To be able to stay active with my little boy.

*What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I guess it was when the doctor told my mom that she was a diabetic and that she could try and control it with exercise and diet but the damaged was done and one day she WILL have to take medicine to control it no matter how healthy she will be. I don't want to cause damage like that to my body and want to try and get healthy before its to late.

*What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I struggle with exercise routine and staying on diet

*What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
Control, Self Esteem, Will Power

*(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : A co-worker

*What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Anything thats not in the "plus size" department

Screen Name: healtheeme

Age/Age Range: 39

Family Life: Married with 3 young kids.

Occupation: Work at home Mom; own my own business (commercial and technical writing)

Hobbies and Interests: reading, journaling, hiking (pre-kids, haven't done it much since having them!)

Favorite Music:classic rock

Favorite Color(s): purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: The Firm DVDs - I do a 12 week rotation using the DVDs

What are your fitness/health goals? To lose the last 22 pounds leftover from having kids; To become strong, fit and healthy

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? For exercise, it was just one day where I couldn't stand the jiggling feeling of my body anymore. For weight loss, it's just being so darned tired of having clothes that are too tight, and finally having to admit to myself that exercise alone is not helping me lose weight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating/snacking too much. I don't deal well at all with feeling even the slightest bit hungry.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Not eating empty calories, not eating whenever food is within eyesight, and eating fewer sweets!

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? ????

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Jeans - and having them be loose and comfortable.

Screen Name: RangerChic

Age/Age Range: 30

Family Life: single, with 3 birdies

Occupation: Manager Trainee & Freekance Writer

Hobbies and Interests: writing, photography, reading, working out

Favorite Music: rock & pop mostly

Favorite Color(s): blue & black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking, biking, BL workout videos

What are your fitness/health goals? to lose weight and be healthier, eat cleaner

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? seeing myself in a photo from last month, yicks!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? eating within my calorie limits and making sure I workout 5 days a week

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? more variety in my eating, more protein, working out more often

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : than me right now!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? "skinny" jeans - I have a pair of jeans that I wore for like one summer when I was 150 and I want to wear them again

-Shannon

Screen Name: pittypatty

Age: 47

Family Life: Married, 1 grown son (24), 2 beautiful grandbabies, 5 & 2 and the cutest little yorkie in the world - Maggie

Occupation: Self employed

Hobbies & Interests: I'm always on my computer !! lol

Fav Music: Country, southern rock, oldies, I have a very wide range really

Fav Color: pink

Fav Exercise workouts: Leslie Sansone hands down and I also love the George Foreman walking ones

Fitness Goals: I started at 195.8 and I'de like to be 130 by May. 120 would be awesome !! I'm at 175.8 as of Oct 12, 2008

The trigger : A few things actually. I got to the point that when I went to bed at night I was having trouble breathing. Scary. Also my sister inlaw had the lapband procedure done in June. (Thats a story in itsself and it would probably sound petty of me to get into it. lol) Then at church a few months back, a friend of mine gave me a picture she had took of me while at a church function. Wow, talk about an awakening !!! I cried and cried over that pic.

Struggle with: Cheating when I know I shouldn't and exercising like I should.

3 Improvements: Not cheating as much, exercising more and not being so obsessed with the scale

Evil Motivation: Looking better than my sister inlaw who had the lap band !!

What can I not wait to wear: Cute "little" dresses

Screen Name: MsMia

Age/Age Range: mid 30s

Family Life: Engaged, 2 toddlers

Occupation: SAHM/Grad Student/Budding Business Owner

Hobbies and Interests: Weightloss, Fitness, Nutrition, Crafting, Reading, Cooking

Favorite Music: R&B, Gospel, Christian, Disney Songs

Favorite Color(s): Purple (all variations)

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Dance Cardio

What are your fitness/health goals? To get down to 120s, be a better role model for my kids and get them to eat better and love to exercise

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Standing on the scale and seeing that I weigh as much as I did when I was nine months pregnant and my mom being diagnose with diabetes a couple of months ago

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating right and finding time to workout

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Portion control, sweets, and liquid candy

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I just want to look so good that everyone will not believe that is me and be an example for my daughter and a sexy vixen for my man

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? My wedding dress

Screen Name:
eilla but call me Allie
Age/Age Range:
26
Family Life:
SAHM to one 15month old son
Occupation:
SAHM
Hobbies and Interests:
Scrapbooking, reading, playing with my son
Favorite Music:
Anything but gospel/christian
Favorite Color(s):
Green
Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
treadmill and weights
What are your fitness/health goals?
To loose 50lbs and be in overall better shape inside and out
What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
My son, I want to be able to enjoy his childhood
What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
following through, im the type of person who will do something hard core for a few months and then just stop out of boredom.
What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
Portion size, intensity of workouts,eating more veggies
(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
a few of my friends
What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
smaller jeans and a smaller bra

Screen Name:Inspired by you

Age/Age Range: 39

Family Life: married, 3 grown step kids one 4 yo son mine and dh

Occupation:just moved, not working yet, but looking

Hobbies and Interests: television, i love it, bad i know; reading, crime stories and stephen king; and my new hobbie, exercise, i love it!

Favorite Music:rock, alternative, classic rock

Favorite Color(s):green, black

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: everything at Curves for Women. the whole routine is mindless. I can do it and not feel like a lost idiot.

What are your fitness/health goals? i would love to go to a regular gym and not feel like an idiot. i want more than what i think Curves can offer, but time will tell. I would also like to run a marathon, if only a half thats better than nothing.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I believe I owe it all to my skinny young neighbor. We both recently moved across the street from each other (she moved in 4 days after I did). we met through our kids, at the park. we started hanging out together and she asked if i wanted to go to curves with her and at first i said i couldnt afford it. I went home that night and told DH about the conversation and he asked why I couldnt afford it. I didnt have an answer. I'm just use to saying that (another one of those habits that are hard to break)...lol...so i joined curves with her and i felt great and wanted to see results from all the hard work i was doing so i started trying to eat better ( i say trying cause i'm still not sure what i'm doing and whats good and whats not). now the pounds are coming off. I just started September 22 so my first official measure and weigh is wednesday so we'll see but so far its looking good. (that was long, i'm sorry)

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? still certain foods that i get a whiff of and crave. Not sure if i'm eating enough or of the right amounts of everything.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? i need to learn how to eat properly and how to count calories. I'm doing better but still have no idea what i'm doing.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : never really thought about it. but maybe my young skinny neighbor with a body fat of 13.6. hahaha...maybe not...

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? all the cute tops that are out there...they seem to make all the tops fitted these days and i sure cant wear those, so big t shirts and sweat shirts it is

age: in 2 months I will be the big 30 yuk.
Family: I have an awesome husband with three step kids.
Occupation: I obviously am a nurse.
Hobbies and interest: I love to read and clean.
Music: This is changing. I am starting to really like country.
Favorite color: pink and purple.
Favorite exercise: I really don't have one.
Health/ fitness goals: To not get out of breath so easily
What was the "trigger" to making me decide to lose weight? My brothers upcoming wedding.
(evil motivation) Who do you want to look better than? Fergie & the cute girls I work with!
What can you not wait to wear when you are at your goal weight or size?
Anything not in the plus size. I want to look great as a bridesmade!!!