First name (if you want to tell): Danielle

Geographical location: New York

Age: 20 but 21 april 29 (yay)

Marital Status: single and living with my parents lol

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: full time college student/ part time bank teller

Pets: one cat named Twinkie (i love him he's awsome lol)

Hobbies/Interests: shopping, listening to music, watching movies, going out with my friends and having a few crazy times, makeup, Tv etc..

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: green/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Since my childhood but this time around January but i really started commiting to it 100% in Feb

Starting Weight: 261

Present Weight: 246

Goal Weight: 154 ( losest i've ever been) and eventually in the really long run 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I love junk food. I am also a picker, i pick and pick at food as if those calories im consuming don't count..just because i didn't eat the cookie all at once doesn't mean the calories don't exsist. I am also rather lazy...forcing myself to the gym is hard but im doing it.

Following any specific plan: no just trying to excercise as much as i can and to eat healthy and watch my portion sizes.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I have kind of hit rock bottom with my weight, i feel as if something has finally come alive and i really believe im going all the way this time.

First name (if you want to tell): Jennifer

Geographical location: Texas

Age: 25

Marital Status: single living with parents

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: lead teller

Pets: Dory, a cocker spaniel puppy and Pumpkin my cat

Hobbies/Interests: watching movies, tennis, relaxing at home, shopping

Height: 5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 17th, 08

Starting Weight: 220

Present Weight: 217

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: changing my lifestyle. I was never a breakfast person and when I was it pretty much consisted of some fast food breakfast. Dinner 9 out of 10 times was also fast food. Another hurdle would be overcoming temptation. I am surrounded by sodas!

Following any specific plan: No just staying away from fast food and sodas. Adding fruits and veggies to my diet and going easy on the carbs.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: My sis and mom had a good talk with me in a motivating way.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Yeah, how do you add a signature?

First name (if you want to tell): Sarah

Geographical location: Ohio

Age: 21

Marital Status: Engaged

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Communications

Pets: I have a sweet Sheltie

Hobbies/Interests: reading, tv, spending time with family, volunteering, and just relaxing when I don't have to be at work or school...

Height: 5'4"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/dark brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: This newest endeavor...March 21, 2008...although I'm seriously considering a last big hurrah tonight with chocolate chip cookies...

Starting Weight: 222

Present Weight: 222

Goal Weight: I would be so effin' happy at 170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Not grazing...I am constantly eating. I do it to be social, I do it when I'm sad, (I can't remember what movie this is from....but I empathize with "I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat")...but then again, I eat when I'm happy too!

Following any specific plan: I just signed up for Weight Watchers online.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've only just started this time...but hopefully it will look like the time I lost 60 lbs...but this time I will keep the weight off...and feel good about myself!!!

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm just really glad to be a part of this support structure!

First name (if you want to tell): Jennifer

Geographical location: North Carolina

Age: 28

Marital Status: single b/c of my weight mostly I think

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: Promotions

Pets: None But I love, love, love animals, especially ogs

Hobbies/Interests: shopping, going to the movies, reading, watching tv, going out with my friends.

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: green/dark brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Pretty much my whole life, I remember having to shop for women's sizes when I was in 5th grade. It was pretty embarassing. Even now I hate to eat around my skinny friends or tell them what size I wear.

Starting Weight: 251

Present Weight: 238

Goal Weight: 160

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I have such a sweet tooth. My favorite food is ice cream which right away should tell you something. I have major cravings and ZERO self control. I do love veggies, fruits and good for you food. But I would LOVE to be able to balance it with all that bad stuff! I guess I just wasn't blessed with that metabolism. I'm also very busy at work and end up eating a lot on the go and at fast food places.

Following any specific plan: Beverly Hills Weight Loss and Wellness for now

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I'm almost 30, I haven't had a boyfriend or a date in SIX YEARS! I want to get married and have a family someday and I want to be healthy!

Hi all,

I tried everything else and I think that all I need is support - a diet buddy.
This is my first time on here.

First name (if you want to tell): Karen

Geographical location: Reston, VA

Age: 28

Marital Status: live with fiance

Children/Ages: My son Jayden (4 months this month)

Occupation: Realtor

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: Taking care of my son, traveling with my husband, cooking, singing, going out with friends

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: dk brown (or green with contacts)/ black

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 24, 2008

Starting Weight: 206

Present Weight: 206

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: My fiance loves to eat and he is a big guy. It is hard (and expensive) to cook two separate meals plus to be nice he likes to buy me treats.

Following any specific plan: Cut back on calorie intake and walk instead of using elevator, parking further away and cutting out sodas.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I always tried the easy way out like diet pills but now I want to do something that will last long term.

Anything else you would like to share with us: Nope just wish me luck!

Hi.

First name (if you want to tell): Jes

Geographical location: NE

Age: 21

Marital Status: Living with boyfriend.

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student/Librarian

Pets: 2 kitties. How I love them. :P

Hobbies/Interests: Reading books of all kinds, Doing absolutely nothing, Watching movies

Height: about 5'8"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Confused

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March something

Starting Weight: 196

Present Weight: 196

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Picking. I pick at everything. My boyfriend likes junk food so it's always there.

Following any specific plan: Right now, I'm just working on getting in better habits. I'm looking at different plans trying to find one.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I honestly don't know. I'm just done with the way I am. I'm actively trying to find ways to help myself (for example: joining this site)

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm going to do it this time. :P

First name (if you want to tell): Elizabeth

Geographical location: Nebraska

Age: 24

Marital Status: Very happily married

Children/Ages: None yet

Occupation: Waitress

Pets: 2 cats, they're litter-mates 3 1/2 years old, Bos'n is a grey tabby and Bonden is my tuxedo man

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, classical music, singing, movies/tv, cooking, writing, doing nothing, petting my baby cats, hanging out with my wonderful hubby

Height: 5'4"-5'5"

Eye/Hair Color: hazel/too brown to be auburn, too red to be just brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I've always been "full figured" but it took a year on Birth control to make me fat - I guess it was really last week (March 17th ish) when I went shopping for dresses for a bunch of summer wedding that I decided to do something about it

Starting Weight: 210 ish (I don't own a scale)

Present Weight: same

Goal Weight: 150 ish (mostly just want to fit back into my old size and all my clothes)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I love food, I love to cook, I refuse to use fake food (i.e. fat free cheese and sour cream, low fat margarine, artificial sweetners give me migraines, etc.) and I've gotten into bad habbits about portions.
With exercise I'm 1. lazy on top of dealing with some extreme fatigue issues 2. to poor for a gym or the like 3. not an outdoor person - too many allergies 4. I'm forgetful and spacy - I remember I meant to exercise that day around the time I'm going to bed

Following any specific plan: indoor walking (Leslie Sansone) and portion awareness

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've never really tried to loose weight before - I don't have a problem with being "plus-sized" I just have to look at my genetics to know I'll never be skiny, but I've never been this heavy and I can't afford a whole new wardrobe. Were also going to try to concieve in 6 months or so, so I want to get healthy for baby time.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I'm struggling with a lot of anger towards the birth control industry and the medical profession for bringing me to this point

First name: Lauren

Geographical location: Kentucky

Age: 27

Marital Status: Very happily married!

Children/Ages: about 30, but seriously, none of my own

Occupation: Insurance and Billing Office Manager... ooooo.... LOL

Pets: Daisy - Yorkie, Nikki - White Poodle

Hobbies/Interests: Hanging with the youth, doing God's work, laughing, spending time with the hubby, reading, living.

Height: 5'6

Eye/Hair Color: dark brown/"Soft Black"

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 3/27/08

Starting Weight: 333.5

Present Weight: 333.5

Goal Weight: according to the medical world, i SHOULD weight 135 but i would be happy around 150-145 i think, but we'll see when i get there

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Exercise and not eating FF

Following any specific plan: Exchange

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I've got someone doing it with me, my husband, and we are serious about it. We want to start a family and we can't at our present state.

Lauren

First name (if you want to tell): Jess

Geographical location: CT

Age: 20

Marital Status: Boyfriend for 2 and a half years.

Children/Ages: No thanks.

Occupation: Student/retail

Pets: Dogs Timmy and Topanga. I had Sea Monkeys but they died = (

Hobbies/Interests: Music, adventuring, reading, exploring, cooking, writing etc etc.

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: Blue/right now it's red...naturally blond

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: I've been on some kind of diet since the age of 10. But I started Atkins March 26, 2008.

Starting Weight: 223

Present Weight: 220

Goal Weight: 145. Maybe 140 when I get there.

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Emotional eating and Boredom eating.

Following any specific plan: Atkins

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I just feel more committed than usual. Not to mention this diet is way easier than my normal "starvation" methods, haha.

First name (if you want to tell): Deon

Geographical location: Toronto

Age: 19

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: In the future

Occupation: Student

Pets: Tropical fish

Hobbies/Interests: reading, creative writing, music, movies, cooking, having fun with my girls

Height: 5'8

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/auburn

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Officially started Jan 25th

Starting Weight: 244

Present Weight: 224

Goal Weight: Around 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Binge eating, giving into temptation. I can't control what my mother buys

Following any specific plan: Atkins low carb

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past:Same as the above..for some reason I just feel more motivated than I ever did in the past.

First name (if you want to tell): Jessica

Geographical location: Illinois

Age: 21

Marital Status: Single

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Student

Pets: A chinchilla named Albus

Hobbies/Interests: science, dancing, learning, reading, talking very quickly, or so I am told

Height: 5'2"

Eye/Hair Color: Green/Blonde

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 26, 2008

Starting Weight: 177

Present Weight: 172

Goal Weight: 115

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: College meal plan food

Following any specific plan: Counting calories and exercising a lot

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I want to start life in the "real world" after college healthy and happy!

First name (if you want to tell): Abby

Geographical location: Kansas

Age: 26

Marital Status: engaged

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: nothing at the moment, most recently a ESL intstructor in Asia.

Pets: nope

Hobbies/Interests: movies, reading, facebook, music, dancing with friends, traveling, attempting to grow my own veggies and herbs, healthy living for the body and mind, cooking.

Height: 6'

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Feb.6/08 to be exact!

Starting Weight: 312

Present Weight: 280

Goal Weight: 180

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I have been away from my Fiance for a few months and whenever I feel down or miss him I want to binge on unhealthy carbs and sugar. I've have been trying to go out and excersize when I feel down, or eat something healthy when I feel like conforting myself.

Following any specific plan: I started off just trying to be healthy in gerneral, educating myself on vitamins, and what my body needs, finding out healthy recipes because I love to cook. I came acrossed the GI diet and mainly stick to that now.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Im seroius this time. I realize that I want to be healthy, I want to live long and feel good! Just something clicked one day and I knew it was time and that I meant it!!

First name (if you want to tell): Amy

Geographical location: Arizona

Age: 26

Marital Status: married

Children/Ages: None

Occupation: Manager

Pets: kitty cat

Hobbies/Interests: hockey, cars, suns basketball

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: april 1st

Starting Weight: 170

Present Weight: 170

Goal Weight: 150

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: going to the gym

Following any specific plan: Gym 4/5 times a week. eat healthy.

First name (if you want to tell): orthodiva

Geographical location: currently south, but going back north in 1.25 years!

Age: 28

Marital Status: single, long-distance bf of 3.5 years

Children/Ages: someday, but not yet

Occupation: a small part of a large medical center

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: writing, reading, cooking

Height: 5'6"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/black with increasing strands of white

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: March 2, 2008

Starting Weight: 155

Present Weight: 147

Goal Weight: 135

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I have lots. I live far away from everyone I know, so when I feel lonely I'm tempted to get takeout. When I do see my boyfriend, he loves taking me to fancy restaurants and insists on ordering appetizers, entrees, desserts, wine and then going out for cocktails afterwards - those are never low calorie weekends! I am in a department where we often have big luncheons. I get bored with excercise. I have issues with portion control. My friends always want to socialize at restaurants.

Following any specific plan: eating food I make at home 95% of the time, cutting back on calories, being stricter about portion control, actually going to the gym and upping the cardio while there

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: I bought a pedometer to keep me engaged in constantly tracking and increasing the number on it. I live in a walkable community, I've began to take full advantage of it such as by walking to the supermarket and carrying my groceries home. I am learning to cook my favorite restaurant foods at home. If I am really craving something bad to eat, I have to walk myself to the restaurant to buy it - no driving! I've also began engaging myself in the gym and reading more and this has helped decrease the lonely feelings. I've starting running a tiny bit, never done that before.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I hate that our society is so unhealthy - building communities without sidewalks, being forced to drive everywhere, out of control portions at restaurants, constant advertising of unhealthy foods and glamourizing unrealistic celebrity diet behaviors.

First name (if you want to tell): Tara

Geographical location: Michigan

Age: 27

Marital Status: Almost Divorced...

Children/Ages: 2 year old girl

Occupation: Bilingual Support Technician(Korean)

Pets: None

Hobbies/Interests: reading, watching tv(when my daughter is sleeping), internet, movies....and hopefully work out will be added soon.

Height: 5'7"

Eye/Hair Color: black/black with highlights. hehe

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Well...lifetime...like Megan. But this determined journey started on 03/10/2008

Starting Weight: 202 (at gym on 03/10/2008...but it was 208 when I measured at home the same day..blah)

Present Weight: I haven't weighed since then..as 04/10/2008 is my official weigh-in.

Goal Weighthe ultimate goal is 130...

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: I'm not good at sticking with things... so actually sticking to working out, and sticking to watching how, what, and how much I eat...would be the biggest hurdle to overcome. Also desserts... whew...

Following any specific plan: Mix and match..? Curves, Transfirmation, Paul McKenna diet..

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: This time, I'm actually trying to change my life style, not just trying to lose weight.

Anything else you would like to share with us: I can get depressed sometimes because I'm from Korea, don't really have family member here or friends...and it can be difficult time to time..especially when the ex left me for really really really skinny girl while I was pregnant. But it's not him who's giving me the sad time...just not having someone to talk to makes me kinda sad. It would be nice if I get to meet someone from Michigan on here to be "friends" with, but we are in this together and hope ALL of us will be able to post Success Pics!! =)