Screen Name: chickadee32

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: My husband and two cats, and we're trying to conceive

Occupation: Genetics research

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, travel, cooking and baking

Favorite Music: Oh, I guess it tends to be somewhat alternative rock, plus a little bit of modern folk.

Favorite Color(s): I honestly don't know. Blue and green?

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Ha! I'm liking the treadmill right now.

What are your fitness/health goals? Lose weight. Get healthier. Get in shape. Be able to run, even though I presently hate running. Be thin enough to try yoga or pilates. Be healthy enough to conceive and have a pregnancy without complications.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Realizing that the primary reason I've been unable to get pregnant is my weight.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Figuring out a healthy balance. Eating less food and giving up favorite foods isn't bothering me; the fact that I'm afraid to eat right now is.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I think my calories are too low right now, and I need to up them a little. In terms of exercise, I need to improve my stamina. And I need to find ways to make healthy meals that my husband will actually enjoy (I'm fine with what I'm cooking, but I think my "diet meals" are beginning to bug him).

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: There's not anyone, really. I want to look better than I have the past 15 years.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I want to wear something that shows my knees without being embarrassed!

Screen Name:SlimchickAge/Age Range: 36

Family Life: married no kids

Occupation: dentist

Hobbies and Interests: reading, singing, tennis weight loss

Favorite Music: i usually like whats popular

Favorite Color(s): blues and greens

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I enjoy Zumba , kick boxing and weight training

What are your fitness/health goals? lose 50lbs

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I hate seeing my self in picture now. and I hate how my clothes fit so tight ove my lumps and bumps.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Eating the right things

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to stop making excuses for eating the wrong things.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : My husbands ex wife!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? a bikini

Screen Name: dayna320

Age/Age Range: 31

Family Life: non exsistant

Occupation: also non exsistant...

Hobbies and Interests: i'm crafty. lately i've been knitting and crocheting a lot. my wee little doggies.

Favorite Music: punk, or alternative type stuff

Favorite Color(s): pink and blue and brown or any combination there of.

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking the dogs. it's about all i can manage at this point.

What are your fitness/health goals?: i'd like to be able to go hiking again. i really enjoy it i'm just not in any shape to do it. weight wise 140 would be spectacular. i don't think i've been 140 since the 7th grade. 170 would be ok too. i remember 170 and i felt pretty good.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?: i was forced to buy a second seat on an air plane....

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? sticking to it when out with others and they are buying.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? what don't i need to improve? i need to eat less, and eat better, and i need to move around a bit.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : no one comes to mind. i just want to look like a better me.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? dresses, skirts, cute sweaters...

Screen Name: Runic

Age/Age Range: 26

Family Life: Long-term boyfriend, 3 cats

Occupation: Web Marketer/Graphic Designer/Writer

Hobbies and Interests: Art, drawing, reading, movies

Favorite Music: Little bit of everything. Fav band is The Hush Sound

Favorite Color(s): Blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Dancing, walking

What are your fitness/health goals? Improve overall health, eat healthy food, exercise regularly and get to a normal weight.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Which time? Haha. Seriously, I have a birthday coming up and I don't want to be over 200 lbs at age 27.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Binge eating and injuries from a recent car accident.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to stick with it for more than a few months at a time. I also need to stay focused on my long term goals and get over the fact that this isn't about instant gratification.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than?: Myself right now. Okay and also my ex.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Nothing. I can't wait to be comfortable in my own skin.

Screen Name:samantha0992

Age/Age Range:18

Family Life:live at home with mom/dad sister/brother/nephew, have boyfriend no kids

Occupation:cashier

Hobbies and Interests:I love shopping, traveling, and researching

Favorite Music:dont have favorite i love all genres

Favorite Color(s)urple<3

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: jullian michaels 30 day shred

What are your fitness/health goals?i would like to lose 60 lbs

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
about two years ago i had went from 200 lbs to 170 and was comfotable with my weight but now i have gained back all the weight i lost and am now at 205 lbs being heavier then before. i was triggered to lose weight again when i noticed i was not excited for a shopping spree or waking up to dress up cute anymore which for me was a serious wake up call that i was not happy or comfortable with my weight gain...because getting dress was the best part of my day for me b4.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
eating less and staying away from the junk i was raised around it and its hard for me to stay away uggh pathetic.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
cut calories down, excersise more, stay motivated
(Evil motivatition)- boyfriend's ex girlfriend

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
sexy designer bikini

Screen Name:samantha0992

Age/Age Range:18

Family Life:live at home with mom/dad sister/brother/nephew, have boyfriend no kids

Occupation:cashier

Hobbies and Interests:I love shopping, traveling, and researching

Favorite Music:dont have favorite i love all genres

Favorite Color(s)urple<3

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: jullian michaels 30 day shred

What are your fitness/health goals?i would like to lose 60 lbs

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?
about two years ago i had went from 200 lbs to 170 and was comfotable with my weight but now i have gained back all the weight i lost and am now at 205 lbs being heavier then before. i was triggered to lose weight again when i noticed i was not excited for a shopping spree or waking up to dress up cute anymore which for me was a serious wake up call that i was not happy or comfortable with my weight gain...because getting dress was the best part of my day for me b4 and most importantly i can actually feel a change in my health and that sicks

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
eating less and staying away from the junk i was raised around it and its hard for me to stay away uggh pathetic.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
cut calories down, excersise more, stay motivated
(Evil motivatition)- boyfriend's ex girlfriend

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
sexy designer bikini

Screen Name: lostangel05

Age/Age Range: 24

Family Life: single mother of 2 young boys

Occupation: none

Hobbies and Interests: music, movies

Favorite Music:a variety

Favorite Color(s):the colors of the ocean...blues and greens

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: dance

What are your fitness/health goals? Return to 135 pounds and have a healthy bmi

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? New years...just didn't want to waste another year

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

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? better selection of healthy foods, less processed foods, longer workouts

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : ex's gf

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? shorts...skirts...swimsuit!!

Screen Name: SweetSheila

Age/Age Range: 28

Family Life: Married with four kiddos, ages 11, 8, 6, 4

Occupation: homemaker

Hobbies and Interests: Books, History, Worldview, games, singing, dancing

Favorite Music: Christian

Favorite Color(s):green

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: I just started Jillian's 30 day shred. Going to work up to P90X.

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to get to 130, 135

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I am tired of being lazy, tired of having mood swings from the food I was eating. I lost 50 lbs on Ideal Protein and gained 30 back. I want to be in shape and be able to play with my kids. Just basically sick and tired of being sick and tired

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? laziness, sweets

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Watching what I eat, getting exercise in, and drinking lots of water

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : LOL....I really have nobody I want to look better than.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I can't wait to try on a pair of lucky jeans.

There is this moderator here who is harping on me to post (LOL Love you! ) so I figured this was the best way to start out with something other than gathering advice.

Screen Name: manders01

Age/Age Range: 32

Family Life: Single as they come....errrrrr

Occupation: Small business owner of a light lunch catering business and an interior design firm

Hobbies and Interests: Watching football and baseball, crocheting, cooking, cards and games, camping

Favorite Music: Classic rock

Favorite Color(s): Pink

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Long walks around City Park lake

What are your fitness/health goals? I've already lost 105 pounds, looking to lose about 15 more. Maybe. Very happy with how my body is looking now so don't know if I'll keep going.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Realizing that I loved a guy and wanting to make myself better for him. So the dorkiest reason. It's for me now.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Not inhaling everything I see.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? An ability to go to a party / holiday dinner and not eat everything in sight, an ability not to go on a huge guilt trip when I don't have a perfect day and to be motivated to start lifting weights.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : Hmmm, honestly never thought about it.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? I'd love to get into a bikini someday!

Screen Name: Sanya 77


Age/Age Range: 33


Family Life: married


Occupation: housewife and full time student


Hobbies and Interests: spirituality discussions ,meditation


Favorite Music: shabads and bhajans(Indian religious songs/prayers)


Favorite Color(s): blue


Favorite Exercise/Workouts: yoga


What are your fitness/health goals? drop 30 lbs


What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?


My sister-in-law taunted in front of everyone I have big belly.
What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? portion control, calcium and protein intake


(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : my same sister-in law

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Dress I had kep hoping someday I'll fit in it.
__________________

Screen Name: Lantana

Age/Age Range: 59

Family Life: Divorced, live alone. One adult daughter in a state far away from here

Occupation: Librarian in a public library. I love my job!

Hobbies and Interests: Sewing and crafty things, reading and books, surfing the Internet and occasionally adding to its content (my little blog and a couple of forums I hang out in).

Favorite Music: I adore most kinds of music, rock, pop, tejano, jazz, Latina, polka, most “world” music. Truth is, almost anything with accordions in it.

Favorite Color(s): greens, browns, oranges

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: None. No favorite, I don’t care for any of them. But I can make myself walk sometimes.

What are your fitness/health goals? It’s really not good for my heart, feet or knees to carry around this bag of fighting shoats that is my butt/gut. My goal is to have a balanced body, not one that is proportionately bottom heavy.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I saw myself sitting in a folding chair from behind. Ugh BEHIND being the scary part.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? Laziness. I like veggies but I don’t want to prepare them. I like the idea of walking, but sitting down in front of the computer or TV or with a book is so much easier.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? I need to eat way more veggies, cut out the evil “whites” (white flour, sugar). Get at least the minimum amount of exercise to keep my bones and joints working well together.

(Evil motivation) Who do you want to look better than?: Anyone else my age. Tall order, I know. (Now if you had asked me 6 years ago it would have been my husband's mistress. Did I mention I'm divorced?)

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Pants that fit rather than pants that fit *around* me when I’m sitting. Oh, and sundresses.

Screen Name: spunkystar01

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: Getting married in April!

Occupation: Admin Assistant

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, movies, hikes

Favorite Music: Trance, Electronic, lady gaga, britney spears

Favorite Color(s): Purples and pinks

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Treadmill and yoga

What are your fitness/health goals? I would like to be able to Run 5km

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? I saw a picture of me, and I was completely shocked at how big I had let myself become. No more pictures looking like that!

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? I struggle to curb my cravings for just one "little" snack..bc it never stays a little snack!

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? Right now everything is going smoothly

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I just want to look good in summer dresses and not be worried about covering up all the time.

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size? Shorter skirts, and sundresses and a bathing suit!

Screen Name: AllyG47

Age/Age Range: 27

Family Life: A brother & SIL who live in the next town over. I'm living with my parents until I can get my business up and running.

Occupation: Freelance Writer/Internet Marketer

Hobbies and Interests: camping, music festivals (Bonnaroo!), concerts (huge Bob Dylan fan), NASCAR (Jeff Gordon fan), football (Go Vikes!)

Favorite Music: I like just about any kind of music. My favorite band in the past year has been The Avett Brothers. Bob Dylan is my hero and I have seen him in concert 6 times in the last 4 years. The only music I don't like is rap, electronic and country but I even like some bands of those generes. In rap, I like Eminem and Jay-Z (saw him in concert last year - amazing!). Can't think of any electronic music bands I like. In country, I like Loretta Lynn, Kris Kristopherson, Merle Haggard, Oak Ridge Boys, Garth Brooks, Diamond Rio and a few others. It's mostly new county that I don't like. I also don't really like pop music - can't stand Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and that annoying little boy that everyone talks about. I attend the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival every year where I get to see hundreds of bands in a few days. It's like being in heaven.

Favorite Color(s): Blue, Purple

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: Jillian's 30 Day Shred, treadmill - I want to buy an elliptical but I don't know where I would put it.

What are your fitness/health goals?

I want to be able to run a marathon. I'm thinking of signing up for a 10K next October. That would give me 8 months to train for it.

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit?

I booked a cruise for next November. It goes to Grand Cayman, Cozmel, Belize and Isla Roatan. My dream has been to try scuba diving. I would love to do it on this cruise but I don't know if I'll be in good enough shape. I would also be embarrassed to be in a swimsuit. I'm hoping to lose 40-50 lbs before the cruise.

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

I always lose motivation when I eat healthy and workout yet the scale doesn't move. I get into the "why bother" mindset and end up falling off the wagon. I started this journey on January 15. Last week, I didn't lose any weight and this weekend, pigged out because I was so frustrated. I'm back on track now and have to remember that just because the scale doesn't move doesn't mean I'm not losing weight. Scales have been known to lie.

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

1. I mean to exercise every day but I don't. I need to work on a morning routine that includes exercise. This would help make exercise a habit.

2. I can't figure out how many calories I need each day. I did 1200 calories/day the first two weeks and lost 10 lbs. The third week, I also ate 1200 calories/day and I gained weight (and it's not TOM). I don't know why I gained because I didn't eat anything salty before I weighed in. I feel like I'm eating too much food on 1200 calories and I struggle to get above 1,000 calories. I'm worried about eating more calories - if I'm struggling to eat 1,200 calories how am I going to get to 1,400.

3. I sit on my butt all day in a comfy recliner while I work on the laptop. I need to get up and walk around every hour.

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

I want to join a dating site and I want to look better than all the women on the site so I could get some dates.

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

A cute sundress. I found the perfect dress a few years ago at Kohl's. It was a black and white polka dot dress that went just below the knees and it had a halter top. I don't think Kohl's sells it anymore but I would love to be able to wear a dress like that.

Screen Name: 4castles

Age/Age Range: 43

Family Life:
Wife to high school sweetheart for 23 years, have 14 year old daughter & 3 year old son and sweet Shih Tzu puppy named Zoey

Occupation:
Stay at home mom, homemaker & homeschool teacher

Hobbies and Interests:
Reading, crafts of all kinds, remaking junk into something wonderful, shopping at thrift stores & dumpster diving, anything using power tools, cookings, sewing, camping and spending time with my family

Favorite Music:
Disco and any music from the 70's and 80's, classic rock, country, and Southern Gospel music (my husband sings in a gospel quartet)

Favorite Color(s): Red

Favorite Exercise/Workouts:
Hmmm, Eating? Is that exercise??? LOL
I guess I'd have to say walking (when I actually did it) and I do love to dance
although I don't do it much.

What are your fitness/health goals? walking without being out of breath, just being healthier and in better shape

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? Saw a picture of myself and was apalled at my double chin. I've been unhappy about my weight for a while, but I'm sick of never having energy and never looking good in my clothes.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health?
Having energy to exercise and wanting to eat all the time.

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve?
1. Stop eating junk
2. Reduce portion sizes
3. Making time to exercise even if it's only walking.

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? :
Me, like I am right now. I want my sexy back!

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
A bathing suit that doesn't make look like a beached whale! Sexy lingerie and something sleeveless and have toned arms.

Screen Name: kleemandy

Age/Age Range: 33 34 next month

Family Life: almost 2 year old boy and a husband who works his tail off for us

Occupation: SAHM

Hobbies and Interests: I love scrapbooking and anything that has to do with the outdoors

Favorite Music: most music, favorite is country

Favorite Color(s): Blue

Favorite Exercise/Workouts: walking, jogging, swimming and riding bikes

What are your fitness/health goals? losing 50lbs, not being out of breath walking up a set of stairs, eating healthy so my family will also

What was the "trigger" or incident that made you decide it was time to lose weight and become more fit? never looked at my self naked in a full lenght mirror and what a shocker, knees started to hurt and we want one more child and I didn't take the weight off from the last one.

What do you struggle with the most on this journey to health? how easy it was putting it on and how hard it is to get it off

What are three things in the area of diet/exercise you need to improve? not eating carbs as much, need more vegetables

(Evil motivation ) Who do you want to look better than? : I don't want to look better than someone else, I just want to look better than I do now

What can you not wait to wear when you are at goal weight or size?
I am not sure but I asked my husband if I could have $1000.00 just to go crazy on some new clothes. I love my husband!