Meet & Greet

SkinnyRuthy

Hello everyone! Why don't we take a moment to get to know each other! Feel free to share whatever you'd like but keep it clean and keep it kind.
My name is Ruthy. I just turned 30 in January! I've been overweight since I had my 1st son 10 years ago. I just had my 2nd son 8 months ago and am so super determined to finally shed all of this weight. Before I got pregnant with him, I was motivated as well and dropped from 187 to 164. I am currently 177.8lbs and looking to get down around the 130s. All of my "family" on myfitnesspal has been a wonderful motivating tool and has kept me honest and real. I'm a stay at home mom to my 8mo old baby boy and I have two other children, my son who will be 9 in April and my step-daughter who is 10! My husband of 2 years is a wonderful blessing from God and I love him with my whole heart. Life is busy, fun, and challenging, but each day is a new chance to seize the opportunity to be healthy, fit, and happy!
If you need a friend, feel free to add me. I love motivation and when I'm not bouncing a baby on my hip or running my kids around from one place to the next, I'm motivating others as well!!
Your turn!!!! :happy:

PietrosMom

Hi Ruthy, sounds like you have a great support system with family, friends, and social network friends. Congrats on the newest addition to your family. My name is Isabella and I was dxed about 3 weks ago with 276 cholesterol and prehypertension. I was shocked as my BMI is 23 and I have not even hit 40. I am scared as heart disease runs in the family (although always has been a male thing before). Anyway, I joined this site and DietBet to try to get my BMI to 20 in hopes it will help me avoid meds. I have a 6yr old and a wonderful hubby to stick around for, so I must do this. Flame me if you see I ate anything bad, lol... I love cheese and chips to the point of obsession.

SkinnyRuthy

Hello Isabella---nothing like the state of our health to get us back on track, right? I'm glad you are working towards being healthier and not just "accepting your fate" so to speak. Good for you!!! I will help as much as I can to be a good friend and help motivate you to make wise choices. I need the same sort of encouragement myself

Brenda1636

Hello everyone!! My name is Brenda and I've been on a weight loss journey since 2007. I was always a little on the heavier side growing up. I was picked on and teased a lot on the bus rides to school or by a boy who lived down the street from me. I danced for a bit part of my life (tap and jazz). I always was one of the girls getting the biggest size costume. As I got older and I stopped being so active the weight easily came on. I went to college, started working at McDonald's and slowly put on weight. I do not blame McDonald's for my weight at all because I was constantly on my feet when I was there. Sure I ate there on my breaks but it was the sitting around the rest of the day or long nights working on projects. I am sure it contributed a little but I don't think it contributed that much. I was a size 20 by the time I left McDonald's for my internship. After I graduated I continued to work as an intern and then got my first real job. I would literally do nothing after work. I would go to work, go home and take a nap till dinner was done, eat, lay down again, get up to watch some shows, and go to sleep by 10. I went back to school for my graduate degree and it just got worse. I put on more weight and got up to a 22. Finally I needed to change something

I ordered one of the Paula Abdul dance fitness videos and started doing it in the basement. I had a little collection and I would do it every day after school. I lost about 30 pounds in 5 months. I decided to join a gym near by. It was women's only. I lost about another 30 pounds before school got crazy and I had to take some time off. But I kept that weight off and when I went back I was able to lose about 20 more.

When I moved out on my own, was when I stopped losing weight. I still went to the gym often. Three years ago, we moved 1.5 hours away from my hometown and I kept my job in my hometown. So it is lots of travel back and forth, but I do stay with my parent's often so I don't have to travel as much. I started losing weight slowly again and then I needed foot surgery. I put on a few pounds and until the beginning of this year, I hadn't lost anything. I gained about 12 pounds back that whole time. I've taken about 10 of them off this year! I am feeling great and ready to do more. I really plan on buckling down with this diet bet! I have to lose about 8 pounds. It will be a challenge but I know I can do it.

dparent01

Hello to all the MFP and DietBet folks. My name is Debbie. I am 48 years young. My journey to weight loss has been a long time coming. I met my husband about 8 years ago and when we started dating, I started gaining. We were living in the DC metro area and we ate out a lot. We worked long hours and did not feel like exercising or cooking when we got home.

Last June we moved back to his home state of Maine and life is now good. He was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and I'm overweight. So we decided it was time to make the healthy lifestyle changes. We are cooking at home more often, watching our sodium intake and I'm losing weight ... what could be more exciting?

I will be beginning my third DietBet challenge and I'm super excited to get underway. The challenges have kept me on track and motivated. I have met some amazing and inspiring folks here on MFP and DietBet.

I hope that we can all continue to inspire and encourage each other on our own personal journeys.

Anyone can feel free to add me to their friends list so long as you are willing to be open and honest. :flowerforyou:

freshstart925

Hi, everyone. My name is also Brenda. I'm 49 years old. I can't believe I will be turning 50 this year!!! I feel way too young for what I picture as 50 I have two children, ages 10 and 12. I live in a small town and travel to different areas for work, usually within an hour's drive. I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life, but am at the heaviest I've ever been. In July 2009, my stepson was in an automobile accident and did not survive. I had raised him since he was six and he chose to live with me rather than his parents, so his loss was devastating to all of us. Two years ago, I joined a gym and entered a biggest loser contest, which I won. It was a very strict program and afterwards, the first place I went was Dunkin Donuts! Needless to say, I gained the weight back. I also quit smoking a year ago, which added a few pounds. Six days ago, I learned from a cardiologist, after having numerous tests, that I had in the past year had a heart attack and had scar tissue damage to my heart. Thankfully, I don't need surgery. I was told I had to lose weight, exercise regularly, and eat "heart healthy". Since I have a lot to live for and my kids are way too young to lose their mom, I immediately changed my lifestyle. It's not a diet for me - I will be doing this the rest of my life (which I hope is a long one). I am adding Dietbet as another incentive for me to stay on track. I will do all I can to motivate anyone who wants it. We are all in this together!

sassyladi0404

Hi everyone! So glad to meet everyone and meet new people that share my same inspirations. It's refreshing to see the constant encouraging words and cheers for one another. This is my first dietbet and I can not wait I have already completed my initial weigh in done today.

Well I have been on this roller coaster called weight lost for a few years... Every time I believe it's coming to stop I get right back up there and back at top! So this time I want to permanently take off the weight and keep it off. I have been participating in different Bootcamps and different workout classes. I have been logging here on MFP everyday good and bad days. I purchased a bodymedia armband "Link" to help count my calories all day. This time I am holding myself accountable in different areas hoping to finally meet my goal weight of 130 lbs.

It's nice to meet you and let's keep each other accountable.

SkinnyRuthy

So glad everyone is here and doing their best to be more healthy and fit! You should all be very proud of yourselves! :flowerforyou:

Angieis123

Hi Everyone!! My name is Angie. I have a daughter who just turned 20. And husband who is wonderful to me. We have our own business . its a party rental business. We rent tents, tables chair, inflatable bouncy houses. We do all sorts of parties. From Big to small. I am also going for my certification in Yoga. And become a Yoga teacher and open up my own studio. I love to help people to reach there goals.

I gained 25 pounds 3 years ago. And can't fit my clothes and been wearing stretchy pants with a blouse. and sweater. Its been horrible. I love fashion love to look good and dress nice. And here I am in this black. And it messes with how you feel about yourself. You get up and cant push yourself. No no. I am so grateful for this DietBet Challenge and all you wonderful people who are in this with me. Lets inspire eachother. And motivate one another. We can and will do this.

Angieis123

Congrats everyone!! I was just checking out all the pounds lost in this group. Nice numbers!! Inspires me!!

jtcruise50

Hello everyone. I am excited to begin this challenge. It will be fun to be involved with all of you.

minionmama

This is awesome! Thank you for starting this group!

Sounds like many of us share the same story! I was a slightly chubby kid (looking back - I was healthy!). Knowing I was bigger than my friends made me self-conscious. Slightly bigger than my high school friends. Slightly bigger than my college roommates.

I am an emotional/stress eater BIG TIME. Not much of a binge-eater, just a Snack-arella!

Got married in January 2010 at age 31. I have two awesome stepsons who live with their mom in a different state. Had my son 16 months ago. I stay home with him and work part time from home.

After being a perpetual dieter (not many fads, mostly just trying to eat healthy and exercise) for my entire adult life, and having some success with Weight Watchers (joined 5 times), I found MFP last summer and it has changed my dieting world completely. I lost 20 lbs from July - September. Then life happened and holidays happened and cold weather stuck around, and I gained about 5 lbs back. I was given a BodyMedia Armband at the end of January, and I LOVE it. In the first 2 weeks, I lost the 5 lbs of holiday weight. Then had a minor nervous breakdown and gained it back.

As I continue to learn to deal with my stress in healthy ways (i.e. go for a walk instead of visiting the pantry), I feel very positive about my future, and I'm excited to meet new friends through our Dietbet.

Also - HUGE fan of Biggest Loser!!!

grandmacar

Hi all, it is great to read all your stories and see that we are in on this together.
I had struggled with some weight gain after having babies, but the real weight gain came when I was on peritoneal dialysis. You put sugar water into your body and I put on quite a bit of weight during that time. In 2001 I had a kidney transplant and was on a big dose of prednisone as one of my anti-rejection meds. I also injured a tendon at the same time and had to stay off my leg. It was not a good combination. lol I was up to 238 lbs. I have been working on losing weight for quite a few years now and have lost 63.8 lbs. I still have 39.2 lbs to go to my initial goal weight and needed some inspiration. I am looking forward to this DietBet game with you all. I hope we all lose our 4%. :-)

trixygirl

Hi, I'm Kim. I'm 46 and have had a weight problem for over 25 years. In 2010 I lost 48 lbs and felt great. I worked about about 2 hours a day. I injured my shoulder and kept working out until the pain was unbearable. I finally took the doctor's advice and stopped the workouts. Well, instead of slowing down, I stopped everything. All exercise and eating right. Needless to say, all the weight is back, plus a few pounds.

I travel with my work and actually live in a hotel room. I am home about 6 nights a month. I've used that for an excuse for way too long. No more excuses! I'm ready to do this.

grandmacar

Trixygirl, that would be hard to travel all the time. I am rooting for you. You can do it.

jbeard1

Hi, I'm Jennifer. I just turned 25 in January, and I'm so excited for this challenge! My husband and I live in a small apartment with two cats. I'm a full-time student looking for part-time work, and my husband works full-time and does night school. He's agreed to join along with me in this challenge, even though he didn't sign up through dietbet.

NavyMommy

Good morning!!

I'm Michelle, I'm 27 years old and this is my first Diet Bet. I am so excited to get started! I have been overweight nearly my entire life. Several years ago though I found myself losing massive amounts of weight while eating everything in site and not exercising, turns out I have Graves Disease and had to have my thyroid completely removed. Silly me didn't change my eating habits after that and my weight ballooned up and I haven't been able to get a hold on it since. I have 2 small children now (2 and 4) and need to get this weight off once and for all!!

My food diary is public, so please critique all you want. Also, I tried to add all the people I saw on DietBet as friends, but feel free to add me if I didn't

Good luck to everyone!!

elkfordian

Hi everyone - my name is Lori. I've recently retired from a job working as a industrial nurse at a coal mine. We have also moved to a small village near my husbands family. I have no children and very little family contact. I also have very few friends so it is really great to find this group.

I have always been uncomfortable with my body and has issues with abuse at the hands of a Bishop when I was around 7. I tried to hide myself I think. Around 30 I had bilateral mastectomies for cancer as well as a hysterectomyy for cancer. My body changed with every round of chemo and radiation. I flucuated between skeleton and blimp for steroids.

I need to lose about 25 lbs and learn to eat like a normal person. I really need to learn to treat myself well and exercise my body and enjoy life. My husband never sees my scars and I need to learn not to see them as well,

I look forward to walking this road with each of you and having some fun along the way.

kathydraperfitness

Hi Ya'll I am Kathy 15 years ago I weight 310 lbs. It has not been smooth but I am down about 125 lbs. I have walked 3 half marathons and hope to do some more this fall. They don't have any here in the summer because it's too hot! I need to lose another 30-40 lbs to be here I think I can be at a healthy attainable sustainable weight. I am 51 but feel 20 years younger (at least) I am certified as a personal trainer. I want to 'look' more like a trainer. My clients love me but it is difficult to get on at places not being the perfect size. My clients know I have been in their shoes. I am doing cardio along with circuit training. Planning to hit some elliptical soon. Training for some planned hikes this fall!! I have bad knees due to my former morbid obesity. Toying with the idea of the Shape Diva Dash in a few months - A women's adventure race!

nice to meet you all!

katekel84

Hi Everyone! I'm Katie, this is my first diet bet! I have struggled with it my whole life and am looking to make a permanent change! Please add me for support !

katyrudz

I'm Katy--31 yo, 3 little girls ages 6, almost4, almost1. Happily married. This is my first dietbet. Excited to earn a little cash for losing weight! I'd be working on losing it anyway, this just gives me a little push and maybe I'll lose it faster this way!