Hi Everyone. I'm Amanda and I live in Las Vegas NV. I'm almost 28 and I'm at my highest weight ever 305. I used to weigh 170 about nine years ago and I'd love to go back to that. I have two daughters who are 7 and 2 and a wonderful husband.

Howdy Y'all from "Sunny" Florida!

My name is Ginger. I am 41 and have 2 grown boys. The oldest is 29 and the baby is 20. Finally an empty nester! After having just graduated from College with an AS Degree (after 6 years of school), I decided to tackle the next big goal that I had been trying to accomplish for several several years (we won't go into how many). TO GET THIS WEIGHT OFF!

As of 1/1 I weighed 273.8 (5 pounds down from my highest of 279). My goal is to get to about 150, so have about 125 to lose. I know it isn't going to be easy (as I have tried before) but this time something in me seems different and I know this is the year to do this. I am not into exercise. I am also a picky eater which limits which "plans" I can do. Because of this, I decided to watch what I ate (foods, portions, etc), try to get up and move a little bit more.

I am approaching this like a baby learning to walk. Baby steps. Small, slow, baby steps. Little changes each month are what I have planned and am hoping to be able to meet. To look at the whole 125 pounds to lose is just too intimidating (kinda like looking in the mirror), so am making mini goals by each Holiday (Valentines, Easter, My Birthday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think that taking this smaller approach just might be the trick that I need this time.

Good luck to everyone! WE CAN DO THIS!

Hey y'all

I live in Georgia.
I am 5' 8.5" and 310lbs
I just started MFP so I haven't lost any weight yet but my goal is around 150. Not too sure about that since I don't know what I would look like at say 140 versus 160 (I am pretty tall and even the skinny women in my family have an *kitten* and thighs). My main goal is more to be fit than to be a certain weight.
In the past my main obstacles to weight loss have been hectic schedules (I just finished undergrad) and poor health. For several years I even had doctors telling me not to exercise! Apparently raising my body temp would damage my kidney's further (I was born with bad kidney's) so they thought weight gain was better but now there is new research so time to shed the weight added by 10+ years of being advised to not exercise (and a fondness for food).

Hi, I'm Ali.
I just started this on New Year's Day.

I've tried to diet before, but never stuck with anything. This time will be different!
I was chubby as a kid and teenager but then as an adult, I've just gained a little bit of weight every single year until it added up to this.

I started at my highest ever weight of 268.5.

My goal weight is anywhere from 120-160. We'll see.

My goals for this year are:
- to track my calories every day and be under my calorie target almost every day
- to exercise at least 30 minutes at least 4 days every week
- to lose at least 6 pounds each month

I like to walk on the treadmill for exercise, at least right now.
I am only weighing myself on the first of each month, otherwise I play mindgames with myself and sabotage my goals.

I am 39, married, no kids.

I also have goals to read at least 52 books this year, write the first draft of a novel (probably a romance novel), stick my budget, keep up with my chores at home, and make an effort every day to look my best (make-up, hair, etc).

Hello everyone I'm Ashley and I live in Houston, TX. I'm 21 and I'm 5'10.5 I want to lose about 100+pounds I know I have a long way to go but I'm just taking it one day at a time. I would love support from anyone! My sibilings and boyfriend are very supportive. I'm studying to be an Elementary teacher and I can't wait to help my future students. I'm not sure if losing 10 pounds a month is a realistic goal but I will try. Thanks and good luck to everyone :bigsmile:

Hi my name is Dishauna, I live in Boston, MA. I'm 26 years old and single. I'm at my heaviest of 272lbs and I would like to get down to 150lbs. I have a family history of obesity, but I'm determined to overcome this and reach my goal weight.

I've been a size 16 most of my teen and adult life, and I've maintained that for as long as I can tell. I did a weight loss study back in 2007 and I lost around 40lbs, but once I stopped I gained all of that back and more. I am planning to lose over 100lbs+ but at a rate that is manageable. Slow and steady. I hate taking pictures because I don't like the way I look. I want to lose the weight because I'm tired of hiding from the camera. I'm so ready for a change and I need all the motivation and encouragement to make it. I've dieted before and exercised and I've never kept with it, but this time it will be different.

Hi Everyone! I am Audrey and I am determined to lose in the year of 2013!

Hi my name is Paris I am 49 years old, I live in Alabama I have a 24yr old son and twin daughters whom are off in college. Now that I am home alone I would like to work on losing weight ,I weigh 293, And would like to weigh around 200 I work as an educator so I do very little excersise, But I do have some eguipment that I never use. I am glad to become a part of this family:happy:

Hi, my name is Lateresa and I currently weigh 257. I have been overweight most of my life with the same old story of losing weight then gaining it back. Last year I put on 30 pounds. My short term goal is to 200 but would ultimately like to get down to 130. I just want to feel good and have some energy again.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had kidney failure at 5 mos, my first stroke at 8 mos and following her birth 39 strokes and when she was 9 mos old had 2/3 of a kidney removed.

I am not trying to one up your story, but I am telling you that everything is a day at a time. When I had a headache or was stressed I would ask my daughter for a hug and it would go away. I promised myself that I would take 2 min morning noon and night to tell her how much I loved her and what a gift she was to me. When I felt the world crushing me, that intentional 2 minutes with her fought off the dragons.

I did the school at night and read biology homework to my daughter for her night time stories. When I switched to accounting, she would quiz me on terms. We did our homework at the table together. I was a single Mom for 27 years. You can do this Marlee. Let your love for each other be your strength and incentive. Being a single Mom just means you don't have to share her

Thank you for sharing your story with me. Its been a very long Journey these last 7 years with her health. On average its about 2 weeks a month shes in the hospital 2.5 hrs away from Home. I need to learn to start eating healthier so that when i dont always have a way of working out hardcore, besides what i can do in a hospital room, then everything doesnt fall apart on me. I am very grateful my daughter is so supportive and love to help me with my homework. Its hard tho, i have class till 10 most nights, come home do hours of homework and start my day at 5:30 to make sure shes out the door with all of her medical needs getting done in the morning. I let her know to the fullest how much she means to me, and how special she really is. We have a bond like ive never seen with a lot of parents, basically because shes never left my side until recently. As her health gets worst its harder for me to stay focused on myself. Thats the one thing her dr's tell me, my friends tell me, and my family tell me all the time. I never take enough time for myself in a day. I will go weeks without doing one thing for ME to benefit myself. Thats why this whole new year is a "toast" to her health staying stable, hopefully graduating at the end of the year, getting my life back after a very nasty breakup a few months ago, and getting back to just being me. I am ready to start living and i love ALL the supportive words and encouragement that i see on here. I feel like we're all in this together, and i havent had that in a long time. Im very excited for this Journey!