Name: Emily (Em is preferred!)
Age: 18
Where I live: Springfield, Virginia.
Starting weight: 230 lbs.
Goal weight: 120-130 lbs.
Height: 5'3ish.
Family: A huge family, though my house family consists of me, my mother, and my two bunnies, Jasper (the oldest but the smallest) and Crommie (short for Cromwell -- Thomas, not Oliver) who's the youngest and HUGE. They're both like little puppies.

I've just joined after my mom kept raving about this site. She's 39 and around the same weight as me but she used to be a lot heavier and after seeing her progress, I thought I'd give it a shot. I've been working out a lot and changing my eating habits lately and I've felt so much better. I thought maybe if I tracked it and had people to talk to about it (my friends don't really care about my weight loss, lol) then maybe it would be a more enjoyable experience. Recently, I've cut soda out of my life. This was really difficult because Coke Zero was like, my one true love. I've been drinking more water and, like I said, taking control of my eating habits. I'd never really realized how awful they were up until recently.

Anyways, like I said, I'm just looking to find inspiration and people to share this amazing (and hopefully successful) journey with so feel free to add me. I'm an annoyingly upbeat person but I've been told I'm a great and motivational friend to have!

Hi Everyone, I'm glad to have found you!

I've lost 1,000 lbs....well actually I've lost the same pound 1,000 times! I never had weight problems until I developed thyroid issues in my mid'30s and have struggled with my weight ever since. I lost 75 lbs with MFP over a year ago but health issues popped up and I gained it back. I am not beating myself up about it rather I'm facing it head on and commiting myself to losing weight again.

I eat a plant based diet and understand everyone has their own dietary preferences. I live with a meat eater so I don't lecture or judge and expect the same from others :drinker: I am looking for motivated, positive friends who have a similar amount of weight to lose. If you eat plant based diets, I'm always looking for new, healthy recipes. My diary is open to friends as the accountability is important to me.

A bit about me: mid'40s, live in the Detroit metro area, no human children but several furry rescue dog children, wonderfully supportive husband of 18 years and my favorite exercise is yoga. I currently weight 271, my goal weight is 170 and I"m 5'9".

I wish you a healthy, successful journey! :flowerforyou:

Slainte!

Kate

Hello all! My name is Zie (it's a nickname) and I live in Ohio. I'm about to turn 41 and need to get my life under control. Three years ago I weighed 357lbs and decided to have bariatric surgery. I chose gastric banding knowing that I wouldn't loose it easily; I knew it would take a lot of work.

I did great for the first year, lost more than 60lbs. Then, I had a tragic loss in my life and everything stopped. I stopped working out and watching what I ate. I started a "diet" of wine and milkshakes (if I wasn't drinking one, I was drinking the other). I finally decided this past December that my loved one wouldn't appreciate what I was doing. I refocused!

Since January 1st, I've lost 14 of the 16lbs I gained back. I'm working out again and eating right. I even started training for a 5k! I hope that this group will help keep me focused to lose 100+ lbs and reach my goal!

Hi everybody! My name is Jennifer and I live in southern MD. Feel free to add me as I need alot of motivation right now. I just got married a year ago in February. I have 3 kids, my youngest just turned 8, my middle is 10 and my oldest just turned 17. Time flies! I just started on this site yesterday but I started a fitness challenge 4 weeks ago and have lost 10 pounds and 10 inches so far. I want to keep going now and need to start getting more active. I have been doing pretty good with clean eating but I seriously think I am addicted to food. I never get full. I eat for any reason and I love carbs! Not a good combination. I am looking forward to getting to know everybody.

I'm Sarah and I'm a newbie!

I have been on MFP for a month, and have lost 12 lbs but still have far to go! I'm 26 and live in (what feels like lately) the land of perpetual snow in northern Ontario. I've decided I'm sick of being unhealthy, and haven't looked back. I recently joined a local fitness gym for women (lifeforia), and love it. Hoping to get to know you all better. :-)

Hi, my name is Dena. I live in W. Central Ohio. I am 40 years old and I've already lost a few pounds but restarting at 320.
My goal is to get to 150lbs, but close to that would be great. I am a single mom of 2 girls, 5 and 3. I am a member of the YMCA in my local area. I walk 2 miles on the track and do weights and play pickle ball. It has been a slow ride. I am joining this group bc I need the encouragement to stay on track. And I want to. I need to be in a group with others who can relate to such a big challenge. Thanks

Hi, my name is Dena. I live in W. Central Ohio. I am 40 years old and I've already lost a few pounds but restarting at 320.
My goal is to get to 150lbs, but close to that would be great. I am a single mom of 2 girls, 5 and 3. I am a member of the YMCA in my local area. I walk 2 miles on the track and do weights and play pickle ball. It has been a slow ride. I am joining this group bc I need the encouragement to stay on track. And I want to. I need to be in a group with others who can relate to such a big challenge. Thanks

Welcome new ladies!

Dena - What is pickle ball?!

Hello everyone! My name is Angela and I live in south central Kansas where the weather cannot decide what to do. We had 70 degrees and light rain followed by thunderstorm with hail followed by sleet followed by snow followed by highs in the 40s - all within 24 hours just last week!

I'm 53 years old and 278 pounds. I've been married to a very supportive and great guy for 31 years. When we married I was 125 pounds so I know what it looks like, I just have not seen it in many, many years. At this point, I think 150 pounds looks like a nice number for my height (5'8") and age.

My biggest challenge is that I live 50 miles from my work so I drive for a couple of hours each day. Then when I get home, I really don't want to cook, but I've been sitting all day behind a computer and then behind the wheel of a car so I REALLY NEED to get up and around and not just sit more.

Last year I had a complete hysterectomy (thank goodness) so now I'm dealing with a few hormone issues but nothing terrible. I just need a little support to keep me going. Better health is my #1 goal with weight loss a close second. All encouragement is welcome!

Hello everyone! My name is Jess, I'm 5'6" and need to loose about 100lbs. So far I have almost lost 20! I am currently sitting at a size 16 pants and 13/14 dress. I'm here to make supportive friends and help others when I can. I love doing Zumba, Hip Hop Sweat, and anything else that involves dancing, as well as Insanity! Feel free to add me, always open to friends!

Hi!

I'm Katina. I'm from Louisiana and I am a wife, mother, student, and work full time in finance (desk job does not help the situation.)

I started my new lifestyle as of Wednesday...very new to this... And I was at 355.6 lbs (pains me to say that.)
I would say my goal is somewhere around 180.

I have been overweight my entire life, so I'm not real sure what weight I want to be. Just healthy and feel good, although I have a certain size in mind. Doctors have told me I'll never fit into their "chart" because I have a very large frame (about 150lbs of it to be exact), so they just want me healthy. Currently on blood pressure medicine, but my doc believes if I can lose 50-70lbs, I can get off. Other than that, just had my blood tested and I am healthy!

So trying to do 70lbs by the end of the year and the forward from there! Reading the news feed when I log in helps me stay motivated and makes me accountable, so any one feel free to add me!

Hello all!

I am Jamie and from Oklahoma. I am 39 years old and have two kiddos: Joel is 8 and Jackson is 2. My starting weight was 338.6 and my long term goal is around 175. Honestly, my first goal is to break 300.

I work for the State of OK in child welfare services which means I spend a great deal of time doing paperwork. I don't exercise like I should and find it hard to work it in. I separated from my husband after 17 years recently. Being a single mom is one of the greatest challenges of my life. I also have some pretty low self esteem since we separated so that compounds the problem. Long story short, I was traded in on a new model.

I will stop just surviving and take this life by the horns. My kiddos need me to be healthy and happy and everyday they are reminders of my gaols. Plus, it wouldn't be all that bad to look amazing when their dad picks them up. Just a reminder of what he threw away.

Since I committed to lose weight, I am finding my inner strength again. I want to have a community to help keep on track and to encourage me when I stumble. I can't do this without you!

Hi, y'all! My name is Kat and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm 44 - turning 45 in November. I have 2 grown children - a 22 year old son and a 20 year old daughter. I just got married for the second (AND FINAL!!!) time in January to my wonderful husband who never knew or saw me when I was thin, Gawd bless him!!! :-D (He's a professional chef).

Why do I want to lose weight? I've always actually been thin...size 5 prom dress, bought size extra-small clothes when I left for college...but once I had my kids, my weight ballooned. I never learned about eating healthy growing up, so when body changes and hormones hit me, I wasn't quite sure how to handle it. Then I became complacent; in fact, I would often use my weight as a defense mechanism to "keep people away" from me, particularly in the romance department. For a very, very, long time, it was just my kids and I.

Then one day I met my husband and my perspective changed. He loves me for me - he doesn't care if I lose weight or not if I don't want to. He always tells me, "I just want you to be happy." But, since he's a chef, he did pay careful attention to what I could/couldn't and/or would/wouldn't eat, and he goes out of his way to make sure that whatever he cooks for me meets the standards of my current health plan. I love that!

I ordered the Food Lovers Diet months ago and never even opened the box until this past Saturday. (How's THAT for lazy???) Finally, I decided I was in the right mindset and ready to embark on this huge (no pun intended) journey. I voraciously read through everything and decided to start with their "7 Day SizeDown" jump-start plan first. We went grocery shopping, and on Sunday I cooked the food I would be eating for the rest of the week (well, almost all of it.)

Lo and behold - this has been a great plan for me! Here are my stats:

SUN: 286.2 lbs
MON: 284.6 lbs
TUE: 283.4 lbs
WED: 280.4 lbs
THU: 278.4 lbs

That's right - 7.8 lbs lost since Sunday!!! And trust me, I AM eating!!! The past couple days I've actually had to force myself to eat a snack and/or dinner because I just wan'st hungry. I'm eating every 2-3 hours - 3 meals per day and 2 snacks.

I'm very happy to be in this group with you all - let's support and encourage each other...and share our successes!!! You beautiful ladies all motivate and inspire me. :-)

I'm Aimee and am 37. I live in Wisconsin with my husband and our 2 dogs. We don't have kids due to struggles with infertility. I have done many programs including MFP many times with small successes but then I give up. Trying again since I am back at my highest weight of 308.

Tiffany, Catskill, NY -- 46 yo, 332 -> 199
I left my husband about 6 months ago and the divorce is still pending. My daughter is a senior in high school and we are trying to get her situated for college.
I have been working behind a computer for the past 25 years. I sit way too much, I have stiff joints and this week I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. The doctor also suggested bariatric surgery, to which I scoffed. Screw that. I'm going to make this work and I'm not getting surgery.