Hi! My name's Laura. I'm a college student from Wisconsin. I'm a vegan and I like going running with my dog. I'd like to lose at least ten pounds by Halloween. Feel free to add me as a friend

Hey there,

I am Juli, 23 and a student from Germany.
I was always chubby, never "really" overweight (like, no one ever felt the need to say "that child there should keep an eye on what it eats").
When I moved out t study 4 years ago, I realized how bad my eating habits were.
My problem was never the usual meals, my mom used to cook really healthy and low fat, but I was used to have a snack here and there, get a bread roll before sleeping...
I know were my problems are, but yet I fail to get on the "healthy way" and just stop eating all this crap!
For the last 4 years I am always up and down the same 5lbs. Hopefully this challenge will help me

Happy to be in this challenge with you all

Glad to have a challenge to motivate me. I took the last couple months off (ate at maintenance) and was successful in that I'm still at the same weight I was prior. Guess I have learned a thing or two in the past 14 months.

But, now I need to focus on losing again. I still want to lose 25-35 lbs and this challenge will be a good start!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=727430843951651&set=t.100000542251385&type=3&src=https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/977369_727430843951651_305934717_o.jpg&smallsrc=https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1477934_727430843951651_305934717_n.jpg?oh=0c22317c7194dde8e1f15a81840dab3a&oe=5466398C&size=2048,1536

Hello!

I'm a full time student employed full time at a cycling manufacturer and distributor. I've lost 70 lbs so far, mainly by limiting my processed carb intake and eating "cleaner". I'm big into long distancing bike touring and hiking, but I'd like to focus more on running and weight lifting - things I can do without having to take time off work or saving it for the weekend. I'm working towards hitting my healthy BMI of 145 lbs through this challenge, and will celebrate with an awesome Halloween costume. Ideas are welcome!

Good luck everyone!

Hi everyone, I'm Michelle. 34 years old, mom of four boys, ages 15, 9, 7, and 3, from the Kansas City area. I work part time as a neonatal ICU nurse (usually just 12 hours every other week, but more like 12-18 a week lately, as we've been very busy) and homeschool my older two boys. We keep a busy schedule - the oldest fences competitively, the 9 year old takes tae kwon do 2-3 times a week, the 7 year old plays for a competitive club soccer team, and the little guy just started playing soccer, too. The younger boys and I are also huge Sporting KC supporters, going to nearly every home game, tailgating with our supporters' group before the games, working on the tifo and community activity committees, etc.

As for why I'm here, I've struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember, I was 10-20 pounds heavier than I wanted to be as a teen, gained/never lost another 20 when I had my first son, and then another 30 or so total with the other three kids. I have a terrible sweet tooth that I've been working on learning to rein in, and that's my biggest struggle. I've been trying to go "slow and steady" this year, knowing that I'll be more likely to keep weight off that way, and have lost around 10 pounds. I've got 37 to go to reach my goal of 145, which is where I was before kids. That seems like a dream, but I know it's possible if I can keep on track.

I haven't been getting much exercise lately, but love to play soccer (albeit badly - I've always wanted to be athletic, but never have had any coordination!) I don't play as often as I'd like, mainly I have some terrible varicose veins in one leg that I need to have addressed because every little bump to that leg causes them to burst and leave me with huge hematomas and bruises that take weeks to heal. My husband and I started Insanity last spring and were enjoying it, but then both came down with bronchitis, took a break since we couldn't breathe, and got out of the habit. We're been talking about starting over with it, and I think I'm going to push him to do that this weekend and start it again with or without him.

Anyway, I joined in these challenges starting with the Easter challenge and, though I fell off the mfp wagon for much of the summer and missed the Labor Day challenge entirely, have loved them. I was happy to find this morning that I've only gained back one pound during my two months of not logging or stepping on a scale, and now I'm excited to get back on track with this challenge and looking forward to being a little more fit and comfortable with myself at Halloween.

Hi, all. Sorry to post this kind of late.

I'm Stephanie, and I'm 44 and live in Chicago. I've been participating in this challenge since I happened upon it on St. Patrick's Day (when the Easter one was getting started), and it was the first thing that I really got involved in at MFP, right when I started logging regularly, so I love it. I've met several of my oldest MFP friends through the challenge and would love to make more.

I was never overweight until my late 20s (always thought I should lose 10 lbs or so, never really knew how), mostly because I was pretty active, but a combination of a crazy job I started in my mid 20s, a slowing metabolism (I assume), and access to lots of paid-for-by-others restaurant food and a history where I could always just eat what I wanted and maintain meant that I started gaining. I never weighed myself, but could tell I was running through the sizes and was upset enough by a photo from a friend's wedding that I was in to realize I had to do something. So at 33 I lost 65 lbs (about 185 to 120) and dedicated myself to being really active again (running, biking, swimming). That worked for about 5 years, and never felt especially burdensome, but my life kind of went crazy again at some point and I gradually fell out of all my good habits, starting with the exercise and regained plus (and not so gradually once I really started!). The extent of the plus I didn't know until I weighed myself this January and was shocked.

Since then I've lost 70 lbs and hope to lose 10 more in this challenge, which will bring me to not overweight, according to the BMI. (Yay!) My ultimate goal is about 30 more lbs, but from now on my focus is also going to be thinking through ways to keep it off for good this time. I know that's always the most challenging thing. One simple thing is that I'm not going to stop weighing myself again!

Hi all - I'm Katie, 51 years old, living in the Colorado Rockies which i love! I want to get in better shape so that i feel more comfortable taking long hikes through Rocky Mountain National Park which is basically in my back yard. I have about 30 lbs or so to release to feel like i want to feel yet i'm flexible on that - when i start feeling and looking how i want, i'll be happier with the way i look. It's been a really weird year so far and can't believe we're already into september... and i haven't done anything on MFP almost all year so it's definitely time to get back into it and get serious again about releasing weight! I'm glad i found this group as i tend to like shorter term challenges - they seem more doable to me. I hope it's okay that i'm joining about a week after y'all started. i just want some support and challenges to assist me in getting where i want to be. Looking forward to getting to know all of you throughout the fall! Thanks again for this group!

Hi i am new to the group and am looking forward to this challenge. I have 15 lbs to get to my goal weight and this will help me get closer to that goal. I will need to get an NEW costume this yr because i have dropped so much from last yr i will not be able to re-use any of my older ones. I have added myself to the weight in chart. Good luck to you all.