Hi everyone,

I'm Liz, I'm 33 yrs old and a single mother of a wonderful soon to be 12 yr old daughter and both my parents are diabetics. I'm a recovered alcoholic with 2 yrs being sober and happier then I was. In the beginning of 2012 I decided to change life around in many aspects, I was weighing in at 215 lbs and feeling very unhappy with my life. My job was making sick from so much stress and at some point it was causing me so much anger to the point where I wanted to beat someone up everyday (but I didn't) so I decided to see a therapist. After months of seeing someone and hearing to go to AA over and over I took actions in to my own hands. I refused to go to get help at AA, instead I decided to put to use that membership at the gym and began going 2 times a week, slowly moved to 4 and then got a personal trainer. When I least expected I was at the gym 6 days a week and began taking advantage of the classes the gym provided, I began with doing only 30 minutes of zumba the next day I did 30 minutes of kickboxing and so on. In 6 months I was done with my trainer and was doing 1 hour of each class 7 days a week. Today I do 2 hours of classs a day and spend 2 hours at the gym 4 days a week, well that was until I tore my cartilage in taebo class a couple months ago but I don't make that an excuse because I still manage to go for a swim and some light weight lifting. I'm full of so much energy and managed to meet some great people at the gym classes and eventually we became each others motivators and made sure we were at the class everyday even when we didn't feel like being there.

I went from being 215lbs to 160lbs, being an alcoholic to being sober and smoke free, being at a job where I hated the management teams to finally bein in a job where I'm respected and appreciated. I make healthy decisions when it comes to eating and spend a lot more time with my daughter and slowly teaching her healthy habits to absorb while still being young. Being healthy is my goal now, not just for myself but for my daughter as well! And that right there is my main motivation!!

Even if I don't meat my goal of losing 30lbs by the end of the year I'll be very happy to lose 15, 20 or 25lbs, something is always better then nothing.

Hi,

I'm soon to be "55" by almost Christmas! An I too decided that 5# at a time sounded great to me then I saw this group. I too have been challenged by my health due to auto-immune issues. But, enough about that I'm just looking for positive people & positive energy. I'm also gluten free so I love to cook if anyone needs any help let me know. Oh I too got a fitbit flex . I love life & I want to be the best I can be. I have a great hubby & 2 awesome kids, 3 grandkids! I guess now I just need to know how this works. I'm new to the whole online group stuff.

Thanks for including

Hi all,

Late to the party here; wish I'd found this group earlier!

I'm 43, married, no kids of my own but have acquired 2 stepdaughters - 18 & 15. I live in Toronto, Canada and OF COURSE I play hockey year-round, bike, swim, run and cross-country ski. I started on MFP January 2013 at 240 lbs. A few missteps here & there, but I got down to 160 in May 2014, just in time to get married. Then life intervened. I love to cook (and eat). Celebrating my marriage, rolling into the short Canadian summer (hello patio season!), camping, vacations and some family issues (stress eater & drinker here), and I regained about 18 hard-lost pounds over 4 months. Things have settled down again, and the summer high social season is over as of Labour Day, and I'm back here, back on track, and determined to re-lose those 18 pounds, plus a few more, to achieve my ultimate goal weight of 155. It would be awesome to get there by Christmas and I'm going to try my best, knowing that a pound a week is very aggressive this close to the end.

I've found MFP works best for me when I set my own calorie goals (search for the "road map" in the open forum) based on MY actual body composition. And when I stay within those calories. And I (aim to) exercise daily for at least 500 calories burned. And only eat half (or so) back. And cut back/out the booze. As much as I love it, alcohol REALLY slows down my weight loss - more than if it were equivalent food calories. Nailing all 3 of these simultaneously is the trifecta for my success.

I'm happy to be here, and am keen & motivated. Looking forward to rocking this challenge with all of you! I've made some good friends here on MFP in other challenges; I hope for the same here. Feel free to send a friend request if I sound like your kind of MFP buddy! Just mention this challenge so I know you're not a creeper.

Hi all! Jen here, im 27, Just found this great group : ) I am looking to loose around 15 pounds. Getting married next fall!!! I can't wait! I know MFP work because like many others have lost using this site. First time around I lost 25 pounds! Then slowly faded away from logging daily, but now I am back looking to really lose the weight but also looking to be healthier as well. Better food choices all around.

Hi, I'm Dorothy, another latecomer to the group. I'm 50, heading for 51, and I'm from Ireland. I have a husband and 3 kidults (14, 18, 22) who are all very underweight. Unfortunately I am compensating for them ))

I struggled with keeping weight on until my first pregnancy (I was only 98lbs when I got married) and was 140lbs after my last pregnancy.

Our 14 year old son has Asperger Syndrome and we have been having a number of problems with him this year - issues with stress at school - which has impacted on my own stress levels. And unfortunately my stress levels are feeding his so its a vicious circle.

The stress levels have also reactivated my asthma forcing me to have to take anti-allergy meds which have helped push up the weight as well.

My "Moment of Horror" was last Friday when I was trying to buy a pair of winter boots. I couldn't get a pair to fit me and had to go up a size. The guy in the shop had to push my legs into them. :blushing: I realised there and then I needed to do something about my weight because otherwise it would just continue to creep up. I came home and immediately joined MFP.

The diet plan is a 1200 calories a day plan and I'm trying to do 30 minutes brisk walking every day. I've rejoined the gym and hope to start going this week. For the moment, I'm working on a simple Calories in < Calories out process. 20 lbs would be lovely to lose but realistically I need to lose about 28lbs.

Even writing this down and reading the stories of others has been therapeutic.

Good luck everyone.

Hi, I'm Greg, 43 year old Ohioan. Married with a 9 year old.

Last year I was told I was borderline for diabetes and figure at my age this might be my last chance to get into shape.

So far, I'm about halfway to my goal (my high school weight) since joining MFP in October but I've been lagging (getting lax with exercise and logging) so I need to kick myself in the pants a bit.

These challenges seem to help with that so....

Hi! I'm Kathy. I'm so glad I finally decided to search out the groups after being on MFP for about 6 weeks. I think this is the motivation that I need!

I work full time in management (so up to 60 hours per week) and my husband works away half of the month so I am raising my 16 year old daughter and 2 1/2 year old niece pretty much on my own. I used to be very psychically active but I lost my motivation this past year (putting on 30 lbs or more in the process). I think a group challenge is just the kick in the pants I need to help me to reach my goals. Once I get motivated, I love to exercise - including running, cycling and weight training. I started back cycling and running but I'm leaving the gym until the weather get worse - I love the outdoors.

My biggest obstacle is making time to fit in my activities in daylight so if I can't cycle or run, I am trying at least to get a walk in everyday!

Good luck everyone!

Hi everyone, my name is Amy. I am a 28 year old divorced mother of 2 beautiful girls. I have been on and off MFP since I gave birth to my first daughter 5 years ago, and this most recent time around I am down about 30lbs since May. Good luck everyone!!

Hi everyone, my story is I've put on weight since i met my partner two years ago, four stone to be exact, so starting today, which is a Monday, good time to start, I'm shedding it, Christmas is the perfect goal mark, pictures are always taken around then, i want to be down 20 pounds, would be perfect, lets do this! add me as a friend for support too!

I'm Alice and I've lost 60 pounds or 27 kilos. I started at 107 kg or 235 lbs. Every pound lost was a struggle!

I'd love to lose another 20 pounds by Xmas and this group is fantastic!

My workouts are awesome - I work out 6+ times a week: Lifting weights, running and a bit of hiking at the weekends too. But my eating hasn't been the best this year but I've recently cracked down and focused a bit more.

Hi everyone! My name is Alekeyia. I am single and I don't have any children. I successfully lost 40lbs last year with the help of MFP but the problem is I found those pounds again. So far I've lost 9lbs and I would like to lose 20 (if not 30) pounds by the end of the year. I work full-time and I am a full-time grad student so it is hard to find the time to work out. Please feel free to add me! I am hopeful that we all can successfully reach our goals!

Joining late, but better late than never! My name is Sarah and I'm 26, married for almost three years to a wonderful guy, no kids but I do have three fur babies (a dog and two cats). I was at my lowest when I got married and have slowly put on the pounds. Just joined a gym, so exercise is covered there, but thought that MFP would hopefully help with the motivation issues I have. I've finally realized that I don't need to be 'thin' to be happy, but I DO want to be able to fit into the clothes I already have! The worst feeling is pulling on a shirt or pair of pants that fit six months ago, and doesn't fit now. Feel free to add me! Having a good support system and people to motivate you is the key!

Hey, my name is Ashtein. I am 25, married with a 3 year old. I have 2 dogs, 2 cats (one who just has 2 kittens), a pony, a goat, and am nursing 3 baby squirrels... lol, I guess I'm working on a farm. I work as a teller at a credit union so I am pretty much stationary all day. Me and a coworker are doing a diet/eating habit change. Are plan is to eat every 2 hours. For example, yesterday was our first day, woke up at 6, ate a nutirgrain bar by 7, ate a special k breakfast sandwich at 9, had carrots and an apple at 11, a turkey and pickle sandwich at 1(which is my lunch break), had a chocolate chip granola bar at 3(my chocolate fix), activia yogurt at 5, and a slice of pizza for supper at 7. It's not a hard schedule to follow since we're eating every 2 hours and since we aren't 'cutting out' foods, just eating smaller portions. It is only day 2 of this so I may be speaking too soon. I realized yesterday that during the day will be no problem but in the afternoon when I get home will be hard. My daughter could really benefit for doing some of these changes with me because she's big for her age(height and weight) but my husband is like a pole and needs to gain some weight... so we have sodas and snacks in the house. So I am hoping by doing this will help me to lose some weight. Me and my coworker walk around 2.5 miles in the afternoon but don't exercise other than that. I plan to look for some projects for me and my daughter to do in the afternoon to keep us busy so we don't think about eating, lol. Any advice will be much appreciative!

Congrats on being sober and finding a better way to stay sober. Good for you!!!

I guess that makes me very late to this party!

I'm Amanda, I'm 25 years old, and just got married in April this past year to an amazing man. No kids for now, we keep our hands full with 3 dogs and we both work full time and I am studying for my Master's degree in Accounting and Finance (my undergrad is in Biology, don't ask. lol).

I think between the engagement and wedding photos, I just had enough of my weight. My husband lost about 100 pounds a few years ago (before we were officially together - we were just really good friends at that point) and it really makes me want to do that too. So here I am! I've been heavy my whole life pretty much and I have lost some weight through various means in the past but now I'm going for broke!