My name is Danielle (Dani) and I am 35 years old. I live in Central Mass, am married and have 2 kids (5 and 2 1/2). I have been a member of MFP for 4 years and am constantly amazed at how much this site has helped me change my life. I used to think that health was all about being skinny and weighing less. I know longer believe that is true. I want to be strong, physically and mentally. As much as I would love to meet my goal of 150 lbs, I am happy with the progress I have made thus far.

For exercise I run, hike, and compete in Obstacle Course races (Spartan, Tough Mudder and other less known local races). I have found a passion for OCR. It has helped me become a more confident person and to start to view myself as an athlete. It is a total body workout that requires both physical and mental strength. I have met some amazing people and found amazing support through the races as well.

In my "spare time" I enjoy boating (or anything water related, reading, and cooking.

kywy84 wrote: »

My name is Kylene. I am 30 years old and live in Ontario, Canada. I have been on and off again with mfp for the past year or so. I have decided that it is time to take my weight loss very seriously since I have a lot to lose. I am single and have finally decided to use that to my advantage and actually focus on trying to take care of me instead of trying to please others all the time who just want to use you and make you feel small. Just yesterday I decided that if I want to make this one work, I should try and do something out of the norm for me and that was to try and use the groups and the message board to encourage others and be encouraged in this journey.

Glad to have you on board. This journey is really about finding yourself and learning how to be a healthier version of yourself. Having supportive people who have been through similar struggles can make all the difference. On of my strongest lines of support comes from a group of women I met on MFP when first started. Use these boards to your advantage. Supporting others and finding your support makes things a lot easier to stick to! Welcome!

Welcome Sam, Laura, and Gatsby!

@SamC_2015: I completely understand how your can reach your goal weight and be miserable and unhealthy. 3 years ago I was ~10-12 pounds lighter and was completely unhappy. I would indulge in crap and then starve myself to make up for it. It took a lot of work and soul searching but now I am stronger and happier eventhough I am technically heavier. I just went to the doctor's last month and had the best blood work numbers ever and told me to come back in 2 years. That to me is more important then the number on the scale. Keep working at it and you will figure it out!

@LauraRae2 I always tell people that getting laid off was the best thing that happened to me from a health standpoint. I was working 60 hours a week and not sleeping, eating crap and stressed. I couldn't see what it was doing to me until I lost my job and took a long hard look at what it did to me. I was out of work for 18 months and was able to re-prioritize before I went back to work. I hope you find away to swing the balance. It sounds like you are heading on the right track!

@GatsbyMonroe Getting out of your comfortable. I once went to a seminar and the man running it said "If you want to be happy get comfortable with being uncomfortable". For me, it is a social anxiety issue. I despise meeting new people and being in crowds. I decided to heed his wisdom and I joined an Obstacle course Racing community. The first few times I went to events I was so nervous and strung out that I almost was physically ill. Now I don't know what I would do without the group. Some of the women I have met have taught me how to be more confident and help me discovered a strength in myself I didn't know possible. Start small and push the boundaries of your comfort zone. As your comfort zone expands, a new world of possibilities will open!