New ... Again. Looking to interact

Good evening. I am currently in a YMCA run program for the prevention of diabetes. In this program, we are required to lose at least 7% of our starting weight and get 150 minutes of cardio per week by mid-January. The program also focuses on fat grams so I have been keeping track of both calories and fat.

My personal goals for the rest of this year include walking a few 5ks; my work does one in Feb and I would like to be at the point of running/jogging the 5k by then. I also want to be able to fit comfortably back into my current clothes. I REALLY do not want to spend money on larger clothes and I am tired of feeling uncomfortable in my clothes because they are getting too tight. Sure, sweaters hide a little and it *is* getting into the cooler months (though I live in FL so that is not quite as meaningful) but I don't want to rely on that.

Overall, I do have a lot of weight that I want to lose, but right now I am focusing on being healthy. My family has a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. While my cholesterol has always been very good, I find that, with my recent weight gain, my blood pressure is high but is easily controlled with exercise and weight loss. I am also pre-diabetic and would like to stay away from developing diabetes in the future by focusing on healthy eating and being active. Plus, I have future plans that will include being active outdoors, hiking and such, and do not want to struggle to force myself into going outside. (5 year plan to semi-retirement - I want to be healthy and active so that I can enjoy this.)

To conclude, I have used myfitnesspal before and was more interactive with others. I found that it was uplifting and encouraging to have that back and forth, even on a superficial level. I would like to have that again. If there is anyone in my area who has similar goals, who is a member of the Y, or who participates in different 5ks and would like to have someone to be an accountability partner or workout partner, I would also be interested. (I am in the Clearwater area.) Mostly though, if you are someone who enjoys the simple back and forth encouragement and virtual high-fives, please feel free to add me as a friend.