Hi All! Finally found a moment to check out the NZ specific group - great to read through all the intros and see loads of fellow Aucklanders too!

My name is Bonni, I am a 32yo single mum to a quirky 11yr old boy and breed Arabian Riding ponies as a hobby and have many slightly psychotic animals with which my son and I share our lives!

I started my weight loss journey in mid August last year and as of Friday 9/12/2011 I have lost 48.9kgs... still a fair way to go to get to my goal weight though! I have gone from a 24jean size and today - mooching around on a Sunday morning I am comfortably in my size 12's..... I am finding this last stretch the hardest for various reasons but am determined to stick to it!

Looking forward to getting to know you all!
<edited to add - please feel free to add me! - always good to have a strong support network!>

Hi all

My name is Bridgit, I'm 36 from Auckland. I'm married (nearly 5 months now) and have two beautiful children (girl 13 and boy 2 1/2).
I joined MFP about 5 weeks ago, as it was suggested by a friend who I'm doing Atkins with. I was starting to lose weight mid year (and even lost weight while on our family holiday cruise in May) but then started putting back on the kgs when my dad passed away in August. I really should thank that friend for introducing me to Atkins .... I feel so good and it's the first "diet" that I've done that I haven't been obsessed about food and what/when I was going to eat next. So far I've lost 4 kgs and my clothes are fitting better and people are commenting on how I am "melting" away (lol if only).

So hi, that's me

Thanks Kiwigal :happy:

Excellent Gail! Good luck for your journey You're right, it is going to be worth it

Wow SmujnZ, excellent work losing 45 + kgs!! That's awesome! Curious to know how you did it? What sort of plan did you do?

Welcome and good luck in the journey - it can be done! One day at a time.

Hello Pukekolive, good luck with your journey to a new you

Hello, I'm Sam. I'm a 36 year old solo Father of 2 lovely children, Tyler 8 and Cassandra 6. I'm originally from England and Wales, but I've been living around Palmerston North since 1988. My fitness motivation is to run the Wellington marathon in June 2012, and to become a NZ Fireman. I currently teach intermediate children in Palmy. My biggest challenge is to handle hunger! Exercise is not a problem, although my knee has just flared up yesterday :-( I enjoy running, cycling, swimming, and hiking the Manawatu Gorge track. I also do a bit of body building, and hope to see my 6 pack some time soon! My body... Height 5" 11, Chest 47", guns 16" I've been working out for 5 weeks, and lost 4% body fat while gaining 2Kg lean muscle. I am 105Kg at the moment. I hope to get to 90Kg, and about 15-20% body fat.

Hi everyone!

I joined this group yonks ago, but never actually said hi!

I joined in June this year, i have been up and down in weight, my highest was 119.5, my last MFP was 112.3, so ive burnt off 7.2kg! YAY. However, i fell off the wagon (stress, quit course, got married, had health problems) And i am back at 114.3, even though its been going up and down for the last few months ive never gone back over 114.5 so thats a positive!

I am an addict (not serious), i have an addictive personality and it can be really horrible at times, i get carried away with small things, computer, smoking, drinking (one every night kinda thing) I need to learn that if i just stop ill still be ok, i have stopped and started smoking alot in the last few years, hopefully 2012 will be the final year that i stop!

Im 29, i have 3 kids, nearly 6, 4 and nearly 3. I was studying bachelor in social work at EIT in Napier. But i stopped due to reasons above, i hope to pick it up again once my middle child is at school.

Im looking for friends that are going to be consistent with me, i really need people to tell me what to do, otherwise i can get lazy lol!

I still have a few health problems, i had bad hips, but they havent played up in ages now since losing that first 5kg! Amazing what that little amount of weight can do! However i now have a foot problem, doctor says ganglion cyst but im not so sure as it is really quite painful in my foot no matter what i do! ie washing dishes, walking to the letterbox etc. So this is discouraging to want to exercise when im in pain!

Good to see there are a few more hawkes bay people in this group.

Hey All,
I'm Rosie from Hastings. I'm 33, 178cm tall and about 75kgs (will weigh in in the morning). When I got married at 19 I was 60 kgs, then just 4 years later I was 84kg. At 24 I'd dropped down to 72 kg when I got pregnant with my eldest, and 18 months later I was 68 when I got pg 2nd time around. I'm almost certain I haven't been below 72 again & I really want to get there!

My sis who's basically been the same size as me has now dropped down below 70 and it's driving me nuts that I can't keep up. Can you tell we've always been competitive?

I'm part time extramural uni student, part time mum now they're all at school, and part time office worker for my hubby who works for himself.

Hello lovely kiwis!
Checking in from the shakeyquakey city of Christchurch, it's been a really tough year and I'm on this site to get fit, healthy and happy again in 2012. Along for the ride will be my mum and hubby, as well as dear friends who also want to make big changes!
It's lovely to see such support on the msgboards and I'm sure it will make the journey twice as much fun

:drinker: :flowerforyou: :laugh:

Yeah super cool, another guy on here - I found one!!
All the best with your goals - mine this year is to play in Rugby League Masters for a season, then build from there to one day run a marathon in the next 5 years or so.
I got 2 boys Jordan(6) and Andre(3)

Hi everyone, My name is Mel, I have 3 kidlets, and almost a farm with chickens, a duck, dogs, cats, rabbits, a cockatoo, and various other birds.
I have had weight issues my whole life, had varying success with Jenny Craig, Weight watchers, sureslim etc but cost and time are always an issue. Oh and Im the queen of excuses!
I managed to lose a few kilos before our wedding in November, but it has all been found again...my ultimate goal would be around 50 kilos I think, but Ill start with the usual 5kg loss as my first goal, then under 100 as my second.

I have a long road to travel

Nice to meet everyone!

Feel free to add me as a friend and give me lots of encouragement!!

Good evening everyone, I hope your first day back at work went well -very jealous of those people still on holiday until next week!

My name is Joanne, I'm also new to MFP. I stumbled upon the Android app accidentally and decided to stick with it.
I'm a 23 yr old Accountant in Oamaru.

My weight gain has been due to:
a) sitting all day in an office,
b) putting all my concentration into study to become a CA, and
c) the medication I have to take.

I'm open to hear any advice and good ideas!
Wishing you all great success xx

Hi - I'm Lisa, 43yo - mother to five children from 20yo to 10yo, married to David. I've gone from 98kg to waivering between 68 and 71kg (currently 71kg ) over three years, I started with c25k and WW, I've since run lots of other 10ks, half marathons and three marathons. Now I want to get stronger and leaner and FINALLY reach my goal weight of 65kg (and perhaps lower ... but that elusive 65kg for now!), oh and I'm 5'4" ... so envious of you 50 something kg people