Your group made me smile, LOL. My name is Stephanie and I'm 43. I have 3 children, aged from 12-16...one is driving and that was cause for some stress eating, haha. I've been married almost 18 years and put on a lot of 'content' weight over those years. I have problems with my back and have to be creative in exercises. I don't go to a gym but rather use what I have at home and outside to get my exercise done. I live in Northern Ontario, needless to say, our weather is not always favorable, but I make the best out of it. I started this weight loss journey weighing 171lbs and am 150.8lbs now. I lost all my weight a couple years ago but do to a back injury, loss of motivation and mobility, I gained it all back. Now I'm back, motivated, very focused (sometimes to the point of obsession) and ready to take care of me.
I've been on MFP for a month and a half and have only now reached out to online friends. I find that friends and family are not always the most motivating and actually a little sabotaging at times.
Since turning 40+ I have noticed that my metabolism is different, slower and harder to get going. But my willpower and focus is much better now that I'm older...and wiser

Hello all you 40 gals! I cannot tell you how exciting it is for me to have found this group. I work in a long term care facility. I am surrounded by elderly from the time I get up, until I go to bed at night. My co-workers are pretty much all young enough to be my children accept for one who is almost 20 years older than me. I have 7 children who are 24, 19, 16, 14, 11, 8 and 7. Two years ago, we all moved in with my parents to help take care of them....More elderly, LOL! I love my life but I realized that I don't love myself and that is why I am here. Turning 40 was the worst feeling in the world for me. I had made a promise to myself that by the time I hit this age, I would have the weight off. Well, it didn't happen and you know how we say we are our own worst enemies. I am now 41. I have watched my children put on weight year after year and that made me sad. How can a mom sit back and not just watch but allow her own children to develop bad habits? Talk about depression. My oldest son, the 24 year old started it. He decided he wanted to lose weight and he did it. A year and a half after he started he is down more than 80 pounds. Then my 16 year old son got inspired by him and lost almost 50 lbs. Then my 19 year old son, and he's lost almost 30. You want to talk about being PROUD! Now they are encouraging me and I am ready to get this party started!!!!!!! That's where this group comes in. I am asking for all of your support, encouragement and every now and then a good swift kick in the keester to keep going! My kids will support me, yes but how does a mom keep up with three BOYS?? ) There will be days they don't understand and I hope to find strength here. I in turn will do the same for all of you. Together or far apart, we CAN do this!!! I look forward to sharing my stories with all of you. Julie

Oh, it's right around the corner. Turning forty in August. Yikes!

In my 30's I came to terms with the limitations of my body and weight in relation to my current career (desk job, long days) and my goals are realistic. I will never have my 28 year old body because I will never be 28 again. MY goals now are health and fitness. I want to be able to play a full round of 18 hole disc gold with me friends. I want to be able to walk miles & miles on the beach. I want to be able to manage my yard and garden with having to hire someone. I need to be able to shovel my own stairs at 5:30 in the morning in the winter.

The bottom line: weight down, activity up, enjoy life.

Good morning (well, afternoon here now). Looks like a thunderstorm here shortly, getting very dark out. Looks like I'm going to be active inside today. Having nerve surgery on my back tomorrow, boo! Have to be in Toronto for 7:15am, thats and hour and a half away from me....with no traffic. Hopefully be back up and good as new by Thursday, there a new trail in the bluffs I haven't checked out yet.
Anything special for you?

That sounds great! You'll have fun, its always more fun when you're doing it with friends or family!

I am a relatively new forty and trying to get myself back into shape after realizing that I have quite a few years left to live in this body, so I better start taking care of it.

I liked the tone and humor of the posts. I have thought similar things to myself. Just because books, magazines and media are telling me I'm middle aged, doesn't mean I have to cut all my hair off, don black, and wear comfortable shoes. I do not "feel" middle aged, whatever that is!? In ways I like myself much better now than I did when I was in my 20's.

I took up running last August and it is going alright. Went from a couch potato, to having a 10 minute mile. It did not happen overnight, and "No...I was never a runner before." It took me 7 months to get there and I am having trouble increasing my endurance and the distance, but I am out there every Mon-wed-Fri pretty much rain or shine...mostly rain, since I live in the Pacific Northwest.. I hope this group is a good place to make some fitness friends to inspire motivation and a good accountability.