We all have a different story, and will share those stories, struggles, and motivations with you in our own format.
@mrs_slay-- Hey! I'm Erin. I like to think I'll write this blog from a different angle; I have to limit certain exercises because of some health conditions. At the ripe ol' age of 27, I have rheumatoid arthritis-- so I will try to get into things like yoga and walking. I had some changes in medications that caused me to gain over 75 lbs in a year. It's been three years since that happened, and I have no excuse to still be carrying around this extra weight. I have a huge problem with portion control, but I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do... it's just the "doing it" that gets me hung up. I also love to try new recipes, so will be trying to put a super healthy spin on some favorites (for example, using applesauce in place of oil).
@hannahbella3-- Hi, I'm Hannah and two years ago I had a baby. My body hasn't been the same since. Especially after I added that second baby a couple months ago. I went from being the skinny girl that could eat anything and not gain a pound to a mama with a few too many curves. I don't want to crash diet, or go crazy with the workouts. I don't even want to make it back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I just want to be fit and healthy. My goal is to loose 20 lbs and fit back into real - read 'not maternity' - pants again someday soon.
@TheShieldmaiden-- Hello, hello, I'm Scarlett. I'm 30 years old, and my weight has been on a rollercoaster for my entire life. As a kid, my weight rose and fell with the years, to the point where some school pictures look like painful before-and-after photos. Like most people moving away from home for college, I put on the freshman 15..well, let's just be honest. It was more like the freshman 35. I've spent the last 7 years yo-yoing between size 6 and 16. It there's a diet out there, believe me, I've tried it. If there's a weight-loss pill, I've bought it. The sad truth is, the most effective ways I've found to lose weight have not been the healthiest, and that's developed into some very bad weight loss habits that I'm consciously trying to change. I'm trying to curb my bad habits, avoid 'tips and tricks' that really do more harm than good, and really lay the groundwork for positive, healthy weight loss and living. It's not so much the weight that bothers me, but how I feel. When I'm lugging around the extra pounds, I definitely notice a difference. My body feels achy all the time, my back kills me on a daily basis, and my energy level is next to nil. Ideally, I'd like to be somewhere in the 8/10 range of sizing, which is a totally reasonable goal for my age and health, I think. But most of all, I want to FEEL better, healthier, stronger, and I'm so excited to be a part of a group of others who want to support, inspire, and motivate one another along the way.
@kyrstind-- Hi! I’m Kyrstin! (Or KT which ever you prefer!) At 23, I am a newly married full-time college student working on my B.A. in Secondary Education- English. When I left high school, I was the thin curvy girl and now, I’m the heavy curvy girl. In the last year, I have lost 40 pounds. I lost most of it before the wedding in June 2010, but gained back 10 pounds in the month following the wedding. I’ve stayed at that same weight since August 2010. I’ve hit a plateau. I need to get active and I need to find new ways and better motivation. Yes, I have asthma and I should be active for that reason, but it’s just not enough. I learned in developmental psych that a “normal” weight gain for pregnancy is 25-30 pounds. If I ever get on the scale and see the number that would give me right now, it would be... well crazy. According to the BMI chart, I am “obese”. I want to get back to the lower end of the “overweight” or high end of “healthy”. I want to “prepare for baby” (who won’t be coming for 4-7 years) by getting down to a more appropriate weight and feeling sexy for myself. My husband is a super active man who likes to play basketball, racquetball, be on the water, and go for runs. I want to be able to walk with him and our 55 pound dog, Waffles, and not make either of them slow down. (Though in my “defense” he is 6’2” and I am 5’8”. He has LONG legs! And our dog is a hyper-active Lab mix... but I digress...) I want to be able to coach my speech students and demonstrate their blocking with all the crouching, climbing, jumping, and dancing it will require. If I can’t do it now, how will I do it when I’m 40? 50? 60? How will I chase after children? I need to get in shape today to make for a happier tomorrow!
@mabeswife-- My name is Leann and I had a beautiful baby boy in May 2010. I gained 45 pounds during pregnancy and lost the first 30 within the first three weeks post-partum but am still hanging on to the last 15. I have struggled as an adult with my metabolism and before pregnancy, I was already out of my healthy weight range. I am 5'3 and never really struggled with my weight until my early 20s. I was able to lose weight a few times but only with proper exercise and diet (the Sugar Busters diet worked really well for me and helped me curb my sweet tooth). I can't just do either/or because it doesn't work for me. So...I want to start getting better eating habits both for myself and my son. I'm more aware of how unhealthy I eat since he's now nibbling on finger foods and wanting to eat off my plate. I also should walk more but it's hard when you're tired and and have to work all day and come home to a rambunctious toddler. The reason I'm here is for moral support and accountability. I really look forward to what we can all do together.
@twilighttamara-- Hi! I'm Tamara. Sixteen very short months ago, I gave birth to a beautiful boy. During the pregnancy, I took "eating for two" to a whole new level. Now, in order to prepare for baby two, and to generally feel better, I'd like to lose about 30 pounds. I am addicted to bread, I love high fat yogurt, and you'll rarely catch me eating a carrot. This should probably change. I'm excited to set a healthy example for my son, and to keep up with my husband. Looking forward to seeing how well we can all do, because I know we can do it together.
