I AM: My name is Brooke. I am 52 years old and live in Cleveland, Oh. I am married to my husband of 22 years (Looks like Debby and I have that in common) and have one daughter. She is 27 and got married a year ago Halloween. It was a beautiful and interesting wedding.

MY WORK: I am a clinical social worker in private practice. I opened my first office in February 1996. I am sure I am ruined for working for anybody but myself. I love working with people. I have two specialties: Trauma Disorders & Transgender/Transsexuals. Talk about helping someone transform!!

MY REASON: I joined the site January 2009 after learning about the "new program" Bill Phillip's had designed. Back in 2001, I discovered Body For Life and began weight training for the first time in my life at the age of 42. I loved it!. But after following his workout program for about three years, my interests turned toward becoming a runner. I caught fire to that sport and have been running ever since. But over time, as my body began going through the "change" I gained a significant amount of weight which was concentrated around my midsection. I have been struggling with my weight for a few years now. I have the same story as I am sure many of you have: gain then lose then gain then lose....

In an effort to break the cycle, I stopped eating sweets October 2009, and stopped drinking caffeinated coffee March 2010. For 2011, I have some even BIGGER changes to make!!

WHY I AM STILL HERE: I enjoy the shared camaraderie as we set worthy goals and struggle to accomplish things that are almost superhuman. I have completed at least 2 challenges and dropped out of the last one I started. I am ready to make some radical changes and I believe this is the group that will help me make that happen.

This is me 09/11/10 at the top of Yellow Bus Hill during Punxsutawney, PA 50K

I AM:
My name is Lynnie. I am 45 years old and have a CRAZY LIFE!!! I am originally from Michigan. I have been married 20 years to the most amazing man! My husband is my best friend.

MY WORK: I am an advanced practice nurse and found a great job that has led me to 3 different states in 4.5 years. Recently, I moved to Philadelphia with my company. In addition to working full time, I am also a full time doctoral student and graduate in June (YIPPEE!!). I am also a certified hypnotist. My husband lives and works in Michigan, so I do a lot of traveling! Long distance relationships are TOUGH!

MY REASON: I have been on and off this site so many times. I knew that it had all the tools but the timing was never right. There is one thing I know from being a hypnotist--you can't ever help anyone achieve the changes they want if they are not ready to commit. Timing is EVERYTHING!

I have been chronically ill for much of my life. My problems were autoimmune in nature and doctors liked to write about my "illnesses" in health journals. The treatments made me worse. I was placed on so may medications--steroids were the worst of them. I gained 100 pounds in 3 months--lost the weight, and this happened twice more. I lost all hope. My attitude was terrible. My body is filled with stretch marks and my self esteem plummeted. My depression grew so bad that I did not care about what I looked like or even living.

Somehow my husband reached a part of me that nobody else could. He got me on my feet--I started ballroom dancing. When I did that, the rhythm of the music made me feel so alive and the moves felt like life was coming back into me. I found the strength to throw myself into my career and lose some of the weight. However, I can't seem to get myself back to a healthy weight. My excuse has always been, "My weight is the only crutch in my life that I can't seem to get past." Well guess what? I bought all of those years of negative self talk--hook line and sinker! I compensated for my weight by excelling in school and in my career.

All the stress in my crazy life has made sleep nearly impossible. I constantly use "energy shots" to keep moving. My nutrition is terrible--and I know better. My only exercise is dance and I have not done that in 3 months. My battery is on empty.

It is time for a change. I am in a new city and starting a new phase of my life. I am tired of being tired. I am tired of making excuses. I have had ENOUGH! It is time to take care of me, for me. I want my spark back! I am afraid of running out of steam or repeating mistakes of the past. However, I know that the journey of self discovery is just as important as crossing the finish line!

WHY I AM HERE: I am so excited to be part of this group! I want to share your stories, your triumphs and soak up all of the advice our leaders can offer us! I feel so blessed to be part of this group. LET'S DO IT!!!!

It is after 9pm and I have just finished reading through everyone's introductions. Oh my! I am so impressed with everyone of you. I have a feeling this group is going to make some amazing changes. There is very special power here. Like a nuclear plant quietly humming, containing within it the energy to run 3 planet earths! We all have our challenges. We all have our unique strengths and weaknesses. Together, we are a FORCE capable of ANYTHING!

Now. Let's get to it!

I am so excited about this group. I have known a lot of you for a while now...and not really knowing that much about you at all. Thanks for sharing all that you shared here and I agree with Brooke...we are buzzing with potential!

I am: Ray and I am a 48year old man who is happily married to my wife Ellen for the past 22years(23years on the 23rd of January) and she is my best friend we have no kids.
My work: Currenntly unemployed for the past 10 months since I lost my job on all days of April 1ST!!(No april fools joke!!!it did happan)
My Reason: I have been a obese person for my entire life and I am changing that mental image I have carried around for ever!! I am still in Round 1 challange and just completed the HHC where I lost 22lbs!!! and my weight went from 350 and the start of HHC to 328lbs at the end.
Why I am still here: I have a long way to go and I totally beleive in this communtiy of Transformation.

Eric and Debbie: thanks for the invite to this group.

I stepped on the scale today I am down another 2lbs to a weight of 326!!
BLOG:http//www.transformation.com/weyrhold/blog

I AM: My name is Mark I’m 46 years old. I have a son who is 10 years old. He lives with his mother in Germany which is where I recently had my last duty assignment.

MY WORK: I’m currently in transition. I recently retired from the Air Force and I'm planning on going back to school to study in the medical career field.

MY REASON: This isn’t my first experience with Bill Philips. In 2006, while I was attending a school at Hurlbert Field in Florida, I stumbled onto a VHS tape of Body of Work by Bill Phillips. I had been working out off and on over the last few years but I didn’t have any real guidance. So I dug further and learned about Body for Life and did the program a few times but never completed it from beginning to end. I also had a major surgery in 2007, where I had part of my upper and lower intestines removed and a few knee surgeries. In 2009, I heard about “Transformation” while I was surfing the Internet and decided to check it out. I was going through a lot of negative things and I really wanted to get my life on track. One of the things that had impacted my life the most was alcoholism. I read about Chris Winters and his story really inspired me to finally get some help. I recently completed a full year of sobriety.

WHY I AM STILL HERE: I think this is the best gig in town = ) Although I haven’t had the gains I expected, I have progressed. I lost 9 lbs, lowered my cholesterol to a safe level, and have maintained my sobriety. I’ve also met some really good people along the way. The Transformation Community has been a blessing. It provides the tools and the focus on how to build a better more fulfilling life. Life isn’t perfect but if you’re looking for a better life this is a good place to start. Patience, persistence and perfection….I'm just glad to be here.... = )
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PHOTO OF ME: I will post it soon.

Welcome Everyone!!!!

It is so good to see you all here - participating - filling this group with love and energy!!! Absolutely wonderful! Love, Debby

Hello...

MY name is Mark...

And I need to challenge myself. You guys look like fun

Count me in !



Mark[/quote]

Hey everyone! So great to see friends and gonna-be friends here. Woot! I'm excited. =)

I am: Robin Bucy, and I am 47 years young. I live with my partner of 12 years - Jim (everyone calls him Rookie), and my 13 year old son Bobby. Bobby is in the 7th grade, and will soon be old enough to drive - Yikes! We also have a couple of cats - Gateway and Peppercat. I live in a town of 2,000 in the the most southern, tropical part of South Dakota (Yeah, it's 7 degrees right now).

Another artist here. BA in fine art. I started painting again last spring, but I set it aside for more pressing life stuff. Hope to get back to it soon.

I completed two challenges in 2009, but struggled with finishing them this year. I still made lots of progress, and learned a ton.

My job: I am a secretary in the graduate school/distance education office of one of our state universities. I've been there 12 years, and every day is a busy one. We are one of the most dynamic, growing departments on campus, which can be challenging to manage. Never a dull day!

]My reason: Like Cathy, I Googled Bill's name after I bought one of his books. I wanted to see if he was doing anything new. Lucky for me! I joined in December 2008, and couldn't even imagine what a difference it would make to my life. I was overweight, suffered from allergies and asthma, and could barely peel my butt out of my desk chair. I couldn't run for 30 seconds, and it took several minutes to recover when I did. Now I can run 2 miles straight without stopping, and have run/walked up to 6 miles. At my heaviest, I carried 203 pounds on my 5'2" frame.

I am bipolar, and have spent most of my adult life in a state of depression. Now I know how much good food and exercise have made to my my life. I still have to take medication for it, but I no longer have to take the four medications I was taking to control asthma and allergies. And I feel like I am part of life, not just watching it go by.

But the best part is the internal change. I have learned to reach out, and how to make a difference in other people's lives. I have learned self respect. I've realized how interconnected we all are, and that I have an important part to play. I have more love in my heart, and more gratitude. I am a very lucky lady.

Why I am still here: I have made the best friends I've ever had, right here in this site. They love me unconditionally, and I feel the same way about them. I learn from every interaction, every thread. My heart is light, and being here reminds me of how grateful I am.

I did do some slipping up these past few months, but I am ready to finish what I started. I want to get fitter and lighter, and this is the best place to do it. Those last 20 pounds will be history!

My photos:

My name is Amy and I am 35 years old, live in Grand Haven MI, and am divorced with no children. Eric invited me to join this group and he said that Grand Haven is one of his family's favorite vacation spots. It truly is a great little beach town in the summer and super cozy in the winter.

I work with my father. We are financial planners. Business is going strong and my dad and I have a lot of fun together.

Life is good except for a few curves that I would like to straighten out. I've been lazy about working out and eating right. No more excuses. I am registered for a 10k in May and in August I am going to do another triathlon...this time about 50lbs lighter.

I AM Lizstevensart aka Liz Stevens. I am 50 years old but don't feel older than 35! haha I am divorced and have a 20 year old son, Joe who currently attends JobCorps training and will be starting classes at Western Kentucky Univ as a computer tech major. I live with my partner of 7 years, Gary who just turned 64 last month and is a screenwriter. He has two sons whom I adore, Wes (22) who attends IUS and wants to be a football coach, and Cullen (27) who works trail crew at Grand Canyon National Park. I currently live in Marina Del Rey, CA but we will be moving back east in the spring to be closer to my parents, siblings (3 brothers) and our two youngest sons (Joe and Wes).

MY WORK For many years I worked as a roof truss technician, designing components and estimating residential construction. I dedicated myself to becoming a self-supporting illustrator in 2009, but financially have struggled. My goal in 2011 is to put together a killer portfolio and picture book dummy to present to art directors. I want to spend the rest of my days illustrating for children!

MY REASON I tried BFL on and off with good results since 2000. Never finished a challenge, though. In 2006 I was diagnosed with dysmenorreah and uterine fibroids and was unable to work. I had surgery (hysterectomy) and within 3 months had gained 30 pounds!!! I had joined t.com in the very beginning, but wasn't active. I got an email from Bill and joined the 2009 challenge because I was living in Grand Canyon as a volunteer and wanted to be able to hike and keep up physically with Gary who is in phenomenal shape for a 60+ year old!! I completed the challenge and ran in the Denver Half Marathon, finishing in 3:17!!

WHY I AM STILL HERE I have continued to run, exercise and eat healthy, but haven't had the results I was hoping for. I finally discovered that I need really INTENSE cardio to effect any physical changes. So I'm planning to step up the intensity big time in this challenge and lose 20 pounds of fat with the goal for the year of 50 pounds total. I want to be lean and mean at 51!! I have discovered my inner athlete and she is awesome. I also discovered that I'm a sugar junkie and that is one of the things I hope to conquer as well this time around.

PHOTO OF ME Here's me running the Denver Half in 2009!!!



And here is me when I hiked to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of Grand Canyon!!

I have just spent time reading all the intros and can only say "Wow!!!!!"
Welcome to all you Michiganders!!! I was raised there and know that there are no former Michiganders, as my mom used to say, the mitten will always keep you warm.
Amy; I have some fond memories of Grand Haven. Its it always the the way that life always has those curves.
Robin- thank you for being such a power of example. Challenging yourself and winning encourages me to do the same.
I am also blown away by those of us you struggle with middle age spread. Over night my mid-section just took on a life of its own. No amount of exercise changed it so I gave up. But not longer.
Ray- Welcome!! I have never been able to complete a challenge and to know that you were able to do one while struggling with unemployment is amazing.
Mark- Congratualtions on that first year. I remember how tough it was. I really had to slog my way through it. May you have many many more. My husband is retired air force too. We travel back and forth to Germany (fly military from Fort Dix or Dover) as often as we can. Oh that German food is a killer.

I AM: KathyTNT I am Kathy and I have been a long time member of the transformation community. I want to release all the love that fear has a tendency to keep me from showing and sharing. Those of you that know my might be surprised by that comment. I love animals - especially, dogs and horses. I love to travel and I adore my husband David. He is the biggest blessing in my life.
I started losing weight 13 years ago. On February 6, 1998 I had gastric bypass surgery. I lost 130 lbs pretty quickly. Then I proceeded to regain about 50 lbs. Body for Life was published and I finally was able to regain some control. I still need to release about 30-40 more lbs. I think my plateau is more mental than physical.
I look forward to getting to know everyone in this group

MY WORK: I am currently a weight loss counselor and a certified personal trainer. I love helping others reach their goals. I may be changing careers soon only to find more steady work hours. Helping others will always be my avocation if not my vocation. It is my passion!

MY REASON: I deserve to be healthy and happy and comfortable in my own skin. I want to feel great and nurture my true self that has been hiding/suppressed all these years. Although there a lots of wonderful groups within Transformation I felt this one was special. When I met Eric in person he just exudes this wonderful amazing energy. Debby and I had our first nice chat in Dallas last year and have talked several times since then. Where Eric is a bundle of energy I see Debby as a beautiful sea of serenity. I want equal parts of both!

One of the observations I have made lately is that I still have a poor self-image. I need to love myself where I am at. I can't compare myself to the average person losing weight. The Before and even the After pictures don't just upset me, they practically traumatize me.
I occasionally make derogatory remarks about myself and it really upsets my husband. We all have bad days but I need to start learning to love myself. Who would think that would be so hard but it is because until I met Dave I have never really felt loved.

WHY I AM HERE: I am ready to make the changes I need to make. Usually with previous challenges I had situations come up during the middle of the challenge that blindsided me. This time I already know I am going to be extremely busy so I will have to really work on planning. I currently have 2 part time jobs. I am applying for another one right now that if I am hired will require 7 weeks of training. It is conceivable that for a while I might be working 3 jobs plus we will be buying our first house in the next month or so. I am tired just typing this LOL!
I am looking forward to this challenge although not the pictures. I have pretty much accepted that I will never be a t.com champion so I will probably take pictures in clothing that will show off my progress (for accountability sake) rather than shorts and sports bra or tank so that I will not be so traumatized. I have the weekend to decide. I have so much loose skin and scars and such due to losing weight too fast in the past - that is why the traumatization and dealing with the fact that I will never be able to look anything like that Champions we see in the book but I can still be the Champion in my own life. I am going to visualize how fabulously mentally, physcially and spritually healthy I can be for my 50th birthday in September!

I have either been ill or recovering from surgery since I got back from Denver in October. I am looking forward to feeling healthy and energetic again!

Hi I am Cathy..I am 44, married to my high school sweetheart Danny and we have 2 awesome kids. My daughter Jordan is 15 and a highschool freshman (a golfer) and my son Austin is 12 and in the 6th grade (a football player). I found transformation.com because we are blessed to live in the same area as Eric and my brother met him through a mutual friend. I since have had the pleasure of meeting him (at a hockey game of course). I have been trying to change my habits since June of 2010 when after several failed attemepts to get approved for gastic bypass surgery my dr. perscribed me a appitite suppresent. i cut back my food in take and was able to lose about 35 pounds. My weight lose and frame of mind was pretty much at a stand still in late November when my brother introduced me to the web site. I stayed the same though December with the intentions of starting this week. I am super excited to see where I go from here.
My weight as of Monday was 249 so I have a long way to go but I signed up for my first 1/2 marathon in september so i have lots of work to do !!
My goal in the first 18 weeks is to lose another 25 pounds and work on speeding up my walks on the treadmill. i am very outgoing and am very excited to be a part of a group of people who will help change my life!!!!

There are a lot of K(C)athy's here: ) I am reading these and some things stand out more than others.

KathyTNT...wash your mouth out. You can be phenomenal...and you can be what you want to be. I believe that you have unlimited potential and your life is meant to be 100% amazing. I think you should put on whatever clothes you want as long as it holds you accountable. I also think you should have a bright future vision that does not include what you said in your biography. Close your eyes and think of who you are and how you would like that to show to the world. Then....tell us what you see. It made me sad to hear you say those things, but I am glad that you said them to us. You just need to start saying nicer things to yourself.

I see you as a loving, supportive and sweet woman who has made incredible changes in her life since I have been here. I hope that one of your goals is to see you as you really are and go for the gold.

This is my first venture into the world of transformation with support. I feel privileged to have the chance of being part of a group like this.

I Am: Clive Davies and I am going to be 46 this year. I live on the island of Guernsey, a small island just 5 by 12 miles which is about 21 miles of the coast of Normandy, France. My family comes from South Wales but we moved to London, England, when I was seven but we moved around a lot. I moved to Guernsey a year after I married Julie. Julie and I have been married for nearly 21 years and we have two great boys.

My Work: I am a manager in an international bank, working as part of a small team on investment funds. It’s a great job with a really great group of people but we work long hours.

My Reason: I have been a fan of Bill Phillips for over ten years, having enjoyed some success with BFL (Three times). It really worked well but was so hard for me to maintain. I had done everything on my own, unsupported. I just could not maintain the good results as the reasons for my being overweight were not being addressed. My whole life I have suffered with low self esteem, having moved home and school so many times as a child I never got to settle or be part of a group of friends. It’s now time to move on and transform. Time for positive change; to fulfil the dream I’ve had for a long time.

Why I’m here: On logging back into the community, and making the decision to make the change. (And reading the book!) I realised that I need the support of those who have trodden the path I am going to follow. I need to be accountable. This group looked so encouraging and open. You can’t get better support or inspiration than from Champions.

Thank you for the chance to be part of something so special.

Cathy I apologize for my potty mouth LOL!! I am just being real with my current thinking. I really cannot visualize having a body that looks anything like any of the special honors or Champion women that I have seen. I think that is part of the mental issue that is blocking my success. I am so sure I am going to be disappointed with my results due to the damage I have done to my body that this is why I am having trouble finish the work.
I have also had a local person verbalizing some of my doubts and it has been reinforcing those doubts too. Won't go into detail on ths thread but it is an everyday thing trying to get past the mental block and dont' really need anyone helping keep me downn LOL!
Thank you for your love and support
I really want to be where I was in the past - I was feeling really good after the first round in 2008. I was in a good place then but not now. Which means I can get back to that spot with the right support.

Hey no matter what I have kept off over 130 lbs!! No one can take that away!

Quote:

I really want to be where I was in the past - I was feeling really good after the first round in 2008. I was in a good place then but not now. Which means I can get back to that spot with the right support. Hey no matter what I have kept off over 130 lbs!! No one can take that away!

Yay! Now you are talking. I am here for you.

Hello team I have been really busy getting caught up on my assignements for Round 1 which I am completing this weekend and will be starting Round 2 eff 1/9/11. I have posted copied of all chapters 1-17 on my profile and should have chapter 18 posted by the end of the weekend.
blog:http/www.transformation.com/weyrhold/blog.

Hi, everyone!

My name's Viv, and I'm usually the token Brit in the group. I live on the south coast of the UK. I am 62 years young, live with the man I married in 1972, and have 2 grown-up children, both of whom are (or are training to be) healthcare professionals. They've both overcome great obstacles to get where they are today, but those are their stories, so I won't go into them here. I am retired, but keep busy with voluntary work involving my church and also trying to perfect(!) my French. I love reading, current affairs, languages (I've studied four other than English English - and, no, I'm not including US English as one of them!), Simming, writing and editing. I also adore dogs, but am not allowed one (Grrr!) because I cried too much when the guinea pigs died!

I've had to watch my weight right through my life - I was a bulge baby in more ways than one! About four years ago now I managed to lose 50 lb, but I've put back at least 14 of those and, although I'm very careful what I eat, I have to acknowledge that things aren't working! At present I weight 165lb, which doesn't sound too bad until you factor in that I'm just under 5ft 3in tall. I've started challenges here twice, but not got anywhere with them, using all sorts of excuses. I suppose this time I'm really hoping that I have the stickability to get past the first few hurdles!

Oh, yes - I'm here largely because of Mickyo, a wonderful friend of mine, although we're never likely to meet face to face!

Well, that's something - I've actually got as far as printing out the Assignment 1 Worksheet this time!