My whole life I have struggled with my pear shaped body – you know, small on top and bigger on the bottom. When I was young, I stayed in shape with competitive sports, but in college I got heavier from eating out, eating late, drinking, working non-stop, and little exercise. I also realized I was a big time emotional eater. Then in 2001 I made some major lifestyle changes to help with my work/life balance and become more physically active. In 2003 when I was ending graduate school, I decided that if I devoted enough time and focus, that I could finally be proud of my body. I committed to getting in shape and losing weight. I joined WW and hired a personal trainer that I saw 3x/wk. It cost me a fortune, but it was worth it. I started playing soccer and tennis each week. I began running and taking spinning classes, which is something I thought I’d never be able to do. I felt GREAT! I was at my lowest adult weight ever and for the first time could go into a store and fit into clothes that made me feel fun, flirty, and free of my weight worries. Life was wonderful, I was happy, and I met the man of my dreams. We got married in 2005 and have built an amazing life together. We love to travel, play, laugh, and have fun. We also LOVE to eat, drink, and indulge. After years of trying out new restaurants, enjoying abundant brunch, meeting for delicious drinks, sampling cheese, tasting wines, diving into desserts, and celebrating with food and beverages, the calories have added up. WOW did we pack on the pounds! My husband and I decided that the time is NOW and our health is a priority. We have been trying to watch our portions, cook healthy nutritious meals at home, and increase our exercise. We just got the bikes tuned up for fall foliage riding and we will be running our first ever 5K together this month! I am hoping FS will help give me the support and motivation I need to loose weight and maintain a healthy active lifestyle!