Introduction

I'm Susan, and I'm absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to participate in this challenge. At age 47, I've finally gotten my head in the right place to get back in the weight loss game - for the last time. I have a friend at work who has had wonderful results from using hcg, and this has given me hope of achieving a significant loss in a relatively short period. In the past, when I did other diet programs, I was what you would call a "slow loser". It would take me 6 months to lose 10 lbs. I know they say that it's healthy to do it that way, but it certainly isn't very satisfying!

So now, I'm prepared to dive right in and lose 80 lbs. Since I'm pretty tall - 5'10" - and have a medium-sized bone structure, my goal weight of 150 lbs puts me right into the middle of the recommended weight for my height. It will also put me back to the weight that I maintained for many years, before an underactive thyroid and stress from several "life events" caused me to pack on so much weight.

My motivation for losing weight? There are several things. First of all, I'm doing it for my health. My mother has been heavy for over half of her life. As she approaches 80, she has suffered from numerous illnesses and ailments that I feel certain are related to inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, and from the stress on her body of carrying so much weight. Is it fair for me to expect my family to go through the same thing with me? I think not! Especially when I'm in the position of doing something about it!

Other motivators: Let's face it - as much as we hate it, we live in a world that is really focused on appearances. People who are fat are treated differently than people who are thin. And frankly, I'm tired of people not being willing to look past my physical appearance to see that I'm very intelligent, have a kind heart and am generally an all-around "good egg". So when you're my age and wanting to date, it's virtually impossible to negate that first impression. And you know what? In my heart of hearts, I think I'm mad at myself for letting my health and appearance deteriorate, and am sick and tired of being "sick and tired".

So - this blog is going to outline my journey back to my former self - the skinny girl inside who has been screaming to get out for over 15 years. I'll be documenting my progress, and also putting in writing some of my thoughts and feelings about the process. I hope that you folks who read this will share your thoughts and feelings in the comments, as well.