Hi everyone, I just joined several lists and wanted to introduce myself!

I am Mandy Landon and I am 27. I have gained a lot of weight due to
some family problems, and of course, just plain over eating! I want to
loose 100 to 120 pounds and keep it off! So, I have joined some lists
to help me through encouragement, ideas, and motivation. I am married
and we have two daughters and one boy. The girls are 3 and 5 and my
son is 1 and half. I want to set a good example for them. None of my
children have any weight problems and I want to insure we keep it that
way. I did not gain much weight with the first two, but, wow, my son
put almost 60 pounds on me. At least I am blaming it on him. Hehe

Anyway, thanks for letting me join the list. I most likely will just
lurk and learn, except for joining in on any "list activities". I am
really serious about these 100 pounds! I am not in a hurry though. All
I want to lose is about 1 to 2 pounds a week, so I have given myself a
year to lose those 10 bowling balls. I just received my copy of the
"Steak and Sex Diet" book on CD. Just for fun I ordered it several
weeks ago, and gave it to my husband, who needs to lose about 60
pounds. He got a kick out of it when he opened it on Christmas Eve
after the kids were in bed. He promises to follow it, even the romance
part. I ordered the tame version, but, of course, he wants be to get
the not so tame version. We will see how it goes first! Has anyone
followed it?

Oh, I live in Iowa, and so it is a little hard to do any exercising
out doors for a while, or at least for me. I do not like to go out in
to the cold! Well my husband and I going to start on losing this
weight first thing in the morning, so tonight we are cleaning out the
refrigerator and cupboards. I am going to donate a lot of the stuff to
a senior center.

We are going to watch carbs and fats, and start exercising everyday.
My husband says that he is going to follow the steak and sex diet for
sure. Hehe I am not sure about it yet, but I will begin to look at the
day to day suggestions and recipes. I have read the first chapter and
it was not quite like the name suggests. Not as much emphasis on the
sex as I was afraid of! Of course, with the kids we could use some
help in that area, too. My husband told me Christmas that if we make
the effort to change our eating habits, he will get us an elliptical
machine. Has anyone used them and how do they help? Do you have to
purchase an expensive one? I looked at some at Sears day before
yesterday, and they looked like they were made well, and we have a
Sears card. Has anyone on the list used a Sear's machine?

I know, I know, eating right and exercise, is the key, right? We are
not really going to follow any "regular" diet plan, unless we find one
we like by joining these lists. We have agreed not try any fad diet,
but instead just quit eating as much, and change when we eat and of
course, start moving more.

Thanks again for letting me join, and I will be learning through your
posts and suggestion for sure.

Mandy