Start Weight: (1 Jan 06) 235.0 lb Height 5'4 1/2"

Hi, everyone! my name is Cynthia. I live in Northern Virginia with my husband and two teenage kids. I enjoy reading non-fiction books especially on spirituality. I have practiced Kundalini Yoga in the past and would like to continue with this. I like bike riding and nature walks. I enjoy working in our yard which is registered with the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program. I like to cook on occasion and have been working on a family and friends cookbook. My husband likes Continental food, my son likes Italian, my daughter is a vegetarian and prefers Asian and my favorite meal is East Indian...

In January 2006, I weighed 235 lbs. I decided it was time to make a lifestyle change. I started browsing fitness articles and bookstore shelves. I discovered two books that helped me change my life. The first was The Complete Idiot's Guide to Total Nutrition by Joy Bauer, and believe me I was a total idiot before I read this book. The second book was The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno which taught me about the importance of clean food AND exercise, so I started learning how to cook and got a gym membership. With the information from these two books I was able to lose 95 lbs on my own with no support from others. Not only did I lose weight but I was in the best shape of my life. I also discovered that certain foods were serious triggers for my rosacea and migraines. As I write this today I have gained 30 lbs over the last couple of years... I believe it's time that I stop trying to go it alone and get back down to 145 lbs or less!!