2017:Rejoining 9 years later, with all the ups-and-downs in life and weight, I'm back again at nearly the same time (spring) and weight I had originally joined back in 2008. I'm older and wiser, and have succeeded and failed a lot, so hoping to combine all those lessons this time around and finally live and own a brand-new lifestyle--not just about losing weight now! I know that even after I lose weight, it comes back easily due to emotional eating habits, cravings, learned behavior, social structure favoring crappy food, and the rollercoaster of life. There is no short-cut or temporary solution. Whatever I do to lose weight this time is what is going to keep it off for life...so it's not a prison sentence or diet anymore. I'm embracing a clean-eating, plant-based, dairy-free, low-fat, combined by active lifestyle. It is exciting to plan on the path of health. I've been feeling very out of control, guilty, unclean, reckless while on the unhealthy binge. It's not going to be easy, but I have to do this. The alternative is living a life in pain and sickness.