I am: Married and work full time as a reading teacher for first through fourth-grade students. My husband and I are with his children every other weekend and on holidays, so it makes it difficult to find a healthy food choice for everyone. I suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, though I’m now off my cholesterol medication due to my recent weight loss and healthier lifestyle. I engage in physical activity occasionally, and when I do it often involves walking the dog or doing Pilates or Tae Bo.

My biggest health and wellness challenge is: Maintaining my most recent weight loss since I tend to eat for convenience rather than health. I get up at about 5:30 a.m. to carpool to work with my husband, so by late evening I am zapped of energy after working and commuting for 11 hours, then coming home, fixing a meal, doing some housework, paying bills, etc. I eat a good breakfast and lunch and choose mostly healthy snacks, but when it comes to dinnertime, I sometimes opt for fast food or something quick and easy—but not necessarily good for me.

Why I joined Start Making Choices™: I have been overweight my entire life and have lost about 100 pounds not once, but FOUR times in my life. But I’m still not at my goal weight and want to feel better and have more energy. This time around, I want to maintain my success.

What I’d like to get out of Start Making Choices: I would like to keep the weight off and get in even better shape. I rarely use salt and I have lost over 110 pounds, but I am still not at a healthy weight.

My Healthy Choice® product pick: Sesame Chicken with Rice

I am: A married father of two and work at a Web conferencing company. I live a very busy life and recently have found myself struggling to find energy—sometimes I feel I can barely get up in the morning. I grew up a husky child, but in college slimmed down to a proper weight and maintained this until my late 20s. Then, I started gaining a few pounds every year until I reached my current weight of 235 pounds. I have never been one for dieting but have been able to lose about 10 to 20 pounds in the past, only to have my weight eventually creep back up. And while I sometimes go hiking or biking with my kids, my routine for physical activity is very sporadic. I know I need to start doing more in this area.

My biggest health and wellness challenge is: I suffer from what I call the "grab and go" syndrome. We’re always on the move between work and school and extracurricular activities, so I often just grab what’s convenient instead of what’s healthy. And nighttime munching while watching TV is also a challenge. It feels like I do it not out of hunger, but more out of habit. As far as foods go, pizza is my big weakness—I eat way too much of it.

Why I joined Start Making Choices™: I understand that I need to set goals that are attainable. I know that my struggles are no different from what millions of other people go through, and that the first steps are always the toughest, but keeping a focus on the end goal—being healthy—is key.

I ultimately want to be healthier and lose weight. I was just 14 years old when my father died of a heart attack at age 52. As I near his age and look at my two young daughters—ages 8 and 10—I realize that I need to make this commitment to live a healthier lifestyle. I also find myself being tired and sluggish much of the time, unable to enjoy some of the activities I want to do with my kids, like playing basketball and biking. I would also love to become more confident in myself and have greater self-esteem. It would be so great to look better for my wife and have the energy to keep up with her!

What I’d like to get out of Start Making Choices: In addition to gaining more energy, I hope to establish overall good health, allowing me to see my kids grow up and being able to play with my grandchildren one day.

My Healthy Choice® product pick: I thoroughly enjoy the Healthy Choice Complete Selections line, especially the Asiago Chicken Portobello, Sesame Chicken, and the Blackened Chicken. As a busy family, we don’t always have time to make a complete home-cooked meal, so the frozen dinners give us the opportunity to eat a well-balanced meal quickly. I also love the deli meats!

My advice: Even after “falling off the wagon” or failing to get active, it is important to not look behind, but look forward.

I am: A married stay-at-home mother who has worked hard to balance a healthy lifestyle with the demands of family life. My oldest daughter has a form of autism called Asperger's syndrome. She was diagnosed at 9 and is now 15. Every day is quite a challenge, which we manage with a lot of attention to her needs and working with her teachers and peers.

I was never a slim teen and continued to gain weight while in college. I went on to yo-yo diet until about six years ago when I changed my whole attitude about food and working out. Now, I engage in physical activity five or more times per week as a triathlete. I love running, swimming, and biking, as well as weight lifting and yoga. I have lost 50 pounds under this new lifestyle and have managed to keep it off. I have found that this new commitment to a healthier lifestyle has enabled me to manage the stress of my daily life much better.

My biggest health and wellness challenge is: Handling the "everyday" stresses that come along while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Handling stress in a healthy manner without letting the stress get me down is something that takes constant attention.

Why I joined Start Making Choices™: I have begun to make changes to live a healthier lifestyle, including regularly scheduling workouts into my day and eating healthier. My family now follows my lead, and I have already motivated several friends to change their lives by adding exercise and/or making healthier eating choices. It has become my passion to help people change to a healthier lifestyle.

What I’d like to get out of Start Making Choices: I would like for my kids to recognize that a healthy lifestyle is important. I would like to teach them that making good choices about what they eat on a daily basis is important, as well as regular physical activity. I would love for my children to learn these important lessons every day through my example.

My Healthy Choice® product pick: Frozen novelties. I am an ice cream fiend, but it has to be low-fat, so I don't go for the high cream content. I like novelties because they are single serving and I am not tempted by another "scoop."

My advice: I don't believe in depriving yourself; you just need moderation. So if you are going to splurge on something, have a plan as to where you can make it up. For me, that means engaging in physical activity seven days a week because it makes me feel good and I enjoy it.

I am: Married and a stay-at-home mom to three children, ages 5, 9, and 12. I also watch my sister’s young child while my other children are in school. Unfortunately, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. The most weight I have been able to lose is around 25 to 30 pounds, though I then became pregnant with my second child, which ended that weight-loss progress.

My biggest health and wellness challenge is: I enjoy sweets and have a weakness for them.

Why I joined Start Making Choices™: I became aware that my body is really tired of carrying around this extra weight. My dad is currently fighting high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol problems, and I want to do whatever I can to not have to deal with the same challenges. I want to feel better and not be so embarrassed for my kids to have such an unhealthy mommy. I also want to be around for my kids for as long as possible and show them by example how to eat right and stay healthy. I have a best friend who is a perfect role model and has always been on me, trying to get me to eat the right foods and exercise. Though she doesn’t live near me, she is constantly checking up on me and is so supportive when I do start a healthy eating program. I would love to help others in the way my friend has helped me.

What I’d like to get out of Start Making Choices: I hope to start a healthier lifestyle and feel great and comfortable in my own skin. I want to be healthier and make sure I am around as long as possible for my children. I am not at a healthy weight at all right now, so this Start Making Choices program is so ideal for me as I look for ways to enjoy a healthier lifestyle!

My Healthy Choice® product pick: I love all the Healthy Choice pizzas. I also buy the lunchmeats and the Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. I haven’t really found one that I don’t like, but I love pizza so I would have to say the pizzas are my favorite!