Top 100 Healthy Lifestyle Influencers – Chance to Win 1,500 Gather Points ™ and a Prize!

First and foremost it has been my husband and my children! They influence and motivate me because i want to be healthy for them so I can be with them for many years.

The Biggest Loser, I watch it every week. If they can do it so can I!

My Gather connections and have been very supportive, it means alot to me! The comments and encouragement I get on my posts about my weight loss progress is amazing! I feel as though they are my support group!

My mom has been my greatest influence in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Growing up, she always taught me about the foods I should eat and I *never* remember her ever dieting. Even when I knew she wanted to lose weight, she would make it clear that she needed to just make lifetime changes....not starve herself or try to lose weight on crazy fad diets. We'd cook together....choosing the best foods and avoiding chemicals in premade foods as much as possible.

And it wasn't just about food (or the exercise...we'd go outside to play different games or go to the park every week). It was about overall "feeling good." Feeling good about my appearance....feeling healthy and not sick all the time, etc... It was just an entire mindset that she created for me. I'd still like to lose a little weight right now and I haven't been eating as healthy as I'd like to be....but I still feel good and I'm not crash dieting or eating fast food everyday or anything, so I'm happy with myself anyway. :)

My nine year old has been the biggest motivater. My husband is disabled so she needs me to be there for her! People here at Gather have been an inspriational to me also!

My mother, she is 78 years old and still exercises daily. When we were young we used to laugh when she was on the floor doing her exercises. Now, I can appreciate why she did them and how it has paid off. She bowls in a bowling league every week and has more energy than I will ever have. Her whole point of exercising was to live past age 40 because her mother died at that age of heart disease.....she's done well!

Myself ! I decided that nothing tastes so good that I would be so huge and it would be painful to waddle the 1/2 block to my mailbox. Also I was unable to really enjoy the outdoors like I had in the past.
We all need to motivate ourselves cause if you really don't want it, it isn't going to happen.

Who has influenced you to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Two people have really influenced my weight loss (still dieting to date & have a few more lbs to lose).

One is Dr. Ian K. Smith who wrote "The Fat Smash Diet, the Last Diet You'll Ever Need" and was on VH1 "Celebrity Fit Club". This is a amazing diet book, it teaches how to eat and what foods to eat, but you do not ever count calories.

Watching VH1 celebrity fit club, I was amazed - but never really thought about losing weight. We took a cruise in July 2008, and I told myself while purchasing 1X tops and 16W pants that the pants and tops were cut smaller.

It was while looking at the photo's both my husband and I were shocked by how much weight we had gained, we were stunned as we both looked in the photo's.

When we got home, my husband and I went to the mall and found the book ..The Fat Smash Diet". I began reading the book and my husband and I both started the diet the next day.

I can't say it was easy, and I have certainly wanted to give up.

The other person who has influenced me to stay on the diet, and to maintina a healthy life style is mY husband. He has been the one constant that has guided me in my weight loss and fit lifestyle, when I have needed encouragement he has given it to me. I have lost 38 lbs to date, (he has lost 42 lbs.).

The 2 main influences are a niece who tells me she wants me to be around for her, and my doctor, who is quite good about non-traditional stuff like eating fish and taking walks.

However, if I win, you can give me the points but don't send the Cakesters. I consider them extremely unhealthy! SMall as they might be, they would still wreak havic on my blood sugar. I have removed all packaged snack foods from my life. They have either to much sugar or too much sodium, and sugar-free things contain nasty chemicals that cause unpleasant gastrointestinal reactions. Sugar free chocolates that contain a beast called "sugar alcohol" can send you ejecting violently from both ends. Not worth it!

I would say my parents, as we grew up with lots of fresh air and exercise. My parents encouraged us to get involved in sports and other extra activities that kept us outside and healthy. We never ate out, because mom fixed all our meals...and fast food was just coming to our area.

My dad even went as far as to bike 100 miles on a bike trip with one of my high school classes. It was so embarassing at the time, but a lot of the other kids thought it was great that he would do that for the classes. We needed a couple of adults to bike with us, or we wouldn't be allowed to go.

With the way my mom cooked, which was fried foods all the time, my older sister started gaining weight when she was a tween. By the time she was in highschool her weight was out of control. As she got bigger, I got smaller and stopped eating. I was anorexic at 10 years old. In highschool I weighed a whopping 79 lbs. I was 5 ft 2 in. tall. Really unhealthy.

I did not start eating regularly until I was 20 and found out I was pregnant with my first child. I had to eat for her, and started getting healthier.
I guess my biggest influence was her. She made me remember to eat and choose the things I needed to help her grow healthy. She was born premature, but overall she and I came through it healthy and happy.

I did have a few lapses after having her, dropped once to around 105 lbs. Nothing as extreme as before.
Since then, I have had 3 healthy pregnancies, during which I ate all the time, kept my weight up, and did not immediately stop eating after they were born. It was not too traumatic for me to see myself at 160 lbs. with my last pregnancy, even though that was the biggest I have been. my first pregnancy I could not get myself over 139 lbs., and the Dr was really worried about it.

Now I am a plump 126 to 130 lb. person. I am happier, healthier, and more energetic. I do actually need to tone up and most likely need to lose a little (5 lbs. or so) to really look fit, but compared to before, it is such an improvement.
When I see extremely thin people now, it give me the willies thinking about what I put myself through to look like that. Then again when I was that thin, I never thought it looked awful or sickly.

I honestly do not think after having 4 children I will ever fit back into a size 0, and after all this time and up and down, I am ok with that.
I just want to have the energy to play with my kids and keep up with my family I have created. It would be nice to look fabulous in a bikini in the summer, but I am ok with looking like an average mom as well.

I have other influences on my life besides my children.
My husband's dad is diabetic, and he has food allergies as well. MSG and onions really make him sick.
When he is here we cook really natural and healthy things. Now that they have been around more often, it is becoming more of a habit to grab the splenda to make things, or check labels and not buy things with MSG or alot of other preservatives in them.
We also planted a HUGE garden this last summer, and whenever his folks were here, we would do meals that were mostly things we grew without any chemicals. It was delicious and now we look for all kinds of fresh foods that before the kids would not eat.
I know that my father in law has to eat a certain way, and I wish he was not so limited on what he could and could not have, but in the long run it is a really nice influence to have around because we all eat healthier around him.

Myself--I had my first heart attach in '85 at age 47. I now have six stents in my heart, on meds for high blood pressure, choelesterol etc. That's why I started my Healing Food and Spices web site. Eating healthy and helping others know how to be healthy is my mission in life.

Oh, actually the above plus 13 grandkids.

It started with four children, then five grand children and now a great grand child will be a part of my life. Only seeing the healthy offspring kept me on a healthy lifestyle. I also helps that I have over 12000 Veterans a day that depend on me to provide necessities for their health and well-being. If I don't stay healthy, they could suffer as well. Being an advisor to young ladies 11-21 is also a very good reason to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is such peer pressure in our society to not do what is healthy and wise. The next area is my wonderful husband of 32 years. I love him and want to spend many more years with him. Last, is myself. I have become accustomed to looking at my face in the mirror every morning. A big smile and clear eyes of health. I like that, and I want to make sure that I can keep on beaming into that mirror and to my family for a very long time.

My mom influenced me to try to work towards a healthy lifestyle. I was 27 years old when my 55 year old mother passed away from heart disease the day after my wedding. It did not happen immediately but when I realized, two years after her death, that my weight was going to kill me-- I had to change. Within a year I lost about 90 pounds and was working out six days a week. A torn ACL and knee surgery has caused some of that weight to come back and I have seen my health decline as a result. Jan 1 2010 will be the 10th anniversary of my mother's death and I don't want to follow that same path so I am making a change and starting up the exercise program again. I also am trying to remind myself that weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint and I have to look at long term changes that may not change the scale as fast as I would like but as long as those numbers don't go up, I am on the right path. Thank you mom.

My Mom has always led by example in showing me how to lead a healthy lifestyle. She taught me to only eat until you are full, eat plenty of veggies, and stay active!
My husband and daughter encourage me to maintain a healthy lifestyle as well, since I want to be a good example for my daughter!

The most influential people in my life that have lead me to a healthy lifestyle are first, my grandmothers; they where all seriously overweight and had so many health problems...I could easily see myself being exactly like that and it scared me...They have sense passed and I miss them so much...My boys are another, 2 of my boys have Fragile-X, they will need assistance for many years if I do not take care of myself how can I take care of these children that I brought into this world? They have 2 other brothers but to loose me and lean their care on their brothers would add too much stress on everyone~
The last is my dad, I had not seen him in years and when I spent the summer with him, everyone kept refering to me as the "fat little girl" ,I hated that and being young I thought well if i don't eat, I can't get fat...I spent 8 years as an anorexic/boulimic, when my dad saw me again, he explained that he can not hug a dead girl...I opened my eyes and saw that there is a happy healty place for me...I don't have a 16" waist anymore and I am ok with it, I am mostly healthy and will be here for many years with my boys :>}

My husband encourages me to be the best that I can be and helps when he sees that I'm struggling. I follow the book "Body by God" by Ben Lerner and cook from the book "Recipes by God" based on the book. He explains health from all aspects, exercise (movement by God) diet (or undiet), relationships (peace by God), time management (Time with God). Its from a perspective of an Olympic trainer. He gives exercise descriptions and very helpful pictures for each muscle group and how often to do them for each body type. There's an invaluable food chart to help add more healthy foods to your diet and descriptions of what certain foods can do to heal your body. This is a great book to become healthier, body, mind, and soul.

That would definitely be my best friend, Elaine.
If I am ever feeling down, struggling, just need someone to talk to, she is ALWAYS there for me.
We moved here, 3 blocks from her house and it's great to have my biggest supporter so closeby.
Just being nearby has encouraged me to get out and walk to her house instead of driving. The more I walk the better I feel and that just encourages me to do more.
We have started cooking, shopping, and walking together, so both of us benefit and both of us are more healthy and better Mom's to our kids because of it.

My daughter influences me because we loved to cook and shop for food together when she was growing up. We like trying new lowfat foods and recipes and comparing notes. When I went to see her in December, I was huffing and puffing when I climbed the stairs to her 3rd floor apartment. She really got on me for not being in better shape, so I came home ready to get back into a structured cardio routine. I'm back on the treadmill and walking now. I want to be around to play with her children, and I have discovered there is more to being healthy than simply being the correct weight.

My family and myself for the most part. What I mean by this is the mere fact that I am fairly afraid of dangerous health problems, and I wouldn't want my family to have to go through something like that either. I've never spent any time in the hospital, except for part of a day when I had pneumonia as a kid, I've been there enough times for others to know that it is a place that I hope to never spend anytime if at all possible. This is what drives me to try and live healthy, though I'm not saying that I do a great job of it!

Hmm, that's tough. But its sad to say that my friend Michelle is probably the one who influenced me most. She had severe health problems and always told me to take good care of myself so I wouldn't end up like her. She died as a result of some of the problems she had and I don't always do a perfect job of taking care of myself, but I do make efforts and I always remember what she told me.

Bruce Lee, yes, I'm a product of the kung-fu craze of the 1970's. I wanted to be shinning example of health and fitness like Bruce, since I was thirteen years old, and at forty seven I still strive to live and think healthy.

When we were growing up, my dad would wake us up at the crack of dawn (literally. It was still dark outside!) and make us go hiking in the hills, play basketball, etc. He didn't want any soft children. Although I hated it then, I realize now as an adult the healthy attitude and the idea of a holistic approach to health, diet and exercise. He is now a very healthy 74 year old and I'm a grateful and healthy 38 year old because of him.

Look at all these wonderful & inspiring comments! Gather is going to have a hard time choosing a winner here.

My daughter gained weight and couldn't find a bathing suit in a small size. She had to go up 3 sizes to get one that fit. She felt overweight and so did I. Its not easy to see your daughter and know it has to be your fault by what is in the shopping cart. We have been eating much better now.

Staying alive is a daily challenge for me. Sometimes it does get old to prepare food the way I need it, to avoid exposure to things and to keep caring about staying healthy. In August I was blessed to meet my baby grandson. Having had children, a dear husband and family members I thought I understood about "deep love." My grandson Jack showed me that there is a special love when it comes to grandchildren. Now, when I get discouraged all I have do is think of Jack, his intense eyes, his smile and his laugh and it makes me want to live a healthy life so I will get to enjoy getting to know the little guy as he grows up.

My family. After my father passed away a few months ago, it scared me and my husband because of the heart disease that affected my family. It hurt to lose my father, but also to see my younger sister without daddy in the home anymore. We promised each other we would work at staying healthy for our son's benefit as well as our own.

It would seem that for the most part, as almost everyone here is saying, its my mom. She has always told me to eat well. I have just never wanted to be overweight. And now that I've lost 35 lbs., I 'm finally where I feel good about myself. Even though most of my clothes don't fit like they used to...

my husband has been my biggest motivator. after he discovered he had high blood pressure, he was put on medicine. he could not stand the way he felt on the medicine so he changed his lifestyle to a much healthier one. he eats only whole grain bread. everything he eats has to be low sodium and low fat. he also enjoys turkey, chicken and fish and since changing the way he eats his blood pressure is within a normal range. this gives me the incentive to eat the same way.

My sister has been my biggest motivator as she encourages me to work out and eat healthy. She works with a personal trainer herself and has learned to eat healthy and gives me lots of tips that she has learned.

I am the mean mother who only buys soda when we order pizza and has kids who complain that there is no "junk" food to be found. I make them eat sandwiches on wheat bread. It's the kids who motivate me to stay healthy. I am the example they will base their eating/health habits on for years to come. They keep me fit when I have to chase them to the bath, hike mountains at camping, or take walks. I keep them fit by sending them outside to play. It is a very reciprocal relationship.

The biggest influence to me maintaining a healthy lifestyle is my diabetes. I don't have health insurance of any kind and cannot afford meds or testing supplies. I have to stick to a very strict diet and exercise daily to keep my levels in a safe range. It's a very risky way to live. I also have high blood pressure, so I must eat low sodium foods as well. My health and my life are very important to me. I'm not ready to be laid to rest any time soon, so I have to fight everyday to maintain a healthy life. I'm concentrating on losing weight this year. Much more than in the past. I have watched what diabetes can do to a person, I have seen the effects within my own family. I refuse to let any of that happen to me! My husband pushes me as well to keep up the hard work.. Every now and then I cheat and have a treat.. but it's ok to do that every great once in awhile. A friend of mine and I are working together to meet our goals this year. We each want to lose 60 lbs for our health. It's important to us to be around for many more years. I don't think I'd have the motivation to be healthy if it weren't for my health problems. Maybe one day, when health care is affordable, I'll be able to obtain it. For now, I have to eat healthy, stick to my strict diet and work hard everyday to keep me positive.

My mom.

My wife is the person that is influencing me to live a more healthy lifestyle. I used to be and alcoholic but when we got together she asked me to slow down. I can't even drink 2 beers anymore. She is also helping me to get into the gym which I do need.

Who has influenced you to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?
This has been my husband, he is my rock and when he was dignosed this past year with High Blood Pressure and had several mini strokes we are both on a healthy Living Kick. We do so want to enjoy the rest of our lives healthy & fit with our grandchildren.

I don't think it was just one person that has influenced me to stay healthy. High blood pressure and diabetes all run in my family. My parents are always borderline because sometimes they live healthy and sometimes they don't. When I was pregnant with my second child I had diabetes and it was a hard few months. It taught me a lot and helped me understand how it feels to live an unhealthy life. When my husband was called to duty back in 2001-2002 there was this fitness instructor at the gym where I worked out that really showed me how important fitness is and how so many diseases can be prevented by keeping healthy. When I was in high school my Martial Arts instructor was my greatest influence. He made fitness fun. But I think all these things and people combined have made me who I am today and all these people keep me living healthy.

I have several healthy influences. My mother was my first healthy influence. She's over 60 and still fabulous today. When I was younger, we took exercise classes together and did yoga in the living room. She taught me all about healthy eating but I developed bad habits after leaving home...

My husband is a healthy influence, too. He believes in whole foods and organics so we are eating better than ever before.

My daughter is helping me, too. We both needs to lose weight and we're doing it together. She is 8 so this will help her learn healthy habits for a lifetime. In the past three weeks, I lost 5 pounds and she lost 4 - together :)

Finally, my Gather friends have offered endless support since the new year. Mariana T. started the group Shedding Light and her advice has really helped me take health and fitness to the next level. From drinking water to exercising daily to eating fruits and veggies to relaxing and getting creative, Mariana and the Sistahs Shed have been a driving force in my fitness efforts.

I am walking everyday, drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water, working out on a Weider Bowflex I got from FreeCycle in January, doing the 10 Minute Solution boot camp with weights (a great DVD) and eating more fruits and veggies. My focus is on health before weight as I have Epstein Barr/CFS and need to build up my immune system and energy. I want to have many happy, healthy years with my family :)

Who has influenced you to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

It wasn't so much a "who" but a "what" that changed and is changing my lifestyle! A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with a blood cancer. While the cancer is not curable, it is slow progressing and I can extend that length of time by improving my lifestyle....and it is still a work in progress. Of course besides the cancer, my focus is my family and the child I am still raising. I want to be around to see him finish school, hopefully college, and I hope to be around long enough to see him get off to a great start in his own life!

I have learned how important a balanced and healthy diet is to my battle with cancer. Fatigue is constant with this disease and I have learned that exercise and a good eight hours of sleep help to battle fatigue! Along with a healthy diet and exercise, limiting stress goes a long way in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This disease has taught me to let go of the everyday irritations and to deal with other stress in a more constructive way.

As I said, I am a work in progress.......but I am learning!

My mother has been my main influence in leading a healthy lifestyle. She had studied to be a nutritionist, while she went to school she worked a part time job working with investments. Ultimately she never became a nutritionist but she used the knowledge she gained in college to help her family grow up strong and healthy. She always taught us if we made wise choices today then we will not have to be sick tomorrow.

The lessons she has taught me I have continued to use with my own family. I hope my children will learn through my examples and they will carry these lessons on to their families and so on.

I guess no one really influenced me. I finally decided it was time. I was miserable with my weight gain and my back was killing me at work all the time, along with my feet and I couldn't stand the way I looked in the mirror anymore. So I visited the Natural Healing Centers of Ann Arbor and away I went to the land of eating right and taking care of myself. I am still working on making time to work out in some form or another....one of these days. A couple of my fellow girl scout leaders are inspiring me towards that goal as they too are on the same track. Between work and girl scouts we keep each other motivated.

I have to say nobody really has impacted me into a healthy lifestyle.
My health has impacted it. I am a Diabetic and have been in a Diabetic coma before, never again do I want to be in a such bad state. My glucose levels were over 500 and my mom found me. I was gray and half out of it. I don't remember going to the ER. I don't always eat like I should but I haven't had my gluclose levels go over 150.

Cookie Monster :) seriously - c is for carrot. Right?

I have to say my parents. As a result of their unhealthy lifestyles they both passed away at relatively young ages. My Mom from diabetes and my dad from heart disease. Understanding the effect their illnesses and their passing had on our family, I vowed that I would take better care of myself, eat a healthier diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I owe it to myself, my children and grandchildren to be the best that I can be at any age.

My husband and family have been my inspiration. I ate such a carefully balanced, nutritious diet during pregnancy and carried it over to feed the children healthy meals and snacks.

My husband has suffered several heart attacks and had open heart surgery. Our diet changed much more after those incidents. We met with dieticians at the cardiac rehab center and I learned new ways to reduce fat and cholesterol.

This one's easy for me: my mom. She was years ahead of her time when it came to diet and nutrition. She was walking my neighborhood before pedometers were invented (or at least for a long time!) Candy at our house was a rare treat, as were sodas. We had fresh vegetables always sliced and ready-to-eat in the fridge. A bowl of real (not wax) fruit was always waiting for us on the kitchen table. More than just feeding us right, every afternoon she ushered us out to the backyard to play and play hard. So, thanks mom!

I have had many people inspire me to eat healthy. It started with Richard Simmons. OK, stop laughing. But, he came along at a time when I started to gain weight and he did influence me to dance off the pounds and eat more healthy. I sort of lost my way though and then it was South Beach on line and the girls that I met there. Now here on gather, people like Mariana T, are continuing to keep me motivated to eat healthy and exercise.

My children -- I want to be healthier so I am around to see all their adult milestones as well as their childhood ones.

My husband -- we are not the healthiest weight, and we both love to eat. So we try to encourage each other to make better choices on a daily basis.

My co-workers. I work in a medical office, so I can ask the R.N. for advice on exercise and nutrition. They are working moms too, so we often talk about ways to work a quick walk into our routine.

I have 4 year old twin nieces & I just turned 50. I want to see them grow up.

I know this might sounds crazy , but it is actully myself who motivated me. I had gain about 40 pounds when I went to college. I could not get rid off it for two years and then I started to eat really healthy and exrcise a lot and lost 50 pounds. Since then every morning when I look to the mirror I just tell myself: this is how I love myself and I wanna stay this was for looong....so that is the best motivation for me to exercise regulary......I don't really have a problem with eating bad, as I love fruits and vegetables.

For me it would definately be my mom. She always tries for healthy substitutes in anything. Plus making sure vitamins are taken and there is always a vegetable in every dinner, and usualy a salad. Right now shes on a mona vie kick.

My son is definitely my number one motivator. I've always been overweight, and part of it stems from some health problems that I've always had. I know that I will never be at what is considered a healthy weight (it actually wouldn't be healthy for me), but I know that I can get back down to about 10-15 lbs over that weight. Late in 2007 I had some major health issues that caused me to gain over 50 lbs really fast. I was barely 25 with an almost 2 year old. It was a major eye opener. I worked with my doctor to get some of the issues under control early last year. We're still working on it, but we've made A LOT of progress. I lost about 40 lbs last year. I still have a lot more to lose, but I'm working really hard at it and know that I CAN do it!

I am motivated by my oldest sister who has lost a lot of weight and kept it off, while in her 60's. My husband and my son motivate me too. My husband has always been by my side through all the ups and downs over the past 30 years. I want to get healthier so I be by his side for many years. My son is 24 and I have been heavy all of his life. I want to finally show him that I can lose weight and be healthier and be here to be a happy and healthy grandmother to his children that I hope he has someday.

Seeing many of my Gather connections lately talking about their changes to maintain a healthier lifestyle is really helping to get me back into a better routine of exercise and eating. In addition, I'm inspiring myself to do so; I want to be healthier, have more energy and more stamina, and lose some weight! I'll admit, I'd love to feel more confident while wearing a bikini this summer... so my own goals are playing a very big role in this!

Finally, my horse is being a big influence. In a little over a year, I'll be riding him for the first time (he's still too young at the moment!) and I want to make sure that my weight is something that he'll be perfectly comfortable carrying early on in his training.

2 events triggered by people helped me to start losing weight and eating healthier, and exercise too! The first one is my father-in-law. He booked a Disney Cruise for the entire family. I have not been on a real vacation since becoming an adult and I have never been on a cruise in my life ever. I am so excited about it. It has motivated me to become skinny for 2 reasons, ONE my sister-in-law is skinny and gorgeous and I do not want to look like a cow sitting next to her at the onboard pool, and TWO they have a Pirate Party on board as one of their onboard celebrations and I want to be skinny enough to actually fit into one of the cute pirate costumes they sell in our local costume shop. (I know I know not as sweet as some other people's reasons but it was enough to actually motivate me!!!!!!!)

The second event happened a few weeks into my "cruise" diet and exercise. My husband got gall stones. He thought he was having a heart attack his pain was so bad. I had to rush him to the hospital at 3 in the morning and I stayed by his side while they had to use morphine to help him get over his pain. I was already eating healthier but this motivated me to actually get cookbooks on heart healthy foods, low fat and low cholesterol foods etc. and start cooking healthy for the whole family instead of just for me. It has taken a bit of effort and adjustment but the kids don't seem to mind the change. They even liked the low fat low cholesterol home made potato chips we made better than store bought ones.

When I first started exercising more it was hard. I would have an asthma attack just from going up and down the stairs in my house ONE TIME!!!!!!!!!!! Now I can do it RUNNING 10 times before I get winded and it feels great to know I am making progress!!! I also am glad I am setting a better example for my kids and hopefully putting them on the path to healthier lives as well!!

BY the way I didn't mean skinny as in too skinny I meant within the doctor recommended IDEAL weight for my height chart and frankly I will be happy if I get down to just 10 pounds OVER it!!!!!!! When I started the diet exercise I weighed 225 pounds.

((( I feel the best 'influence is "One's Self." How do you want to see yourself in the mirror? How long, would you like to live the healthiest-- you 'could' live? Do you want to 'eat to live' or 'live to eat'? Seeing the beauty outside is far more attractive--then the inside of a doctors office. Live healthy, eat healthy...'make the most of today'! )))

I think if I would have to choose, it would have to be my husband and all of his health problems and his continuity of unhealthy life style choices. After two heart attacks, a stroke and he has changed nothing at 44 years old, this has been an eye opener for me. I do not wish to be on his health road.

Secondly it would have to be The Biggest Loser, I watch it faithfully. They are motiving just watching them.

Thirdly, I joined a group here on Gather called Shedding Light. It has been inspiring in my eating choices, my lifes garden has blossomed since joining and I feel so much better. I smile much more since I have the encouragement of my fellow group members. They are awesome. I love it.

Can't forget my friend Krissy here on Gather either. She is an awesome person and so full of life. I love talking to her and listening to her progress. I have just been very blessed with those I have met here on Gather.

seriously, you will only be successfull at living healthy if you want and inspire it for yourself. and I am my biggest fan because only my health will be good if I strive for it. you can want to be healthy for a boyfriend/family member/frriend/child, but will it stick?

I try everyday to see if I can get a bit healthier. almost like a game, see what foods in recipes I can switch up and how many diffrent ways I can burn extra calories and get that excersize. I teach my children to be healthy for themselves, and they are all about whats 'good'' for you and whats 'not so healthy'

it would be hard to just say it was one person, but for the sake of this i'll say my brother. He and I lost our parents when we were teenagers, and he has been concerned about my weight and weight-related health problems for years. He knew about all my excuses for not trying anymore, and he devised a way around it. He at at that point needed to lose a bit of weight too, and he was also short on cash to join weight watchers. He investigated and found out about a scholarship program weight watchers offers to low-income people. He signed himself up for it and for the WW program knowing if he asked me to go along for support that I would not only go to support him, but that my excuse about not being able to afford it would vanish. That was in May 2006, and i'm still going. He isn't for reasons I won't go into here, but he still continues to be my biggest cheerleader. He asks me each week how my weigh-in went, when they update the program, he always looks the new materials over in case I can see it because of my vision problem. He finds healthy snacks and foods and lets me know about them. He listens to me whine when I gain a pound or two, and he's even more thrilled than I am whine I hit another goal. I know you're not supposed to lose weight for anyone but yourself, but I couldn't seem to do that. Once I started trying to keep Mike from being so worried about me all the time it all just "clicked" for me. Now of course it's as much about me doing it for myself, but i'm grateful for the kick in the butt he gave me.

This past summer I was rushed to the hospital with breathing problems. I thought I was having a heart attack. All I could think of was what will happen to my family, and how devasted they would be if I were to die that day.
This had been my second time being hospitalized within three years. My son, whom I love did not visit me either time. Not because he didn't care, but because he can't stand to see me suffer. Of course moms are to be the strongest parent of all.

I knew my weight was a major factor in both of my conditions. So this year(2009) my daughter and I started a calorie counting regement. The sight Livingstrong.com is one of the best I've seen.

Because of my children and grandchildren I've begun to take better care of myself.
My granddaughter who is seven watches everything I eat. So how can I not try to improve my health and well being.

They are the big influences in my life right now.

My weight never seemed to bother my health, so I didn't worry about it. I've never been vain and didn't care that I wore an 18 instead of a sz 6. Then my health started going downhill. I had shortness of breath. I thought the hernia surgery would restore my health. It did and it didn't. In the hospital I learned that my lung capacity was fine for someone weighing 100 pounds less than I was. I injured my knees, my ankle started giving out. Both of those problems could be better with less weight.
Then I read an article that put the at risk percentages of several things together. Adding them up, I was well over 100% at risk for heart trouble. That got my attention. In taking small adjustments to my lifestyle, I started feeling better. It will take more than this year to get down to a "normal" weight, but I can feel better all along the way.
So for me, it isn't a person, just a fact full article that gave me the push I needed.

My daughter is my influence, she is all about eating healthy. She is always encouraging me and giving me new ideas for eating healthier. She is also always telling me of new and healthier choices that are out there as well as her product reviews. I have decided to do something about theese extra pounds i have gained and start taking better care of myself. My daughter is my support system. I value her support very much. It is all about healthier choices for me in 2009.

gillian on the biggest looser!! I wish I could train with her for one month!

My partner passed of lung cancer ...in her brain is where it started...
My sister has had 3 brain surgery she thankfully made it.
My closesed friend Died last year of complications with post polio
I have 3 great grand children I adore
and 23 grand children
and three children
I still have work to do on earth so keeping a healthy lifestyle isnt something I choose to do
It is my life path I need to follow.

My children and my husband.
Did not want to die and leave my husband the single father of three teenage daughters...loved him too much.
And loved the daughters too much to have a stroke and make them help take care of me.
That did it. Low-fat diet and exercise. That was 6 years ago...still sticking to it.

family members for sure!

The person who has influenced me to eat more healthy food and less junk is my coworker. He hasn't done it in words but by example. Like me, he eats at his desk. He embarrasses me because, while I eat cookies, he eats fruit.

Two people have influenced me to pay close attention to my body for any lumps (which appear with increasing frequency as I age). My mother and my sister both had breast cancer, so I know I need to watch out.

My chiropractor has influenced me to do daily stretching routines. I go to him for back trouble, but my legs sometimes ache badly. He tells me I need to do the stretches to prevent this.

I have bipolar/anxiety disorder and have been on disability for it for over 14 years when I had to give up a wonderful corporate management career! It just broke my heart...since I have hit the lowest lows of wanting to die to feeling like, yes, maybe there is hope and I can get better.
Through all this I have a friend named Denise, who also has the same disorder as I have and she has helped me through many agonizing days...that go along with this disorder. I also have chronic migraines along with it. But my best friend Denise has always been there for me!!!
It seems like when I'm down, she's up and when she's down I'm up so we are able to both help each other. She is truly the Sister I never had. I owe her my life! She is so understanding because she knows exactly what I am feeling when I talk to her because she has been through it also!!
Thank goodness God put her in my life...She has taught me to be a better mother, daughter, friend and human being!!!
I dedicate this article to her as being the best friend I have ever had in my life and surely ever will!!!

I can't just choose one person and say he/she "influenced " me because it's not just one person but everyone. Every person I meet no matter if they are a child or adult helps me live my healthly lifestyle. If I meet a person at the grocery store and they complain about backaches or sore feet, ect. I always tell myself I can prevent that by doing something different maybe for a different reason and so on. So when I meet someone who doesn't like something I don't like, it motivates me to better on that certain thing I want to improve.

my inspiration was my twin sister. She always made me try to stay happy with who i am, and know that sometimes its okay to fail at something, because once in awhile is just fine.
You can't be the best at everything and that if i stuck to that knowledge I would understand that through diet its not always try to be better its more like try to keep in mind whats important, good health.

Definately my mom she always tells me I eat a lot and I should stop. Got to love them.

My eight year old and husband have been been my motivation.

My great grandmothers have been an important influence in my life for many reasons, one of the main being my ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

My great grandmother's both had children by the age 21. My grandmother followed suit, and so did my mother. I am now 23 and do not have any children or any plans for children in the near future.

Growing up, my great grandmother's played a huge role in my life. Every time I would come home sick from school, one of them was there to make me soup, put in a good movie, braid my hair, and tuck me in so I could sleep. They were present at every holiday and every family occasion. Both were strong, independent, healthy role models for me. Having them in my life was probably the most positive influence I've ever had, and it did the most good.

I want to have a family some day, but I will not be having kids quite as young as the women before me. I want to make sure that I am prepared and can be the best mother possible. Likewise, I want to live a long, healthy life so that I can be a positive influence on my own grandchildren and great grandchildren. I want to be able to pass on the wonderful things my great grandmothers taught me, and to creating life-long memories with them.

A healthy lifestyle is the best way to accomplish these goals.

The ever quirky, sometimes annoying, upbeat and affirming Richard Simmons is the one who has influenced me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I finagled his Deal-A-Meal method into something that I could use back in 1988 when I wanted to lose a few pounds before my wedding. And ever since, I've remained conscious of the need to balance my food intake. His top weight of 268#, which has been trimmed down by maybe 100#s? made a wonderful impression on me.

He's personna of being a pollyanna suits me just fine. I like to be positive, too. When I have seen him taking the risk of being a fool and succeeding, I knew I could take a risk as well. Others might laugh, but he's got the street-cred to prove himself. And what do those laughers have? An extra thirty pounds hanging on their rear ends.

It was a Dr. who wanted me to take pills because of my heath and heart issues. I told him I knew what I was doing wrong. He said well you can't change it. That was the challenge I needed. the following year I started eating better, started walking and running/exercise. In a year I lost 40 pounds. That was many years ago and now need to tune my body up again. I am going to get out and run again. That will be a boost I need now.

I am very hard to influence. The voices in my head are a bigger influence.

Gave you a 10 as well.

My family. I want to set a good example for a healthy lifestyle. I want to be around for a long time. I want to be able to enjoy retirement when it is time, to see my children marry and to see my grandchildren.

I lost my grandfather and mother too early to heart disease and I don't want to follow in their footsteps.

This week's winners are Carol B and Nancy R!

The person who influenced me to lose over 65 pounds was my doctor. He called me early one morning and told me that I was over weight and my cholestrol was too high. My mom has Alzheimer's and my dad weighed over 300 pounds when he died. I was having trouble walking down the block and back. I could not walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch my breath on ever stair. I was eating all of the wrong foods and did not realize, as most people don't that they were eating their way to an early visit to the heart doctor or worse. I went to my doctor's office that same morning and asked him for a plan or a diet to help me jump start my way back to good health. He gave me the heart disease diet plan and I took it from there. I googled diets for being with high cholestrol and it took time for me to devise my own diet and diet plan to lose the weight. I went from over 170 something to 110 pounds. It took 3 years to lose the weight since I had just finished and was no longer taking medication to slow down my metalbolism from an overactive thyroid. I am feeling better and now when the elevators in my building are down, and that happens alot, I can do 17 flights in less than 10 minutes without huffing and puffing and that's going up. Fran Lewis

My biggest inspiration was probably also my earliest, and as cheesy as it may be, her name was Kathy Smith. I read her book Lift Weights to Lose Weight and everything I had been doing to improve my life suddenly made sense and began to take on a more focused direction.

eat small meals through out the day, eat at home instead of out, do sit ups, push ups, and leg lifts befor bed. also, eat more fruits and vegitables.

Having a heart attack at the age of 39, I would have to say my dietician at my cardiologist's office.

my grand parents they stay active even in there 80's................