"At age 30, I was going through a divorce and realized how unhappy I truly was, weighing in at my all-time highest weight of 215 pounds. I had an enlightened moment when I realized that I could do things that I enjoyed doing to work out, such as hiking outside in nature. Then I thought, what the heck, why not try running?

My biggest hurdle was believing in myself. I first learned to love myself, realized that I needed to take small steps, because they lead to bigger steps."

Emily S., 37
Leechburg, Pennsylvania
Via Runner's World

"...it's not just losing the weight either but  it's the staying healthy..."

- Bill M.

"...[I am] a lot stronger, my balance was better, climbing the stairs better without getting a bit out of breath..."

- Carol M.

"I suffer from osteoarthritis. I am slowly losing movement in my joints and I am on medication to control pain. I find when I do not exercise I stiffen up. Exercise helps me keep my weight in check, which in turn is better for my joints; less weight, less stress on my joints. I also find I am happier and have more energy. With arthritis - move the joints or lose the mobility."

- Cathie E., 59
Edmonton, Alberta

"I move as I was an overweight child who was teased and made fun of. I did not like all the remarks and they took away my self-esteem. In my early 20's I began to lose weight by watching what I ate. The weight came off and I felt better about myself. I began to incorporate movement (i.e., physical activity) into my daily life and felt emotionally and physically better for it. I will never run a marathon but I know I have to keep moving to maintain good health."
- Sherri M.