Tell us a little about your everyday life:

I grew up in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. In 1988, I moved to Burlington, Massachusetts, where I live with my husband, Tim; my son, Joshua; and my daughter, Chelsea. I work as a freelance writer and proofreader.

What is your current weight?

I'm holding at 175, where I expect to stay until after the holidays. Then I'll hunker down and lose the last 25-30 pounds.

What did you like and dislike about your particular method of weight loss

I liked that I can eat ice cream on this diet; I disliked that I'm not supposed to eat it out of the carton anymore. Seriously, though, I've done this quite a few times and there's a lot of versatility in the WW plan. That's a very good thing.

What's the most surprising thing you learned from this experience?

I think there's a vast difference between the casual dieter who maybe needs to lose a little weight for the first time in his or her life and people like, well, me, for whom this has been, and will continue to be, a lifelong struggle. Also--and I've said this before but it bears repeating--there is no magic! When you strip away all the bells and whistles of any legitimate weight loss program it comes down to the same thing: eat less, exercise more, drink water. It is hard work and demands vigilance. There is nothing easy or glamorous about it. For me, it's just a matter of "down-and-dirty-dieting." (I will say that I tend to eat better and more varied foods when I am dieting.)The only surprise this time around was how good it feels to exercise, to be able to move my body without getting winded. As opposed to getting "long winded," which I fear I am becoming, so I'll end.

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