Losing weight?  There’s an app for that. Alan Foster has found a couple that are helping him lose.
 

Tahira Nyabinghi writes: It is 9:12 pm and my stomach is killing me!  I decided to do a water fast for a few days in order to jump start my new raw food lifestyle and it was a struggle.

In October of 2010, I turned 49 and realized I was officially middle-aged!  Despite my desire to deny it, my increasing visits to my doctor and the steady increase in weight convinced me that my youthful metabolism and fairly effortless ability to maintain a healthy weight had expired with the approaching end of my 4^th decade of life.

I am ready to do whatever I need mentally/physically/lifestyle wise to drop this extra person who adds 110 lbs to my minimal frame. - Tahira Nyabinghi

John F Kennedy once said, “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.”  So, for you to better understand my goals, my challenges, and where I hope to go, here’s a little history of where I’ve been. - Alan Foster

This is a new blog featuring News & Observer readers who will share their weight loss stories. It will go "live" by mid-January, though you might see some of our participants adding content here before then.

Please check back often. In the meantime, you can visit a related blog: Turning the Scales. That blog details News & Observer staff writers' weight loss attempts and successes.

The Internet is filled with tips to lose weight or products to purchase. Some of these tactics work; some not so much. Here is a small selection of verified links you can use to track your fitness goals, improve your diet and get weight-loss ideas.