I was always one of those annoyingly skinny people. You know, the ones who can eat pretty much whatever they want and maintain their weight?

That all came to a grinding halt when I reached my 30s and began to *gasp* see the scale tick up as I continued to eat all the wonderful foods there are out there. That slower metabolism, along with going back to school full time, working, raising kids, and cooking – a lot of – whatever I was in the mood for soon caught up with me.

Over the course of about four years I packed on more than 40 pounds. This may not seem like a lot to some people, but I am only 5’ 2” and on me, 40 pounds doesn’t just mean my clothes don’t fit anymore – it means health problems.

My back began hurting, my knees hurt, my breathing was suffering – especially during physical activity, I couldn’t keep up with my kids anymore, I was tired all the time, you know, the list goes on…

As all of you have experienced for yourselves, when you get to that point it’s not that you don’t know you should be making different choices for yourself, it’s that you can’t find the will to try.

You have to come to a place and time where it finally clicks for you – a place where you’re not laying in bed reading diet books and watching exercise programs while eating potato chips and ice cream!

That time came for me this year when I finally got to a place mentally where something clicked and I said, “I’m done.” I was done hurting myself with bad health choices, done feeling sorry for myself – just done.

I decided to turn over a new leaf, but within one week I was already feeling like it was too much. Luckily, this was just a few weeks before Biggest Loser began, and I hate to make y’all get big heads, but you saved me. Truly.

Covering the Biggest Loser competition and watching all of you work so hard and transform yourselves and push through the pain and fight the urges – it’s been inspirational, and it’s kept me going in my own weight loss journey.

So far I’ve lost 10 pounds, and I’m still going!

I have hard days. I really miss wine (empty calories I chose to give up until I reach my goal weight)! I sometimes think about giving up… but every time I do I remember you guys, Florence’s Biggest Losers, and I push through it just like I’ve seen you do over and over.

Florence is proud of you guys, and I am too. Thanks for being my inspiration!

Lindsay Buchanan is the Online Production Coordinator with the Morning News, a partner in the Burn & Learn initiative. Lindsay has served as the lead writer for Florence’s BIGGEST LOSER, attending and covering every event!  We owe her many thanks for her hard-work and support!  To see her vast array of work, visit SCNOW.com!