Meet The Challengers: Women's Team

SONYA KENNEDY

Age: 39

City: Tampa

Occupation: Financial Services Manager, Lexus of Tampa Bay

Height: 5'7''

Starting weight: 225

Goals for the Challenge: Maintain a solid mind/body/spirit connection. Lose 20-25 pounds, and one dress size.

Biggest Hurdle to Weight Loss: Time management for work, sleep, food choices, emotional eating, exercise and family.

PS: A normal work day is a 10-14 hour work day, six days a week. My work life is very sedentary in that I sit in front of a computer 95 percent of my day. I have the full package: Happily married, three wonderful growing kids ages 7, 13 and 15, and a fulfilling career! What I need is more time for me to be my best. I've been battling the bulge for my entire life. I've lost over 80 lbs over the last six years, so I know what to do and how to do it ... there's no magic pill. It takes the 3 P's: Patience, Persistence and Positive Attitude. My goals are to be consistent with eating healthy, exercising consistently and maintain a positive mental attitude toward myself to achieve my goals.

NANCY REESE

Age: 44

City: Zephyrhills

Occupation: Media Assistant at Wesley Chapel Elementary School

Height: 5'3''

Starting weight: 212

Goals for the Challenge: I want to lose weight to be healthier, as well as for my family to become fit and healthy. I want my girls to have to catch up to me on our bikes, not me always trying to keep up with them!

Biggest Hurdle to Weight Loss: I've had trouble sticking with it. I need the accountability from this challenge. I'm also looking forward to getting some training in fitness. I've been able to diet before, but never doing the fitness part.

PS: I'm the person behind the camera at work, never wanting to be in front of the camera. My friends all say this is the unique part about me doing this challenge. Another thing: I went to college to for Forestry, but I ended up in an elementary school. Of course, some days it's like a jungle!

BRENDA WISEMAN

Age: 58

City: Sun City Center

Occupation: Figuring out what to do next, since my recent occupation of parent caregiver has recently come to an end.

Height: 5'6''

Starting Weight: 211

Goals for the Challenge: An average of 2 pounds per week.

Biggest hurdle to weight loss: Not being able to ignore the call of food. Sitting quietly reading, then hearing those last few cookies calling out my name and not resting until those cookies are gone, meaning eaten, not thrown away. I have also had a difficult time believing that losing weight is really important or necessary.

PS: I love to learn. A day without learning a new tidbit of information is a wasted day. I love to laugh. There is a humorous side to everything - sometimes it's sharp, sometimes soft, but it is there. I love trying new things because I believe there is not just one right answer to situations and if I stop at the first right answer, I may not find the best right answer.