Lemondrop

We've been doing this 9 to Fine thing for two months now, and while we've had our ups and downs, we've tried to stay motivated. And one of the biggest motivators is knowing that you guys are reading. No, seriously, once it's out there on the internet, it's REAL. So today we bring you 10 women who've agreed to do the same thing. Below, meet 10 amazing women who are stepping up to the 9 to Fine challenge.

Name: Erika
Age: 21
Job: Marketing Intern
Biggest Weakness: I'm a snacker, I could eat popcorn all day every day.
Biggest Advantage: I love strength training. I think push-ups, squats, crunches, etc. are sort of *gasp* fun.
Current Exercise M.O.: My exercise is limited to the push-ups and lunges I do in my cubicle when I get bored and restless (really, not as great as it sounds)
Goals: I smoked for several years, so my lungs are shot to hell, and I'd like to work my way back into cardio to help me lose 10-15 lbs.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: Eat colorful foods (no, fluorescent orange Cheetos do not count!). The foods with the richest colors, like spinach, typically are the best for you. And free weights go a long way as well.
Challenge: How the heck can I get myself on a healthy eating/exercising schedule in between working all day/bars at nights with friends?



Name: Christeen
Age: 21
Job: Student
Biggest Weakness: "Magic Cookie Bars" [editor's note: don't click that link if you're easily tempted] What makes them magic? Oh, just the chocolate, coconut, condensed milk, graham crackers...
Biggest Advantage: Making myself walk 20 minutes daily from my car to campus and back
Current Exercise M.O.: It sucks, but I always feel better afterward
Goals: Lose a few more pounds and feel more comfortable and confident overall.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: Eat some protein after a workout to help your muscles recuperate
Challenge: I need to know how many calories to eat daily -- and is it worth it to count calories on both the days you work out and the ones you don't?


Name: Alison
Age: 23
Job: Student
Biggest Weakness: Alcohol. And the desire to sleep late instead of working out.
Biggest Advantage: I love eating vegetables
Current Exercise M.O.: I've recently reached the point where exercise is starting to be fun, not just a necessity.
Goals: Short term, to be able to run a 5K. Long term, to lose 75 pounds by the time I graduate in May.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: 100 calorie cookie packs are a great way to get your sugar fix without felling guilty.
Challenge: Looking for tips to run that 5K. I signed up for a race in November and would love to hear your advice.


Name: Lindsey
Age: 27
Job: Public relations
Biggest Weakness: Lots of weekend Junk food and beer.
Biggest Advantage: I work out lots -- like, every day.
Current Exercise M.O.: I'm gonna run this ... and then I'm climb that! I'm always trying to be active.
Goals: To get buff but not have to "diet"
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: "It's 80 percent what you eat" - I said it was my favorite, I didn't say I could follow it.
Challenge: I've worked out 30 minutes to an hour every day for the last 21 days -- no weight loss. So is their truth to the replacing fat with muscle theories I hear? Am I totally killing my workouts with 24 hours of pizza, popcorn, beer and fast food on the weekend?


Name: Eva
Age: 33
Job: Gal Friday (office worker, single parent, football/soccer/PTA mom, too)
Biggest Weakness: Can lose and gain quickly.
Biggest Advantage: I love eating vegetables
Current Exercise M.O.: Hmmm. Don't have much of one. Maybe in the fall?
Goals: Lose fat, gain lean muscle
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: 6 small meals a day and interval training.
Challenge: My "baby" is 13 years old so I can't use the baby weight excuse anymore ... I need some motivation!


Name: Lauren
Age: 29
Job: Financial Services
Biggest Weakness: Bagel, egg and cheese sandwiches and I suffer from constant migraines.
Biggest Advantage: I love to dance
Current Exercise M.O.: Trying my best to stay focused on working out, even with work and migraines. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much...
Goals: I would like to lose 20-30 lbs while also getting toned
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: I use a few different machines to get through all my cardio. I get majorly bored.
Challenge: Looking for tips to run that 5K ... any ideas?


Name: Kate
Age: 23
Job: Social media marketing
Biggest Weakness: Coors Light and gin.
Biggest Advantage: None to speak of.
Current Exercise M.O.: Bleak.
Goals: To lose the 30 pounds I've put on in the past 3 years.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: That's why I'm reading you guys! I have none!
Challenge: I need motivation! I have a gym membership and I have gym buddies, but I never go. I have an excuse for everything but I'm sad and falling apart. UGH!


Name: Lindsay
Age: 28
Job: Office manager
Biggest Weakness: Sugar!
Biggest Advantage: The inability to not run two or three miles at least five mornings a week.
Current Exercise M.O.: I'm gonna run this ... and then I'm climb that! I'm always trying to be active.
Goals: Tone the crap out of my legs.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: There's no fast way. Diet and good health is a lifestyle change -- that's why no diet works. Cut out simple carbs and add protein and veggies.
Also, you can't perform if you feel crappy, so cut out that junk where possible.



Name: Christina
Age: 25
Job: Programming [full disclosure: Christina works at AOL]
Biggest Weakness: Sweets -- ice cream, to be exact.
Biggest Advantage: I'm one of those people who can easily run for miles even without training.
Current Exercise M.O.: I'll regularly pass on formal exercise for a movie, a pint of ice cream and a hour long sex session.
Goals: Lose weight and just feel more confident about how I look.
Favorite Exercise/Nutrition Tip: Ride your bike!
Challenge: What are some good ways to work out without a gym membership? Especially ways to lift weight and tone.

So let's continue this community, ladies! Before Rowdy chimes in next week, we want to hear what you have to say. There are a few ways to participate: Comment below, go talk on our Facebook page or tweet to us @lemondroptweets using the #9toFine hashtag (seriously -- we need someone to fill that little widget below!).

Crunch is offering Lemondrop readers a 1-week free trial and a bonus personal training session at their gyms nationwide! Click here to go straight to the Crunch page to redeem the offer!

Some conversation starters:
+ Just how do you workout at home? DVDs? Wii Fit? Sit-ups and push-ups during commercial breaks in "Gossip Girl"?
+ What kind of snacks do you keep at your desk?
+ What's a good distance to aim for if you're just starting to run?
+ How do you do your interval training?
+ What do you eat for breakfast? (working out or not, isn't it fun to know what people are eating?)
+ How do you make yourself enjoy working out?