Losing Weight
For many years, I kept telling myself I had to lose weight, I'd make New Years resolutions, I'd tell myself I had to eat more salads. That level of determination lasted about two days, and then I got really intimiate with those chocolate chip cookies. Sound familiar?

But I never lost weight. In fact, I was up to 193 lbs, after being skinny most of my life. Not good. Plus I wasn't getting hardly any exercise, also not good. So what to do?

Fortunately, I had seen a good example set by a co-worker of mine, who lost 50 pounds and looked great. My sisters also practiced smart eating habits, so they were role models. And so I decided to go on a diet. No, not the Atkins Diet, there's enough controversy over that so I decided not to get involved. No, not Weight Watchers, that costs actual money. I simply decided to do what my co-worker and sisters had done.

I stopped eating baked goods. No bread, no chocolate chip cookies, no cakes or pies, no bagels. My department at work has a goody-sharing club, everyone is supposed to take turns bringing in donuts or similar items every Wednesday. So I opted out. I also stopped drinking soda. I stopped eating junk food. And my meals usually involved salads, and smaller portions than I used to eat. In fact if I ate out, I took half my meal home for my next lunch or dinner.

I started getting exercize too. I got an old bicycle and fixed it up and now I'm riding throughout my neighborhood.

The results, after a month, are shocking to me. I have lost 11 pounds, and I feel better. I don't know if losing weight is the cause, but my tarsal tunnel syndrome symptoms have almost disappeard.

How is it I could accomplish this, when in the past I never had the willpower? I suspect its because I saw other people do it, and heard how they did it. I know you can do anything you put your mind to (I learned that from Eminem's “Lose Yourself�). Now, every day, I envision weighing myself at 2 pm and seeing another LB disappear. It's turned out to be kind of fun.

I still have cravings. I fight them. I think I'm going to win, I'd like to get down to 170, and I think its going to happen. I'll let you know.