1,792 -- I think that's how many mornings I’ve gotten up and said "Today I'll start a diet -- I'll REALLY do it this time" and then by 10:00 a..m. I've already had my quota of calories for the day!

Or have you ever:
• Ate a healthy sandwich for lunch and then "rewarded" yourself with a candy bar for eating so healthy?
• Justified not exercising by saying you cleaned house instead and "after all, that's activity" (especially if you live in the Taj Mahal!)
• Dug a half-eaten donut out of the garbage and took a bite (oh wait – that was George on an episode of Seinfeld!)
• Bought a box of cookies “because the kids need a treat” and then ate most of it yourself?
• Gone a whole day (or more) and never drank a glass of water?
• Ordered a greasy burger and . . . a diet soft drink to "balance out" the burger?
• Met friends for lunch and had a healthy salad then ordered fries at a drive thru on the way back to the office?
• Finished your plate when you weren't hungry (and then finished up all your kids' so nothing went to waste)?
• Tasted, re-tasted and tasted again everything you're preparing for dinner to ensure it was "seasoned" just right?

Yea . . . I've never done any of those things either! ;-)

What keeps us from eating right and exercising when we KNOW all the health benefits in addition to FEELING the benefits as well?

I have really been thinking about that a lot as we start the last half of our 12-week journey. With all this support from the American Red Cross, the BetterU Program, WOWT, our awesome friends at Alegent, Rockbrook Camera, and friends and family, how could we not succeed!

But how can we take these things we've learned and apply them consistently for the rest of our lives – (or even just the first month after we're done?!?) How can we make change permanent?

I hope to figure that out over the next 6 weeks because I am really happy where I am right now. – A lot of that has to do with not looking at my health and nutrition as a “diet”. Adopting healthy eating and exercise as a way of life has improved a lot of things in my every day – dropping a couple pounds along the way has just been a bonus!