I went out to eat with a friend today. Sitting there perusing the menu, deciding what I was gonna get...including deciding how on plan I was going to eat. And it hit me.

Yes, this journey takes staying power. Yes, it takes focus, and dedication, and commitment. And yes, it certainly takes time! It's easy enough to say, "It didn't pile on overnight, so it won't drop overnight." And it's also true, no doubt.

But that doesn't help when you're dealing with...

You know how I've been getting my exercise today?

You'll never guess.

I call it the "Space Cadet Workout."

I go downstairs to get something, totally distracted the entire time, and then when I come back with something else or, better yet, nothing at all!-well, then I cuss a minute and turn back around and head right back down the stairs. I've been known to take up to three trips...maybe more sometimes...to acheive my origianl goal of gettig up...

Well, my "little changes" plan seems to be going along okay. I haven't weighed in recently (and I know my first 5 pounds were water weight, totally expected), so I'm not sure on the pounds. And for what I'm doing, I don't want to live on the scale. Once every week or two is about right for me at this point.

I do know, though, that I'm feeling pretty good overall-particularly with the level of stress I'm managing currently, and I know I'm eating carb-friendly a good 90-95%...

He's giving me a hug.

"You're losing weight again, aren't you?"

"Well, I'm trying to! Yeah. I'm trying to. I didn't know if it was working yet or not."

"Well, I can tell." He can always tell before I can. He knows how my hugs feel.

"Well, aren't you sweet? You just got yourself some Happy Points, Mister."

Round this time of year, we get lots of both new and returning members to LCE. People think about how they want to change their lives around the new year, and "loose weight" is one of the all-time-favorites for resolutions, after all.

But a lot of times, it seems like the back-to-LCers are just feeling crummy about themselves. So much self-recrimination...it's not always spoken, but you know, there's the vibe...

I get it. I do. Sometimes I eat well. Sometimes,...