Ok let's all admit it, we have all tried every diet under the sun, probably every diet pill or "quick fix" as well.  I bet if we took a poll and added it all up, collectively all the people participating in this challenge would have spent a million dollars trying to lose weight.  So why am I so convinced this diet is THE ONE, it is going to work and why am I choosing to commit to this now?

First, I love Dr. Moreno's honesty and humor evident in the book.  Not to mention, he's totally hot!  Disclaimer:  I am may be happily married, but I have to admit he got my attention  right from the get go!

Seriously, Dr. Moreno is so right, we want fast results, the slow and steady wins the race might work for turtles in fairy tales, but in the reality of today's fast paced, instant gratification society, we want to see results NOW or we lose interest.  This plan is so simple it is genius, it combines the best elements of many diets I have tried, low fat, successful food combinations and changing things up to avoid plateaus and give you the rapid start we all desire.    Best yet, the foods are everyday, normal, easy to find ingredients that are affordable and readily available in any grocery store.

So why now?  I am 44 years old, 5'9" and on day one (January 10th), I weighed in at 224 pounds.  Yikes.  Worse yet, my waistline was 45 inches and as diabetes runs in my family, this is a serious red flag health wise.  When I was younger, I used to be a model; I don't look at those photos anymore.  

Now I work for a charity in Canada that promotes healthy eating to schoolchildren by funding healthy breakfast, lunch and snack programs in schools so kids are not going to class hungry.    So, here I am, speaking publicly in my job to media, donors and schoolchildren about healthy eating.  I do not feel like I am a positive role model and that makes me very sad, I love my job and I am totally committed to making sure all children have the chance to attend school well nourished and ready to learn.  I need to walk the walk in order to keep talking the talk.

I am married to the best husband in the world.  We've been together 20 years coming November 2011 and my weight has been up, down and back up again throughout those years.   In all that time, he has never once complained or made any negative comments.  I see some of these husbands on Dr. Phil who denigrate their wives for their size and I thank God every day for my husband.  He loves me, period.  That said, I want to give him the gift of a healthy, happy and extremely HOT wife.  LOL!  He so deserves that.  During one of my "slim" phases, he bought me this gorgeous, sexy little dress - with matching shoes!!!!  Really.  That's how fabulous he is, he bought sexy shoes!!!  I wore that dress once.  It hangs sadly in my wardrobe, living in hope that I will wear it once again.

I want to surprise my husband once the weight is off and go to his office in that dress at the end of a long day and sweep him off his feet, take him out for a splash up meal in an expensive restaurant, conveniently located in a top notch hotel.  *wink*  That's as far as I'm going there.... use your imagination.

My goal is to lose 75 pounds.  I'm going to get there and I am going to document my progress with photos on my profile.  Stay tuned!