Wow, Christa, that is an amazing difference, but I have to say that you look beautiful in your *before* as well as your *after*. I know you feel a lot better at the *after* weight though and the difference it will make in your health now and in the future is beyond calculation.

In respect to sheer outward appearances, even those who look beautifully plump, beware: As one ages, fat can turn to flab, and flab is never attractive.

On a positive vein, I did manage to lose another pound last week. I did a lot of physical work over the weekend which was good, but I made a number of poor choices in my eating, probably because I was so hungry. I think my mistake was to try to continue with my much smaller portions when I really needed a bit more due to the extended physical activity. Then the hunger got the best of me and I ate some extra things that weren't the best selections.

Christa, you mentioned two weeks ago that sometimes it takes a while to get started. I like to refer to that as *building a base*. I know that not everyone runs up on that, but for those who (like me) do, the idea is not to give up. Just keep plugging at it, and like Christa says, eventually the weight will drop.