Welcome to my DietBet, all you brave folks!!! Today we are beginning the journey to losing 4% of our body weights and, while it will require a lot of work on each of our parts, I'll be with you every step of the way to encourage, inspire, and maybe even make you laugh a little. While I'm not a registered dietician, a licensed therapist, or a certified trainer, I HAVE learned a lot in my 54-year struggle with my weight, and I'm here to give you as much insight as I can into my process and yours. And as they say in 12-step programs, "Take what you want, and leave the rest."

While you're sure to lose some weight if you stick with whatever weight-loss program you have set up for yourself, one other thing is certain: you WILL stumble. I certainly have. You might even fall. But guess what? It's a journey, not a sprint, and the only thing that is important after a fall is the fact that you get up and keep going. During the famous and fabulous one-week Integrative Weight Loss program at @KripaluCenter in Massachusetts, I heard a speaker quote a spiritual master who said, "It is not important that you fall 82 times. It is important that you get up 83."

So, guys, if you fall along the way, and, say, eat something that isn't on your plan during a meal or exercise a little less than you intended to one day, just brush it off, and remember that you can do better the next meal, you can move more the next day, and you can keep going!!!