It appears as though we will enjoy wonderful weather for this Labor Day weekend - a great way to end the month of August! And if you are interested in attending a festival that features more than 200 entertainment acts on nine stages, six acres of family activities, 160 art exhibitors - ranking this festival in the top twenty art fairs in the United States - along with the opportunity to talk with me face-to-face... do I ever have a great idea for you!

My trip to New York to appear on the TODAY Show was an experience that I will be forever grateful for, but not for the reason that you may be thinking of. You see, I made two wonderful new friends when I was there - two amazing women who were also once morbidly obese - women just like me.

I'm back from New York City! I don't think I've walked so much in a two-day period in years, but I'm not complaining - it was worth every blister! It wouldn't have been so bad if I would have taken my athletic shoes with me, but since I needed to consider the size of my carry-on bag for the plane trip, I only had room for flat sandals... not the best type of shoe when you go walking and shopping (you know I did some of that!) in the Big Apple!

Well, I'm still in New York and can't wait to share my adventures with you, but I'm going to wait one more day so I can tell the "whole story" in one complete blog! Today I would like to go over my "weight loss success secrets" since many individuals have been asking me about them lately.

I hope each of you enjoyed a wonderful weekend that included some time spent outside enjoying a little sunshine and fresh air (specifically walking!) You know I definitely did. And I also enjoyed something this weekend that I haven't done in a while - jumped on our trampoline!

Well, here we are at the end of another week of summer... and only one week to go until September arrives! We've been very fortunate with the great Michigan weather we've had the last three months and I can only hope that our autumn is just as nice.

Living with three teenagers can be a challenge, to say the least, especially when it comes to keeping the cupboards filled with items they enjoy. Yes, I hear the occasional "There's nothing to eat" - but I know that there is.

In yesterday's post, I briefly covered the topic of plateaus and the frustration that may go along with them. As I talk to people throughout Michigan, I find that "conquering a plateau period" is one of the biggest dilemmas that individuals encounter while attempting to lose weight - so I thought I would offer a little more advice today concerning this problem area.

I sure have been enjoying all the fresh vegetables from my garden lately, especially the cherry tomatoes. One of my favorite summer snacks is a warm, red tomato picked fresh from the vine. They taste great, are only 3 calories each, and contain numerous vitamins and minerals - what's not to love?

I hope you have been enjoying the day so far - it looks like we are going to have another beautiful, sunny afternoon! I'm hoping to get out on the lake this evening to do a little fishing, something I haven't done too much of lately.

"If only..." I've heard those two words at the beginning of a sentence on several occasions. Sometimes those words are spoken by me, and other times they're spoken by a friend or relative. Yesterday, I heard them again, but they weren't said by anyone I knew.

How many people do you know that have lost weight, especially a significant amount of weight, and then slowly put the weight back on? If you're like me, you can't remember all of them because you've seen it happen so often through the years that you've lost count. In fact, the majority of individuals that lose a considerable amount of weight often do gain it back, plus a little more ...

Today, as I drove away from the high school after taking my daughter to early morning practice, that feeling of being a student at that same high school came back for a few moments. It's been over twenty years since I attended that high school but I can still remember how I felt back then... being the "fat" one. Sometimes the emotions come rushing back, often making me feel almost sick to my stomach - and then I quickly remind myself that I'm not "her" anymore. Thank God, I'm not her...

My steaming hot morning coffee sure tastes and "feels" good this morning as I try to warm up after a night of temperatures in the fifties! When they told us a cold front was on the way - they sure weren't kidding! But it's nice sleeping weather and it's providing wonderful conditions for my son, who is beginning his first full week of football practice; and my daughter, who's beginning cross-country training today ... I know they appreciate the cooler temps as they practice. This weather is perfect for walking too, as I'm sure you experienced this past weekend.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! It seems as though the older I get, the faster they pass by. As I look at the calendar this morning I'm almost in disbelief as I realize that there are only three weeks left for my children's summer vacation. The warm summer nights will soon be over and the daylight hours will become shorter. Alarm clocks will be set for 5:30 am again. The "sleeping in" will end.

Another busy week has gone by, which will be ending today as my youngest is going to have braces put on this afternoon! She's excited about it, especially knowing that she will be starting off her school year with a brand "new" look. And after spending all her birthday money at the mall on the newest clothing fashions along with getting a different hairstyle, it will be interesting to see if all her classmates recognize her or not!

"I want immediate results - I dont want to wait!" a familiar statement from numerous individuals when it comes to explaining to me why they find it difficult to stay focused on any type "diet" or exercise plan designed to help lose their excess weight.

"How do you find the willpower to keep you going every day?" That is a very good question and one that I find is difficult to completely explain. In yesterday's blog, I focused on the willpower that some individuals find is the "real secret" to weight loss success, and I do agree that it is needed to succeed in losing weight. But willpower is also needed for many other goals that we have set for ourselves. But how do each of us find it? Why can some people have so much and other people appear to have none? We all have willpower inside us, but its our choice to "use it" or not.

What is the "real secret" to losing weight successfully? If I asked that question to one hundred individuals, I'd probably receive one hundred different answers! Most likely some answers would be similar to others, and I'm assuming that there would be a few that would amuse any experienced dieter with absurd information that couldn't possibly bring any long-term weight loss success.

This first week of August begins with sunny skies and extremely warm temperatures, but I'm not going to complain one bit! I know that in three to four months, I may be wishing it was 90 degrees outside instead of a day with below freezing temps - accompanied by "white stuff" - that I won't be ready for!

Today is going to be a great day! Why? It's Friday for starters, and it's also the first day of a brand new month ... one of my favorite months, actually! My hometown will be holding it's annual festival this weekend, our county fair is the following week, my family has many August birthdays to celebrate, and my son's varsity football season begins the last Friday of the month.