“I understand how much of a struggle it is to change life, add physical exercise and lose weight. As in all things that are “goal oriented,” it’ll take personal effort to determine direction and develop a plan to loose weight, tone muscle, rebuild confidence.

I want to help, so please begin with the following “steps” on your journey to a new you. Begin your journey by keeping a “Journal of the Journey” – documenting important information will help you look back, see the current and plan the future. Keeping this journal will allow you to build dedication to the cause, and the cause is the precious you.

Three important segments of your journal are: tracking you body mass index (BMI), tracking your eating habits and the “stuff” you stuff in, and documenting your thoughts about the “journey” itself.

Your BMI is the number you want to decrease. This is how you calculate BMI: BMI equals weight in pounds times 703 divided by height in inches times height in inches. An example: a man weighs 190 pounds and is 5 feet 10 inches tall. His BMI is 190 times 703 (133,570) divided by 70 by 70 (4,900), which equals 27 (overweight).

Tracking your eating habits will allow you to track both the good and bad of your current nutrition intake, while documenting your thoughts will help you “clarify” the stress and joy of the journey.

Invest in a diet guide book (or perhaps a book or information from online sources. I recommend you try mypyramid.gov), keeping this in mind: there is no magic bullet. Diets alone don’t work – the three giants do (determination, knowledge and exercise). They are the “guides” of happiness, health and weight loss. Any diet will work if “married” to the three giants, but be well aware of this: the diet must include carbohydrates, fats and protein. All three are required by your precious body.

As in all of life, it’s best (easier, happier, more reachable) with a partner who both supports your goals and helps keep you on the path with gentle, yet firm, direction and encouragement. There is a world of difference between being told you are still fat and lazy and being told, with a gentle hug and whispered encouragement, that you need to stay on your journey’s path. As in all things of life, love and encouragement beat the “hell” out of arrogance and insult.

OK, so now you are journaling, tracking, trying and being supported. Now pay close attention to this: you will stumble and fall, you will have weeks without weight loss, you will face periods of discouragement. Please understand this journey to achieve weight loss and a healthy life will challenge both your dedication and determination.

So make sure your path through this journey has a road map. If you need direction (perhaps an explanation related to BMI and “body fat”), or just want a shoulder to lean on, please contact me (tomhunkelecft@hotmail.com).

Listen – hear yourself whisper: yes I can, yes. I can – yes. I can. You can do this!