I love the Style Network show Ruby and also love the motivating theme song. Little did I know it's a real song. It's called I Can by Johanna Stahley and it's available on iTunes. Actually, there are two versions: the original rockin' version and the remix done for the show. What I love most are the inspiring lyrics. Here's a snippet:

I see everything happening
Feeling changes coming on
I gotta let go of what I know
Where I’ve been coming from

I picture overcoming obstacles
See me beat the odds

I can if I think I can
Turn my doubts into sand
I can if I think I can
I made a plan, I’ll take a stand
I’ll be my own biggest fan
I can if I think I can
If I think I can

My game plan in 2009 is to incorporate everything that has worked well in the past for me (temporarily) and combine them for a 3-pronged attack on flab.

• I used Alli earlier this year to jump off a plateau, and didn't suffer any side effects, so that's prong 1.
• And I really enjoyed the appetite-satisfying MUFAs (monounsaturated fats) from the Flat Belly Diet, so I'll make sure one of those is included in every meal -- prong 2.
• Prong No. 3 is Weight Watchers new Momentum plan. I just plain need to pay someone to weigh me. I also like Weight Watchers Simply Filling emphasis on real, whole foods.

So that's my plan to Look Fine in 2009.

But since you asked, Barbara :), I had skipped the previous week because I saw the scale going up (always a bad strategy) but bit the bullet and took my lumps (and bulges) on Sunday. Almost 5 pounds up in two weeks. Doesn't take much to pack the weight on.

But this week I'm hitting the gym every day and keeping track of what I eat, so things should be better this Sunday.

I caught up with the latest episode of Ruby on the Style network yesterday -- love that show, so inspiring! (We'll write more about her later).

So I get to the end, and here's the message I see:

Dominos??? As Ruby would say, Domino's, y'all are gettin' on my last nerve!

The folks at SlimFast are gearing up for a new onslaught of resolutionists... They've got a great free website, meal plans and options for those of us readying for "Looking Fine in '09".

Click here for a link to their website and their $20 off coupon and weight loss tools.

So, we're at the Aunt's house for our Jewish Christmas dinner... All of the cousins are in from out of town and they're getting their annual family portrait taken.  My mom and sister (Gail) are already in the house, setting up the food for the mass consumption.  The family that has already gathered at the house starts-a-snackin' on all of the goodies that are there.  There was the triglyceride trifecta... chopped liver (the real stuff), beef salami and cold cuts and... the artery clogging white stuff (on the left) that was covered in shredded cheese.

My entire family flocked to the goo like a moth to the flame... Chips were getting broken in the goo that had the viscosity of a frozen brick of cream cheese.  "Gail, what's that?" I asked fearfully.  She answers, "If it starts out thick, then softens as it gets to room temperature, it's full of sat fat" as she cracks a nacho chip into the white minefield.

So munch, munch, munch... we're about 1/4 of the way into the dip when the phone rings... Uncle is now feverishly pulling the refrigerator apart, looking for the "foil with the cheese on it".  I say, "Uncle, it's already out, and we're almost done eating it" Uncle continues looking for the stuff.  "It has to be baked" he yells. My stomach turns.  Could there be some uncooked eggs in it? Are we all gonna wind up in the ER or the bathroom for the rest of the night? Wasn't there some bacon in it??? Was is THOROUGHLY COOKED???

We pry the tin of goo out of the hands of family and place it into the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  By this time, I'm done with the goo.

30 minutes go by, and the timer goes off... The molten goo is a bubblin and looking very good at this point.  I couldn't bring myself to eat any more of it... but Gail said you could actually scoop some up on a chip without it breaking.

Turns out the goo consisted of cream cheese, an onion, a bunch of crumbled bacon, some sour cream... all topped with shredded cheese.

BTW ask Gail how she did at Weight Watchers weigh in today...

I'm Carol. I've been fighting my battle of the bulge since about the age of 12.  I vow to win this battle.

Last year, I was involved in the Sun-Sentinel's Take it Off Challenge, where my weight loss was chronicled in the area newspaper.  My team (from American Heritage School - where I work) won, after 12 weeks of having our photos and weights posted in the newspaper.  I lost 29lbs through that challenge, and lost a total of 40lbs.  I've since gained back 12 :-( 

Prevention magazine nutrition director Cynthia Sass is one of the architects of the Flat Belly Diet, which launched at the start of the year and has become quite popular.

Until now the recipe for Sassy Water, a staple of the diet's 4-day Jumpstart, has been privvy only to people who had bought the book. But this morning I found a video for the recipe on Flatbellydiet.com.

Click HERE for the video.