Sunny days definitely help with the motivation to be active -- whether it's mowing the lawn or doing other yard work or taking a walk.  Of course, this afternoon was also good for sitting on the back porch, in the sun, reading a book!  I didn't start with the laps after work yet like I wanted too this week -- but I did get a walk in most evenings. Eating has been pretty good -- even if I have to talk out loud to myself (which sometimes really helps!) about which foods to choose to eat either for a meal or a snack.  "No, don't eat that!" is also something that has to be said out loud quite often--- This was also Week 5 in the current session of the Slim & Fit exercise classes and I signed up for another 6 weeks after that - I really like them and they're a really good work out.  Even though I end up modifying some of the exercise to allow for the knee, it still is a good work out and I can tell I'm stronger than the first week when just doing a few push ups was difficult!!  Liking the classes and looking forward to the workouts is also the key for me to sticking with any program and for right now, this is really helping me to stay positive.  For me, a big hurdle to get over in the mental battle of exercise/dieting is being unrealistic in a time frame.  For some reason I think that if I stick with eating right and exercising for, say three weeks, at the end of that time I expect many pounds and inches to have melted off.  ("What??!! There's still arm flab??!  But I've been working SOOOO hard!!")  Never mind that it's taken over 20 years to reach this point.  I have to remind myself over and over and over again that I have to be in this for the long haul;  it's going to take a long time no matter how much time I spend wishing it was going faster and wishing for a quick fix.  Jogging is not in the picture yet either but I'll definitely be walking in the Johnnycake Jog Walk -- last year my time worked out to be about 14 minutes per mile so this year's goal is 13 minutes.  (The ultimate goal of the JJW is to be in the top 100 finishing walkers but that won't be for awhile!) Hang in there!  One day at a time, one meal at a time, one snack at a time!  ("Don't eat that, eat this instead!) Barb