Like the majority of you, I'd spent my fair share of time trying gimmicks, quick weight loss plans, low fat, low calorie diets and the same thing happened to me that happened to most of you. F. A. T.

Stress? No one here has the corner market on that little fact of life. When I started this way of eating, I was still living part time at the hospital with my daughter, and when she wasn't admitted, I was running an average of 3 specialist appts a week - some of which were 2-3 hours away from our home & included lots of over night stays. That doesn't include the time we spent in OT/PT/Speech/Feeding Therapy/Neuropsychology. Talk about stress?! Egads. I also had older 2 kids in public school and was investing lots of time learning about homeschooling - which I took on in October 2002. I had a husband who had extensive health issues as well, and who died in a motorcycle accident in May of 2006. We have a company that we have invested blood, sweat, and tears in to get off the ground and that's been many things, but unstressful isn't one of them. I have a mom who is a cancer survivor, but has had some major scares in the last couple of years. We've had several deaths in the family, a birth, lots of family functions, holidays, etc etc etc - all since I started this WOE.

Okay- We've removed the myth that I haven't had any life issues to deal with while taking on this WOE.

I spent 2 years having absolutely zero control of the scariest thing that I've ever encountered - the health of my youngest child. Zero control. It didn't matter how hard I concentrated, how hard I tried, how much I fought, how much I read, how much I studied - I had no control over making her more healthy and still don't. It was a realization that impacted, and continues to impact me greatly.

It dawned on me one day how unhealthy I had allowed myself to become. I was smoking 2 packs a day. I weighed 230lbs. I was beyond stressed. I hated where I had landed in my life, but unlike when I looked at my daughter, I figured out I *did* have the power and control to improve my own health.

That's how a No -Excuse-Fanatic was born.

My daughter didn't get to lean on excuses to make it through her days. She had to fight for everything - she's had to fight her own body to be healthy, she's had to fight her body to move like she wants it to, she's had to fight her mouth to speak, she's had to fight her size, and she's even had to fight to learn to eat. She faced/faces things with the most courage of anyone and anything I've ever known. If you have never known a chronically ill child and watched them as they march into the labs of hospitals and bravely stick out their little arms to be stabbed again and again and again, I both envy and pity you. I have hated to have to watch this child go through things no one should ever have to go through and yet she does so with such dignity and grace I can not and will not make miserable excuses in her presence about "how hard it is" or "how long it's going to take". I can not. I will not.

Samantha is the one who taught me all about no excuses and all about taking advantage of the choices I have.

I've learned that it is ESSENTIAL to plan ahead. I've carried coolers with me all over the damn country side so that I can maintain my WOE and continue to make appropriate choices. I call ahead to family functions to find out what I can help with or bring so that I can do what I need to do too. I leave nothing to chance. Failing to plan is planning to fail - and I *refuse* to fail.

It used to take a *lot* of effort and planning. It doesn't anymore - so yes - this WOE *has* gotten easy. It *is* second nature to me and I have read the research and the literature and the books until I can practically recite them. It has been essential to my success.

Does all this babbling have a point? Not really. But now, hopefully, some of you know and understand where I'm coming from and that this really is all about choices and personal responsibility. We all have the ability to determine our own destiny - and it took a beautiful little girl getting really sick for me to see and learn that.

I try every day to be an example, not only to my family and community, but to this community as well. Success is something that is rarely achieved alone. I've had plenty of people to lean on along the way (thank you!!) I'm as real as they come. I have life struggles. I have stress, and I have great friends and a fantastic support community. It's out there for you too. Use it.

Success, Love, and Light