[My blog post from today -- I thought I'd share it here as well -- come on everyone, what inspires you?  I'd love to hear from you all.]

I've thought a lot lately about Jessica Watson, the youngest person to sail solo around the world. What an amazing accomplishment that was, and an incredible journey -- at 16 she had the guts to go after her dream, no matter what anyone thought. She said she wasn't anything special, that anyone can achieve their goals if they set their mind to it, and work hard.

She had to ration her food to ensure she'd have enough to last the 200+ days at sea. I thought about how hard it can be to stick to a healthy eating plan, and I was truly inspired. If that young girl could muster the strength to dedicate seven months to reaching her goal, surely I can dedicate the next seven months to achieving mine. There are seven months left in this year -- and they're going to pass whether I work toward my goal or not. Another year will have come and gone regardless. How amazing would it be to start 2011 knowing that I did something amazing for myself -- knowing I stuck it out for seven months, through easy weeks and also through more challenging weeks?

Oh there will be challenging weeks, to be sure. I've found it difficult to eat healthy when I'm frequently sent on business trips or when family events come up and I'm surrounded by poor food choices. But you know what? Seven months at sea was no picnic either! I'll bet there were constant challenges that would have caused most people to give up. She may have made the journey unassisted, but she was in contact with friends and family via the net, and she blogged about the entire trip. At any time she could have given up, asked them to come to her aid. But she didn't. She stuck it out despite the challenges -- and so can I.

So last week I decided to give it all I have. I planned a week of healthy low-fat vegan menus -- nothing fancy, just simple, easy things that were low calorie yet satisfying. I've just finished that week and I'm proud to say I averaged 1571 calories daily (68% carb, 18% protein and 14% fat) for the week, and that's pretty darned good. I wasn't hungry, I was happy and satisfied with my choices -- several days my meals consisted of baked beans and home made veggie soup for lunch, and some very quick and simple veggie chilis and stews for dinner. I'm pleased to say I'm down 1.8 kilos from last week (3.97 pounds) and I feel great. So I'm going to do it again this week, and every week 'til the end of the year. If she could stick it out seven months to achieve her goal, then surely I can, too.

Tomorrow I head out for 3 days on another business trip. I've packed a bag of muesli, I'll stop and pick up soy milk when we get where we're going. They tell me there are several cafes nearby, but just in case I'm bringing 3 cans of baked beans -- if I can't find any healthy choices then I'll eat baked beans for lunch every day. They're in pull-top cans, and I brought plastic spoons -- if there's nowhere to heat them up then I'll eat them cold. I love baked beans! And I'll make the healthiest possible choice for dinner. I brought my iPod so I can get up early and walk, and if the weather's poor I can just dance to the tunes in my hotel room. There's always an option!

So that's the plan. At the end of this year I will hopefully have made incredible progress toward achieving my goal weight. But whether I succeed or not, I'm determined not to give up. I've been inspired by an incredible 16 year old girl who toughed it out for seven months to achieve her goal. Wish me luck in achieving mine!