It's Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! I hope you're having a great 4th of July, and that today will bring you one day closer to your own independence :-).

In a way, it's ironic that because of the freedom and the riches this wonderful country offers, so many of us struggle with being overweight and find ourselves enslaved in a whole new way. But we can declare today to be our own personal independence day! We can determine that we will NOT be ruled by our appetites, temptations will NOT bring us down, and food will NOT be the sum of our existence.

If need be, have a private Boston Tea Party and throw out all of the contraband food that's still in your house. If it's not in the house, you can't eat it, and you'll be one step closer to your goal and the freedom from weight you want.

It takes courage to declare our own personal independence day, and there will certainly be struggles involved in getting to (and maintaining) a healthy weight, but it is worth the effort! Are you with me today?

I don't really want to compare our struggle to lose weight with the struggle that was fought for our nation's independence, because there really is NO comparison. Those brave men were willing to lay down their lives, and many did, to secure our freedom. Many of them lost everything they owned, but they viewed freedom as the true and lasting prize. So many thousands upon thousands of others have given their lives over these past two hundred plus years to protect and maintain our freedom, and we have men and women in uniform around the world today who are putting their lives on the line for us.

On this 4th of July, I want to honor all of those who have given so much to this country, even as I celebrate our nation's birthday. May God continue to bless America!