Go for it girls! If you need the challenge of losing 10 pounds by Valentines Day, and it keeps you motivated and on track, then more power to you. Good luck. I'll be watching and cheering you on. Here's hoping that your body is going where your mind wants to be.

I'm choosing not to participate because I loose so slowly, and my body will get there when it is ready, not by a date I set in a calendar. I lost 11 pounds in the first week. In the following 7 weeks I lost 8 pounds. That's only ounces more than 1 pound a week. I doubt that I'd reach a 10 pound loss by Valentines so I don't want to set myself up for a disappointment.

Instead, my first short term goal is to hit 166 some time in 2002. That would be the first weight in 10 years that doesn't have a 7, 8 or 9 in it. When I hit that, I'm going for a spa day....facial, manicure and pedicure.

We all have different things that motivate us. For me it's a chance to spoil me rotten at the spa.