Dear Dr. Laura

Thank you for your opening monologues about health and stopping over-indulgent behavior. They really gave me a new perspective on some things I've been struggling with lately.

Two years ago, I looked in the mirror and decided I was sick of indulging my laziness and decided to get healthy. I have been obese for most of my life, and I began walking and started seeing a dietician to help me develop better eating and exercise habits.

I went gangbusters on this for about 18 months and lost about 100 lbs. However, I learned that I hadn't changed my thinking process. I stopped seeing the dietician, and without the check and balance of someone to check in with, I went right back to my old eating habits. And when my father (my workout partner) left to spend the winter down south, I went right back to my old exercising habits, which is to say I stopped exercising completely.

I've spent many months excusing my behavior with a variety of things (a job change, some pain in my legs, some stomach issues) and indulging my cravings and laziness, and I gained back 30 pounds.

Your commentaries were very difficult to listen to and I struggled not to turn them off. I think that was because I knew I would get smacked across the face with myself and my bad thinking. Thankfully, I didn't give in to my impulse to fast forward past them and listened instead, using the opportunity to take a long look at my life and my choices.

I plan to make a recording of these monologues to listen to every time I feel like regressing back to the easy, lazy way of thinking and have re-dedicated myself to my healthy exercise and eating habits.

Thank you so much for speaking honestly and frankly at all times and giving me and others  the push we need to do the right thing and make the most of our lives.

Sandra