The Plan.

That's me. The one with the ponytail.

In this picture (which was a promotional photo for an original play I was acting in, before you ask why I'm wearing a random smock and feeling up someone that isn't my husband), I weigh... well, I weigh a lot. And this isn't even me at my heaviest. I don't have many pictures from those days, because I was too ashamed to keep them. Those "blackout" days ate up several years of my life (bad pun). But, eventually, I grew sick of it. I dieted (first using WeightWatchers Online and later MyFitnessPal.com) and lost just under 50 pounds.

That's me, now. The one in the wedding dress.

This is me at my current size. And, while I'm certainly happy about how I look and I'm thrilled with all the progress I've made... I just can't stay motivated. You'd think, after years of dieting, that being only 25 pounds from your ultimate goal weight would be enough motivation. But, it's not.

So, that's where the story begins: Me, 153 lbs. Looking for motivation. A reason to stick with it, a reason to push past this plateau. And I found it.

I was cruising the web one day, bouncing from favorite to favorite, when I saw a post on the Facebook page for HELP Humane Society. They are having funding troubles. Serious troubles. Like, close their doors for good troubles.

For your reference, HELP Humane is the fabulous, no-kill shelter where I got these two beasties.

<---Puck.
He's about 5 years old.

Rags. --->
He's about 3 years old.

So, when I read this, I knew I had to do something. I decided to become a "Shelter Buddy," which I will be as of the end of next week. I'll be sending $10 a month as a direct deposit from my bank to HELP Humane's account, in order to help them cover their regularly monthly costs. But, I thought to myself, "That's just not enough." There has to be something, something else I can do to help this great program who helps so many others.

That's when I decided: I'm going to diet my butt off (maybe literally) in the name of charity.

Here's how it works:

-- I'm going back on the a diet, for serious.

-- I'm asking friends, family, and charitable strangers to pledge a dollar amount ($1, $5, $10!, etc), per each pound I lose.

-- I have nine weeks, spanning July 23rd through September 17th.

-- Immediately following the close of the nine week challenge, those pledging will send their checks directly to HELP Humane Society (Not to me! I won't make a cent!).

-- I'll fit better into my jeans, you'll get the warm-warm fuzzies, and a lot of cats and kitties will get the love and care they need. It's a win-win!

But, to do this, I need YOU!

Your pledges are what make this a reality. Anything at all is helpful, $1 a pound, $2 a pound, even ¢50 a pound! Please, help me to support this truly wonderful shelter! Pledge whatever you can in the comments below!

Thanks!
Whit

Learn more about HELP Humane at: http://www.helppets.org/

Become a "Shelter Buddy:" http://www.helppets.org/Shelter%20Buddy%20Brochure.pdf