Every time I make a batch of pancakes I have to scrap the first 3 or 4. Maybe the heat isn't right or there is too much oil in the pan. The batter might have thickened or been overly stirred. Whatever the cause, the pancakes start out small and blotchy but with each subsequent attempt they become wider, flip with ease revealing the tawny gold of a perfectly cooked pancake.

Tomorrow I go in to be weighed and measured. My body fat is going to be analyzed. For the next three months this is going to be my weekly ritual. Right now I feel very blotchy. The local tv station is hosting their own "Biggest Loser" contest and I entered. They picked me and now I am preparing myself to transition into a new way of thinking for the rest of my life.

Perhaps it's like making pancakes. Awkward and unappetizing at first, but given time and careful attention, something to be proud of in the end.