Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight, and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Well, 2008 has drawn to a close. As I do at every year's end, I am experiencing a mix of pride and self-disappointment. I started the year wearing a size 18-20 and am ending it in a firm size 12. Many would consider this a reason to celebrate. Normally I would, too. However, as my trainer Jake so often reminds me, I could have done better. I have few regrets over this last year but ironically, they are related to fitness and healthy eating. Fortunately, every meal is a chance to do better.

In no way does this discount the many changes I have made. I am proud of the fact that I am investing in my own fitness and actually look forward to my sessions with Jake. I take the initiative to follow through on days without him and even do the routines as instructed. Most of the time. That's better than rarely or never. My hope is that in the new year, it will be always.

There's something both exciting and unsettling about a new year, as I think about year that has passed and about the change I can make going forward. I won't litter this post with a ton of resolutions about what I'll do in '09. But I will continue to make fitness a priority. I will commit more and more to healthy eating. And I will embrace this new life. Bring it on 2009 -- I'm ready for you!