photo courtesy www.hypnodeb.com

Governor Daniels issued a challenge in January to Indiana to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks.

We are close to March, and I am not motivated.

It's week eight, and I stopped following the recommendations about two weeks ago.

I cut my calories to the point that fried food upsets my stomach.

I've been drinking so much water that I no longer walk, but slosh down the hallways.

I even sacrificed an hour of sleep several times a week to get to the gym.

And I've lost 4.5 pounds.

Some of the latest e-mail tips are not topping my to-do list.

I'm not going to start measuring my food. I don't have time to do 45 minutes of cardio five days a week. And I'm not going to sign up for a gym that does circuit training when the one I'm paying for now is just fine.

The first six weeks went splendid. They were tips I could follow.

Yes, I can reduce my food intake by 250 calories. That's one less soda, one less chocolate bar, one less handful of chips.

Yes, I can substitute my coffee with a glass of water or juice. I now spend more time in the bathroom than I do at my desk, but there is a price to pay for health.

Yes, I can commit a half hour 3 times a week to a treadmill.

But with time, stress and unrealistic expectations my motivation to follow INShape's tips has been flushed out of my system (with just about everything else).

I think this is the same pattern most Americans fall into when they begin an exercise regime.

When your body stops responding to the exercise like it had been, when you are really craving that cheeseburger or when life gets turned upside down and losing weight is the last thing on your mind, a weekly e-mail telling you to calculate your target heart rate is not enough motivation.

Plus, it's Girl Scout Cookie season!

Am I eating better and exercising more than I did before the program? Yes.

Can I still get to the 10-pound mark if I jump back on the wagon? Probably.

Will I continue after the 10 weeks are up? That is a big maybe.

I'd like to suggest to those in charge of INShape and 10 in 10 Challenge to include more motivational incentives later in the program.

Like, after the program, a $10 gift card to a sporting-good store for every pound lost.

There is a good chance the recommended walking/running amounts will destroy your current shoes.

Or, for those who lost more than 10 pounds, a chance to win a meal prepared by a personal chef. Sometimes it takes a professional to make healthy food taste good.

I'm losing the motivation battle. After eight hours of work and two hours of commute, I would rather file income taxes than jump on a treadmill.

And there are very few nights when I scour the fridge yelling, "Who ate my spinach?"

But most importantly, I'm not sure if I can continue the good habits I have picked up during my participation.

I think my goals for the final two weeks of the program are to follow the e-mail tips and focus on forming healthy habits instead of a number.