Last fall, it just got depressing. The mere idea of stepping on the bathroom scale made me want to cry.

A Weight Watchers group was starting up at my office. I joined. But the day we all had to turn in the cash, enough people dropped out that the group leader refused to meet with those of us who were left. So much for Weight Watchers.

Obviously, something needed to be done. So I came up with my own five-point plan for losing weight:
Lose 30 Pounds in Three Months
1. Get more active. Power fitness walk daily, 20 minutes a day. Every day.
2. Cut out sweets.
3. Cut down on drinking.
4. Don't eat after 9 p.m.
5. Eat more veggies and less fat.

The biggest change and challenge is the walking. I have walked every morning but three in the past 20 days. Sometimes, though, it's just a 10-minute walk, because 5:30 a.m. comes awfully early. It's a major struggle to get myself out of bed.

I've done pretty well with the sweets, even during the holidays. Some dietitians say you can allow yourself a treat a day of less than 150 calories, but I can't. Because if I give myself permission for one cookie, I'll take three.

That drinking goal definitely needs to be modified. Alcohol really packs on the calories. Here's my new step 3: Do not drink during the week. I just have to convince myself that a hard day at the office does not mean I can have a glass of wine.

I have stuck to the no-eating-after-9-p.m. rule. That one was easier than I thought. I just stopped buying all the munchies I like to eat right before bed.

I've been doing better with the veggies and fruits, too. I'm not one to eat salad every day, but if I pack apples, tangerines, grapes, celery, green peppers, cherry tomatoes and carrots and take them to work, I'm good to eat all day. I need bread and protein, though, or I think I'm not actually eating. Hummus helps, but I'll get tired of that pretty soon. Also, try as I might, I can't think of an apple as a real snack. I think of cookies as a snack. So I have to be careful about snacking.

I also have discovered that my five-step plan isn't enough, and my weight-loss goal is not realistic. I have lost four pounds. At one point, I'd lost seven, but three creeped back. So here's my new do-it-yourself weight-loss plan:
Lose 25 Pounds in Five Months
1. Power walk 20 minutes a day. Every day. No exceptions. (I already missed that one today.)
2. Cut out sweets. Also, no french fries.
3. No drinking on weeknights.
4. Don't eat after 9 p.m.
5. Eat more veggies and less fat.
6. Drink lots more water. At least two 16-ounce bottles at work each day.
7. Small portions only of pasta, rice, potatoes.
8. Beware of bread. And butter.
9. Just do it. Don't talk about it. Obsessing about weight does not set a good example for the children.

What I like about my plan is that these are all little steps, and even if I don't lose weight, I'll be healthier anyway. I'll let you know how it goes.