The reality that is everyday life has a way of breaking in and taking over just when all is going so well. I was doing so well, losing one pound per week.

Ah, but it's not what you think. You're thinking I was a bad boy on Super Bowl Sunday. You're thinking I gave in to a binge somewhere along the road from heavy to healthy. Not so! Give me some credit here. (I say that jovially, not only because of the pun but also because I'm still fighting the good fight.)

I came down with a nasty cold a bit over a week ago. I don't know about you, but I don't do sick very well. I'm just a big baby at heart. Even the smallest sniffles attack is disaster. When I knew it was coming on and there was not a thing I could do about it I went into recovery mode. The last week has been all about comfort and rest for me.

When I felt tired or sleepy, I took a nap. When I wasn't sleeping I was drinking my hot tea. And in between sips of my tea, if I felt the least bit hungry, I ate.

So I put on a couple of pounds. Big deal, says I. I'm still 3 ahead of where I began the year and today I'm feeling better to the point I can once again be smart about diet and exercise.

Come to think of it, I've been smart about my diet and exercise all through this. Had I kept up the exercise routine and resisted the calories I might still be suffering, too weak to recover quickly. There you have it, just like everything else in the real world: You want something of value? Then it's worthy of an investment of your time, money and energies.