Today marks another milestone on the path with my German Metabolic Balance® journey: Day 500! And it’s still working — “when I am ‘on plan.'”

It’s been challenging the past four months for a variety of reasons, all of which would come under the heading of “life and  death events.”

It started with an incredible trip to Cuba in late January to early February, followed by the affects on my arthritic knees of walking those cobblestones and uneven streets for nine days. It’s boring to talk about aches and pain, so I’ll just say it kept me from exercising for a couple of months.

Everyone knows how to lose weight: eat less and exercise more. So suffice it to say that only in the past few weeks have I been able to get back on the treadmill or walk five days a week. I have really enjoyed getting back to the Y and going to the arthritic pool class.

Another challenge was the sudden death of my sister, Sharon Henneman, in late February. Along with my sister, June, my sisters have known me the longest and best. Nothing prepares you for an unexpected loss like that.

Then there were the distractions — albeit great, fun and welcomed activities — sorting through more than 5,000 photos that I took while in Cuba to choose 45 to 50 photos for each of two exhibits. “Hola, Cuba!” at the Kaddatz Galleries in Fergus Falls, Minn., had a good run and closed May 16. “Our Cuban Family” at The Westminster Gallery downtown Minneapolis at Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) runs through June 18.

Another project I completed Monday is my 17th self-published photo book titled “Our Cuban Family” after the WPC photo exhibit.

My next two projects, which I’ll start in a few days, are creating a small photo book of my MB® journey and working with my daughter, Andrea La Valleur-Purvis, who is visiting from Barcelona, Spain. She’s a graphic and web designer. I’m excited that she will be creating a photo website for me.

What I’ve learned in the past 500 days on the MB® plan, above all, is to “take one day at a time.”

Being a competitive person, I like to set goals that stretch me. My initial goal was to lose 88 pounds —  similar to Sharon’s weight loss — in 12 months. I want to be at the same weight I was when I left for Europe 22 years ago. That is still my goal. But I set an unrealistic time-frame. I thought I’d reach it in the space of a year. That didn’t happen.

It is not easy losing weight when you’re 71 and obese. Dang it! At least now, I’m in the “overweight” category and no longer obese. And I’ve rescheduled my goal date to Dec. 31, 2017 — just in time to pop the cork of a bottle of Korbel sparkly and ring in the New Year!

For sure, the biggest challenge has been to limit my favorite wine intake — Chardonnay — to once a week vs. the previous 40 years of enjoying more than one glass of wine in the evening.

Considering my dear husband continues his nightly Merlot imbibing, I’m doing quite well!  It’s my body, and I’m the only one who can make it happen. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.

Results:  Down 60 pounds in 500 days on Metabolic Balance® with 28 to go.

Tip: Take one day at a time!

My plan.

A selfie.

Lunch at a friends. She fixed an albacore tuna salad on a bead of mixed greens and a glass of water, totally on plan! A few sesame sticks add crunch.

My traditional breakfast: full-fat plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, a honeycrisp apple, ½ piece of 100 percent sourdough rye bread, coffee, water and morning pills.

Supper: Two grilled venison patties looking rather dark but quite tasty along with a fresh mixed green salad with flail and balsamic vinegar with water.