Remember the 278-pound Cruz Bustamante? The one who finally looked in the mirror and vowed to lose 50 pounds because he was worried about his health? The critics scoffed, but he's almost there. The lieutenant governor has shed 35 pounds and threatens to blow past his 50-pound goal.

All this started in January when Bustamante looked at the scales and a big fat "278" screamed back at him. He even used the "O" word, calling himself obese. Bustamante, 53, went public with his battle, and urged others to join him in losing weight. He has plenty of company on this score. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and most of us are dieting most of the time.

Here's my column about Bustamante deciding to talk publicly about his battle to lose weight. His results so far are impressive. . . Now if I can only do the same thing.