'Together We Can Get Healthy And Change The World'

Kara Richardson Whitely, 34, Summit, N.J.

Goal: The Save the World Diet, a challenge to take on a physical event for charity each month of 2009. Next up: Walk MS, March 28 at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

Why I did it: Walk MS Tampa falls on the two-year anniversary of when my friend and colleague Marilyn Dillon fell into paralysis from a multiple sclerosis episode. Her story goes on from there, from moments when we almost lost her to her brave and courageous return to her feet.

Also, this walk is part of my yearlong effort called The Save the World Diet. Each month, I'm taking on a physical event for charity with the hope of getting in incredible shape and making the world a better place.

I was sick of feeling helpless about my weight and all the problems facing the world around me. I decided to start taking actual steps to make a difference. Throughout the year, I will take on various challenges, including the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati to raise awareness for the American Heart Association and a can-can dance for local food pantries in New Jersey.

Walk MS in Tampa benefits the MS Society, an organization that helps those affected by multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable and unforgiving disease. Having multiple sclerosis means you may not be able to walk when you wake up. Or that you may suddenly have impaired vision. Or that your memory will fail you for no apparent reason.

How I did it: The Save the World Diet movement was inspired by my 2007 climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. It was both a celebration of my 120-pound weight loss and a fundraiser for AIDS orphans. I blog about the climb and my current challenge on www.fatwomanonthe mountain.com.

When I was training for the climb, I couldn't justify skipping a workout. My success on the mountain meant some child could have clean water, a good education, a chance. My weight loss and better health just came along the way as I trained for the climb.

I gave myself plenty of time to train - about a year - and worked at it every day. That meant hiking on the weekends, starting my weekday mornings at the gym and eating foods that were good for my body. I made it to the top of the mountain and raised $12,000 for Global Alliance for Africa's AIDS orphans programs.

I am most successful on any weight-loss journey when my focus is on what I want to do, not how many pounds I want to lose. These charity events remind me that my body is a vehicle to get around on Earth, to do my life's work.

Hurdles: I got pregnant a few months after I returned from Africa and had trouble exercising. The less I exercised, the more I ate. When my daughter was born in February 2008, I was left with about 40 pounds of baby weight to lose all over again and a lot of my fat habits.

Since food has been my coping mechanism for the majority of my life, it's easy to return to old habits. It's easy to get stuck.

This Save the World Diet is my way of getting back on track, to use these events as motivation to get healthy and strong for me, my family and the world around me.

Going the distance: I started the year with the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, a 4-mile race I did to raise money for UNICEF. In February, I took on the Penguin Plunge, a dip in the icy waters of Lake Champlain in Vermont, to benefit Special Olympics Vermont.

I'm a pants-size smaller, I've raised hundreds of dollars for charity, and I feel terrific. My weekends are filled with purpose as I train for these events. In fact, I'm up to 13 miles as I train to jog/walk the Flying Pig Marathon on behalf of the American Heart Association.

The great thing about getting involved in events for charity is the positive people you meet along the way. It breaks you out of the isolation that often comes along with obesity. I'm really looking forward to Walk MS on March 28 - taking steps to help those with MS.

Best advice: My Kilimanjaro climb began with walks huffing and puffing around my neighborhood. Short walks became hilly hikes. Molehills became mountains. Start small. Start now. Together we can get healthy and change the world.