Despite losing 50lbs in the last six months and on her way to a new, healthy lifestyle, Alice Bennett-Johnson isn't about to take anything for granted. She knows the hard work has only just begun.Mrs Bennett-Johnson combined two weight-loss programmes, an Internet running programme called ‘Couch to 5K' and Zumba, a Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness programme in her bid to shed the pounds.For a person who has battled weight all her life and tried many programmes before, she decided to take things slowly.“I have had tremendous initial success in the past with South Beach, Body for Life, calorie counting and fanatical portion control but inevitably the weight has crept back,” said Mrs Bennett-Johnson.“This time, the objective has been to set realistic goals, live well, pick my battles and stay the course. Obtaining and maintaining good health is a marathon, not a sprint.“This has been an exercise in lifestyle modification. I get three meals in religiously and two snacks are always the goal. Carbohydrates have not been cut out entirely and there certainly is time for a treat. I eat out often, navigate my way through menus and focus on the company, not the food. Not that I'm counting, but I have had Art Mels (meals) three times over the past six months and it was amazing!”She added: “I constantly felt left on the sidelines observing people who were more vibrant, capable, confident and content. This undertaking had to go deeper than vanity and clothing size. If I managed to get into the single digit dress size for New Year's Eve so what? A few pictures and then what? Been there, done that and literally have the T-shirt that no longer fits.“It's imperative you wake up the day after the party, get up, find your sneakers and press on. The Rudyard Kipling poem “If” says it best: ‘If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same ...'“A smaller size is an achievement, not a triumph and should be a by-product of a greater initiative. Relishing my aunt's perfect mashed potatoes is hardly a disaster, it's simply a beautiful thing.”With a family history of heart disease, Mrs Bennett-Johnson knew she had to change some things in her life.“My family history is riddled with heart disease and the longevity of my immediate family has been limited to about 70 years. I'm unwilling to accept that at 35, I have reached midlife! So one morning, I simply went for a walk. Thus far I have been able to reap the benefits of being more conscientious, organised and overall more productive. This is a process with no finish line. In the past the goal was ‘size x or x lbs'. Now, the goal is to enjoy the journey.”Mrs Bennett-Johnson missed her initial goal, but has made good progress in the last six months.“To date, I have lost just over 50lbs in six months,” she said. “My first goal was to lose 30lbs from mid-June to Cup Match. I fell short, clocked in at 20lbs and celebrated it as progress. No doubt, if I had adhered to a structured programme, I would have lost more. I'm focusing on physical goals, not clothing size or pounds lost. Also, since I am not longer in my 20s, I am conscious of “deflating”. I want to give my skin the opportunity to keep up.”The C25K programme is set out in nine week intervals with structured runs each week. “The first week you run for 60 seconds, have a recovery walk for 90 seconds and repeat eight times. Panic set in on the third 60-second interval as we went up Cox's Hill. I would have gone home had I not had friend with me who sensed this oncoming wobbly and started yelling ‘pump your arms!' From that moment, I followed the programme, never hesitated and stayed the course. The first morning that I ran for 20 minutes straight, winning the lottery would have paled in comparison!”After competing in her first race, the BAC Jingle Bells 5K race in December, Mrs Bennett-Johnson has set her sights on more road races, including the May 24 Half-Marathon.Christmas is always a difficult time for a person trying to cut the pounds, but Mrs Bennett-Johnson remained committed.“My strategy always, not just over the holidays, is to go over the meal scenarios in advance and anticipate what I really can't pass up. If I know I'll be with friends and the bubbly will flow, I'll be more frugal on the carbs that day. The key is to keep moving. I squeezed in two classes and a run on Christmas week and have decided to start half marathon training.”She continued: “Weight has been a battle all of my life. Since I was a teenager, I've been a yo-yo dieter and now have bins of clothes ranging from size ten to 18. Currently, I feel better, more confident, competent and in control. I also let go of the guilt of putting other people and tasks ahead of my needs. Time spent on me is necessary to ensure I can give others more and better quality time. Women tend to feel guilty about taking time for themselves. We really can't afford not to.”