Andras, who is in the middle of a mission to get back to her wedding day weight by the time her eighth anniversary comes around on Oct. 23, is inspiring many others who want to slim down and get healthier.

Between stories in Niagara this Week and her regular blog entries, she is recognized and stopped often while out and about.

While renting a video recently, she was stopped by a woman who asked her to continue blogging after her five-month, highly public weight-loss journey ends.

“She said, ‘Please, I follow it every day. It’s almost like we’re going through the same struggle,’ “ Andras said earlier this week.

The Curves franchisee said she didn’t think that many people were reading what she had to say. Now that she knows, she is considering keeping the blog going long after her Oct. 23 target date.

Andras had a slight setback in the past two weeks, with her body fat percentage rising slightly from the previous reading.

She admits she went a little overboard with her daughter’s birthday parties. Between the cake at each celebration and the buttered popcorn while watching Mama Mia at the theatre as part of one of the parties, there was a lot of temptation.

LINDA’S FAST FACTS

Biggest challenge: Cake and popcorn at daughter Brooklin’s three birthday parties.

Rewards: None in this period.

Favourite food: 50 % fat Orville Redenbacher popcorn lightly dusted with I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter spray and parmesan cheese.

Latest discovery: “If anyone completely deprives themselves of the food they like, they are likely to fall off the wagon.”

* * *

Linda’s Tale of the tape

presented in the following order: start; current; goal

Weight: 200 lbs; 172.5; 145

Body fat %: 38.5; 34.1; 34