Like millions of obese Americans plenty of people vow to hit the gym and eat right every January first. Even I have set my mind to dropping some excess poundage. I’m on the 20 lbs in 20 days plan – today is day 14 and I’m down 16lbs.

I go to the Salem YMCA and avoid the mass of humanity that just signed up and flood all the machines from about 5:30AM to 7PM by going at 8PM. Having been a member for a few years I know that by March it will be safe to go back at a reasonable hour.

In addition to working out I have cut back on dining out and stepped up the cooking at home. Adding a few great cooking blogs to my RSS reader and setting the DVR for Good Eats (Alton Brown is my homeboy) has inspired me to cook some new things. Some people bitch and moan about how they can’t lose weight but all it comes down to is desire and willpower – a dash of inspiration doesn’t hurt either.

Need some inspiration to lose weight?

Tomorrow night (Wednesday Jan. 14th) get inspired by someone who has battled the scales and won. Neil Tejwani a Marblehead native and contestant on season 4 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser will be speaking at 7PM in the Old Town Hall, his talk is free to the public. At the begining of season four, 26 year old  Neil weighed in at a 420lbs.  After learning what he needed to do and applying himself he lost half of his body weight and got down to 210 lbs.

If you are having a tough time sticking to it or just want a little boost to keep you heading in the right direction, check out Neil’s talk.  He has parlayed his 15 minutes into a career helping people loose weight and get healthy. Perhaps he can help you get into that bathing suit this summer.

Vegan friendly dining in Salem

1. Cafe Kushco
   Lots of vegan options but the best thing is their desert, frozen tofu made to order.
2. Passage to India
3. Asahi
   A sushi restaurant with plenty of non-fish, vegan friendly items on the menu.
4. Fresh Taste of Asia
   Contemporary Asian cuisine with a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
5. Boston Hot Dog Company
   Yes, a hot dog restaurant. These guys serve tofu pups and you can get vegan friendly buns with no butter.
6. Salem Jade
7. New England Soup Factory
   Soups, with a menu that changes daily and always featuring vegan options.
8. Bangkok Paradise
   Both appetizers and entrees.
9. The Grapevine
   When there menu doesn’t specifically feature vegan items the chef usually has a vegan dish or two ready to go.
10. Salem Beer Works
    great veggie burgers and fried pickles to die for.

If you want to learn more about being a vegan in Salem checkout the Salem Vegan Society.