Michelle Obama

Sometimes it's just easier to say yes to that extra snack or dessert because, frankly, it is exhausting to keep saying no. It's exhausting to plead with our kids to eat just one more bite of vegetables.

America is just downright mean.

The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world. That is so important. So when you study abroad you're actually helping to make America stronger.

I've seen how the issues that come across a president's desk are always the hard ones - the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer.

See that's why Barack's running: to end the war in Iraq responsibly - to build an economy that lifts every family to make sure health care is available for every American - and to make sure that every child in this nation has a world-class education all the way from preschool to college.

I like to talk about my obsession with french fries because I don't want people to think that 'Let's Move' is about complete utter deprivation. It's about moderation and real-life changes and ideas that really work for families.

I've seen firsthand that being president doesn't change who you are. It reveals who you are.

I'm not asking any of you to make drastic changes to every single one of your recipes or to totally change the way you do business. But what I am asking is that you consider reformulating your menu in pragmatic and incremental ways to create healthier versions of the foods that we all love.

People want to feel hopeful.

Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.

And I love that even in the toughest moments when we're all sweating it - when we're worried that the bill won't pass and it seems like all is lost - Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. Just like his grandmother he just keeps getting up and moving forward... with patience and wisdom and courage and grace.

It wasn't so long ago that I was a working mom myself. And I know that sometimes, much as we all hate to admit it, it's just easier to park the kids in front of the TV for a few hours so we can pay the bills, or do the laundry, or just have some peace and quiet for a change.

If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that.

I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.

We all need to start making some changes to how our families eat. Now everyone loves a good Sunday dinner. Me included. And there's nothing wrong with that. The problem is when we eat Sunday dinner Monday through Saturday.

We learned about gratitude and humility - that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us, to the janitors who kept our school clean... and we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect.

So we know that it's not enough for us to simply encourage more people to study abroad. We also need to make sure that they can actually afford it.

When it comes to the health of our families Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day another president. He didn't care whether it was the easy thing to do politically - that's not how he was raised - he cared that it was the right thing to do.

We learned about dignity and decency - that how hard you work matters more than how much you make... that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.

My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for our family and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity her compassion her intelligence reflected in my daughters.

Choose people who lift you up.

Although the circumstances of our lives may seem very disengaged with me standing here as the First Lady of the United States of America and you just getting through school I want you to know we have very much in common. For nothing in my life ever would have predicted that I would be standing here as the first African-American First Lady.

I know what it feels like to struggle to get the education that you need.

Every day the people I meet inspire me... every day they make me proud... every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.

I think that people are tired. They're tired of the same old kind of politics. People want a new tone to politics.

Exercise is really important to me - it's therapeutic. So if I'm ever feeling tense or stressed or like I'm about to have a meltdown I'll put on my iPod and head to the gym or out on a bike ride along Lake Michigan with the girls.

There are still many causes worth sacrificing for so much history yet to be made.

Ultimately this issue is on us. We're the ones who make the decisions about what our kids eat.

And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond, that you do what you say you're going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect even if you don't know them and even if you don't agree with them.

Like so many American families our families weren't asking for much. They didn't begrudge anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they did... in fact they admired it.

Find people who will make you better.

I was not raised with wealth or resources or any social standing to speak of.

I have a very eclectic iPod. So I've got my cardio people - so it's anything from Beyonce to some Jay-Z to Janelle Monae her song 'Tightrope ' that's a good cardio song. And then I've got Sting. I've got Mary J. Blige. I've got The Beatles. I've got Michael Jackson. I try to pick the songs that I personally love.

One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks I really don't invest any energy in them because I know who I am.

The realities are that you know as a black man you know Barack can get shot going to the gas station you know.

I am so tired of fear. And I don't want my girls to live in a country in a world based on fear.

Oh I can't play soccer and I'm not a great swimmer. I won't drown but you won't see me doing laps in a pool.

We learned about honesty and integrity - that the truth matters... that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules... and success doesn't count unless you earn it fair and square.

We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture - imagine this - where our kids ask for healthy options instead of resisting them.

You see at the end of the day my most important title is still 'mom-in-chief.' My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.

I love that for Barack there is no such thing as 'us' and 'them' - he doesn't care whether you're a Democrat a Republican or none of the above... he knows that we all love our country... and he's always ready to listen to good ideas... he's always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.

We're all bombarded with so many dietary messages that it's hard to find time to sort through all this information but we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates.

Fortunately we have help from the media. I have to say this: I'm very grateful for the support and kindness that we've gotten. People have respected their privacy and in that way I think you know no matter what people may feel about my husband's policies or what have you they care about children and that's been good to see.

And let's be clear: It's not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren't healthy. It's also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy.

Together we can help make sure that every family that walks into a restaurant can make an easy healthy choice.

Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.

I never cut class. I loved getting A's I liked being smart. I liked being on time. I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world.

I'm a fry lover.

The problem is when that fun stuff becomes the habit. And I think that's what's happened in our culture. Fast food has become the everyday meal.

I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he's going to do, even when it's hard - especially when it's hard.

If proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love then surely surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.

When I get up and work out I'm working out just as much for my girls as I am for me because I want them to see a mother who loves them dearly who invests in them but who also invests in herself. It's just as much about letting them know as young women that it is okay to put yourself a little higher on your priority list.

I hate fund-raising. Haaaaate it. Hate hate it.

Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health because if we're scurrying to and from appointments and errands we don't have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own 'to do' list.

As a mom I know it is my responsibility and no one else's to raise my kids. But we have to ask ourselves what does it mean when so many parents are finding their best efforts undermined by an avalanche of advertisements aimed at our kids.

We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own 'to do' list.

My experiences at Princeton have made me far more aware of my 'blackness' than ever before. I have found that at Princeton no matter how liberal and open-minded some of my white professors and classmates try to be toward me I sometimes feel like a visitor on campus, as if I really don't belong.

I am desperate for change - now - not in 8 years or 12 years but right now.

At the end of the day when it comes time to make that decision as president all you have to guide you are your values and your vision and the life experiences that make you who you are.

The truth is, in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.

My first job, in all honesty, is going to continue to be mom-in-chief. Making sure that in this transition which will be even more of a transition for the girls... that they are settled and that they know they will continue to be the center of our universe.

You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.

And I come here as a daughter raised on the South Side of Chicago - by a father who was a blue-collar city worker and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me.

I come here tonight as a sister blessed with a brother who is my mentor my protector and my lifelong friend. And I come here as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president.

And in my own life in my own small way I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation.

Another suggestion is to cook a meal maybe not every night but a couple more times a week than you usually do. That way you have leftovers and you take your lunch to work.

For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction.

Even if we give parents all the information they need and we improve school meals and build brand new supermarkets on every corner, none of that matters if, when families step into a restaurant, they can't make a healthy choice.

Clearly this is a tough economic time and a lot of families are hurting. So when we talk to parents we talk about small changes for kids and things that don't cost extra money. Like adding water and eliminating sugary drinks and sodas. That's going to save money right there. Or adding a few more vegetables.