So most of you who know me in real life know that I'm a WW (Weight Watcher). I think I will be for life!
The reason I'm blogging about WW is because of a few reasons:
- People always are asking me about it.
- I don't mind telling my story.
So let me backtrack a bit and start with my little story (I promise it will be brief.). I joined WW in Jan 2007 afte realizing just how much weight I had gained in the past few years. You know it's bad when your pants just won't fit any more. I had avoided it and wore bigger clothing and I was just FAT when I looked into the mirror. I was also going through some personal drama as well and my self-esteem was in the toiliet. Enter WW. My sister-in-law had joined and was very successful so I figured--what do I have to lose? Besides some pounds. I was very nervous and self-conscious when I signed up. I had no idea what to expect. I knew other people who did the meetings but I was nervous about joining a group where I knew no one, even though that is how I wanted it. I admit that I was a bit ashamed that I had to join a group to lose weight and that I couldn't do it on my own.
I had worked out on and off for years with no results. Why? Because I had zero portion control and I liked to eat junk. I still like my treats but measured out in small portions now. I also live with a DH who can eat whatever he wants and stay thin. ( I know--don't you just want to smack him?). So for me the challenge was going to be paying attention to everything I ate and tracking it. That type of structure with WW is exactly what I needed.
My first week I lost 3.2 lbs! I was so excited. I made a goal for myself of 40lbs. I became very hyper focused into my points and how to use them. (This was before the Points + program) I had to learn to say no to people close to me who pushed me to eat foods I didn't consider healthy. DH learned to ask me when he made dinner: "Will you eat this?". Most often the answer was no. When I cooked for us I used (and still do) WW recipes that I show him beforehand to make sure he will eat them. I learned to pack my lunch almost every day of the week or else I'd be tempted to eat junk. The weight slowly started to come off.
At WW you really want to meet your first 10% (now they do 5%). I was working out really hard (5 days a week) and watching my food intake like a hawk but I could NOT meet that 10%. There were some days I would get off the scale in tears because I had worked so hard and either gained a bit or didn't lose at all. Or I was angry (as my fellow meeting friends tease me for). I was mad that I did what I was supposed to and nothing changed. My pants were falling off of me, my arms were thinner but that damn scale wouldn't move! But I refused to give up and I stayed for every meeting to hear others tell their stories of being stuck. Luckily I had some wonderful leaders who said for me to maybe eat a bit MORE and to be less restrictive. I figured, how can it hurt? That weekend, DH and I went away for a wine festival. I ate a bit more (but still stayed healthy) and enjoyed some wine too. At my weigh in, I lost 2 lbs and hit my 10%. I was estatic!
I continued to attend meetings weekly and also use the online tools. The weight was coming off slowly, sometimes painfully so. I had several plateaus and had to keep trying different things to get my metabolism moving again. I FINALLY reached my goal weight about a year and a half after joining, in June 2008. From there I had to go through maintenance before becoming a Lifetime member. What's so great about Lifetime is that you weigh in once a month (I do it more often) and you do not have to pay for your meetings as long as you are within your goal weight. That is a big incentive for me to keep myself accountable! I just pay for the online tools and tracker.
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| This is my AFTER pic! |
One of the best things in my journey was the wonderful friends I have met at WW. We are such a diverse group and I look forward to seeing them and my leader Jane every week. We are all different age groups, jobs and personalities. These lovely folks have given me great advice in both weight loss and life. If one of us is not there, we are on Facebook or emailing to find out where they have been. I think that is one facet of WW I love the most. The support from fellow members has made it easier for me to endure a plateau or gain when I know that someone sitting next to me has dealt with the same thing. Plus, we meet at Starbucks before the meeting just to talk about life! Shout to to you guys from Wed night Starbucks aka Ralph's Girls! :)
So here it is 2011 and I am still at my Lifetime weight. How? I still use my online tracker and it has become second nature for me to eat good, nutritious foods. I can't tell you that I don't sometimes go overboard. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I love ice cream and I'm an emotional eater. I also make a point to eat a treat meal once a week when I meet my family for dinner after the meeting. But the fact that I go somewhere each week to be accountable for my eating and to be encouraged and supported has made all the difference in the world to me.
This year, WW introduced the Points Plus program. I was quite impressed that they updated their program because I had already been eating that way any way. It's more protein, fruits, and veggies. Less carbs. It's just makes better sense and I lost 2 lbs the first week of doing it.
Okay, so I wasn't that brief in talking about my little journey. But I'll end it here. If you would like me to blog a bit more about WW or food or eating, feel free to comment and let me know.
Also--I MUST give a shout out to my fave WW blogger, Bitchcakes! I have to credit her for helping to get me re-motivated when I was stuck and being negative. Check out her site as her story is so inspirational and she is a wonderful writer and overall amazing person!
Have a wonderful Tuesday!
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