I was getting ready for work today. For almost May, it's chilly here. I'm still wearing sweaters. I put a sweater on and it fits better than it has in years.
If that's not motivation to lose weight, I honestly don't know what is.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Weight Ain't Nothin' But A Number
I've been going to WW for 7 weeks now. I've averaged over 2 pounds a week loss. My clothes are fitting better, I feel like I have a little extra energy, I'm eating more veggies. All good things.
I'm close to a big milestone, which is exciting. When you hit milestones, the leader always asks what you've learned or what's worked.
On Monday night a lady achieved her lifetime status. She's reached her goal, continued to come to WW for 6 weeks after achieving the goal and has maintained. You can remain a lifetime member as long as you maintain within 2 points of your goal. What an accomplishment.
In all honesty, that's my goal. I don't want to have to do this again. I don't want to go back to the way I ate that helped put on 10 pounds a year. I don't want to buy bigger jeans. I want to be healthy. I want to make good choices.
As I think about reaching my next milestone, I realize that one major thing has changed. I don't make excuses for my added pounds anymore. I'm ready to just be healthy. I want to be a good example to all three of my girls. I don't want them to have to join WW because I didn't lead by example.
I'm ready for a new lifestyle. It's been almost 33 years in the making. I think for the first time in my life, my head is in it as much as my heart.
I'm close to a big milestone, which is exciting. When you hit milestones, the leader always asks what you've learned or what's worked.
On Monday night a lady achieved her lifetime status. She's reached her goal, continued to come to WW for 6 weeks after achieving the goal and has maintained. You can remain a lifetime member as long as you maintain within 2 points of your goal. What an accomplishment.
In all honesty, that's my goal. I don't want to have to do this again. I don't want to go back to the way I ate that helped put on 10 pounds a year. I don't want to buy bigger jeans. I want to be healthy. I want to make good choices.
As I think about reaching my next milestone, I realize that one major thing has changed. I don't make excuses for my added pounds anymore. I'm ready to just be healthy. I want to be a good example to all three of my girls. I don't want them to have to join WW because I didn't lead by example.
I'm ready for a new lifestyle. It's been almost 33 years in the making. I think for the first time in my life, my head is in it as much as my heart.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tracking
One of the biggest tenets of the Weight Watcher system is to write down everything you eat. Granted you need to do that to track your points, but I thought I would get tired of writing all my food. I thought by now I would be taking a mental note of my points and guestimating.
I'm not. I'm writing everythink I bite down. Somethings have been totally surprising.
I eat quite a bit. I actually track my hunger based upon how many points I have rather than how I'm feeling. What's more amazing is most days I don't eat all my points. Simply because I'm full and forget they're there.
I thought all this writing stuff down wasn't going to be useful. What I'm finding is that it's the most useful part.
I got to wear some skinnier jeans to church on Sunday. What's more amazing, I could breathe in them.
I'm not. I'm writing everythink I bite down. Somethings have been totally surprising.
I eat quite a bit. I actually track my hunger based upon how many points I have rather than how I'm feeling. What's more amazing is most days I don't eat all my points. Simply because I'm full and forget they're there.
I thought all this writing stuff down wasn't going to be useful. What I'm finding is that it's the most useful part.
I got to wear some skinnier jeans to church on Sunday. What's more amazing, I could breathe in them.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Right Motivation
It seems like when I was younger I was self-motivated. If I wanted to do 1,000 sit-ups I would. If I wanted to run, I would. Now that I'm older and have more responsibilities, I'm just tired.
Which is an excuse.
Last week on this Weight Watcher journey, I was having a hard time. I was hungry 30 minutes after I ate. So I ate. And ate. And ate. It was the hardest week I've encountered yet. I calculated my points and knew what I was shoveling into my mouth, so I count that a small victory.
I actually maintained this week, so that's a good thing.
Neither of those things really motivated me to get back on track. In all honesty, it was two hurtful comments by two people who are "friends." In less than 24 hours, both, in their own way, told me how large I was compared to them. I know I'm bigger than they are. I have a feeling I always will be.
I realized something. This journey isn't just about losing weight and fitting into that desired size of pants. It's about being the best me I can be. Not just physically, although this journey will shape that. It's about being the best me relationally too. I had snide comments to make to both of those people. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I went home and cried a bit after they said it.
I never want to be someone without compassion. I never want to be someone who sees people in this world as fat or thin. I want to be someone, no matter what size I am, to be accepting of everyone around me. As I sit in these meetings every Monday, I'm surrounded by people just starting their journey or close to their goal or someone in between. I don't see size, I see motivation. These people have taken the step to come to meetings, to lose weight, to get healthy. It's hard to admit you have extra pounds.
Those people should be my motivation. Not the ones who only see me as fat.
I'm starting to realize that Weight Watchers isn't about a diet, it's a community who is going through this journey with me. Whether they know it or not, they've spoken volumes to my soul.
Which is an excuse.
Last week on this Weight Watcher journey, I was having a hard time. I was hungry 30 minutes after I ate. So I ate. And ate. And ate. It was the hardest week I've encountered yet. I calculated my points and knew what I was shoveling into my mouth, so I count that a small victory.
I actually maintained this week, so that's a good thing.
Neither of those things really motivated me to get back on track. In all honesty, it was two hurtful comments by two people who are "friends." In less than 24 hours, both, in their own way, told me how large I was compared to them. I know I'm bigger than they are. I have a feeling I always will be.
I realized something. This journey isn't just about losing weight and fitting into that desired size of pants. It's about being the best me I can be. Not just physically, although this journey will shape that. It's about being the best me relationally too. I had snide comments to make to both of those people. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I went home and cried a bit after they said it.
I never want to be someone without compassion. I never want to be someone who sees people in this world as fat or thin. I want to be someone, no matter what size I am, to be accepting of everyone around me. As I sit in these meetings every Monday, I'm surrounded by people just starting their journey or close to their goal or someone in between. I don't see size, I see motivation. These people have taken the step to come to meetings, to lose weight, to get healthy. It's hard to admit you have extra pounds.
Those people should be my motivation. Not the ones who only see me as fat.
I'm starting to realize that Weight Watchers isn't about a diet, it's a community who is going through this journey with me. Whether they know it or not, they've spoken volumes to my soul.
Monday, April 19, 2010
I'll Give That Copperfield Guy a Good Run For His Money
I’ve decided to start a weight loss blog. I’m someone who skims the line between “overweight” and “obese.” Neither of those words are descriptors I want associated with me.
For years I’ve put a guard up that it wasn’t the steak fries smothered in ranch dressing that made the pounds come on. No, it was my metabolism or my hormones or some, yet undiscovered, medical issue. All that changed this year when my mom started to go to Weight Watchers. She lost 20 pounds. She looked great and felt better. I was complaining to her that my clothes were shrinking again and that I had to do something. She encouraged me to try WW. “Give it until June. If it doesn’t work, make a doctor appointment.”
I gave it a try. I lost over 5 pounds the first week and wasn’t that hungry. I still ate pizza!
As I’ve been going to meetings and learning more about food, I realize that the guard I had up wasn’t a guard, but a great illusion. I because the best magician I know. I could convince myself that it was a health issue, not a food issue. It was a health issue, not a sedentary issue. I really believed myself.
I’m learning that the illusion doesn’t help me. It doesn’t help my daughters learn good habits. It just distracts me from truth.
The truth is I’m overweight. I’m unhealthy. I make poor food choices. I love bacon.
Now that I can say those things out loud, I can deal with them. I can make changes to what I can control. Except maybe the bacon thing. Bacon is good. It’s not necessarily the healthiest choice, but I can still eat it in moderation.
I think that’s why WW is so beneficial for me. It’s not telling me I can’t have something, it’s telling me to make better choices the rest of the time so I can have that something. Like bacon!
For years I’ve put a guard up that it wasn’t the steak fries smothered in ranch dressing that made the pounds come on. No, it was my metabolism or my hormones or some, yet undiscovered, medical issue. All that changed this year when my mom started to go to Weight Watchers. She lost 20 pounds. She looked great and felt better. I was complaining to her that my clothes were shrinking again and that I had to do something. She encouraged me to try WW. “Give it until June. If it doesn’t work, make a doctor appointment.”
I gave it a try. I lost over 5 pounds the first week and wasn’t that hungry. I still ate pizza!
As I’ve been going to meetings and learning more about food, I realize that the guard I had up wasn’t a guard, but a great illusion. I because the best magician I know. I could convince myself that it was a health issue, not a food issue. It was a health issue, not a sedentary issue. I really believed myself.
I’m learning that the illusion doesn’t help me. It doesn’t help my daughters learn good habits. It just distracts me from truth.
The truth is I’m overweight. I’m unhealthy. I make poor food choices. I love bacon.
Now that I can say those things out loud, I can deal with them. I can make changes to what I can control. Except maybe the bacon thing. Bacon is good. It’s not necessarily the healthiest choice, but I can still eat it in moderation.
I think that’s why WW is so beneficial for me. It’s not telling me I can’t have something, it’s telling me to make better choices the rest of the time so I can have that something. Like bacon!
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