Friday, May 22, 2009

So...Weight Watchers

A rare picture of me...with Double G

Okay, I started this blog to get serious about my health/body issues. I was hovering at 10 lbs. above my personal ideal weight. I managed to lose a pound or two, then I managed to find them, plus an additional 5.6 since February. To be honest, I've been feeling increasingly demotivated since the holidays. Don't know if it was the weather, economy, personal issues or most likely a combination that made it impossible to get energy or enjoyment from almost anything. I stopped going to WW last year because I was obsessing over the weigh-ins, feeling like I couldn't figure out how to go to the meetings (which I personally needed) without feeling like I didn't belong there, or feeling like I was being asked by the leader for my opinion on every question. I just wanted to be anonymous (invisible), and the WW leader wasn't letting me. Instead of addressing that - I quit.

So, almost a year and a half later, I finally decided to go back. At 5.6 pounds above my WW goal weight. And even though I know some people would think that was an OK weight, I was still embarrassed to go back. My leader congratulated me on coming back - I wish I came back sooner. I lost 3.2 lbs. the first week and 1 lb. this week. Now that I'm withing 2 lbs. of my goal weight, meetings are free again.

What brought me back: Diabetes and obesity. In my family, if you don't have one, or the other, or both; you're heading there. I know plenty of folks can eat sugar/simple refined carbs with no effects. That is not me. Not only does it make me feel crappy when I have it, but it starts a cycle of sugar craving that literally lasts for weeks. I really think that it's pretty selfish of me to consciously engage in a behavior that's almost guaranteed to result in chronic disease. So, If I take a few steps down another path, maybe I'll be able to go a bit longer without the disease or doctors and medication.

This week I'm focusing on: tracking what I'm eating. That's it. I'm not into counting points and all of that. I prefer Weight Watchers CORE plan (now called Simply Filling or SiFi for WW nerds), it focuses on less processed foods and eating mindfully. I've also been doing 30 minutes of yoga most days for the last month or so - the difference in my flexibility is really noticeable. I've never been able to sit comfortably in full lotus, but in the last couple of weeks I've been able to sit comfortably for increasingly longer periods of time. This was my motivation for increasing my yoga practice.

So, do you have any advice for sticking with the program, or in making changes in general? Anyone else feel crappy about 'falling off the wagon' with diet and exercise?

3 comments:

Levi said...

Wow, a big post and a cute picture. I have been a WW for almost a year, gaining a lb, losing 2, gaining 1, losing 3, gaining 2 etc. I love the meetings. I dislike it when the leader forces you to be involved but I'm a big mouth. I tell my stories. I laugh, I have a good time. I have people who bug me if I miss a day.

I don't have diabetes. I am lots of lbs over any goal. I don't even have a goal. Actually my goal is to get my head to focus. One day I walked out of the meeting and one lady said, "how does so and so lose so much weight?" And I said, "She follows the diet." So if you track and are doing SiFi which I never heard called until your post, you'll knock that extra off in no time flat. I'd have to truly diet for another 2 years to get to goal, the non-existent goal.
I do feel crappy when I pay money and don't lose weight but because I enjoy the meetings, I don't mind paying the money to stay involved and somewhat focused. It's better than going to Ben & Jerry's diet center.

P/F said...

Thanks for the info (and the big comment) POD. I totally agree with you that I'd rather pay my money to stay involved. In fact, my leader said that I should have been paying 1/2 price b/c of some promotion - I would rather pay full price until I was back on track. Besides, I like to support a company that I think really provides a valuable service for the people who show up there. Sometimes hate that it's called Weight Watchers because it's really about more than weight.

And the Diabetes - I'm probably destined for it regardless. All of my mom's sisters and brothers are (were) very, very thin and they all developed Type II. I do think that following Simply Filling keeps my blood sugar more steady throughout the day, so I don't get the energy highs and lows that I would get otherwise.

Levi said...

Time for a post!