I haven’t done of these updates in a very long while… because I haven’t been to a Weight Watchers meeting in a very long while. Work has been hectic, I have had social engagements on Thursday nights, and I am the type where I go on my own plan if I am not held accountable with meetings.So when I see that in six weeks I have only gained 0.6 pounds I’m excited… but also know that is pure luck and chance. I have been on my own plan, I am not doing the right thing, the healthy thing.
I eat Subway or frozen meals for most lunches because I know the PointsPlus value without having to calculate. Most mornings I eat oatmeal – again something for which I know the PointsPlus value. The rest of my life is totally random and not on the plan. I’ve been drinking wine, eating French fries and French bread pizza. Some nights I don’t eat a proper dinner (Wednesday night was the leftover piece of my daughter’s quesadilla, a handful of baked Doritos and a plum), and some days I am so busy at work I look up, it’s 3pm and I end up dashing downstairs to the lobby gift shop for a Cup-o-Noodles and a banana. I’m drinking far too much diet soda and coffee, and not enough plain water. I have also consumed three Georgetown Cupcakes this week alone.
I may be “staying on track” with my weight, but this isn’t a way to have long-term success, and it’s not the way to be a healthy individual. My weightloss journey isn’t about fitting into a certain size of clothing. I am beautiful just the way I am right now. This is about getting myself healthy and creating life-long habits to help me live a long and enjoyable life and be a role model for my daughter.
I am glad I was able to get back to my meeting last night. I was shocked by how few people were there – it was me, my mom and only 10 other individuals. We usually have 30 or more people attend. I think at this time of the summer people have given up on their diets – they have already had their moments in the swim suit, and far too many barbecues and happy hours to keep track any more. Right around the corner is the weather where you can attempt to hide in layers of heavy fabric and hibernate. I’m not going to hibernate – weight loss shouldn’t be about fashion, it should be about quality of life.
With the weight I have already removed, I have seen an improvement in the quality of my life. I don’t get tired as quickly, winded as often. I have more flexibility and bounce back faster after minor injuries. I can carry my tall child with ease, keep up with my husband, sleep better and have a more normal appetite. I always had good cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, but I bet they would be even better now. I want to keep this going. Keep this body strong and healthy. And yes, if I can fit into a pair of normal jeans or tall boots along the way, well that’s icing on the cake!
My meeting leader usually writes some topic-relevant quotes on her flip chart; I find these to be really helpful and inspiring, a great way to sum up what we learned that day. This week was about overcoming plateaus – something I know far too well. These two quotes really hit me:
Failure is not an ending, it’s feedback
I think this is a great way to look at life in general. It’s easy to get frustrated and quit. Having a plateau, falling off the wagon… it doesn’t mean it’s over and time to give up. It’s feedback – something I’m doing isn’t working right and I need to use this information to improve.
Winners have a way, losers have a reason
Amen. I am queen of excuses. I can’t exercise because I don’t have time, I don’t have time to count PointsPlus because work is so crazy. I didn’t stay within my PointsPlus because I was too busy/not feeling well/didn’t have time to go to the grocery store/the sky is blue. I have all sorts of reasons for my failure… but they are just excuses. A winner figures out how to succeed in spite of obstacles.
So how have all of you who are trying to remove weight? Any successes? Temporary failures? Recipes or tips to share?
