When I joined Weight Watchers about a week and a half ago, the leader asked me what was the "last straw" that had brought me there. I didn't really have an answer. There really hadn't been a defining moment for me - I'd been trying to lose weight for awhile, had tried a variety of things, and thought doing WW in person (instead of trying it online again) would be a good idea.
Well, today was my last straw.
After having a "family day" walking around a big mall and playing at the train table at a large Barnes and Noble, DH decided to drop me off at a Kohl's so I could buy some clothes for myself, something I haven't done in about a year. I walked around, marveling at the incredible deals, picking up a few stylish (for me) shirts and then even a few not so stylish but practical bras, something I don't usually wear but need to wear certain shirts that I own, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I just guessed at my size, thinking that I was at least up from last year. Well, after trying on a variety of things, I realized that I really didn't guess high enough. At all. Nothing fit. At all. Nada.
Boy, do I feel big.
Now, I do know that it's just a size, a letter on a shirt, a number on a bra, it's really not that big a deal, but to me, it was huge (pardon the pun).
If ever I needed a splash of cold water to my face to wake me up, it was now and I got it. So, that was my last straw. And I'm using it for mucho motivation. As of this afternoon, I'm journaling what I eat, making better choices, and drinking lots of water. I'm getting to the gym as much as I can. And I'm rewarding myself: for every five pounds I lose, I earn a new shirt.
Next time I enter that scary dressing room, there will be a little less of me hanging over my waistband as I try on the clothes. And this time I will go straight for the "large" size without even looking at anything else. And if it doesn't fit, I'll know that it obviously was marked wrong.
6 comments:
Okay, I need to join WW, too. You've described a last straw for me, too. Which group do you go to? A friend in town here goes to one, not sure where, though.
Coffee NEXT Thurs?
Oh Rachel,
there has been so much going on in your life. I know it isn't a good excuse, but at least there is a reason for it!
You deserve to do this for yourself! I wish you the best success!
You can do it, Rachel.
I have dropped 18 pounds (before Thanksgiving) at WW and I hate missing my meetings. I have only missed one since May when I joined and that was to go north to a family funeral. I LOVE it and it really does help. You can do it!
edit: Sorry for the unsolicited 'advice'.. I don't usually do this..
I don't know much about weight watchers, except that the success rate is high.. for the first little while..
I am hypoglycemic and have had to follow a special diet for years. The diet that I followed turned out to be similar to the atkin's diet. But, the atkins diet has it's downfalls, too.
This is what I suggest.. highly suggest.
Eat every couple of hours.. by the time you feel hunger, your body is already storing fat.
Eat small portions - high protien, watch the salt (water-retention and aging) and cut out all sugar (poison for the adrenals and aging) and modify things you like.. don't go low fat (animal fat is converted to a well-usable energy), don't cut out carbs completely (but, make sure the ones you get are healthy), but cut out the sugars.
Here is an example of what I eat.
Breakfast: One poached egg (no butter frying and eggs have cystene in them which helps regulate the action of the pancrease and they are high in good protein), with one piece of (very lightly or not at all) buttered bread/toast, half an orange, half a glass of homogenized milk (animal fat for energy), black coffee (but, if you can cut out coffee you should - coffee raises and lowers your blood-sugar making you hungry faster).
Two to two and a half hours later, I have one slice of cheddar cheese (not processed) and a hand-ful of nuts (protein, again).
Two hours later, I have lunch - one cup of beef barley soup, half a cup of cottage cheese with fresh fruit (watch your fruit - grapes, for example are very high in fructose - I usually cut up one banana), some green tea (anti-oxident) and again.. all food groups have been met.
Two hours later, I have another snack, sometimes a protein shake (30 grams of whey protein - the energy doesn't last as long as the animal fat, but it's a quick 'treat', though usually fairly high in salts and some sugars) or a handful of home-made granola (no raisins, but lots of salt-free sunflower seeds)(ruffage and filling) and a full glass of milk (calcium, vitamin D and protein).
Two to three hours later is dinner - a light salad with tomatoes and green peppers (anti-cancer in the tomatoes and very high vitamin C in the tomatoes) with spinach (leafy greens) and a light dressing or vinegarette, a thin steak (red meat - iron) with pepper and garlic (garlic is great for everything) or a chicken breast with lemonpepper (a salt substitute), half a cup of long grain brown organic rice or some fresh pasta.
Two hours after (during the time which popular thinking says you aren't supposed to eat before bed.. but, seriously.. whose body is supposed to fast from 6 pm until 7 am the next day), I have small yeast-free piece of flat bread with natural (no salt or sugar) peanut butter (filling and protein) and a couple of cups of a caffeine-free tea with a little milk and sometimes, a small apple or, (but fructose should be avoided right before bed).
Make sure you drink a lot of water - many food cravings are hunger or carb-addiction related, but also just habits and like with smokers, water helps).
You'll have more energy, feel healthier and it will inspire you to work out a bit.
My trainer said that no matter how hard I work out, if I don't watch what I eat it won't matter. My body fat at that time was 19%, which is low due to my special nutritional requirements and diet, but I was flabby.
As you work out, you'll get hungrier and it's okay to increase your portion size a bit to make up for what you are burning - muscles need food. But, don't have seconds.
If you are just dying for treats, try plain yogurt with a can of fruit in light syrup once in a while, but watch out for things like chocolate pudding (one small lunch-box sized container has 32 grams of sugar in it.. kid's yogurts.. have nearly 20). Also, baked, organic wheat chips with some salsa is a nice snack - not too much (again.. salt and carbs).
Anyway.. I didn't mean for this to be a lecture and I am sure you've looked into this.
I just understand the frustration, having, at one time, neglected my blood-sugar problems and having addicted myself to quick carbs over a summer, one summer when I gained 20 pounds. And, I've watched the frustration in my friends who have complained enviously that I was always eating. But, I didn't have a choice - a chocolate bar turned me into a lunatic with fainting spells.
A friend of mine who was 6'1 and 350lbs lost one hundred pounds by eating the way I did. He never gained it back, he made this style of eating his lifestyle.
But, of course, consult your doctor.. though my doctor pshawed hypoglycemia and told me that three square meals a day were fine.. Oee's doctor said that I couldn't keep her away from sugar.. yet, she had her first chocolate pudding ever, this week, at the age of 4 and a half and still prefers bananas. lol.
Wow.. sorry.. long comment.
I hope you do well! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
ops..
..(anti-cancer in the tomatoes and very high vitamin C in the **green peppers**) sorry.
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