A Major
Life Project

The weight loss portion of WW is a major life project for me on par with getting a new job, buying a [house], and other life changing events.

So is wedding planning.

In the last twelve months I have learned I can’t keep up with two life projects at the same time. The funny thing is I hadn’t noticed how much work I was putting into losing weight until my time, energy, and mental focus were needed to plan a [wedding]. Even this website got dusty during the year of wedding focus.

I am proud to say I managed to remain active (thanks to [Jazzercise] classes) and to eat sensibly. And I maintained a 70 pound loss from May through December of 2007. THAT’S HUGE! To me that means I’ve learned enough on WW to go on autopilot – not planning and even not tracking a lot of the time – and still be able to maintain my weight with minimal attention. This is an amazing accomplishment. Not only have I learned and internalized an understanding of sensible eating, I also got through seven very stressful months without self-medicating my stress with food.

One of my initial reasons for joining WW was to learn the practical steps needed in order to be healthy. I was looking to my future and my future children. My parents taught me bad habits towards food through their example: eating to mourn and to celebrate and for everything in between; cooking and baking to [express love]; and (as I remember it) a lot of pastas and bread and pan fried meats with little vegetables. I knew I needed to reset my own understanding and approach to food before I could be a positive example for my children. I don’t think I’m done learning (is anyone ever?) but the accomplishment of maintaining for seven months tells me that I’m well on my way and that gives me such a great feeling of satisfaction.

This month marks my two year anniversary with WW. And my renewed interest in the life project that is weight loss. Onward and [downward]!

Dec 29, 2007

Feb 19, 2008

1 Year WW Anniversary

February 13, 2007

February 13, 2007 is my one year WW anniversary!

Since February 13, 2006 I have…

• lost 63.0 pounds with an average loss of -1.2 pounds per week, going from 236.5 to 173.5;
• earned 513 APs, at an average of 10.5 per week;
• went from a size 22/24 Women’s to a size 14/16 Regular;
• using pin-up girl stats, went from a 48/41/52 to a 41/34/44;
• lost over 37 inches from my neck, boobs, ribs, waist, hips, thigh, calf, ankle, upper arm, and wrist; and
• changed my [BMI] from 40.6 (Morbidly Obese) to 29.8 (Overweight).

I can now…

• walk up a flight of stairs two at a time, and not get winded;
• swim laps for 45 minutes (with minimal breaks);
• hike up to Hawksbill Peek on Skyline Drive in VA -- without feeling the need to murder DF for dragging me up there; and
• do the Intense Level of my WW Get In Shape DVD!

And I’ve learned a lot of lessons…

• that food is fuel;
• that a treat is not the same thing as a snack – and fruit works for both;
• that to succeed through the difficult times (and the easy times), I need to plan ahead;
• that I’d rather have a tiny portion of the “real” thing (cake, pasta, whatever) than a giant serving of a substitute version;
• that my success depends not only on how many points I consume, but what exactly those points are made of – I can’t lose if I’m eating all my FPs as chocolate pudding and McD’s fries;
• that I adore steamed shrimp; and
• that an omelet really is a satisfying meal.

But I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without the help of all the people who’ve touched my life this past year: from the [100+ to Lose] community who right at the beginning taught me where my head needed to be in order to be successful; to the WP who share all the ups and downs of planning weddings and losing weight and life in general; to the everyday people IRL who cheer me on and keep cheering even a year later!

So thank you all…you inspire me everyday to keep on keepin’ on. And I wouldn’t be here without you.

BEFORE

--
Feb 8 , 2006

AFTER

- 62.0 lbs
Feb 7, 2007

A discussion arose on the WW 100+ to Lose Board regarding why we need to pay someone (in this case WW) to lose weight. I’d already been thinking about that and about why my approach to weight loss is [successful] for me this time.

I’ve always known that weight loss is about being healthy through sensible eating and exercise. I’ve come to the conclusion that what I needed was someone to teach me HOW to eat less and move more...the practical, daily tasks needed to make that work. I pay WW for the education I'm getting. I pay the people who made my DVD for teaching me how to move my muscles. I pay my rec center to keep my pool clean and the lifeguards trained (just in case). This information was probably all given to me as I grew up, but it just didn't stick with me. Now I gladly pay to teach myself and to learn as an adult. And I’ll keep learning. It's an educational process...

I think that in time (after a while at goal) I won't need to pay for the education, but I may still purchase some tools to keep moving forward. I don't go to college classes, listen to lectures, or participate in study groups anymore, but I still subscribe to [professional journals] and still invest in updated software and books for my career. I don't expect to ever stop learning my profession. I also don't expect to ever stop trying to be a healthier me.

I don't mind paying a subscription fee for the Points Tracker because I rely so heavily on it right now...though if it was offered as a one-time software purchase I'd be first in line. My subscription also gives me access to the full content of the website, which I still reference when I have questions and that's the part that reminds me of subscribing to a professional journal—from new ideas in the field of WL (the understanding of and practical approach to [energy dense foods] were not part of my Mother's WW!) to inspirational stories that remind me it can be done.

At this point I think I would “fail” if I stopped using all of WW’s tools. I’d try to put some of my own tools in place, but after less than half a year with WW I don’t think I’m ready. It took me over 30 years to become the person that needed this education and I don’t think I’ve learned enough yet to overcome those 30+ years. As of this writing I'm only a quarter of the way to goal. What I'm learning now may not be all I'll need when I'm three-quarters of the way there. And if you told me now what I'll need then, I'd probably not be ready for it.

So for now I’ll keep studying the textbook (the full plan of my subscription and the [Science Center] on the WW website), I’ll keep using the necessary tools (i.e.: the Points Tracker, the aerobics DVDs, even the scale), and I’ll keep showing up for my study group (the 100+ to Lose Board) because the educational process of getting to goal will be what teaches me what I need to maintain that goal.

I currently live in Northern Virginia with my [fiance]; however I am originally from NY (about half way between Albany and New York City on the Hudson River). We moved to VA in late 2003 and about a year before the move I had lost 40ish pounds on WW (the 123 Points Plan). With the move and everything being so new (newly living together, new location, new job during the day, and at night even the furniture was all new) I fell back on familiar [comfort foods] and gained back 60ish pounds. [It's not an excuse, it's a fact that I'll need to be aware of the next time large changes occur and I want to turn to "familiar" foods.]

I rejoined WW on February 13, 2006 as an online member only. Many people talk about a picture inspiring them to join WW; for me it was my clothing (buttons hanging on for dear life across my chest, sleeves being too tight for comfort, waistbands that cut into my gut) and my face – the last bit of weight I gained was in my face and I could actually feel the fullness in my cheeks whenever I [smiled]. I’m happy to say that was also the first bit of weight gone!

I love WW on-line! The meetings always became another appointment I had to make; now I have all the information on hand (and searchable) and it's with me 24/7/365. Before if I missed the meeting I felt like the week was shot; now that's not an issue. Before I was so competitive that if anyone lost more weight than me, I wouldn’t want to celebrate my own losses and victories; now I weigh-in alone in my bathroom and celebrate every SV and NSV. Plus with the [WW Boards] to read, I still have that sense of community and of others experiencing the same ups and downs I am. I'm having much greater success now too, especially in my own attitude!

The biggest change is that I’m working out. I’ve learned I hate walking. My mother lost her weight by walking every morning, and my fiance was always encouraging me to join him on the treadmill in our condo’s weight room. But I could never make a habit of it because I just didn’t enjoy it. I was also always discouraged by not being able to keep up in a class or with an exercise DVD, then I got the WW Get in Shape! DVD and I had no problem with the first level – I even found it to be fun. This gave me the confidence after two weeks to try the next level, and I could do that one too! Six weeks after I began exercising I even started swimming laps at least twice a week at my local rec center; and swimming is as fun now as it was when I was a kid. I work out six days a week, alternating aerobic levels, toning and swimming. I’ve learned that finding the right exercise for you can make all the [difference].

If you’ve caught one of my posts on the WW boards it would be under the name Ren365. This website is inspired by the inspirational websites of men and women on the boards – I find it adds to my accountability, and I’ve [learned] that a picture is much more honest than a mirror.