My 19th 5 lb. Sticker

At Weight Watchers, we work for stickers. Today, I received my 19th sticker representing 95 lbs total lost since I started this journey 18 months ago. My total is 96 lbs, which means that I am only 4 lbs away from my weight loss goal. Boy, does that scare me. When I first started, it seemed so far away and now it is within my reach.

Receiving my sticker at the scale today was uneventful. You see, I like to celebrate with my WW Buddies. The 7:30 AM Saturday morning meeting is one of the best around because of the leader, Nancy, and all of the people that attend weekly. This week I had to weigh in on Friday because we will be leaving for vacation Saturday and will have been well on our way by the time the meeting took place. I missed celebrating this goal with Nancy, Lisa, Carol, Dennis, Rich, Tom and Marsha.

Nancy always asks us when she gives us this sticker, “What was the one thing that you’ve changed to get you to this goal?” Sometimes, I say, “I stopped eating like a lumberjack!” Or “I track everything that I eat.” Or “I try to walk or do something active everyday.” What would I have said today? Probably that it is the meetings that have kept me on this path. Research has shown that people who attend weekly meetings loose 3x more weight than people who don’t because sometimes you need a meeting, but sometimes a meeting needs you!

Weight Watchers Walk-!t Challenge 2010

On April 4th, Weight Watchers (WW) challenged us to walk a 5K by the end of six weeks. It was designed to motivate people towards physical activity and gradually build from “Couch to 5K”. Well, like most things that I do, I decided that I would try to walk a 5K everyday. So, I mapped out my 3.1 mile route. My goal was to walk it under one hour. Amazing through those six weeks how I developed endurance and stamina. I feel energized when I finish my walks.

Today, June 6, 2010, was WW National Walk-!t Day and I walked not one, but two 5Ks! I signed up for the official WW event in Canfield, Ohio then the group from my 7:30 AM Saturday WW meeting decided to map out one for us to walk at Firestone Metroparks. Why not do both? I couldn't come up with a reason either.

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. It’s low impact, takes no special equipment and is available to you at just about any time, in any location. Walking has really jump started my weight loss and I walked myself right out of that plateau that I was in.

What a wonderful day this has been spent with my sister, my husband, my kids and my WW friends. I accomplished what I set out to do. Life is good.

Teetor Totter

I can't believe that it is June already. The month of May flew by with activities and celebrations. My weigh in two weeks ago resulted in a gain of 1.6 lbs and then last week, I was down 1.4 lbs. Sometimes the body just goes up and down and settles for a little bit before letting that weight go.

Lately, I've been thinking about the teetor totter. This piece of playground equipment has always intrigued me because you can't play on the teetor totter by yourself. You need someone else to play along with you. You just can't do it alone. Sometimes the person on the other end will balance there along with you and sometimes they will push you up in the air or get off and you drop instantly to the ground. There is a lot of trust needed to play on the teetor totter.

Similar to the teetor totter is the weight loss journey. You can't do it alone. You need to make your mind up that you are committed, but to actually do it, you need accountability to and the support of others. You could have the support of a friend, who will balance or lift you up. Then there is the food saboteur, who will lift you up with food and then jump off ultimately leaving you to drop off the plan.

Success on the teetor totter is based on relying on the other person to give you a push every once in a while and returning that favor. Go out and find someone to play on the teetor totter with you!