The Joy of Moving

Anyone who knows me well knows I finally decided to haul my butt back to Weight Watchers and get serious about getting into shape again.  I finally got fed up with being sore, out-of-breath, tired all the time and unhealthy. 

I was very successful with Weight Watchers over 20 years ago (when Matt was a baby).  I lost over 60 pounds but sadly didn’t maintain it.  

Around 14 years ago, I had success with the Atkins diet and lost 30-40 pounds, but then again, I didn’t maintain it. There was always some excuse.  The first time with Weight Watchers I listened to people who told me I was too thin and that I’d lost enough and could “eat” now.  With Atkins I got so tired of not eating carbohydrates.  I had so much protein (meat, eggs and cheese) that I felt nauseous all the time. It was not a balanced diet. 

Atkins upside down food pyramid (very little carbohydrates)

Weight Watchers worked well for me the first time because their plan at the time was called the Selection plan.  You could eat so many diary, fruits,vegetables, protein, carbs, fats, etc. As you ate, you checked off the selections, and at the end of the day, if you were still hungry, you’d check to see what you hadn’t eaten enough of. I had many days where I ate carrots or broccoli as an evening snack. 

Weight Watchers old Food Diary (Selection Plan)

Richard Simmons had something similar at the time where you had a plastic counter (the Food Mover program) and you closed the little windows in the counter when you ate something in that food group. It was based on the food pyramid.

Richard Simmons Food Mover

I tried Weight Watchers 3 years ago and didn’t care much for the Points program.  It wasn't structured enough for me, and when they said you could eat anything, I did.  Unfortunately 30 points worth of cake and chocolate is also not a balanced daily diet. Again, I was making excuses and saying it didn’t work.  When they switched to Points Plus, it seemed like they were pushing protein even more and it started to feel a bit like Atkins all over again.  That’s when I stopped going.

Because I have a pretty cool employer with a GPTW (Great Place to Work) team, they decided to offer the employees some rewards and different programs this year.  They offered to pay 50% (up to $250 for the year) of either a gym membership or a weight loss program. Being much heavier than I wanted to be with arthritic knees kind-of left me out of the gym membership. I was honest with myself in that it would be too hard for someone in my shape and I’d give up quickly.  I had a gym membership in my 30's when I worked at Nixon Peabody and went at lunchtime with my coworkers. It was fun then, but I was younger, thinner and fitter. It was also before I fell down the stairs and messed up my left knee. So instead of a gym membership, I decided to give Weight Watchers a try again.

I joined 7 weeks ago, and it’s been fun.  I go to a great meeting location at the “store” in Ridgemont Plaza.  The leader is someone I had as a substitute leader 3 years ago, and I liked her style then. I’ve lost 9.8 pounds so far (a nice steady pace). I also have discovered the joy of moving again!  I walk every day at lunchtime (I thought I’d start out with something I knew I could do).  I have days when the weather is iffy (rain or even snow) when I think I won’t go, but I make myself go anyway, and I’m really loving it. It makes a nice break to the day, and I come back refreshed and feeling wonderful.  I also remembered how much I love music and dancing.  I love dancing around the house! My music player on my iPhone is getting a workout. I don’t care who sees me either.  It feels great. 

So I have a long way to go, but I’m already seeing results and not just on the scale.  Everything I own is loose on me!  It’s great that I have a whole other wardrobe in the basement, waiting for me.  I will shop in the cellar for a while, and when those clothes get too big, I will reward myself with new clothes as I go along.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll weigh less when I graduate from College than I did when I graduated from High School.  Wouldn’t that be something?

Gotta love the glasses, huh?  1977

SOURCES:
http://uwstudentweb.uwyo.edu/l/lprathe1/termpaper3.htm
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/forums/forum48/12578.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RICHARD-SIMMONS-FOODMOVER-FOOD-MOVER-STRAIGHT-FROM-THE-HEART-MOTIVATIONAL-DVD-/300670020782
http://www.campshane.com/blog/index.php/weight-loss-camps-weight-loss-with-weight-watchers-new-points-plus/points-plus-1/
http://www.overstock.com/Clothing-Shoes/Ahnu-Tamalpais-II-Dark-Gray-Dark-Blue-Oxfords/4074488/product.html
http://freeiphone4ggiveaway.com/