My overarching goal for this year is more of a permanent change that I want to instill in my life, and that is keeping the promises I make to myself. My promises are based on my priorities, and one of those priorities is my health.
Last year was a life-altering year, and it shows on my body, but not in a good way. I knew I had gained weight, and although friends and family would say, oh no honey, you look fine. I could feel the difference every time I zipped up my pants, or had to buy a bigger size. Reality really slapped me in the face when I went shopping for the cruise we took before Christmas. In the dressing room, I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize who was staring back. That wasn't the first; there was the picture of me on my 50th birthday, the photo from the lady's devotional in November, and so forth. But, this time, it hit me hard.
Interestingly, on the cruise, I didn't love the food, so I ate at the sushi restaurant, which was amazing, healthy, and light. I felt better and coupled with all the walking; I got excited about the prospect of taking care of my body. I cared again. Last year, I honestly didn't care; I just didn't have it in me. I was grieving along with dealing with other issues, and under that weight, I couldn't think about my weight.
I knew that it was time. My dad would want me to take care of myself. I wanted to be around my daughter, family, and friends. I wanted to take care of my temple and knew that God had blessed me to still be able to do it.
Enter Weight Watchers
I am not a program person, especially when it comes to losing weight. All I hear is a gimmick. I was at my goal weight before and knew what it took. But I wanted to be more aware of what I was putting in my mouth. I didn't want to take drugs or be on a diet; I wanted to lose weight in a healthy way through awareness. I knew about Weight Watchers; I knew they had a point system, and that piqued my interest!
I came across a deal for $10 a month for ten months and decided to join! Guess what? I love it!
Here is how it works:
You put information in about your weight, height, and goal weight
WW then gives you the number of points you should eat in a day. My magic number is 23
You also get weekly points that you can use when you go over our points or if you want to indulge a bit
You can enter your daily exercise, which adds points to your weekly points
Each food is assigned points that you can look up, and they have a list of restaurants with points, which is very helpful
Weekly weigh-ins are for you to track progress toward your ultimate goal
Every day, you record what you eat, and at the end of the week, you get a summary of your progress
There is an app, and you can track while on the go
WW has a very supportive community where you can be encouraged and encourage others
Recipes! You have access to a ton of healthy recipes!
My Thoughts
I have zero regrets about joining WW. It is affordable and gives me access to a wealth of information for the amount I would pay for a trip to Starbucks in one run. The awareness I have gained about the food I eat. Most days, I have leftover points and rarely use the weeklies because I eat enough!
Each food is assigned points, and there are so many foods that are zero points that you can eat without limit. I have brought in more lean proteins, veggies, and fruits and have not felt restricted at all. I feel so much better and healthier. It was eye-opening that some of the foods that I considered to be healthy or not so bad for me are not good at all!
Weight Watchers does a great job educating you about food without putting crazy restrictions on you that are sustainable. For me, sustainability is key! Recording the food every day also provides a snapshot without all of the counting calories, which I have no patience for.
The Results
January 7-24
I have lost:
4 pounds
3 inches around my waist
3 inches around my abs
2 inches around my hips
2 inches around my thighs
2 inches around my calves
Sometimes, I feel like the progress is slow, but it is progress! I am learning to give my body the grace it needs, after all it has taken care of me!
Until then, be kind to yourself, friends!