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Nope, neither do I! I went clothes "shopping" in the dark side of the closet; that section where old too-thin clothes go to hide and you say, "One of these days I'll get back into it." Well, it looks like "one of these days" was today for a nice blue pair of pants I really like!
After five weeks of following the new Weight Watchers Momentum Plan,
when I weighed in last week (my weigh in day is Tuesday), I had lost
another pound, making the grand total eight pounds!!! They say a safe
weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week and, despite the plateau for weeks 2,
3, 4, I'm doing just about the average.
I stood on the scale this morning and had to do a double take. I don't
get on the scale as much as I used to because I found myself obsessing
on it. If the loss is less than I am expecting, I feel bad and say, "Screw it, might as well eat…" If I'm doing well, I say, "Wow! I've got room to move. I can get a little sloppy." Either path leads to the kitchen, and before you know it, I'm eating again. So, I stay off the scale…mostly.
Since my weigh in day is Tuesday, I do tend to get a little antsy on Mondays, so I got on the scale this morning and couldn't believe my eyes! Lately, my morning naked weight (you know, trying to get the lowest possible number) had been around 184-186, which was too high. I got on the program again because early December, it got to 189 and that was just too freakin' scary. When I'm doing real well, my morning weight will be about 180-182. This morning, it was 178! I thought, "What? Is the scale broken?" I got off and on it three times just to make sure. It hasn't been under 180 in as long as I can remember!
Granted, since it seems appropriate to remove all my clothes for my Weight Watchers weigh in, I'll weigh four or five pound more. Still, it's all relative, isn't it?
So, what to do?
Well, the first thing is to run to the closet and dig into the way-back machine of clothing that's too frustrating to put on. There are about four or five shirts I used to like but the buttons pull across my chest or stomach now and it looks tacky. Not to mention, it reminds me that I need to lose weight. I also have about two or three pair of pants back there. The price for wearing them is that I must give up my attachment to breathing.
I tried on the brown ones; nice chocolate color and — without holding my breath or lying on the bed — they slipped right on but are a little short; a sign that I need to lose about two or three more pounds before I venture into the world wearing them. I could have but who needs to be self conscious all day because my pant legs are riding above my ankles? (We used to call those "high waters" when I was a kid and I hated it then.) So, I pulled out the blue ones; lo and behold – marvelous fit and the correct length. I can bend over and breathe! Praise the saints!
Well, with that victory under my belt (literally and figuratively), I needed a shirt and found one of my old favorites. It's been so long that I forgot I even had it. So, I'm wearing a Nehru jacket! (Naw, just joking, it hasn't been that long…) I found a blue and white vertical striped shirt with white color that I used to just love. Wearing it — with a dark blue tie. Looking and feeling fine!
Oh yeah, the coup de grace; I had to go down another notch in my belt!
Since I've been following Weight Watchers 2009 Momentum Plan for a month now — and since I'm actually taking the time to (re)read all the books that come with it, I figured it couldn't hurt to "review" each week's materials. Because I am a firm believer that the program only works if you go to the meetings (after all, if you could lose the weight at home, you would have already lost it, wouldn't you?), and because I don't want to give away any secrets to non-members, I'll just go over it on a light sense. Although the intent isn't necessarily to drive you to a Weight Watchers meeting if you're not already going, I truly do believe in the program and think it will do virtually anybody who tries it a world of good. (If you'd like to read all my postings related to the Momentum in one click, follow this link. If you'd like to read about Weight Watchers new materials, follow this link.)
Book 2:
Activity Basics — START MOVING MORE
One of the changes that took place when Weight Watchers switched to the Momentum Plan is that they modified the Good Health Guidelines to now include "at least 30 minutes of activity a day on most days of the week." Weight Watchers has almost always (at least as far back as the eighties) included a push on activity, right down to the four-way approach they have at the beginning of their materials and on their flip charts we use to teach the members; but this is the first time they've included it in their Good Health Guidelines.
What does that mean?
I didn't get to post yesterday because it was one of the those "crazy busy days" that periodically slap you upside the head. Deadlines and such kept me moving from before dawn to very late at night. However, I completed my first week on the new Weight Watchers Momentum plan, which I have been diligently following. As part of such diligence, I decided I would not step on a scale all week also. I tend to do that to give me an excuse to:
A) Be disappointed with my results and figure, "oh what the hell, I might as well eat"
– or –
B) Be excited with my results and figure, "Wow! I didn't think it would be going so well, I can eat more."
Either way, I end up the same: chubby. Gotta stop it. So I did. I figured I'd just wait it out and let the program do its job.
So it's with no small amount of consternation that I climb on the scale Tuesday at my meeting (which I might point out is AFTER lunch — yikes!). At first, I just kind of "tested the waters:" wearing my sweater, shoes, belt, etc. That looked OK. Then, I removed the "extra weight list"
- Sweater
- Shoes
- Belt
- Wallet
- Money clip
- Pen
- Spare change
I was alone in the room but I resisted the urge to strip down to my skivvies. There's a fine line between compulsive and obsessive and I tread it. Must be very careful, you know?
So, lo and behold, I was expecting three pounds, thought I might get four, really wanted five — and I got
I've been following the Momentum plan for a week now with my first weigh in in about one hour. (I think I might have lost 3-4 pounds, which for me is amazing!) Of course, in addition to following the program, I've conducted two (rather wobbly) "getting started sessions" for my members. Should you not be totally "up" on WW lingo, a "Getting Started Session"is the 30 minute session we do at the conclusion of the regular meeting. It's for new members. This week, which Weight Watchers calls "Conversion Week," we basically turn the entire meeting into a GSS.
I am what is called a "Diamond Leader." As near as I understand that, it means I'm in the top 20% of leaders in my area. I admit to being a little confused as to how that is determined but I'm still flattered and I've been a Diamond Leader for both years that it has been offered. I mention this not to brag — well, OK, maybe a little — but more so to point out that I am very comfortable with leading WW meetings. In my 20 years working for WW, I've probably conducted thousands of GSSs. Yet, for some reason, I'm awkward in doing this one. That said, last night I started getting my footing and I think that's because I finally decided that the changes from the Flex/Core plan to the Momentum Plan are more psychological than physical.
Don't get me wrong; that's not to say they are not substantial. Quite the contrary, you can change your actions all day and all night but if you don't change your thoughts, you'll still find yourself returning to old habits. Weight Watchers has always focused on habit change; that is not new. However, there seems to be more of an embrace this time.
Huh?
Yeah, right. OK, let me explain it a little better. The plan still uses points, which it has for the last decade or so. The daily points target, that amount you get each day, has not changed for any of my members. It's the same as it was in 2008. I have not noticed any major changes in points values of any foods. In my opinion, what has changed however, is the emphasis put on "filling foods," hunger levels, activity, and liquids.
Filling Foods
Alrighty then, I just finished watching the official DVD for the new Weight Watchers Momentum plan, which went live today. It's a video for leaders of how to do the "Getting Started Session" (which is how we explain the program to new members). I had seen it before at Innovations, but I wanted to make sure it all made sense. So, diligently, with my 2009 Weight Watchers leaders materials and my "read along" book, I watcher the trainer and leader on video show a roomful of new Weight Watchers members how to get started.My first meeting is Monday at noon so I needed to be ready. (She has some idiosyncrasies in her speaking that drive me crazy but aside from that, it was a good thing to watch.)
The biggest difference between the old and new Weight Watchers Plans?
So, three days down & still going well (but I have not weighed myself since Tuesday and it's driving me crazy!) This new program really makes you look at how you physically feel when you eat, which is great because if we — I — ate based on that, there wouldn't be a weight probrlem.
In the new 2009 Weight Watchers program, one looks for "filling foods," those healthy, nutritious types that not only fill you up, but don't do it with empty calories. (These are best compared to "core foods.") When one fills in the on-line eTools tracker, it will tell you which foods are filling (and I think you can even choose foods based on that criteria). I'm surprised at how many I'm choosing; good for me.
One other new addition to the program is the way it asks you to monitor your hunger level. I am surprised by how full I usually am and how quickly hunger can sneak up on me. I have not yet discovered a pattern by time of day, but I am suddenly aware that I need to eat something.
More to follow. New program is released officially on Sunday.
One of the bigger issues in the life of my family is the cancer that has struck my brother-in-law, Flip. He went through surgery a few days ago and the news was wonderful but there's still a long road to hoe.
One of the ways he (and my sister, his wife) stays in touch with all the people in his life is via a free website called CaringBridge. They provide (according to their own site), "Free, personalized websites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery." My sister has spoken highly of them and posts regularly. Flip, when he's feeling up to it, adds his comments. Anyone (including you) can post notes of support. It really is a wonderful service and is a method by how a high-tech thing like the internet can be used as a "high touch" service to provide love and support from afar.
CaringBridge notifies anyone who wants to be notified each time the patient's journal is updated. You get an email telling you of an update. In order to find out what happened, you have to click through and read it. Because so much was happening — and most of it not good — earlier in Flip's journey, each time I got an update, I got a knot in my stomach. It was particularly unnerving when I would get the email notification on my Treo and could not log on to the site to see what was going on.
However, that trend has changed. As Flip is healing, the updates are becoming more positive; more "up" than "down." I'm sure to Flip, it seems a very long path is yet to go (and there is) but it does seem like he's turned the corner, thank God.
So, the other day, I get the email notification of an update. As soon as I can, I click through to the site. Sometimes the updates are from my sister. Sometimes, from Flip. They're ususally several paragraphs. This update was one sentence. It was from Flip.
I am a “one-unit” eater.
I have a tendency to eat ONE of whatever I consume. Should the “one unit” be an appropriate size, such as an apple or an individually wrapped Boca Burger, I will be content with my portion and continue happily and fully along my way. Should, however, the “one unit” be excessive; i.e. a bag of potato chips or a gallon of ice cream, I will still consume one unit and waddle from the table. I realize this is
not healthy. I am much more aware of it than I was before. I am better about controlling it than in previous days. Nonetheless, as the philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” To deny that this is a problem for me is to forever be in its treacherous grip. “Progress not perfection,” is my mantra.
I do not believe I am unique with this problem. As a matter of fact, I believe a major reason why one does not see as many of the Olestra products on the market anymore is because they missed the boat in their
packaging. Well, that and some of the other less pleasant reprocussions of its consumption. (If you do not remember Olestra, which I believe was marketed as “Olean,” it was — and is — a chemical substitute for fat that greatly cut the number of calories. Food still tasted great, but there were these rather unpleasant “side effects” making it a “problem.”) When all these great low calorie chips hit the market, I would have bought them. However, they only sold them in full size bags, not the small single-serving bags one can pick up at the checkstand.
I thought to myself, “I know my limits. I’m fine with a one ounce bag but if I bring home the full size bag, I’ll eat the whole thing.” So, because I did not want bouts of “underwear spotting” as some test subjects called it, and since they didn’t have small bags, I didn’t buy any. I presume lots of other folks were similar to me.
A member of my WW meeting turned me on to Walden Farms. At their on-line (and phone) store, 
you can order a wide variety of sugar-free, fat-free, calorie-free foods in some of your favorite flavors (they say they they are available at some stores but when I did a 100 mile search radius of San Francisco, I didn’t find any so I’m assuming they’re pretty rare).
Some of the flavors they sell include:
So, I decided I’d try some. (If you’d like to see how they make these products, you can go to this video.)
Costs aren’t too bad, usually $3.99 per 12 ounce bottle, shipping is a little high ($8.95 minimum but it’s good for up to several bottles), but it’s in line with other food retailers who use shipping.
I figured I’d pass along my "reviews:"
A member of my WW meeting turned me on to Walden Farms. At their on-line (and phone) store, you can order a wide variety of sugar-free, fat-free, calorie-free foods in some of your favorite flavors (they say they they are available at some stores but when I did a 100 mile search radius of San Francisco, I didn’t find any so I’m assuming they’re pretty rare).
Some of the flavors they sell include:
So, I decided I’d try some. (If you’d like to see how they make these products, you can go to this video.)
Costs aren’t too bad, usually $3.99 per 12 ounce bottle, shipping is a little high ($8.95 minimum but it’s good for up to several bottles), but it’s in line with other food retailers who use shipping.
I figured I’d pass along my "reviews:"
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