Pounds Lost: 50! Yes, fifty, FIFTY, FIFTY!!!
Whew, okay, I’ve got it out of my system now. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I’VE LOST FIFTY POUNDS?!!? Okay, sorry, that was the last time 🙂 see my Weight Watchers 50 lb congratulatory fridge magnet…wooo…
But seriously…even though I’m actually only down 0.8 pounds over last week, somehow it makes a world of difference to be able to say "I’ve lost fifty pounds" instead of the somewhat less inspiring "I’ve lost 49.2 pounds". It’s been a long journey, but now somehow it seems less like a journey with a final destination, than a new road I’m taking. It’s like giving up your gas-guzzling SUV in order to take the bus. (I used to commute by bus and/or train to work after driving for years, so I know whereof I speak) For the first few weeks it’s the hardest thing you can imagine, but then you begin to enjoy the simpler journey for itself. You don’t have to pay attention to the traffic…you can close your eyes and rest, you can read, you can daydream…Well, that’s kind of how I feel about my weight loss journey. For the first few weeks and months, it took every bit of concentration and willpower. Now it just feels natural. It’s not work anymore…it’s enjoyable for its own sake.
And although I’ve always been overweight, I did weigh less than 200lbs both times I got pregnant. And I lost all my "baby weight" after my first was born. And I did manage to start losing weight after my second was born. At right is a pic of me when #2 was about 6 weeks old. And then…horror of horrors…I put on weight. I actually weighed more at #2’s first birthday than I did the day after she was born. And at her 2nd birthday I still hadn’t lost weight. During this time, I lost and re-gained the same 10-15 pounds several times…I worked out at the gym, sometimes up to five times a week, for several months. But I would go home and say, "well, I can eat that…I worked out for 1.5 hours today!".
And then, my life changed. A friend-of-a-friend started losing a lot of weight on Dr. Bernstein’s weight loss program. Then my friend joined up too, and the pounds starting falling off her. Their success inspired me, and I would tell my husband about them, as well. So one Saturday morning in May, we just did it. We joined Weight Watchers and we haven’t looked back since!
It all went so smoothly, it’s hard to believe it! When I go back and read my posts, I’m amazed at how, well…easy it’s been to lose 50 pounds. At left is a picture of me in August, when I’d lost about 35 pounds or so. What an amazing difference, eh? I remember taking that photo and thinking, "Wow, I have ONE chin! And a neck!" And the results have been similar in all areas. My pants have gone from size 18 (pushing 20, really) to size TEN and my bra size has gone from 38F to 34D. Even my shoe size has shrunk, if you can believe it.
And that brings us up to the present. Here’s a very recent picture of me (taken just this minute), and there’s even more of a difference, isn’t there? And just think of what’s yet to come? My husband (who’s lost a whopping, SEVENTY-FIVE pounds himself) and I have decided not to "cheat" the system at Weight Watchers by setting a high goal and continuing to lose weight during the free lifetime member period. After all, we owe much of our success to date to honesty and refusal to make excuses about our eating. We figure it’s best not to mess with success…after all, what’s another 6 or 8 weeks now that we’ve been doing this for 31 weeks? And will continue to do it forever? So, yeah, we’re going to set our Weight Watchers goals where we really want to be, and work hard to get there. Then, during the maintenance period, we can really learn how to maintain our new weight…which is, actually, a kind of intimidating prospect!
Michelle: thank you so much for the emphatic “wowza!” You know, I’ve thought a lot about how important it was for my husband and I to use Weight Watchers, per se. Of course it’s impossible to know for sure (can’t do a double-blind study when there’s only one of us, right?) but I think there are a few key aspects to the WW program that have been particularly helpful for us. The most important one, IMHO, is the meeting. It provides emotional support in a group setting from people who are facing every one of the same problems as you are. There will always be someone who has been there, done that when you have a problem at your WW meeting.
Let’s face it: there’s no secret to losing weight. It’s a simple mathematical equation: if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. There are better and worse ways of doing this, of course, but combining solid weight loss tactics with GROUP emotional support is, unfortunately, somewhat less common.
I know you can do WW online (maybe someone out there has tried this and can comment?). I’d say go for it, just make sure you go on the forums and get that group support, as well.
Another key to my success has been doing it with my husband. I don’t know what your situation is, but having a weight-loss partner (especially if it’s the partner you’re living with) is a HUGE area of support as well.
But the bottom line is, you need to be 100% motivated. I tried and failed several times to lose weight (even with WW, although significantly – I never attended meetings before). This time, it’s actually been easy, because it was, and IS what I really want. I used to laugh at the expression “nothing tastes as good as thin feels” because actually, everything tasted better to me then! But now, it’s true. There are things that just are not worth it to me to eat anymore…or at least not in the same quantities.
Whatever way you choose to go about it, Michelle, we’re here to support you 100%
WOWZA! Congratulations!! Ditto to all of the previous comments about how fantastic you look!
A question for you … How important was it to use Weight Watchers? I ask because I’m not really “urban” and attending meetings would be a bit of a drive for me. I know you can also do Weight Watchers online….
Do you think you would have had the same success doing it on your own? Or was Weight Watchers a big part of your success?
A repeat of all of the previous comments!!! You look truly amazing and I totally admire what it has taken for you to get here. I love the pics too – keep ’em coming.
Stunning, fabulous! Congratulations!!
i have no words!!
i’m doing the Dora “we did it” dance right now for you, Kath. what an amazing milestone.
WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEWOOOOWWWWWW! Congratulations! That’s YUGE (a la the Donald YUGE)! Yes, as Jen said I’d say, “YOU LOOK GORJ!” 🙂 🙂 🙂 So exciting!
WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEWOOOOWWWWWW! Congratulations! That’s YUGE (a la the Donald YUGE)! Yes, as Jen said I’d say, “YOU LOOK GORJ!” 🙂 🙂 🙂 So exciting!
As Haley-O of Cheaty’s Celeb Gossip fame would say “YOU LOOK GORJ!” What a transformation! Not just physically but in so many ways. You should be so proud.
Next, you have to show us a before and after pic of you AND hubby…