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You can read my first post about my weight issues here.
The battle at the scale is, in my opinion, a battle about balance. Once we find the balance that works for us, then half the battle is won and we can start focusing on the daily war! But finding what works for us can be the most challenging. Because it can seem like what works one week, doesn’t work the next week.
John and I got married in 1983. He had been a runner all his life. He says that when he was in elementary school that he would run all the way home from school, leaving his 3 older siblings behind. He ran in high school (I believe he still holds the 2 mile record at that school) and he continued running in college. By the time I met him, he was running road races and marathons. A marathon is 26.2 miles. He ran EVERY. DAY. Even using his lunch hour to get in 5 or 6 miles.
I would watch his races. But that was about as much exercise as I got in those days. I wasn’t much of an exercise person. We ate OK, but we were not focusing too much on healthy eating.
On the other hand, I was never athletic. I never participated in sports. And I continued down the sedentary lifestyle path after I got married.
By 1985 I was heavier than I had ever been and I wasn’t too happy with myself.
In the comments last week someone asked if I thought my eating was emotional eating. I answered the question in the comments, but I want to address it here too. I believe I am genetically predisposed to being overweight. While emotional eating may play a part, I do not believe it is the whole reason I was overweight.
I investigated different weight loss methods. I was looking for a magic cure. I wanted to pop a pill, drink a drink, eat a food…anything that would magically make the weight come off. I wasn’t finding anything that fit the bill.
I asked lots of people I knew that were losing weight what they were doing. Almost all of them were doing Weight Watchers.
I remember telling someone that I was considering joining Weight Watchers. This person told me, you don’t want to do that because you have to do that for the rest of your life! At the time, I didn’t realize how prophetic that statement was!
Eventually, I did join Weight Watchers. I lost 25 pounds 27 years ago and I have kept most of it off all these years. I have had ups and downs. Gaining weight each of the three times I was pregnant. Eventually losing the weight.
Life is a series of ups and downs and a weight loss JOURNEY is no different.
If you are struggling with your weight, Weight Watchers might not be the answer for you, but there is an answer out there.
I actually got to my goal weight and become a Weight Watchers Lifetime member. That did not and does not mean that my weight issues were/are over.
It was 1985 and I was so excited. I think I was smaller than I had ever been in my adult life. And it was 3 years before I would be pregnant for the first time. My war with the scale wasn’t over. I had won the first battle, but the war would rage on for years.
Please…DO NOT lose hope. Whatever your weight issues are, they can be overcome. You can succeed with small changes made on a daily basis. You do not have to tackle all your issues at once.
In these first two posts I have tried to give you a glimpse into my life to let you know that I do know what it feels like to be overweight. To not be living a healthy lifestyle. Beginning next week, I will begin sharing the changes that I made and hopefully, if you have weight/healthy lifestyle issues, you will find some useful and helpful hints.
I’ve stopped using Disqus for comments so hopefully, commenting will be easier for you. If you have a question, please ask…I’ll do my best to answer it.
Linking with Courtney at Women Living Well
I have done Weight Watchers, at least 5 times. Seriously! The first time I signed up, about 15 years ago, I lost about 12 pounds, but then my mom got sick and I pushed myself aside. After have three more babies, I just could never seem to find my MOJO with WW again. However, I do love the program and have been considering and asking God if I might sign up online and begin again. I think the thing that holds me back these days is fear, and my past failures. I was so desperate earlier this year that I resorted to HCG and lost nearly 20lbs, all of which have come back. I continue to pray for the strength and motivation to take charge of my health and put myself first for a change.
Oh my… a good comment place I am so excited, could never leave a comment on your blogs. THANKs
Wow!! I think it is amazing you have stuck with it all these years!
Weight Watchers has always worked for me. It is a lifestyle you need to find after all and they support that well!
My issues ended up being health related, but I've used that as an excuse more than the cause. Does that make sense? I would allow the excuse of having health related weight gain to not pay as much attention to how I was treating myself. . . .
So proud of you for sharing your journey with us! Thank you!
Glad you posted this, and so glad I'm not the only one:) I actually did great at Allume, because I didn't have time to snack. But now I spend all day with my 2 year old and we snack all the time. It's all portion control for me, not so much what I'm eating.