Keep On Moving

As you may recall, my Weight Watchers leader suggested at last week’s weigh-in that I cut down from eating 25 Points a day (plus my 35 weekly allowance) to 20 Points a day, period. Since I regularly spread out my weekly Flex Points over the course of the week, that essentially cut down my intake by one third, from 30 Points to 20.

It wasn’t easy, but I did it. I rediscovered tasty salad options and reasonable portions of lean protein. I was reminded that eating complex carbs for dinner tends to stall my weight loss. (That’s one benefit of daily weighing.) And I realized that, yes, I do have willpower to draw upon. It all depends on my mindset.

See, Weight Watchers has me trained well. This is a lifestyle change; this is how I eat now. “Diets” don’t work.

Except when they do.

If I have the mindset of “I’m going to be eating this way for the rest of my life,” then I will naturally take all of the built-in flexibility that the program offers. I’ll use my weekly allowance to let me eat things that would be verboten on a normal diet, or to expand my portion sizes, or to otherwise play with the rules. Because, damn, if I have to eat this way forever, I’m going to find ways to make it tolerable.

This is why I’ve been plateauing for the past year-plus: I’ve been training myself on how to be in the Maintenance phase, apparently. I’ve got that downpat.

When I discover the tipping point, when I realize that I have to be more strict for now in order to lose weight, I’m on a diet again. And, for me, that’s a good thing.

I woke up on weigh-in day five pounds lighter than I had been a week before. Of course, by the time noon rolled around, the official Weight Watchers weigh-in claimed I’d only lost 2.6 pounds.

Only. Hah. That’s more weight than I’ve lost in one week since… let’s see… *checking WW eTools* …September of last year? And I’ve been in a holding pattern for much longer than that: since September 2008.

You’d think I would have thought to change it up long before now.

At any rate, I’m moving in the right direction again. I’m learning how my body processes food and how much it needs, and I’m getting more active with the nicer weather and longer evenings. I feel so much better, both physically and mentally, when I bring my A game to this whole health and fitness venture.

I’m on the 20-Point regimen again this week — I’m off to a rocky start, having gone over by a few points yesterday and today, but I’m stepping it up tomorrow and through the weekend.

Looking forward to seeing what I look like at my lowest weight ever. Just need to lose another five pounds… then keep going!

<mantra> I am a strong and confident woman! </mantra>

3 thoughts on Keep On Moving

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  1. I’ll bet you can! If you can scrape together some money to join up and go to meetings, I’ll bet you’ll do even better, too. 😉

  2. You are such an inspiration to me! I’ve been keeping up with all of your updates and “riding along” even through your most recent plateau. You inspired me to join WW 12 weeks ago, and I’m so glad I did!!! You’re the only one who can make the changes to get the results you want! Keep up the good work!