As a lifelong yo-yo dieter, Jeni was
convinced that long-term weight loss was unattainable. But when she
tagged along to a Weight Watchers meeting as moral support for a friend,
she decided to give the Plan a try. Now a proud meetings member, Jeni
is celebrating her success as well as her new, confident outlook on
life.
In Jeni’s Words:
I had lost weight before, but it was always a very “black or white”
endeavor for me. Either I was 100% committed and focused, or I told
myself I couldn’t do it. I could sustain that intensity for only so
long, and then obstacles would come along, derail my efforts, and I’d
gain the weight back. I attended my first meeting with a friend who’d
asked me to come with her. Although I knew that I had weight to lose, I
had convinced myself that I wasn’t ready.
Getting started
I approached my first week on Weight Watchers with the attitude of,
“Fine, I’ll follow the Program, and when I don’t lose weight, I won’t
have to feel guilty for not having tried.” My second time on a Weight
Watchers scale changed all of that. I lost weight without starving
myself, without working out incessantly, while still eating foods I
loved—even dessert every night! That was when I knew I was ready to lose
weight. I’d found a program that would work for me, that would fit into
my life, and that would allow me the opportunity to be happy and
healthy without having to be perfect.
Taking some “me time”
Initially, learning to put myself first meant just getting to my
weekly meeting. But as I saw results—how my stress level would go down,
how my confidence would soar, how my energy and focus would increase—I
started to look for other ways I could tune into myself outside of the
meeting room. Committing to meetings led to committing to fulfilling
other needs for myself in a healthy way.
Fitting in fitness
As I started to lose weight, my energy level started to rise and I
started looking for small ways to “sneak” activity into my days. I began
getting off the subway a stop early, walking a few extra blocks before
catching the bus, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I asked
for a Nintendo Wii as a Christmas gift and began playing a cardio
boxing game as well as doing yoga with Wii Fit. After having lost about
50 pounds, I finally joined the gym. I usually do cardio: the treadmill,
exercise bike, or elliptical. I still walk as much as I can and play
the Wii games whenever I get a chance—or whenever I just want to have
some fun!
Using eTools:
I love the Weight Tracker because it lets me see trends that I
wouldn’t have otherwise noticed in my weight loss. I also like the
Recipe Genie because it allows me to find recipes using foods that I
already have or that I have heard about in meetings and want to try.
Using it encouraged me to try new foods instead of getting stuck in a
rut with my usual meals. I also use the Weight Watchers Community quite
frequently to get ideas and inspiration between meetings.
The new Jeni
I used to just wear old hand-me-downs or clothes I’d buy without even
taking them into the fitting room, because I hated being faced with my
size. Now, I love to shop and discover new styles that complement my
size and shape.
But, the main thing I love about the new me is the confidence I’ve
discovered. I feel in control of my life and my choices now, not just
with food, but with things like my career and my relationships as well. I
can identify what I want, make a plan to achieve it, and believe in
myself that I will get there.
Advice for others
My biggest piece advice for others trying to lose weight is to be
patient with yourself. When I would start getting frustrated with myself
in this journey, I’d remind myself: “You’re here to learn to be kind to
yourself. This is about taking care of you. Guilt, shame and regrets
are not kind, and have no place in your new way of thinking and living.”
I can’t undo something by hitting ‘rewind’ but I can undo it with the
choices I make going forward.
Source:
Weight Watchers