NO WEIGH!!!!

So, today was my Weight Watchers meeting and the first one in 2 years where I didn't have to weigh in! It's kind of fun not having to wear my "weigh-in clothes", but it also kind of scares me. It's the whole accountability thing. If I don't HAVE to weigh-in weekly, I could in essence eat like crap all week. Who's gonna know? No one is weighing me in! I can burn it all off before the next time, right? NOPE! And now comes the "this is not a diet, it's a way of life" aspect of my loss. It also opens a new chapter in my journey where I now have to be totally accountable to myself for 3 weeks of the month. How will I do it!?!?!

The first step is continuing to go to meetings. Do I have to? Nope. Will I? You betcha! It's more than just weighing each week, it's the motivation to keep going. It's the other people there who have become friends and an extended family. It's my leader and receptionists who have been on this journey with me for the last 2 years. It's the fact that if I go there and someone notices me gaining, you can guarantee they are going to speak up! They don't want to see me fail. We look out for each other, cheer each other on, and sympathize when we have a "bad" week. One of the greatest things about my meetings are the fellow members who have come to ME for advice. They have become inspired by me, and after sharing in my success, trust that they can ask me for direction and help when they are struggling. And with that comes step 2: become a Weight Watchers leader!!!!

Heck ya! I've already interviewed and am meeting with another higher up next week! How fun is that?!?! I will start out as a receptionist (weigher-inner as I have called them) and then hopefully move on to leader! What an amazing opportunity it will be to help others who are struggling as I have! I decided that I want to help others, especially those who have 100+ pounds to lose. There is nothing more frustrating for morbidly obese people than hearing success story after success story of people who lost between 15-30 pounds. As a large person, here is what I would "hear"... "My name is Skinny Mini. I have struggled with my weight my whole life! When I went to college, I just ballooned into a size 6! I needed to do something about it! So, with the help of this plan, I lost 5 pounds to get back into my size -0 jeans!" No, I'm not knocking any number that one has to lose. We all have our number great or small and it's great to see people meet their goals, but it's different when you can't relate to them. It makes the task of losing such a high number seem bigger and more unachievable when you can't see or talk to someone who has done it. I want to help those who are like I was. Fearing for their life and thinking "this will never work!" Now, you may ask, "How does that help her keep it off?" Well, I HAVE to maintain my loss to work for them. No if's, and's, or but's (butt's!) about it. I gain it back, I lose my job. Fair enough, and great incentive for me to keep on track!

Step 3??? You're looking at it. I have put it out there. I have posted to all of the world my former weight. If I gain it back, then the whole world would know how much I weigh!!! Dude, that is just not cool. Not cool at all. So, by creating this blog and sharing with you my journey (and my numbers, lol), it keeps me more focused on the task at hand. Yes, I've lost the weight, but no I'm not done. I will never be done. I will have to track my points and count every morsel for the rest of my life (or until I'm 90 years old and decide that I've lived this long I need to enjoy it, so pass the cheesecake!). I'm ok with this. It beats the alternative.