Roni’s Weight Watchen Page(s) - Take 2 (the rebuild)

I notice as I look at your weight progress that, if I am not mistaken, you didn't gain ever.  You consistently lost at weigh ins....so my question would be during your time on plan, did you excercise?  I had a 3 pound gain the first week I started excercising and my leader told me about muscles holding water..(which has no consolation somehow)..did you not have this issue ever or has excercising been something that you have started after your loss?  Thanks so much...honestly, your site keeps me picking myself back up when I fall!

Talysa,

Great question and I think your leader is right. Did you see my recent post on exercise? It gives you my complete workout history.

But long story short I did NOT workout while I was losing and now that I am hitting the gym hard I am experience exactly what she is talking about.   My trainer confirmed that it is true. I know it isn't a consolation but it should be. You are doing wonders for yourself! I think we both have to learn that the scale is not the only way to measure success. The fact that you staying on plan and started a exercise routine is FABULOUS! Don't let that scale tell you otherwise!!!

Keep it up and that scale will catch up, or better yet... your clothes will!

-Roni

Labels: askRoni

Roni,

I have started several times, but never stayed with it, what is the key to sticking to WW for such a long time and how can i do it?

-Darlene

Hi Darlene,

That's a great question! I wish I knew the answer. I really do. But, unfortunately, all I can do is speculate.

I truly think it has a lot to do with mindset, readiness, commitment and the right plan.

Weight Watchers gave me the tools that made it easy to stay on plan. It wasn't hard to journal and keep track of points. I treated them like money and that worked for me. I made the commitment to stay on plan no matter what. Others find the same simplicity in the CORE plan, and still others find plans like South Beach or Jenny Craig to give them most logical approach.

My suggestion is to research the right plan for YOU! Maybe Weight Watchers isn't it. Or maybe you aren't ready. And I say that in the most non-condescending way possible. I wasn't ready for 15 years and if I tried Weight Watchers in the past it may not have worked for me either. I know (many) other plans did not.

If I have to pick one thing, the “key”, if you will. I would have to say it’s the realization that I was making a lifestyle change and I was NOT on a short term diet. Once I realized that everything else started to fall in place.

Last year I wrote a post about weight loss motivation you may find it applicable to your situation.

I hope that helps a little.

-Roni

Labels: askRoni

I am wondering how you stay motivated to exercise.  I know, from reading your posts you seem to really enjoy exercising, saying it’s "me" time.  Did you always enjoy exercising?  I have been exercising for a long time now--sometimes I am more committed than others--but I can never say it's fun!  My idea of  “me” time is to put my nose in a good book.  Choosing to exercise over choosing to read (or do other things) is always a struggle for me and I can't honestly imagine being excited about choosing exercise time over reading time!  Any suggestions?  Thanks!
Sandy

Hi Sandy! Thanks for your question.

This is an interesting subject for me as I didn’t always enjoy exercise. Actually, I hated it. I mean, I didn’t mind a nice walk but the thought of getting in the car, going to the gym and taking a 45 minute spinning class was not even on my radar for a “good time” (I actually do this now and it still floors me.)

Let me start at the beginning. When I embarked on this weight loss journey, I didn’t want to exercise, I didn’t have a gym membership and I had no formal workout routines. I knew if I started one it wouldn’t be long before I quit. Then I’d get angry at myself for not having the motivation to continue. Then I’d get depressed. Then eat more. Then… you know where this is going.  

Why did I know all this? Well, let’s just say, practice. That little cycle started in college and continued for years. I’d work out for about 2 days, if that, hate it, never go back and successfully get depressed which always lead to more food.  

So when I started Weight Watchers June 2005 I was determined NOT to workout. I wanted to prove to myself that I could lose weight without spending hours at the gym. My thought process simple, if the weight was going to come off it was going to come off in a way I can live with forever. That was the only way. I didn’t want to sign myself up for 5 day a week workouts just to maintain a number on the scale. No, this time was going to be different and it was.

Now, before you get all crazy or excited, just because I wasn’t “working out” doesn’t mean I wasn’t active. I even wrote a few posts about staying active and getting exercise in without needing a gym. My personal favorite is an old journal entry of mine entitled Gym Shmym, Who Needs ‘Em? Recently I wrote my newer 10 Stay Active Tips!  And the oldest entry I have talking about exercising lists my activities while losing and talks about a New Years workout resolution which I ironically didn’t keep.

It wasn’t until last August I got a real itch to start formally working out. I was already maintaining for a year and half and I really needed to set more goals for myself. So I looked into a “Y” membership and I started a page to track my workout progress  (side note, this desperately needs to be updated.)

In 2 months, I was hooked and even wrote about my transformation of becoming a gym rat. I don’t know if was just the right time for me being so busy with the toddler and work that the gym gave me a haven away from it all. Or if deep down I was always a gym rat but lacked the motivation because I was chubby and out of shape in the past. Whatever it was, I can honestly say, overall, I do enjoy it now. Yeah, there are some days I don’t want to go and I definitely am not a cardio girl but I know I’m doing something good for my body and soul and that seems to be enough to keep me going. That, and an hour with my ipod with no distractions!

See, I’m a ‘music girl’. SO that works for me. Since you are a ‘book girl’, my suggestion for you is to bring the book! Nothing says you can’t ride the reclined bike while completely absorbed in a good read. Plus noting beats killing two birds with one stone! ;~P

So I hope that helps a little bit and I’m sorry for all the links to old posts, but as I began to answer you I remembered all my writings discussing exercise. It’s so strange for me to go back and read my own thoughts from two years ago and “hear” the old me. Thanks again for the question. It really gave me a chance to look at my own personal workout history. Which I find somewhat amusing. Some of them gave me a good chuckle down memory lane.

Thanks again! Hope that helps!
-Roni

Labels: askRoni

I have lost 30lbs total and feel good, look so much better but have 30 more to go. I am having a hard time staying in the game. It's like I look better, feel better, so...I can just eat the left over Kraft dinner tonight...I feel I have lost my something...confidence is up...commitment has gone down.  What can I do?
Thanks,
Tanya

Hi, I just would like to say that I just happened to stumble on to your website and it was like finding an old friend. I share the same story like a lot of other women, just a few minor changes here and there. I am doing Weight Watchers at home ( I have the books and such)Finally here’s the question; how do you handle it when you have a bad day or crave things and give into the cravings? I am very bad about beating myself up and thinking that that’s it for me and I have to give up. I know so dramatic. But it is such a struggle!! Thanks for any advice. Keep up the good work. I check in all the time to see what you have to say. Wish me luck, I need it. Thanks!
- JoAnne

Hey Roni, love your blog. I've lost about 65 pounds in the past year, and have about 45 more to lose before I hit my WW goal. I have been struggling with the same 5 pounds for a couple of months now. I find that I am getting the munchies...A LOT!! How did/do you keep this under control? I am tempted to say "screw it" and eat everything I can stuff in my gob way too often. My dangerous time is at night. Just wondering if you have any little tricks you use to distract yourself from the munchies. Thanks!!
- Joyce

WOW.  I don’t even know what to say. I could have written all these questions myself. I’m sitting here uncomfortable because I ate too much, again, today. I feel swollen, bloated, huge, yucky, fat and overall disappointed in myself. I literally feel like I put back on the 70lbs I lost. I know that sounds ridiculous. I can “hear” it coming out of my own mouth. But the body I feel now, is the same I felt then (70lbs ago). It’s almost a feeling of body disconnection. I don’t know how else to describe it. 

See, as I write this I’m sitting in a tank top and size 6 jeans. Some of you may be rolling your eyes now. You might be thinking, “How can she be unhappy is a size 6?” OR “Ohhh she’s just making it up I’d kill to be in a size 6.” But it’s true and no matter what your size is if you feel uncomfortable food is comforting. For me it is/was at every size from 4-14.

I’m starting to realize something…

It doesn’t matter where you right now. If you are just starting, already lost half your weight or are trying to maintain a significant weight loss, it’s all about mindset. If you “feel fat” you subconsciously do what you need to do to get fat. That’s what I did all weekend. I just overall felt crappy. I just didn’t feel good in my own skin and consequently,I ate and ate and ate. Like I’m trying fulfill out some self-fulfilling prophecy about being fat.

However, the opposite is also true. When I’m feeling good, temptation is easy to resist. Having one slice of pizza is a breeze and even saying no to the birthday cake that’s being passed around is possible. That’s how I felt for almost 2 years while I was losing the weight. I’m not going to lie and say I was perfect for two years but overall it was like someone flipped the switch in my head and made me feel good about me, about my body and therefore I ate “good”. It almost seemed too easy.

Now, I’m not going to pretend to know all the answers because I clearly don’t or I wouldn’t have had the weekend I did. But I do observe my own behavior. And for the majority of my life I was unhappy in my skin and my eating habits showed that. The funny thing is my overweight cycle really started when I wasn’t fat but I “felt” fat. And that’s a big difference. Somehow we have to love ourselves, feel good about ourselves because then the right choices are easy to make.

I’m not sure I’m making any sense but as I finish this post I have tears streaming down my face, so either I am WAY hormonal or just a big sap. Either way I refuse to be the person I once was, uncomfortable and ashamed. This is me and I deserve to be healthy and happy.
 
For all the original questions askers, I’m sorry I don’t have all the answers. I hope my little self-analysis helps you realize you are worth it too.

Labels: askRoni, insights

I can’t take credit for this weeks question idea.  I was in the mood for a more lighthearted topic. I mean it is April Fools, right? So while sifting through my email, I came across Suzan’s question.  It just made me chuckle (sorry if you didn’t mean it that way Suzan).

Roni
Do you think the invention of spandex was a diet disaster? I do. It is SO easy to buy a medium and stretch and stretch to the point one does not realize if they have gained weight or not. The clothes just keep on stretching.

I threw away ALL my pants with spandex and only wear pants with a button and zipper.  Believe it or not it really keeps me conscientious of my body and  happy  I’m not stretching pants to the max.

What do you think? Throw them away??

So this weeks big question is… Do you wear Spandex? Or do you agree with Suzan.

Me? Well I honestly, I have a few pairs for the gym.  LOL but I’m in a pair of jeans just about everyday.

Labels: askRoni, WeeklyQuestions

Hey Roni!

A quick question...I know your husband isn't always on board with some of the food you cook, but have you ever had any issues with him supporting you on your weight loss?  Both my husband and I are doing WW, him a little more successfully than myself, but lately, when I've needed him to drag me off the couch, he's content to just go to the gym alone, or cook his own meal.  I know I'm the type of person who really needs support to be successful, and that's why I love reading your site, and other ww blogs/messageboards.  Just wondering if you ever had any resistance at home too, and if so, how did you get through the tough times?

Coral

Hi Coral!

This is a GREAT question and actually one the husband and I **cough** discuss all the time.  See, he’s never had a weight problem. Actually he had the opposite problem in the past, not being able to gain weight in his younger years. I actually wrote about his skinniness in an older post about naturally thin people. Being someone whose weight hasn’t been a problem he never really understood my issue with it. He seemed confused that the concept of “just eat less” didn’t work for me.

However, that being said, he’s been supportive in his own way. First, he’s never made my weight an issue. We’ve been together through thick and thin, literally, having met at an average size 12, gaining up to a 16, losing down to a 10, gaining back up to a 16 then down to a 6 and every other stop along the way. He has almost seemed oblivious of my weight even looking back at old pictures in disbelief that I was that size. Now I know that may not be the support you are asking about, but for me it was important to know the person I love loved me regardless of my size. 

The reason why I think your question is so important is because it extends way beyond just weight loss. Motivation to live a happy, healthy, active life is hard. How do you wake up every day with the drive to make the right choices when it comes to good nutritious food? To get your butt to the gym? To shut the TV off and take the family out for an after dinner walk? For some of us these choices do NOT come naturally and they take hard work, drive and support to make them every day.

Now, I (if you haven’t noticed) have a wee bit of motivation and determination. Ever since the birth of my son, I feel as if I have more confidence and purpose to live a healthy life as an example to him. This keeps me going most of the time but I’m human and sometimes I want someone to give me a kick in the ass to get moving too! This is what the husband and I discuss. I need him to take the lead in the right direction some of the time, to pick up the slack, if you will.

I’m going to be honest (as I always am), he doesn’t always give me the kick when I need it. That’s why I seek support through other channels and you are already doing that! Finding support and motivation online through weight loss blogs, message boards, and reading of others success are all great outlets. I’ve also recently found a work out buddy at the gym which has done wonders for my workout motivation. 

My suggestion is to talk to him if you haven’t already. Many people think everyone is like them. Since he doesn’t need the support he may assume you don’t either. If you talk to him and he still doesn’t give you the support you need don’t get discouraged.  Not everyone is a ‘coach type’ personality. Look to him as an example instead and try to follow his lead.

I hope that helps!
-Roni

Labels: askRoni