It can really be done!!

Those of you that have ever fought with your weight can probably relate. Sitting in front of the television eating snack after snack, going out to grab fast food because it's easy, drinking soda morning, noon, and night. I used to do all that. Not that I don't feel the urge to splurge once in awhile but I come back to the fact that it's just not worth it.

My mom and I have been members of Weight Watchers for 7 months now. We went in skeptical about if this would even work. We'd both tried our own "diets" and could never make it work. We'd drop a couple pounds here or there but nothing substantial or long-term. Well get this, between the two of us we have lost 81 pounds. That's pretty amazing, right? I think the hardest part was walking through those doors. I had vowed to myself back in September that if I got this job at the Girl Scouts I would go to Weight Watchers and start to take care of myself. I think it was God's way of saying "you're worth it." Before all of this I didn't feel like I was. I wasn't happy in the job I was in, I wasn't happy about working nights all the time, and I was unhappy about the way I looked, so it was time for a change. We went to our first meeting in the beginning of October and have been going every Thursday since. The great thing about Weight Watchers is it's not just a diet where you lose weight and then go off the program food or whatever and put it back on. I hear so much about people going back to their old habits. This is about breaking those habits and creating a new way of life for you. You eat regular foods and you're allowed to have cookies and ice cream, you just have to write it down and use your points for it.

I'm gradually changing my way of living. I don't crave sweets as much and I used to have a Mountain Dew everyday. I've looked at the Mountain Dew now and it has like over 300 calories in a bottle I drank everyday, it's not worth it! I don't eat fast food. I'll go to Subway now and get a sub. I do still go out to dinner occassionally but am a little more aware of what I order there or cut down the portion size. I must be doing something right since I've dropped 39 pounds so far. Weight Watchers sets a goal for you to reach while on the program. Once you reach the goal you become a lifetime Weight Watchers member. I still have another 41 pounds to go, but I'm getting there! It's a week-by-week battle. I now exercise every single morning, and go to the gym on Saturday mornings. I've also gotten into the habit of exercising 3 or 4 nights a week as well. When I have a setback (like the trip to Vegas) I get right back on track the next week. I'm beginning to learn that it's just not worth it to splurge on sweets. I'd much rather be healthy. Exercising makes me feel better and I feel better about myself and buying new clothes (in smaller sizes!!)

So when I hear people complain about slipping back into their old routines or complain about not being able to lose weight, I point out that it can be done. My mom and I are living proof of that. When we both get down to our goal weights, we've decided to write a book describing our accomplishments and the hard work and energy that went into it. We both deserve it, and finally we see that!