Hello WW Philadelphia Members,
Some of you might wonder why I always salute you as Members when many of the readers of this email are not current Members. The reason is that you are more important than just a customer or client. I call everyone who encounters this company a Member or potential Member; you deserve that respect.
It is not an easy decision to call or reach out to WW. I remember chastising myself for not having the strength, motivation, and whatever else it takes to lose weight on my own. I always felt like I was the only one who gained weight like I did, simply because I ate TOO much food. My mind always gave others special dispensation for gaining weight.
Being overweight felt isolating and restricting to me, it kept me from doing things I wanted to do, wearing clothes I wanted to wear, going places I wanted to go. Most of these restrictions were my own boundaries set up by me, but you know where I’m coming from, and you've probably set up invisible boundaries for yourself, too.
Sometimes I think about the crazy things I was willing to do to lose weight fast. Like living on canned green beans and canned tuna! Those two foods were my answer to everything. I learned the Tuna and Green Bean Diet from one of those gossip “news” magazines sold at the grocery store checkout line. WHO in their right mind follows a diet from a publication mentioning aliens routinely visiting and advising a current world leader???
I went a lot of years avoiding tuna until recently when I have found myself really liking tuna again. Sorry, Charlie.
Turning around that kind of thinking meant celebrating the wonderful little victories that add up while you find your way to a healthier you. Think about it: Saying “I’m full” when there are still a couple of bites left on the plate, and then scraping them into the disposal; Flying without the seatbelt extension; Being able to be hugged by a loved one with arms all the way around you; Having your physician no longer routinely enter “obesity” on your health record; Being able to zip up a freshly laundered pair of jeans without laying on the bed. Yep, all that--any one of them--makes for a good day!
No matter your number at the scale right now, you have instilled many good habits you never turn away from, due to your having embraced WW into your life. All the while you've learned and are still learning to accept and love yourself a little more through every pound lost.
Every one of us has a story about how or why this happened. but while there is some uniqueness to each story there are more commonalities. The truth is YOU are not alone when you're with WW and whether you’re a Current Member in the trenches, a Lifetime Member, fully competent and confident at goal, or a former Member, we share comparable stories every day.
One day, while Coaching a WW Workshop years ago, I mentioned the embarrassingly, enormous binge meal I consumed before joining WW and I saw heads across the room nodding in understanding. I was truly shocked, thinking this was my own personal little (not LITTLE) problem!
Something I learned from other Members while sharing that experience is to ask myself, “Will I be able to eat this food in the future; Can I freeze it for another day; Could I come back to this place for more?" The times when the answers are not "YES" are rare! The very important lesson I took away was there is no reason to eat the last crumb because it is in front of me/you. That is a major WIN!
Some of you might be thinking, “I’m glad I was never that bad off.” I'm glad for you too, but some of the things I mentioned are as common to the Members who want to lose 20 pounds as they are to the Members who want to lose over 100 pounds.
The quick fix doesn’t exist. If you’re currently not at your weight goal--whether you are a Current, Inactive, or Lifetime Member Not At Goal, you know you can’t give up. You can’t stop, you must be mindful, watchful, and aware and we at WW Workshops are here to assist.
Please remember, I love hearing from Members, so don't hesitate to write. Be assured this is my direct email address debw@wwphl.com and I respect your confidentiality.
Stay well, be kind and wash your hands,
