October 20, 2021
Hello Philadelphia Area Members!
“It is a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real.”
So much wisdom from children’s literature.
One day at my WW meeting, when I was close to the end of my 94-pound weight loss, my Coach (then called Leader) asked me how I liked the new me? My answer to him was “this isn’t the new me, this is the REAL me.”
The REAL us happens when we open our hearts and minds during the journey of weight loss. There is so much to learn. The learnings are far beyond the practical information of portion sizes, fat content, and POINT values. We have an opportunity, no matter our chronological age, to learn things about ourselves. Things that were always there but not in the front.
Most of the realness comes about because we take a chance on showing ourselves a different kind of self-care (love) that we didn’t allow ourselves to indulge in before.
When I was losing the 94 pounds, WW costs were $10 per week. My weekly household budget for this stay-at-home Mom was $80. Everything had to fit into that budget, school lunches, groceries, gas, and any other necessities, needs, or wants. I was always out of money at the end of the week -- until I started WW.
After spending an additional $10 a week for my Workshops, I had $15.00-ish remaining on Saturday! The day I always was out of money, I had money left over. Isn’t that weird?
Perhaps it was that first thing to go. The trips through the drive-through window, pretending I was ordering for a family of four (when the kids were in school). Now, I just fantasize about the truck full of chips driving off the road and I’m called in to ‘save’ the chips that were strewn into the median. Sigh….
The changes I made in grocery shopping and the kinds of foods I chose to eat and feed the kids during the week while the husband worked out of town changed completely. More veggies and fruits and less processed foods and junk.
Processed food and junk food really chew into the food budget. My self-care allowed me to purchase an artichoke or an avocado if I wanted them and I could afford a new book, an exercise class, or a magazine.
Sometimes Members wonder if they are being selfish by focusing a little more on themselves while losing weight. Is the monetary and time investment really worth it? My answer is always an astounding YES! –because you cannot take care of the others you love in your life at the level they need and deserve if you are not taking care of YOU. Using the WW plan and attending workshops made me stronger and better both mentally and physically.
The professional and personal goals that are out there just out of your reach seem to be a little closer. You find a voice to advocate for others who need you, you have kindness and love to share because you filled your own bucket first. The world around us really does change because we become part of the change, and it starts because we change ourselves. That change often begins with making a change in our physical self.
Losing ten percent of your starting weight is a wonderful place to begin. Most Members lose 1-2 pounds per week after their first week on program. Getting in control of the food in your life prior to the holidays can mean not gaining the typical 8-12 pounds by January 1.
The day I came to terms with knowing Halloween or Thanksgiving, or some other holiday wasn’t why I had gained an extra 90+ pounds (it was all those days in between), was when I KNEW I could do this, and I’ve always known you can do it.
Stay well, be kind and wash your hands,
