A Fat Chic's Triumphant Return to Weight Watchers

 Well, I'm back at WW. OMG! It's so exciting. When I got there the staff who worked there when I used to attend meetings, instantly recognized me (how frickin' cool is that??) and said it was so good to have me back. I, in return, very happily cheered that I was also happy to be back. I used to go on Wednesday nights. I know that seems an odd time. I mean, you're not close enough to the weekend that if you blow it Friday night or Saturday, you still have time to make it up. I also attend evening meetings which seems like a bad time because you've eaten throughout the day. I realize all of this. But it was the Wednesday, evening meetings I attended before when I lost 40 pounds and I feel a kindred spirit with the people attending. As I sat in the meeting room I looked around at everyone. The thing I notice most about WW meetings is how happy everyone is. They are all really glad to be there and share their stories, ask for advice, give some advice, applaud for those who hit milestones, and encourage those that are experiencing setbacks. But still, there is absolutely not a pinch of negativity in the air. I started reminiscing about the days when I used to attend meetings. If you go to the same meeting each week, people start to remember you. They talk to you, ask about you, and just make you feel so welcome. Very subtley you begin forming a team. You don't realize it when it's happening but when you're there, you feel it.

There's also something about WW meetings that brings out the semi-socialite in me. Oh, I'm not good at going into a room of people and just introducing myself. DH, on the other hand, could walk into a room and walk out 10 minutes later with 50 new friends. Ten minutes later I likely haven't spoken to a single soul. But not as true at WW. While I certainly wouldn't match my husband in his "social butterflying", I do tend to open up. Maybe because it is the one social setting in which I feel the least bit of anxiety. I have a bit more confidence because I'm surrounded by people just like me. I love the new group from last night. There were two waitresses that came together and seemed approximately my age. I sat near them and since the three of us were newbies, we had to stay afterwards for the orientation meeting (as if I really needed it, but I stayed nonetheless- I'm a rule-complier) and I actually talked briefly to them. There is one lady, about my mom's age, who has lost 90 pounds!

I was also amazed at how yesterday I blogged about the need for exercise and guess what the meeting was about? If you said exercise give yourself a round of applause. I didn't start the first week of this new "program", but the first week was committing to (I think this is right) counting points, then tracking points, and this week was about moving. They had some really good ideas that don't involve the whole process of getting ready to exercise. I mean, you know, when you're gonna workout, well, you usually have to change your clothes. If you're a woman, you usually tie back the hair. Then you put on your tennis shoes. You know, the ones for exercising that you hardly wear because you hardly exercise? Those are the ones. By the time you've gotten yourself prepared you realize that the dryer just buzzed, the dishwasher just stopped, and your friend is calling for the third time. You simply can't put any of that off. So you put off exercise. Well, they had some ideas for exercising that don't involve that. For instance, if you park at the end of the parking lot when going to the mall, it may take you five minutes to get inside. Well, you just did 5 minutes of exercise. Then, once you're ready to leave, you have to make that same walk back to your car. That's another 5 minutes. So, you just got 10 minutes of walking under your belt for the day. How easy is that? Simple things you can add to your day. One woman (in WW Weekly- how fun is that?) said that she does some "weight-lifting" while making dinner. While in the kitchen, waiting for things to get done, she will just lift milk jugs for five minutes. I thought that was a pretty cool idea, actually.

For me, I want to get the Sweatin' to the Oldies DVDs. See, I want to do the Wii Fit and I know that I will. But that's something I really have to do when Lainie is asleep. I'm afraid I'm gonna hit or kick her on accident by getting into it. But Lainie loves (and I mean loves) to dance. Even if you just sing, she'll dance. The STTO workouts are not these crazy violent moves. They're very simply and I think Lainie would like the music and dance. So it's something we can sort of do together. Plus (huge bonus) I'm teaching her the importance of moving around, not by telling her to, but by doing it myself and pulling her in. I love it.

That's what I have for now. Happy Eating! Happy Dancing!