Gaining Sanity

It's Saturday and that means one thing, Weight Watchers meeting. I
joined weight watchers 9 weeks ago when I looked at myself and
realized my attempts to lose weight on my own failed. I had lost
about 10 pounds on my
own. But, there was more to go and I needed help. I'm not good at
asking for help. But, I got over it and went to my first meeting and
didn't look back.

And today was a great meeting. Meetings usually are. It's amazing
whether I've lost weight, gained weight, or maintained I always leave
the meetings feeling energized and happy. That regardless of resutls
I've accomplished something important. I've re-committed to eating
better, exercising more, and living a better life. Even if I don't
learn anything new at the meeting, I still get that important reminder
that it's a process, losing weight, and I got to work it. And it's
inspiring hearing the other people talk about their struggles and
successs.

The best part is celebrating people's weight loss. You get little
rewards, bookmarks and magnets and such, when you lose every five
pounds. It's great seeing someone beam as they lose thier sack of
potatoes (10lbs). We clap for them. We cheer each other on. And
knowing that the girl next to me lost 20lbs I know I can do the same
thing.

One of the members today mentioned that she got really down the other
day. She was getting weighted at her gym and was thinking "I'm
workinng really hard and it'll come to an end" But, then it hit her
"it's never going to be over." And I knew exactly what she means.
We're so used to having projects with a beginnig, middle, and end.

We never get to change something in our life, accomplish a goal, and
then go back to the way things used to be. There's a reason a
definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again
expecting a different result. We never get to go back to the past.
Or if we do guess what, the same old problems are still there and the
same old outcome is the same. When true change happens, it happens.
And if you want all to keep all the good that comes with those changes
(moving more, eating better, eating less, having a slip and not a
binge) then you got to let go of the past. For me that means letting
go of the way I eat lunch during the week and drinking less wine.

Oh I haven't given up on wine. Let's not get crazy here. But, I've
changed the way I drink wine. Instead of drinking two glasses or
three glasses or the bottle at the end of the night I drink one glass.
Maybe on a special occasion I'll drink more. But, the next day it's
back to the changes and working the process and making it all apart of
my day to day life. And on Saturdays at 12:00 I get my whack, whack,
whack wake up call at the weight in. I get a mood booster and I
re-commit to being a saner human being.

So, thanks all for listening and cheers.
v.carrie