All right, kiddos – I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting last Monday, and I’ve been dying to tell you all about it. I think it is the best decision I’ve made in a long time regarding my weight loss and long-term goals.
For those of you who are new to my column, I used to be fat. (Funny how I never get tired of saying that: “used to be.”) At my heaviest, my doctor weighed me at 226 pounds. I have never felt comfortable revealing that until now. People could tell I was fat, but to quantify it like that is frightening. Now that I’m squarely in the healthy lifestyle I’ve created for myself, I don’t mind telling you that at my first Weight Watchers meeting, I weighed 169.2 pounds. That is just under 60 pounds of weight loss accomplished all by myself (and Dr. Phil). But I needed a boost. I’d gotten in a rut. That’s where Weight Watchers came in.
I picked out a meeting based on time rather than location (the beauty of finally having a car on campus), so my meetings are Monday nights in the basement of the Wilmette Lutheran Church, not far from the Linden stop on the Purple Line.
I stepped inside, observing the setup. My friend Janna, a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member and receptionist in Austin, tells me that there are two types of meeting places: They can either be held at an actual Weight Watchers center or somewhere else, usually some sort of community center. There are fancy displays with items Weight Watchers sells: cookbooks, measuring cups, smoothies, bars and anything else you’d need or want to help you lose weight.
When I told the receptionists I was new, they got very excited and had me fill out a card. Then I weighed in, chose my payment plan and sat down as I munched on a sample of a new flavor of their energy bar. I made myself a mental note to buy a box next time – it was almost as good as a Milky Way.
The meeting began, and the leader was wonderful. She knew her stuff backwards and forwards, constantly referring to specific pages in booklets and materials that answered key questions, like why it’s important to have at least two servings of both milk and oil every day. She also remembered almost everyone’s name and his or her specific situations. One lady was about to have major surgery, so the leader gave tips on how to avoid weight gain during recovery, when it would be tough to exercise.
One of the great things I noticed about these meetings is the enormous amount of positivity. You get a special sticker after losing five pounds. You get a special keychain when you lose ten percent of your starting weight. And if you tell a good story in which you stuck to your plan in the face of adversity (what they called “toxic environments”), you get a “Bravo” sticker. It may sound silly, but every bit of positive reinforcement helps when it comes to weight loss.
After the main meeting the leader met with me – the only new member – to discuss the specifics of the plan. She laid out how their Points system works and the differences among their two eating plans. I chose the Flex plan, because it seemed like you could eat more junk food that way. Having attempted Weight Watchers long ago, right before I was diagnosed with diabetes, I remembered the basic concepts. She asked me about my life and goals, and then she shared her before and after pictures with me. She reached her goal weight the year I was born! She’s a seasoned pro who knows her stuff.
The thing that strikes me the most about Weight Watchers is its similarity to the Catholic Church. There are meeting places virtually everywhere and the structure of meetings is pretty much the same nation-wide. There are leaders, and there are members looking to them for inspiration and guidance, much like a priest and his flock. And just like the post-Vatican II Church, Weight Watchers has adapted and changed from its original incarnation in 1963, but still holds the same basic ideas true. All in all, this was a great first meeting and I’m excited to go back.
I’ll keep you posted on my progress. After I lose ten percent of my body weight, I’ll think about where I want my final goal to be and I’ll keep you posted.
Oh, and I’m getting me one of those Bravo stickers. I resisted pizza twice in one weekend.