This may be selfish, but helps me to keep WW thoughts if I sort of revisit the workshop discussion mid-week. I have thought about trying to find a meeting that I could go to on a Wednesday or Thursday just to keep it fresh, but I haven't done that. There are also coaches available all the time online to help out if I need some motivation or have questions. I haven't reached out to them either. I can and will write here, though!
The last workshop I attended (we call them workshops now instead of meetings) was the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The core group that is always there was in attendance. The 10:00 group is pretty wonderful. I also really, really like our coach (used to be called the leader). Her name is Lana and she is great. I'm friends with her on Facebook and we follow each other on Instagram. She's the coolest.
Anyway...it turns out that Thanksgiving can be a tough time for people who tend to overeat. Many of the people said they were fine on Thursday but had a hard time handling the leftovers on Friday. At the end of our workshop, Lana always announces how much weight we lost as a group. On Saturday morning, that was not a big number. Overall there was a loss, but it less than half of what we normally lose as a group.
The topic of the workshop was how to get back on track. This is an especially tough time of year when you're trying to lose weight. I call it the eating season. I mean, at my work, December is a food festival. Looking at the calendar, I think we have meals planned at least twice a week, and some weeks, daily. Plus customers and vendors send over treats, so it seems like there is always something to munch on in the breakroom. It is so easy to mindlessly grab a treat, especially if it is a treat that you wouldn't normally have at other times, like fudge.
Typically I set a goal for myself to just maintain my weight or only gain one or two pounds during the eating season. I don't want to deprive myself. I also don't want to let myself go too crazy with the treats, you know what I mean?
Mostly I try to balance my meals. If I know I am eating out, or that a special meal is being brought in to work, I will focus on having zero point foods like eggs, yogurt and fruit for breakfast, eating a moderately portioned lunch, then keeping my dinner very low points, too. Protein is key because most of it is low points and it keeps you full longer.
I'm not saying I'm always successful (clearly), but at least I think about it now. Ten years ago, it would not have occurred to me to try to manage my meals like I do now. Is it hard? Yeah, kinda. There are some days that I am good at it and there are others when I just think, f**k it, I'm going for it.
Right now I am thinking about wearing bathing suits in Thailand in a couple of months and that keeps me on track a little better.
Writing down what you eat, called tracking in WW parlance is a powerful tool. If I think I will be embarrassed to see what I've eaten, it might act as a deterrent to eating it. It doesn't always work and honestly, sometimes I don't write stuff down. No one else sees my tracker, but even if I don't write something down, I KNOW. There's a saying: What you eat in private shows up in public. I actually really hate that saying, probably because it's true. I am a sneaky eater sometimes. Nobody else cares what I eat, but I'll sneak a donut in my car or an extra piece of candy at my desk. It's so dumb. Why do I do it? It just makes me shake my head and cringe a little. But I still do it.
Whoa. True chubby woman confession time!
On that note, I think my work here is done. Take care of yourselves, friends. You're the only one who can.
1 comment:
It is a hard balance. I think you're doing great, and I truly admire the work you're doing. I am not as disciplined as you are about it most days, but I am cognizant of what I eat, even my own version of a secret donut in the car. I love you!
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