[Hoody]

I have just re-joined ww for my "gazillionth" time and am curious about others opinions on something. I was nervous to rejoin because I've failed so many times before - not just on ww but on all other diets. So, I'm wondering why are some people (very overweight to hardly overweight) successful while others aren't? I wonder when and what finally clicks that makes it work this time.

Anyone's opinions/suggestions would be great. I'm ticked and trying not to be ticked for my first weigh-in. I lost only 1 lb. which I find impossible only becuase my clothes already fit so much better then they did - I wanted to cry!

Thank you!

[Kelly_S]

Well to be successful you need to have heard the 'click.' Realizing that this is a lifelong committment that you will have to do for the rest of your life. Just because you reach your goal weight doesn't mean your life is going to be perfect. You need to realize that as well as the fact that once you have had a weight problem even at goal you may have relapses to old eating habits and it may lead to some gain but then you'll need to catch yourself and get back to the new habits and push the old ones far behind.

Until you hear the 'click' you may not be ready.

[Itryharder]

I think what makes WW's work is simply doing it. I know a one pound loss the first week might be disappointing, but having your clothes fit better is a huge plus and an indication that if you keep on doing WW, you'll continue to lose more.

There are people in my group who have lost over 200 pounds. There are people who are lifetimers who have lost ten. What they have in common is they continue to attend meetings and find a way to make WW's part of their lives. Listen, be happy, be accepting, and do it. I wish you all the best with your weight loss
venture. I know for myself I do the program all the time because as I do it and as I take baby steps toward working the program, sometimes that allows me to hear the click. It's almost like, "Hey, I can do this." That doesn't mean that there aren't times when it is horribly difficult, but once it's part of your lifestyle, it becomes the way you eat. I wish you much success.
Judy

[lalala]

I've clicked several times, gotten about 10 lbs from goal and then just petered out. This time, I think the click wasn't my motivator, but time, effort, money and health.

I'm one year closer to 40 than last year and I don' t want to be fat at 40. That is my motivation. Besides, other than my pals here, I have a great group of folks from all around the country who I know through a frequent flyer group that are doing the same thing.

We're keeping each other on track and have periodic gatherings somewhere -- London in February , where we can check out each other's progress. Its pretty cool.

lala

[Bluvsu2]

If you work the program...the program will work.

I have heard the click. But sometimes you need a break. I took mine and now I am back in action.

Never give up!

[Itryharder]

Weigh to go!
Judy

[snowyowl]

Well, I just tried to post here and lost my message when it told me I wasn't logged in. Let's see if I can recreate what I just said a second time.

This isn't my first time on this journey. The first time for WW was back in June of 1998, when I said to myself that I was 35 and didn't want to be fat and 40, and if I were going to do it, I had to do it then. Two weeks later I was laid off from my job, getting a nice severance that allowed me to stay home that summer. All I did was WW - and I was so focused on the program that I had a fantastic start. I walked every day, I was on program every week, and I was completely motivated.

By that winter I had lost 50lbs and then was working again and not so focused on the program anymore. I stagnated and eventually by the summer had lost a total of 70lbs, but felt like I had gotten nowhere over the last few months. I lost sight of the fact that I had an incredible accomplishment in having lost those 70lbs, but only focused on the 45 I still had left to lose. It seemed unattainable.

Finally, I got frustrated so much, I thought that the program wasn't working. That going to those meetings wasn't doing any good, and that I had nothing left to learn from going to the meetings. I thought that I could do it on my own, so I stopped going. Of course I started gaining again, but it snuck up on me and I kept on telling myself that I could always just lose it again, the way I had before. By the following year, I had gained back 50lbs of what I had lost.

Doing it on my own wasn't the way to make it work, and so I tried an At Work version of the program in 2001. I found I was the only one in the group with a lot of weight to lose, and that most people in the group probably only had 10-20lbs to lose. Many of them looked to me like they shouldn't be there at all, and although they were supportive, I found that having a leader who had only lost 15lbs and immediately changed jobs to become a WW leader wasn't going to get me anywhere, because there was no one I could really relate to. That effort in got me extremely discouraged, and once again I lost the focus of what I was trying to do.

Which leads me to this past year. I turned 40 in September and looked back at what I had done the past 5 years and wanted to kick myself across the state! What a colossal waste of effort. So I rejoined the program in October, going back to my original local meetings where I had done so well before. And I started looking at what was going to be different this time. And when I examined the past, I had this epiphany: I did the program, but I didn't know HOW to do the program. I knew how to stay on program, but I hadn't learned why it was a healthy program, and that eating the vegetables and fruits and milk were important nutritionally. I knew it intellectually, but I didn't know it inside, where it really mattered. I had done so many other programs in the past (you name it, I've probably tried it!) but never had I thought more than losing weight. Not about being healthy, and looking forwards the future, but just to be able to fit into that smaller size clothing. And for me, I obviously need more than that to finally get it.

So this time, I'm here at 40, back to the chicks board where I had gotten so much support in the past on my first journey here. I've already seen some names here that are quite familiar, and I know that this time, I've learned what it's all about.

And that's why it will work this time for me.

elaine

[Itryharder]

Snowy Owl,
Wow! You have written a commitment statement that all of us can use. I have a feeling that many of us have gone through what you have. I've lost over 60 pounds three different times in my life and always gained it back plus more. Thanks for being so specific in your writing. Good luck and continued success. Let's all *know* the program.
Judy

[BerkshireGrl]

Hoody,

A 1-pound loss is still a loss! Keep at it and you WILL succeed!

My story:
I did WW from 1999-2002, at first hard-core, then I started to slide off it as the years passed. From 1999-2001, I lost 52 pounds, going from 209 to 157... from a size 22 to an 8. Oh it was sweet all right! My biggest thrill was that my thighs no longer rubbed together Unfortunately, I let my emotional eating get the better of me, and I was only at the top of my WW range for 1 week! So, sadly, I did not make Lifetime status.

In 2002, I found myself still going to meetings, but no longer absorbing them, or following the program. I would journal everything but not be shocked at how very far over my points I usually was. It was horrible! I got back up to 203 in 2003.

Finally, in October of 2003, I went on Atkins. I tried to follow it perfectly, but I got bored and a bit disgusted at all the meat. I was a vegetarian from 1997-2002, and preparing meat still grosses me out

I lost weight on Atkins, but could not stick to it. I missed fruit way too much...

This month, I decided I'd had it! Enough slacking! I was 202 pounds and I wanted to be 140 for my 33rd birthday on July 31st, and stay that way from now on! What did it for me was:
-knees sore and weak from lack of exercise and extra weight
-stiff and weak lower back
-could not stand upright when I woke in the morning!
-out of breath going up stairs
-flab everywhere, esp. my thighs and upper arms
-double chin
-size 20 jeans!
-seeing holiday photos of myself looking awful
-wearing "grandma" style underwear and industrial-strength bras
-my thighs were as big around as my WAIST in college

I rejoined WW on January 14th, determined to win this battle. What will help me this time around is that my uncle's housemate, a very nice man and a diabetic, ALSO goes to this same meeting. I think we will keep each other accountable. Plus, I am a competitive person and a part of me wants to beat a man at weight loss They usually have it easier, blast 'em, heh! I also want to spur him on to weight loss and to improve his health.

So, Hoody, if you need some tips on keeping on track, here are some of mine:
-make a Virtual Model of yourself at your current weight and your goal, from www.myvirtualmodel.com. Print them out and tape them up and look at them whenever you are tempted to give up. Fantasize about yourself at your goal and how wonderful it will be to have that body.
-Journal everything and be responsible about your points.
-Drink the water.
-This sounds corny, but speaking as a person with self-esteem problems, focus on caring for your well-being and your body. Treat your body with love and compassion, and tell it you are taking care of it now, and will not hurt it anymore with junk food. It will reward you
-Read these boards and make use of the wonderful support here!

Good luck!

[snowyowl]

Sarah,

What a fantastic tip with that site. I think that visualization is a great idea, and this is a good way to do it.

Judy,

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I guess the key thing to a place like this is to know we're not in it alone, and this is a good place to get support when we loose sight of that fact.

elaine

[loralee]

I never was a fast loser. When I lost 30 pounds four years ago, I would lose 0.5 pounds a weeks for weeks on end and then drop 3 pounds in one week. I stayed on program for 1.5 years and then went crazy (figuratively) and went off program for 1.5 years. Now I'm back and have 11 more pounds to lose. The same cycle is occurring again. But I never worry too much about the slow weight lose. I figure that as long as I am following the program and I like the way my body feels, then I am a winner.

You’re a winner too. Boy, I would love to see the one pound weight lose you did when I weigh in tomorrow at 12:30pm. I consider 1 pound a great weight lose. I will be thinking of you when I weigh in and see my standard 0.5-0.7 pound lose again and think how lucky you are to have lost 1 pound.