Frequently Asked Questions (and answers!)
I get a lot of email from site visitors (which is fabulous!) and while I always try to respond personally I thought I might answer a few of the most common questions I get:
What weight loss program are you following?
I’m a member of Weight Watchers, and I follow the Flex Plan. The program is simply a variation of counting calories. You have a certain number of points to spend daily (depending on your current weight, age, height, gender, & normal activity level) and nothing is off limits--every food has a Points value (determined by the number of calories, grams of fat and fiber per serving), and if you can fit it in, you can eat it. The program stresses what they refer to as the “8 Good Health Guidelines” (including drinking water, incorporating dairy products and healthy oils, etc) as the basis for making permanent lifestyle changes. It’s only weight loss program that has ever made sense to me, that is truly sensible and sustainable. You can find out more at www.weightwatchers.com or call 1-800-651-6000 to find a meeting near you.
What made you decide to join WW and take control of your weight?
Someone asked me a question, and I answered it. You can read about it here.
Why did you decide to document your journey on the Web?
Before I joined WW, I spent a lot of time trolling the net exploring personal weight loss websites. The sites of all the people who were putting their stories and pictures out for the world to see gave me something I’d all but abandoned where my obesity was concerned: Hope. If there were other people in the world that had been where I was and were fighting the good fight successfully, then I could do it too. This site was my way of making my struggle real and openly declaring my intentions--sort of a personal ‘point of no return’.
What will you do when you reach your goal weight?
Five words: All you can eat buffet.
Just kidding.
What I hope I will do is get on the scale that morning, see those three magic numbers on it, and…just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I’m working very hard to train my mind to accept that there is no ‘end’ to this journey, that success in this endeavor means permanent lifestyle changes. Theoretically, getting to my goal weight should be just one more day in my life, and when it comes I’ll just keep fighting the good fight. Or buy myself sparkly, sparkly diamonds. Maybe both!
How do you stay motivated?
So many things inspire and motivate me to continue with my efforts. I have a great family that supports and validates my progress. I belong to an online community on the WW message boards (shout out to my “200+ to lose” brothers and sisters!) that is a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. I set small goals (a pair of pants I want to fit into, a longer walk I want to work up to, etc.) and work to achieve them. Maintaining and updating this site is a big motivator for me. But mostly I try to remember that this is a journey that has no end, that the invisible ‘finish line’ I’ve been so obsessed with reaching in every weight loss attempt I’ve ever made doesn’t actually exist. If I truly accept that I will never be ‘done’ with this, I don’t have to be upset that it isn’t happening fast enough, and I can forgive myself when I slip and fall along the way. Time is going to pass whether I’m working to reach my full potential or not, why waste it?
Will you ever publish your story?
It feels funny even typing out that question, I hesitated to include it here but I find that the subject comes up often enough that I should probably answer it. I love to write, I always have. It’s been a secret passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and for the first time in my life I finally feel like I have something to say, something important enough to risk sharing it with the world. The Soapbox has given me a forum to really explore my thoughts and feelings about my weight loss experience and allowed me to finally give voice to the ideas I’ve kept silent about for too long, and the fact that other people are reading them and responding to what I have to say is a wonderful bonus. The encouragement I’m receiving to pursue publication is very much appreciated, and I am absolutely considering the possibility.
