Weight Watchers...the beginning of the end.

So, I did it! I joined Weight Watchers. I got tired of hearing people talk about how fabulous it was and I really really want to try it out for myself. The last straw was Baby's dog trainer, Lisa, at PetSmart. She talked about how she lost 80-something pounds in the last year. I was thinking, "Wow. I bet she had gastric bypass or something!" Nope. Not even a little. She started Weight Watchers. And, more importantly, she kept up with it! She stuck by it and little by little, week by week, she lost a little, until she hit her year anniversary in the program & has lost 80-something pounds. That's something to be proud of!

I've been wanting to join Weight Watchers, but Lisa ever-so-wonderfully informed me that I should wait until after Thanksgiving to join because they were changing their program. Well, she was right! I waited until Friday and went to the "free meeting" to check it out. I got there at THE perfect time because they were having a meeting to introduce the "new" Weight Watchers program.

Before, Weight Watchers calculated each food with "points." To get the food's number of points, they configured in the amount of fat, carbs, and fiber. Each person had a "magic number," if you will, of points to reach daily. If you went over, you had a certain number of points to last you the week in case you wanted to indulge or something of the sort. Well now, with the new PointsPlus Weight Watchers, you're still counting points...but this time you also include protein into the mix. They want you to fill up on the "power foods" that keep you fuller longer! You now configure a food's "points" by fats, carbs, fiber, and now protein as well. Some foods when up in points, some stayed the same. The good thing is that some foods (fresh fruits & non-starch veggies) are now 0 points! :) AND you get more points per day to eat AND you get 49 (vs. 35 with the old) weekly points in case you go over your points...a.k.a. so you won't have to feel like you're missing out on anything fabulous and can indulge every once in a while!

I am excited to start this program. I like how they don't make you look at the long-term. Every starts out knowing their current weight and then getting a goal of an either 5% or 10% loss to start with. That way you won't get so discouraged thinking you're never reaching your goal. Weight Watchers attempts to teach a lifestyle change, which is the only thing you can ever do to get the weight off and keep it off, which is what I want to do! A lifestyle change way of losing weight is a slow but sure process. Y'all know me....I'm one of the most impatient people. But I am praying that I'll stick with this & see some long-term results. I need to learn to love those power foods and stock up on my fruits & veggies!

Alex & I went to the store tonight. Boy, was that fun! We went over everything I wanted or needed and calculated the points on his Droid's Weight Watchers app that he ever-so nicely installed for me once I realized I don't have wireless service in Wal-Mart to use my WW app on my iPod! Grr! I guess I'll need to pay for a PointsPlus calculator since Alex won't always be with me to let me borrow his phone. It was a big reality check for me and I put a lot of crap back that I normally would have gotten! I also realized how many points certain things were that I thought were good better for you. A lot of stuff I said I didn't want to waste points on, so I put back.

I just hope my nerves can take this. I love my good eatin'!