What I suspect works well for me is surrendering to constant measurement -- at least for a while. I measure my weight weekly, and track my food intake and activity daily. Weight is an outcome measure, and food and activity are process measures. If I don't stay on top of the PROCESSES, I can't expect the OUTCOME to change. This time I've chosen to do the online version because my last time in 2007 I HATED the meetings.
The current version of weight watchers tracks food and activity with "Points." Every food and activity has a point value. People are assigned a point "budget" for food each day with some extra flexible points available each week. Points are spent by eating and earned through exercise. Points earned through exercise can be spent on eating more food. There are a bunch of fruits and vegetables that have no points -- creating an incentive to eat more of them and save points for other food.
I started last Sunday (8/16/2014). This Tuesday I was down a couple of pounds since I started.
This is not my first time at this Weight Watchers game. In fact, it is my fourth time. Each time the program has been slightly different. My first time was almost 20 years ago. I gained a bunch of weight in my first two years of college. I packed on 50 lbs of beer, booze, late night pizza and the glorious Tuscany Bread from EBA's. Think: Fresh baby spinach, basil & garlic marinated tuscan tomatoes, muenster cheese on homemade bread, served with lemon....yum. In my college town, EBA's would deliver until 2am.
In 1995, after my sophomore year of college, I followed a guy out to Los Angeles. He was attending film school, and I was doing an internship in the entertainment industry. The internship and job I later landed confirmed the entertainment industry was NOT for me. Shortly after arriving in LA, I joined Weight Watchers. Over the next several month, I lost the 50 lbs I'd gained. Like many people I didn't keep it off permanently. By the time I got pregnant in 2001, I had gained back a few pounds. My breeding years were challenging to my weight management. I did Weight Watchers again on my own in 2003 between my pregnancies, and lost about 30 lbs. Then I did it again in 2007 and lost about 25 lbs.
Other than pregnancy, working a full-time office job or going to school full-time is my biggest challenge to maintaining my weight. Over the past 15 years, all four of my periods of gaining weight (1993-1995, 2002-2003, 2005-2007, 2012-2014) have been times when I was working or going to school full-time+. The key to both weight management and weight loss for me is getting enough exercise. With enough exercise, my food intake seems to (mostly) self regulate to maintain my weight. I actually love to exercise, but juggling two young kids and school or work does not leave me a lot of time to exercise. At this point, I'm determined to do work that still allows me to take care of my physical body.
To be fair, I have pretty bad genetics for this fight. Many (if not most?) people in my family of origin are overweight.
Last week, getting on the scale for the first time in a while, I saw the same number as when I started losing weight in 2007. I don't want to maintain THAT weight. I was ready to keep close track of what I'm eating and doing again....at least for a while.
My yogic journey introduced me to Ayurveda via a beautiful and tasty book my yoga teacher recommended called Eat, Taste, Heal.
I really WANT this to be the whole solution for me, but I seem to respond effectively to measurement.
I use Weight Watchers for guidance on how much to eat to slowly and steadily lose weight and Ayurveda for guidance on WHAT to eat to balance my body. It is turning out to be a nice pairing. Many foods encouraged by an ayurvedic approach are fairly low in points (lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein).
Still a work in progress...Did I mention that I am not, generally, in favor of dieting? I am not. I am in favor of balancing how much I eat with how much I do. Sometimes, I need a little help with this....just like sometimes I need a clock to know what time it is. Maybe one day I will live a life that requires only intuitive time-telling with no real schedule and eating delicious and satisfying foods in the right amounts to nourish my body. It's not today. My kids get off the bus at 3:37.
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