Loser of the Week

Thanks Beth, for asking me to write this.

I started Weight Watchers on September 4^th of this year, weighing a startling 249.8 lbs.  I can account for every pound of fat that I was and am carrying.  I know exactly how I got here.  I used food to keep people at arms length, to comfort myself in hard times (and happy ones), to quiet difficult thoughts and feelings.  I know that I allowed the views of people in my life to skew how I saw myself.  I allowed their opinions and comments to color my judgement and undervalue my self-worth. 

I knew that it would take some action on my part to shift the path that I was headed down.  I know what it’s like to be thin, I was relatively thin my whole adolescent life.  Unfortunately, I didn’t know what I had when I had it and always believed that I was giant. Eventually, that became a truth.  I realized that I could not allow myself to be fat on my 30^th birthday (a little over a year away).  I admitted that I didn’t want to be single for the rest of my life, that I felt too old for my age, that my minor illnesses and health issues all added up to a big problem.  So I walked through the door at Weight Watchers, scrunched my eyes shut and stepped on the scale.  And at that moment, something clicked.  Something in me realized that this was the last time, that this was the only way to live; healthy, intelligent and practical.  It’s been all downhill from there (in a good way!) and I’ve lost 27.4 lbs in the last 10 weeks. 

I won’t bother giving you guys the daily tips that I use, everyone has the same ones:  plan your menu, don’t keep temptation around, drink the water, stay organized and prepared.  You know all that.  What I will tell you is what has worked for changing me on the INSIDE;
what’s worked for giving me a new outlook and ultimately a new lifestyle.

1. The day I started WW was the day that I became completely and totally honest with myself.  Honest about my eating habits, what I was eating and      why I was eating.  I realized that just because I didn’t talk or think about the fat, didn’t mean that it wasn’t out there for everyone to see.  We wear our secret on the outside as the ‘weight afflicted’.  I knew that by lying to myself I was sentencing myself to a lifetime of being overweight and underhappy. 
2. I started my website and continued with my complete honesty there.  I find it extremely therapeutic to let all my thoughts and feelings out in that space and then I find that I don’t need      to try and cover them up with food.  They are already dealt with.  If it’s on the page, it doesn’t have to bounce around in my head. 
3. I started researching foods, nutrition and caloric intake.  I started listening to what other successful people had done.  I started watching what other people ate and how what they ate was a direct factor in how they looked.  I figured that if I was going to do this, I would do it properly and not follow anyone or anything blindly.  I figured that if this is to work for the rest of my life I needed to change my mindset, get new information and start forming a new internal dialogue. 
4. I moved out of my comfort zone and found activity that I like.  At first it was aquafit and now by walking to and from work every day I manage 25kms/week.  The walking to work is quite perfect for me because I avoid really snarly traffic and once I’m there, the only way home is to walk again.  Finding something that fits into your life      without causing too much of an upheaval is easier to stick to than forcing yourself to do something you don’t enjoy. 
5. And finally, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I allowed other people to know what I was      doing.  In the past, I always wanted to lose the weight and then ‘surprise’ everyone with the ‘new me’ (that obviously did not work out).  I realize how silly that seems now, especially because the frequent encouragement and nice comments are a motivator to keepgoing.  On the days when I struggle, I can go and read back on      comments or go have a chat with a friend because when someone else believes in you, it can get you by until you believe in yourself again. 

So where is Lady Shanny going from here?  I’ve hit the “Lose 10% of Your Starting Weight” at Weight Watchers (and I have the key chain to prove it!) and now I’m on to my next goal. At 40lbs down I get another treat and then the final goal will be getting to my goal-weight.  I have no doubt in my mind that I will do it.  I am completely confident that the program works by providing structure, guidelines, support and education.  I’m healthier and happier and brighter than I’ve been in a very long time and I will not give that up for the world.  I would like to be at my goal weight of 174lbs by May of 2008, but I know how the body works so I won’t beat myself up about it if I’m not quite there.  I will do everything I can to propel myself toward that victory and when I get there, I get there. 

Thanks for reading.  You can find me pretty much daily on my website at http://ladyshanny.wordpress.com. I love to hear how other people are doing; what you are struggling with and what your victories are.  Giving and getting encouragement is a huge step in the right direction! 

Comments

[Michelle]

Shannon, you are amazing! 27 lbs in 10 weeks? Very impressive! I think you are smart to share what you are doing with the people in your life--they can't be supportive if they don't know what your goals are. You are an inspiration!

[Krystle]

Oh, Shannon... You're an Inspiration, EVERYWHERE!!!!

Yay, I'm so happy for you... I hope it's me in another couple weeks. I'm down 14.4 lbs in 8 weeks... I'll be perfectly fine if I'm down 20 lbs by 10 weeks!! Heck, I'm happy that I've lost 14.4 lbs ANYWAYS regardless of any timeframes. :)

[heather]

You look amazing!! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

[Jen on the Edge]

Wow, this could have been written by me. I just started WW this week after years of denial. Thanks for sharing and for being so honest!

[crookedeyebrow]

Lady shanny, I was so glad to see you here for loser of the week! You have done an amazing job and I'm so proud of you. You look fantastic. What a wonderful 30th birthday present to give to yourself. Keep up the great work, you were my inspiration to get back on track this week! So thank you!