One thing I love about our Tip Of The Day coaching program is that we really work to help people discover what works for them, to think about what has worked. We talk about an approach we call "Diet Fusion" where we show you some things that have worked for other people and get you to start thinking about what is right for you.
This is a great email I got yesterday from someone who just joined a week ago and is really grappling with this question of finding what has worked for them and what they think will work for them at this stage of their life:
Dear Jackie,
I am so completely overwhelmed, About 12 years ago I weighed in at 303 lbs at 5'4". I was about 36 years old. I went to my doctor hoping at that time that fen-fen would be the miracle drug that saved me. I ended up hearing that it was not what I was hoping for and, for the first time, sat sobbing in his exam room.
He was so kind and recommended that I start a very strict regimen of a slim-fast in the morning and lunch and a lean cuisine in the evening. I could add a yogurt but he would like for me to stay under 800 calories a day. I could start walking, if I liked but take it easy.
That worked for me. Almost. I got to 176 within a year and was so excited. I was walking 2 miles a day with the best of them and fit into a size 14 to 16...then the divorce hit. I maintained for a long time and in the last year have had some health issues. The weight has come back on, mainly because of a frozen shoulder and the fact that most movement at all caused extreme pain.
I'm remarried and very happy...but I am up to 253 and terrified. I'm going to be 50 in 3 months. My cholesterol and blood pressure are up and I want to start but I've also figured out that slim-fast now has an adverse reaction with my body...constipation. I also know that I want to do this the right way. I don't really want the quick fix that worked for me in the past.
I've signed up for Weight Watchers Online and I'm excited to start tomorrow. Exercise is something I hate but I'm a teacher and we have a track at school...and my kids love walking with me so I'm going to enjoy that time with them. Well...that's what worked for me in a nutshell. thanks for listening. I didn't mean to write a book...I'm just so scared of not getting this weight off and what that means for my health.
Respectfully,
Name Withheldd
This is so interesting. This approach of using Weight Watchers as a next step might be a good one. Here are some good reasons to join Weight Watchers Online:
1) She is completely overwhelmed. From my talking with my mom about her feedback of the new Momentum Program, it seems that Weight Watchers is taking a concerted effort to pace people, to help with this exact issue.
2) Added structure and support will be helpful. I remember being at a conference when we first launched PEERtrainer, and some people from Weight Watchers came over to our booth and asked what we were doing. We mentioned the peer support focus, and their response was something like "congratulations, you nailed it, it is all about support." Get all the support you can.
3) She needs to get her overall numbers down, and we see that a great way to do this is to increase the amounts of plant based foods in the diet over a long period of time. This is at the core of the work that Dr Fuhrman has done with Eat To Live and Eat For Health, and Weight Watchers has moved in this direction with their new momentum program. She might want to get a copy of Eat For Health in particular to help further refine the food choices that she will make with Momentum.
4) She has successfully followed a program or regimen in the past. The odds of following the recommendations of Weight Watchers Online might be pretty good.
5) Weight Watchers has a new focus on the psychology of weight loss, and will help to reinforce some good long term habits. They place particular focus on "readiness", meaning if you are not truly ready to lose weight, you need to do some work on getting there. Weight Watchers has a "weight loss readiness assessment" on their site, which is free.
I have asked her to keep me updated on here progress, and I will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joining Weight Watchers Online:
Will doing Weight Watchers Online Make It Easier To Stay On The Points System?
It really depends. Some people are "online" people and some are not. A key benefit of Weight Watchers Online is not having to go to meetings. For many, Weight Watchers meetings can be a time consuming, embarrasing hassle. Others thrive on them.
How Hard Is The Weight Watchers Points System To Follow?
We find that people are either "counters" or not. If you think you might want to follow the Weight Watchers System Online, try a free lightweight system for staying accountable first. This link takes you to a free tool that PEERtrainer has developed. If you find this easy, you'll likely find Weight Watchers easy to do.
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