My story isn't one of an obese childhood, bad genes or a fast food fettish. I simply never mastered the art of moderation. A few cookies or a handful of chips? Nope - try a package of cookies, a bag of chips, and extreme guilt afterwards.
I had an 'all or nothing' food/exercise mindset. Either I was jogging every morning and eating only salads for lunch and yogurt for dinner, or I was lying in front of the television every day and binging on everything within my grasp. Enter extreme weight gain!
Let me also just say that I never ever thought I'd join a support group, let alone one for weight management. It was always something I blew off as an unnecessary waste of time, effort and money. But as with most things in life, people don't appreciate what they don't understand.
Frequently I am asked, "What was your defining moment? When did you wave your white flag? What clicked, and how?"
The truth is, there was no single moment. I'll admit that my decision to specifically join Weight Watchers (WW) was indeed influenced by a less-than-elaborate family intervention courtesy of my mom. She planted the seed - the idea - that a support group may just be my golden ticket to a healthy lifestyle.
But there was no snap decision to get my weight under control. There were months filled with self-loathing and contemplation: "Do I continue down the path of obesity and just accept being the fat girl for life? Or, do I change now before I do even further damage to the one and only body I'll ever be given?"
Once I chose the latter, the pondering of real commitment began: "I know I need to conquer my fat in the right manner, being the perfectionist that I am. My weight-loss journey will have to incorporate a strong support system united with a fierce determination that only I can bring to the table (along with plenty of fruits and veggies)." These I knew were the building blocks for a successful journey.
The moment when I actually put my plan into drive, I remember sitting at my desk at work on a seemingly ordinary Tuesday. I had eaten a typical unhealthy frozen meal for lunch and topped off the afternoon with a candy bar binge. I felt stuffed and all of a sudden thought to myself, "I can't do this any more. I deserve better."
And so I began browsing weightwatchers.com and discovered that a center near my home had 7:00 p.m. meetings on Tuesdays. I pulled out my Visa and pre-paid for 12 weeks of their program. I joined that very cold December night. Four days before Christmas. Brave, I know. But it was now or never. I especially didn't want this journey associated with New Year's resolutions - we're all familiar with the longevity of those!
The rest, as they say, is history.