After 18 months on the program I have decided to close my Weight Watchers account, at least for the time being.
I have been debating about this for some time now and to be honest with you the only reason I stayed with it for the past few months was the idea of reaching lifetime and not having to pay. That and the fact that I had lost almost 120 lbs while on the program- could I really quit just ten pounds from goal?
Apparently, yes I can. Because I am not quitting living a healthy lifestyle or quitting trying to lose those last ten pounds. I am just quitting Weight Watchers.
You are probably wondering why after doing so well on WW I would want to walk away from it. Well, there are multiple reasons that brought me to this decision. The first being money. Not that WW is a huge expense but I wasn’t using what I was paying for and it was wasteful.
I hadn’t been to a meeting in about a month and when I had been going previous to that I just wasn’t into it. I really liked my leader, this isn’t on her. I think the group just has a weird dynamic. I hear about people who love their meetings and they bond with members or receptionists or leaders and it’s this fantastic experience. I never had that. Actually, I was starting to become resentful at times because our staff was not great about awards/recognition and that kind of bothered me. But I don’t want to open that can of worms; I don’t want this to be a bitch-fest about my meetings.
Anywho, with Paul leaving and my budget being cut in half I needed to tighten my belt a bit. I just couldn’t justify the expense anymore. That is the main reason.
Another reason is that I don’t think I will be losing weight any time soon. I have read numerous articles/blog posts saying that you shouldn’t expect to lose weight while training for a marathon. Since I have started training 2 months ago I have maintained the same weight, give or take 2-3 pounds. Since the half marathon is in November and the full marathon is in February I don’t anticipate any big changes weight wise in the next 6 months. And I am ok with that. Right now my priority is training and eating good, whole foods that will help me recover quickly and keep me healthy. That’s it. If I wake up on February 17, 2013 and I weigh 160 pounds I will be a happy camper. I don’t mind being ten pounds overweight if I am able to reach my goal of completing a marathon.
After the marathon…well we’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe I will go back to Weight Watchers maybe I won’t. I think this is the best decision for where I am right now. We’ll have to see what the future holds.
I don’t want you to think that my leaving WW means I don’t believe in the program. I do. It really helped me when I was first starting out. WW taught me portion control, moderation and accountability- three things I needed to be successful on this journey. I still have those tools in my toolbox though and will continue to utilize them throughout the next 6 months of training.
But for now I will say goodbye.
I leave thankful for the 118.2 pounds you helped me say goodbye to.
Thankful for the amazing friends I have met because of you.
Thankful to have this life I had only ever dreamed of.
“You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.”~ David Viscott
Great post Dacia!
ReplyDeleteI never felt comfortable in at meetings. The scale there did keep me more accountable, but that wasn't enough for me to keep shelling out $40 a month on something I didn't enjoy. The only person I clicked with was the receptionist. I still miss her even though I switched from meetings to online about a year and a half ago.
"I don’t want you to think that my leaving WW means I don’t believe in the program. I do. It really helped me when I was first starting out. WW taught me portion control, moderation and accountability- three things I needed to be successful on this journey. I still have those tools in my toolbox..."
This is exactly how I feel! I love WW. Always have. Always will. But in the last year or so I lost my WW groove and never got it back. I became pretty good at maintaining by doing well, splurging, feeling guilty, doing well, and repeat. Not a healthy way to live! So I let my account lapse when my pre-paid term was up. I've taken the tools I learned from WW and am applying them to a new way of thinking about food and getting healthy.
Will I go back to WW some day? You betcha! I WILL earn lifetime status. Even if I don't necessarily follow the WW program, it is still a big part of my life and I will always credit it for my success.
Thanks Andrea! I am glad I am not the only person who feels this way. Learning the tools is key to success. And if you can be accountable without having to face a scale at a meeting then you can still have success. Well, at least that's what I think ;)
DeleteI know how you feel about Weight Watchers. I lost 60lbs on the program and think it is great! I never got close to my goal weight but I learned a lot of valuable information. However, once I started running and focusing on clean(er) eating, WW was not what I needed.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and I am sure you are going to be just fine!
Thanks Jeanette! That is exactly how I feel right now!
DeleteWhat a good post! I think a lot of people think that when you stop ww you "quit" which clearly isn't the case with you!
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I had THE BEST meeting: a fantastic leader, several close friends, and other members who almost all really clicked and actually wanted to see each other. It made a huge difference. I moved, but one of my best friends still goes, and it has evolved. The leader is still great, same awesome staff, but the members have changed and it has made a huge impact on how the meetings are for her. It's no one's fault, but it is a big change.
In many ways, I'm glad we moved to the middle of nowhere where I formed a strong online community, mostly through Twitter. It has helped me so much, and I don't feel dependent on the meetings like I used to.
You will do awesome! As a matter of fact, you already have!
Thanks Jess! I cannot agree more abot the online community I have formed because of WW. I am so thankful for the friends (like you) that I have made because of it. However, I know that community won't disappear just because I have decided to leave WW and that makes me very happy!
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