525,960 Minutes

31,556,926 Seconds

365 Days

This is how long, as of today, I've been a Weight Watcher! Yes, today is my one year anniversary. 

A lot has happened in the past year since joining Weight Watchers, besides losing weight. I've changed a lot about myself; habits and such. I have new friends, I've rid myself of friends who really weren't friends at all, and most importantly, I've reconnected with an old friend, very special and dear to my heart. I've started my senior year in college. I've built a new resume. I've helped others begin their weight loss journey. 

That's a lot of stuff in just one year. 

I think back to one year ago today when I joined. I remember going all by myself to the meeting location. Super nervous but excited because I wanted to make new friends who were on the same journey as I. I remember walking in to the meeting and first being introduced to who was to be my spunky, excited leader! Gosh, I remember how difficult it was the first week. I expressed at my first meeting how I've heard it's easy to track points but felt overwhelmed and thought it would be difficult. That first week, tracking wasn't the difficult part...eating less was the difficult part! I tracked like no one has ever tracked before and luckily I started a great habit...write it before I bite it! I remember how hungry I was but stuck to it no matter what. It didn't take long to realize that although I ate healthy, I ate far more than one person needs to function. 

I remember how supportive Kristian was (is) and how he tried every new recipe I made and encouraged me daily. Ugh, I also remember how that first weekend was the annual Mardi Gras party at a family friends' house and how nervous I was to be around alcohol and crab cakes! 

Then I remember my first weigh-in. I gained. GAINED! I couldn't hardly believe it. How discouraging, after 7 full days of eating so much less than I was use to, probably cutting my calories in half but to a health amount. I gained! My peers among me assured me that it happens. That my body was not use to getting so fewer calories and that I was holding on to those calories instead of using them for energy because my body thought it would not receive any more. Luckily I listened because my second week I lost 5.8 lbs. Talk about motivation!

Week 11 started an amazing trend. By then I had already lost 20.4 lbs but for the next 10 weeks, I continuously lost, averaging a pound each week to by down 30.6 lbs until week 21 when I gained .2 lb. That's hard. Doing so well and being on this amazing upwards trend...then you ruin it. It takes a toll on your heart. From there on it was up and down...lose for two or three weeks in a row, gain one week, lose it plus some the next week. 

 I've lost 10 of these. 

Then week 41 rolls around. Introduction to the new Points Plus program. I had just lost 43.2 lbs on Momentum and now they go and switch it up on me!? However, I was very excited for the new change, unlike a lot of others I spoke too. I knew that a change would be good, kind of a jump start for all our bodies.  I jumped right into the new program. It was a tough switch, more daily points was great but all the foods I had learned to love were also higher points. I had to start substituting certain things, like bread for instance. I use to buy whole wheat bread but now I buy 7 Grain Deli Flats and use those in lieu of bread in every situation. I was right though, it was a jump start. I had lost 2.2 lbs that first week and at week 42, anything over a pound is something to celebrate! Thankfully, Points Plus took my to my 50 lb loss and I love the new program. 

I look forward to the next year. I know there were be more victories, but also more setbacks. I look forward to hitting my goal weight this year. I look forward bathing suit shopping for the summer and having the confidence to wear it, not to mention all the other cute summer trends! I look forward to graduating and starting a career in the fall as a special education teacher. And the whole reason I wanted to lose weight was to be healthy when we decided it's time to start a family...so who knows if that will be in the next year or not, but physically I will be ready to start our family this year.