Wait a minute...I'm not...perfect? *GASP*

If you know me, you know that I rarely will admit my faults. Well, maybe you don't know what since I rarely admit them. I like to think I'm pretty perfect. I don't think that's uncommon, I figure, one either thinks themselves to be close to perfection or the opposite, always failing. I suppose I'd rather be on the perfecting side of things, especially when working towards my weight loss.

As of lately, I haven't been so perfect. I have been experiencing my first plateau since joining Weight Watchers in Feb. 2009. Not a bad run I'd say. However, I have been in the 130's for 15 weeks now and specifically between 133-132 for about a month. It's very frustrating. So close to seeing a 129. I haven't seen that since high school. I don't like to admit my faults. Thus, blaming everything except for what it is for my plateau. I got cocky. Plain and simple. I've regressed into old habits, slightly. The two main culprits for my regression...pizza and gyros. I weigh-in on Monday evenings, well just for one more week at least because school will be out and I can go to the Monday morning weigh-in. Anyhow, when I weigh-in on Monday evenings, I don't eat as much as I would any other day to ensure the best possible weigh-in number. So come 7:30pm when it's dinner time it's typically a larger meal. Two weeks in a row, it's been a gyro and fries from Doggie Diner. Last Saturday night, too lazy too cook, we ordered a large Aurelio's pizza. Leftovers, there were none.

It's disgusting. I felt so sick after eating all that nasty food. It shows me that old habits definitely die hard. I didn't even think I could consume that much food anymore. Although the past two weeks I still lost weight (.4 lb each week) I still went two weeks without even losing one whole pound and that is just unacceptable when I'm so close to goal.

How do I fix this problem? Back to basics.

This week, I tracked like I've never tracked before. I, once again, was a perfect Weight Watcher. And it showed on the scale. Although my weigh-in isn't until tomorrow, the scale is reading around the 128 lbs mark which is about a 4 lbs loss this week. Although unofficial, I'm very excited for tomorrows weigh-in.

So, perhaps it was cockiness. Maybe it was the stress of the last few weeks of school, or some of my students who I swear are giving me grey hairs at the ripe age of 25. Maybe I just missed my comfort food. Regardless of what it was, I have not failed by any means. And I believe it's okay to given in once in a while to your weaknesses. I can't say I'd enjoy life if I never ate a piece of Aurelio's pizza again. And that's not fair to deny yourself anything.

I still have a lot of learning to do. I need to learn to control myself. Kristian always tells me that he'll make sure I don't eat that "next" piece of pizza after I've already had 5 pieces. I tell him that is kind of him but honestly it won't do me any good. I have to learn to tell myself not to eat it. If he tells me, I'll just be upset that he is telling me what to do, right ladies? How dare you tell me not to eat that next piece...watch me eat two more! ;-) Truth is, I need to work with myself to stop. I'm only going to listen to myself. Especially when I'm alone. I can't count on someone else being there to stop me, because if I'm alone it will be a disaster.

I've realized I'm not perfect. That doesn't mean I can't inspire people or lead people in their weight loss. It just means I relate to everyone else on their journey.

With that said, I feel much better. I hope everyone has a fantastic Easter! I am luckily to have a family that is watching their waistline as well. My family has planned a healthy Easter meal and we all plan on going for a walk together after dinner before we break out the board games. I am so proud of my family, especially my grandparents, for inspiring one another.

Since the Very Beginning

Since I started my weight loss journey and have been attending meetings, one of my long-term goals was to eventually become a Weight Watcher Leader. My leaders, I have two because I alternate between the morning/evening meeting depending on if we have school that day or not, are so enthusiastic about there leadership role and I never had a doubt in my mind that I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I was a born leader, rarely ever a follower. It only makes sense that I would want to lead people to their weight loss goals. 

On Wednesday I had an interview with Weight Watchers, for whatever position they had open for me, getting my foot in the door was most important to me. Friday I received a call and was offered a Leadership position. I am so overjoyed to begin the next chapter of my weight loss journey. Although I still have 13 lbs to lose, because I am in my healthy weight range I am able to take on this Leadership role. There is quite a bit of training that is involved, including mentoring with a current Leader and an two day overnight training conference.

I have heard that maintaining your weight loss is the most difficult part. Harder than even losing the weight. A lot of member, after achieving Lifetime status, stop coming to meetings and stop tracking their food. At that point, I feel you have turned Weight Watchers into a diet and not a lifestyle. I was scared I may eventually take that path, once I am Lifetime, having the "know-it-all" attitude. This Leadership role I've been given will assure that I will maintain my weight and stay on track with this new lifestyle. That to me, is priceless.

I must say, I haven't had a paying job since December 2008, by our own choice. I am lucky enough to have a husband that supports me finishing school and getting my degree so I may choose a career that I want and won't have to settle for. Without him, I would still be working full time while attending junior college part time, not to mention, probably over 200 lbs by now. I owe him everything. His support through out marriage thus far has been second to none. I'm not looking at my Weight Watchers Leadership role as a job, at all. I've wanted to do this for a long time and I feel I have taken on this role with many people in my life, outside of the meeting room. However, being employed again feels amazing and that I can contribute more towards our financial life makes me feel fantastic. I know that the best way I can repay my husband for the break he has given me is to be the best Leader I can be, help many people become successful and maintain my own goals and aspirations as not only a Weight Watcher Leader, but also as a member.