National Weigh in Day

 Losing weight tends to be one of the most popular New Years Resolutions there is. I mean, it makes sense. People want to look better, feel better, be healthy, live longer, and spend more time with the ones they love. Today is the day to face your fears and get on that scale. To see the damage that we have done to ourselves.

When I was younger, losing weight was my New Years Resolution each year. I would gorge myself on food right until I had to weigh myself. I thought that once I got on that scale I had to eat "right". I wouldn't be "allowed" to eat the foods that I enjoyed, and god forbid that I ate any type of candy. The first week I would do great, lose quite a few pounds. But as the weeks progressed the weight loss would slow and I would crave food that I would tell myself I couldn't have. So if I did have a bite of "bad" food, I would beat myself up. This usually caused me to eat more of that bad food, making me feel worse, and it became a vicious cycle. Because of this diet mentality, I would eventually give up. 

In 2005 I joined Weight Watchers with my mom. It wasn't easy at first (though it will NEVER be easy), but it works. From Weight Watchers I have learned that in order to succeed you need to want to lose weight for yourself, and it needs to be a LIFESTYLE change. It needs to be something that you can do for the rest of your life. Do you really think that you could go forever without eating a piece of cake? Ice Cream? Reeses? Mashed Potatoes? I doubt it. Or that you could live on tuna and egg whites the rest of your life? (Yes, I actually did a diet before Weight Watchers where all you ate was tuna and egg whites. . . didn't help that I don't like either of those two things. . . ) I know that Weight Watchers works for me, but whatever you do try, it needs to be something that can become a healthy lifestyle. 

Weight loss isn't easy, nor will it ever get easier. Once you hit your goal weight you can't just go back to what you did before. . . or you could, but you will probably go back to what you weighed before too. You have to keep going! I'm not saying that I am perfect - far from it. I have been on and off Weight Watchers for over 9 years. Currently I have been going to Weight Watchers for 3 consecutive years and have lost over 48 pounds. 

The biggest advice I would have for those with a weight loss goal is this:

Make it a Lifestyle

- Make sure it is something you can do for the rest of your life

Don't beat yourself up

- We all make mistakes. Just pick yourself up and keep going!

Do it for you

- If you don't want to lose weight you won't. Its all about your attitude and how much you want it.

Have a support system 

- Having someone to talk to and help motivate you really does help! This could be a friend, co-worker, family member, or a group (like Weight Watchers!)

Accomplishments

- Make a list of accomplishments. This could be things like losing weight, fitting into a new clothes size, being able to fit on a roller coaster, being able to walk further, or driving past McDonalds. It allows you to look back at how far you have come if you start to lose motivation.

Good luck!

Erin
  Reeses & Blossom