Wednesday, July 2

Weight Watchers Post 1

This is my first time to come out public with my struggle. All my life I have struggled with food. I want to eat and eat and eat. I rarely, if ever feel "Full." I have struggled with being obese since I was a teenager.

Well 15 weeks ago I started weight watchers again. Last time I lost a few pounds but didn't stay the course. Now I HAVE to stay the course. My goal is 190 pounds. I will tell you I weigh in at 291.2 pounds. When I started 15 weeks ago I was 291.2 pounds. Here it is and I haven't changed. Am I frustrated? You betcha!! Am I truly following the plan? Nope. So after much thought last night. I decided I would share my struggle and allow you to see obesity through my eyes.

A little history.. The first time I started Weight Watchers I was at 305 lbs. in January of 2007. By June 2007 I was 289 lbs. Then I just went off the plan. No rhyme or reason. Just up and quit. I wanted to be thin, but not willing to really work on it. Ever take the time to write every thing that crosses the lips? Its a lot of work for a fat person on a normal day....

Here is an example of a meal (not ww friendly I might add)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 eggs scrambled with onion, Ham, Green Peppers and Home Fries - Covered in Gravy with Sour Dough Toast and 3 sausage patties. Chased down with 2 cups coffee, and 2 glasses of water. When calculated through weight watchers it is 48.5 points. (I get 40 points a day for comparison)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now imagine with me. Eating those kind of meals three and four sometimes five times a day. Now picture the struggle of cutting down to one of those meals divided up to 3 or 4 times a day instead. Breaking this eating habit isn't easy. Places I avoid are all you can eats (my favorites) and places that serve enough food for two at one serving. As for eating at home, Marsha is helping me learn how a normal size serving should look. She encourages and is very wise in how she loves me through this. I know that if it wasn't for her encouragement I wouldn't be doing this.

I have found a Weight Watchers group that I have joined on Tuesdays at 0930. Interestingly not only am I the only man in the group I am also the youngest. I feel like I am sitting around with my mother and all her friends when we meet. They have just accepted me "as is" with encouragement, laughing at my stupid sayings and celebrating my accomplishments, this group just enjoys talking. So much so, the leader often has to reign in the class. I have made this WW meeting my priority by informing my boss that Tuesdays are ok to work, so long as I get out to my WW meeting. Believe it or not my boss has given me permission to leave work for the meetings and is very encouraging for it.

So what can you do to help...
1. Pray for me..... The bible tells me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phil. 4:13.
2. Encourage me - Comment here or email me or just whatever....
3. Don't be afraid to ask me... How are you doing? My favorite question.... "Want a piece of fruit with that?" I hear this alot at work...
4. If you see something good. Please take the time to tell me. I like positive reinforcement.
5. Did I say - Pray for me? Please do...

As an example: Yesterday I was "off kilter" all day. Just not acting or feeling myself. So my beautiful and wonderful wife came home from the store and she and my daughter came in to our bedroom and gave me vase of some beautiful man flowers. It was an awesome way to cheer me up. Thanks Marsha

More than anything I want to succeed. So I will put it out in the light so that others may see what I am doing and we will see the changes.

Love Y'all
Tom

2 comments:

Julie Freeman said...

Good for you, Tom. It's a lifelong struggle for me, too. I'll drop 40 pounds and then add 45, then drop 30, then add 20.... and on and on. One day I hope to be free of this. Keep plugging along. Maybe we can encourage each other.

Tom and Marsha said...

Anything for you my Sister...

Tom