Weight Watchers

The journey begins again! A few weeks back, I had some bloodwork done. Why? Well, I had gained a lot of weight in a little time period (without the womanly assistance of being pregnant), I was depressed (clinically, not just feeling sad), and I was fatigued to the point that getting out of bed was a Herculean activity. I went to see my doctor, fearing a "chronic fatigue syndrome" type of discussion. After bloodwork, I learned that my cholesterol is way out of whack, as are my triglycerides. The doctor prescribed medication, stating that just diet and exercise don't typically lower cholesterol when it is over 100 points higher than recommended.

It's good to know at this point that I HATE taking pills. I have a sucky gag reflex, and even the smallest pill is a chore, as opposed to my husband, who can swallow a mouthful of vitamins without water. The prospect of having to take a pill every day was, apparently, enough for me to take a GOOD, HARD look at what I was (and wasn't) eating, and what I was (and wasn't) doing. So, two weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers Online... again.

Weight Watchers is a system I have used three times prior to this. It really does make sense, and when you do what you are supposed to do, you really do lose weight. It is the most realistic system I have used to manage my weight. Some may say, "Yeah, but look how many times you have started and stopped..." Well, there are some solid reasons about me that have very little to do with Weight Watchers that need to be taken in to account. So, I will not badmouth the program.

I have motivation issues as far as weight loss is concerned. I know what it takes. I have done it many times in my 40 years o' life, even when I clearly didn't need to be worrying about my weight... like when I was 12 for goodness sake. I typically see results, and then I slip. What is key with any program is that one needs to embrace a long journey, and it needs to be about behavior management/changes. Weight Watchers allows me to eat like a real human, as everything has a point value, even if it is 15 points a serving (BTW, that's a really high point value for those that may not know). It also accounts for days when you will eat more points than allotted (35 points a week are there for flexing), and it rewards activity efforts (activity points can be earned and used as flex points as well). WW has also recently started its Momentum program, which allows you to see and choose foods that may be more filling. That's where I liked Jenny Craig's program and the idea of Volumetrics... if you are eating a lot at a sitting, your body can convince your mind and stomach that you do not need to eat a lot of garbage. Anyway, the Momentum program relies on this principle as well.

I started taking a multivitamin with some trepidation. They have a tendency to upset my stomach. Without a whole lot of overthinking, I found One-A-Day Women's Active Mind and Body... and the difference was almost instantaneous. I have energy. The fatigue and lethargy is practically gone. I haven't taken my antidepressants in almost two weeks, and I have had NO physical setbacks from that at all. I attribute this in a large part to this vitamin. Yes, it has caffeine, but it's also loaded with B vitamins, as well as other vitamins. I will gladly take something like this every day, despite the gagging that may ensue.

I have also been trying to incorporate exercise into my week. I would be lying if I said I work out every day. However, I have been trying to not let two days go by without some type of formal exercise. I have taken to very much liking Zumba. It's a great time, and is based mainly on dancing... but you don't have to be a "dancer." You just go with the intention of having fun. It's typically a great cardio workout, and a good time to boot. I also try to incorporate some muscle-building in my week, as it can't be all about cardio. I mix in some Slim in 6 when I want to work out at home. When I am in a little better shape, I would like to incorporate P90X again, because I LOVED that workout for strength building. You cannot jump in to that program lightly, however, and I do not want to fatigue myself the way I did last spring when I tried following it to a T.

So there you have it! Counting points, trying to balance my week, and having energy that I did not have before. That's my story. In January, I have my bloodwork again. If changing all of this does not lower my cholesterol, then I will take the meds. Until then, let's try the old-fashioned way...