Meal Planning as Part of Weight Loss

Rick has been my mother’s Weight Watchers buddy for the last several years. To date, he has lost 110 pounds.

Any amount of weight is difficult to lose, yes. But when you have hundreds you need to lose, it can be very discouraging – and very difficult. I’d like to lose ten, twenty pounds… and to do so, I can go walking, I can go running. Rick can’t do that, though. He became so overweight that he cannot do those things. He’s had to find ways to make small changes – stand when he used to sit, move around a bit more, take the stairs instead of the elevator, make better menu choices. Over time, those small changes have added up. For the first time in fifteen years, his weight now begins with a 3, not a 4.

Hopefully, his success will bring encouragement to you.

From Rick:

“Something that has helped me to lose weight is Weight Watchers (WW). WW works; there is no doubt in my mind. For those who say it doesn’t work, I say that they didn't try it, I say that they didn't give it a chance, I say that they didn't follow the program - because I know if you do, there is success. Forget about dieting - WW is not a diet. It is a way of life. WW teaches you how to eat the right things in the right portions.

“Enough of the WW commercial.

“One thing I think helpful is to partner up with someone. I think you should have someone you can turn to, someone who will hold you accountable as well as support you for those times when you say 'I feel like I'm going to over eat' or 'I did over eat,' someone who knows you and has the same weight issues as you, someone that can turn to you as well.

“Something that used to drive me crazy was hearing about people who had reached their goal weight, how they had lost 15, 20, 25, or 30 pounds, and that it took them only a few weeks to do it. I had over 300 to lose, so goals like that would be just a drop in the bucket for me. Then I realized my goal was set too high. I needed to make more realistic goals. I thought, Yeah, I can do what they did - why not make my goal 15 or 20 pounds at a time? I could reach the same success they did. I was so busy looking at the total weight I had to lose, that it was overwhelming; it almost defeated me. So what I'm saying is keep it realistic so you won’t feel defeated and give up.

“I have heard some say that you need to not think about food so much, stopping thinking about it would make it easier to lose your weight. I think that is all wrong; I think you need to keep thinking about food, keep it in your face. You need to keep thinking about what to get at the store, what's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and how you’re going to prepare your meals. You need to plan snacks to help you stay on track. You need to keep track of what your eating - and that means everything you eat, good or bad. Keep a journal on how you feel when eating or when overeating, because feelings can be triggers to overeating. Triggers can be even having a good day – know your triggers so you can make better choices when they come up.

“My WW partner shared this thought with me from another WW person and I have it posted by my desk so I can see it daily. I hope it will inspire you as well.

I tell people that it sometimes it feels like food is an illicit, abusive lover. I've snuck around to be with it, I've lied for it, I've suffered for it, I've sacrificed my health for it, I've struggled for each breath to be with it. I've planned my days and nights around it, I've given up opportunities for it, and I've thrown my money away in pursuit of it;
I've cried over it.

I have lived years of my life in physical pain and mental anguish over the love of it. I've spent more time, tears, money, and heartache over it for YEARS-- all for the love of something that CANNOT LOVE ME BACK.

I finally had enough.

It's been a tough breakup, and it still shows up every now and then--- but I'm getting better at not answering the door.

I hope this helps you in your weight loss journey. Good luck."