Weight Watchers and Motivation in Willow's Weight Loss Journey

Willow Martin

-City & country: The Netherlands
-Age: 44
-Weight before diet: 381 lbs/172.8 kg
-Weight now: 317.9lbs/144.2 kg
-Target weight: 198.4 lbs/90kg

Willow has lost a significant amount of weight since going on the Weight Watchers Points program. The journey isn't over but keeps focused on her goals by accomplishing healthy acts having a health-oriented mindset every day. Here she also gives some tips on how to avoid slipping back into bad eating habits and keeping motivated.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
It seemed like there was no end to how much weight I could put on, and it was affecting my life in so many ways, TOO many ways, it just had to stop. I - ME - HAD TO STOP.
 
-What type of weight loss program are you following?
Weight Watchers Points

-Why did you choose this weight loss method?
It allowed me to eat any food item I wished to eat, and at the same time taught me to moderate and balance my intake of food. As such it prepares me for the time AFTER WW. I will not be one of those people who will come face to face with all kind of food items I had to deny myself during my period of losing weight, and have no idea how to effectively fit them into a healthy eating regime. I do feel they should put more emphasis on the effects of replacement sugars, and sugar in general. Also I feel that they should never have dropped the points value difference between brown and white rice and pasta. But with common sense and some more individual research added, it is a very good program.

-How long have you been on Weight Watchers?
15 months - May 3 2007

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit?
I started out walking, just 5 minutes a day. With my kind of overweight anything more was near impossible. I upped it over the course of 2 or 3 weeks to half an hour a day, then an hour a day. Then bought a bicycle and started cycling to my work, a total of one hour a day. Now I cycle everywhere, for in town travelling I never use public transport anymore. Of late I have joined a Gym as well, and work out four times a week, anywhere between 1 and 1.5 hours. It is a revelation how much fun THAT is.
 
-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
I am an emotional eater. I seem a very calm collected and balanced person. And I am usually, but when I do let my emotions govern me, I don't show it, I just eat. I eat anything and everything you can think of. Chocolate is then my biggest downfall

-How do you keep yourself motivated?
My initial motivation was boosted by buying a pandora charm bracelet and awarding myself a charm when I lost 3.5 kg/ 7.7 lbs, and a spacer for every 250 minutes of excercise. Just recently I went through a bad patch for near 4 months, I just could not get myself sufficiently motivated, so I gained weight instead of losing it. My newest impulse to motivate myself is joining a gym. And so far it works, instead of going to Australian to get an ice cream, I go next door to the gym, and don't really want any ice cream when I walk out again after my training session.

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
Drink water, start a blog, a diary, a journal, anything to write down your day to day experiences; write your points/food intake down every day. Writing about your day makes you reflect on choices, see the triumph and the folly of things with ease, making it possible to adjust certain behaviour. Plan ahead; losing weight is fun, especially so the organisation of it. It is a process of caring for yourself; putting yourself first. As with most of us, if not all of us who are overweight, we are winners in putting ourselves last. Change that! Put yourself FIRST! Be selfish, VERY selfish. Be a nuisance in restaurants, ask them to not use oil on food items to make them shine, serve sauces seperate, moderate on salt and cream. Ask friends to make sure you have somthing to nibble on when you come to visit, or bring it yourself!
 
-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
I know it is easy, because it has happened to me. The taste of chocolate, candy, cream, coca cola (notice all the "C" words –grins-) is not something I will ever NOT like. Though I must admit coca cola is by now just too sweet. Preventing it? Be on the look out for pitfalls, KNOW your pitfalls. Again writing about your food intake can help you see patterns.  Avoid people who would make you trip, or talk to them, explain to them this is YOUR time, YOUR moment, YOUR choice.  Tell them NOT to offer you the kind of food which is in conflict with your healthy lifestyle, or you will not visit them, or go out with them. Again, put yourself first. A true friend will comply, even support you. If they protest and say it is ridiculous, note that this may be born from insecurity or envy. I advise people to read read The Ultimate Weight Solution by Dr. Phil McGraw: Chapter 10 - Your Circle of Support. MOST ENLIGHTENING!!
 
-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight?

MY OWN - Willow: http://Willowisheslesse.blogspot.com
FRIEND - Nona: http://55kgs.blogspot.com
FRIEND - http://journeyoffitness.blogspot.com
FRIEND - Sayre http://becauseimfat.blogspot.com
FRIEND - Joy: http://joysamazingjourney.blogspot.com
FRIEND - Spidey: Book: The Ultimate Weight Solution by Dr. Phil McGraw (ISBN: 0-7432-3232-1)