Weight loss for Jodi through Weight Watchers

September 16 2007

Jodi Kessler

City & country: Maryland, USA
Age: 36
Weight before diet: 178 lbs
Weight now: 158 lbs
Target weight: 145-150 lbs

Jodi finds Weight Watchers to be a sensible weight loss plan and a good fit for her lifestyle. More than that, it has improved the way she lived by teaching her better eating habits and encouraging exercise. Jodi shares some of her motivations for losing weight and gives some tips on finding and sticking with a weight loss and fitness program.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
My weight had always been up/down but it wasn’t until I saw pictures (from my boyfriend’s parent’s house in 2005) that I realized my weight was out of control... I had met him at my heaviest and knew that I could look and feel better, so I said, “enough is enough” and began planning what I was going to do…

-What type of weight loss program are you following?
Weight Watchers Flex Plan

-Why did you choose this weight loss program?
I had used WW in the past and lost weight, and always knew it was a better program because it didn’t require you to buy special food, starve yourself, or drink liquid meals… I also knew that it taught you portion control, how to make better food choices, and the importance of exercise, so I felt it was a good fit for me… Being able to enjoy my favorite foods AND still lose weight is a bonus for sure…

-How long have you been on your weight loss program?
I’ve been doing WW for over 2 years and currently use their eTools program…

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit?
I belong to the gym at work and go every day during my lunch hour – I do cardio 3x/week and weights 2x/week… I usually try and get in another workout on the weekends too like going for a walk, taking a spin class, or doing pilates…

I also took up jogging in April (ran my first 5K in June) and next, I’ll be taking a kick-boxing class… Mixing things up is key to your success because it forces your body to learn something new and it also helps you from getting bored…

-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
Exercising every day is a challenge because it’s very easy to talk myself out of it, especially if I’ve had a bad day or am just not in the mood… But once I’m there - I feel better instantly, and enjoy the workout so it’s definitely worth the effort… Sometimes forcing yourself is the best thing to do. Plus, it puts you in a good mood…

-How do you keep yourself motivated?
Staying motivated is key to any weightloss program and like many, there are times when I’m less motivated than others…  When I started this journey, I began to read weightloss blogs and continue to do so, on a daily basis… Reading about other people’s struggles and accomplishments can be inspirational on its own, and it reminds me that I’m not the only one, doing what I’m doing...

I also subscribe to Fitness and Health magazines and find them full of great information on a monthly basis… You could always go to your local library and read the most current issues, if you don’t want to subscribe, or go online – it’s free!

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
Here are some things that I’ve learned:
* Keep track of what you’re eating, whether it’s in a notebook, or online (fitday.com and sparkpeople.com are two really great sites for this)
* Choose a plan that you can live with, for the rest of your life
* Do some sort of exercise, at least 3-5x week, and try a new fitness class like pilates, spinning, yoga, or kickboxing
* Take your measurements once a month to see how much progress you’ve made (this may show more than the scale!)
* Try and eat a fruit and/or veggies at every meal
* Don’t beat yourself up when you’ve had a bad day and ‘cheated’ or had a small ‘binge’… just move on and start fresh the very next day
* Weigh yourself once a week and focus more on how you’re feeling and how your clothes are fitting (it’s just a number!)
* Be proud of every loss/maintain because it’s hard work!

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
I think it’s very easy to fall back on old habits – I had lost a lot of weight on Atkins a few years ago and within a year, I had gained it back (and then some!)… The key is to take it one day at a time and not let a small gain on the scale derail you… Remember that you didn’t gain the weight in a day, so it’s not going to come off in a day either… Patience and determination are key… I recently found this quote and really think it’s true…

“It doesn’t matter how many peaks you reach if you’re not getting pleasure out of the climb.”
(Oprah)

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight?

You can find my blog here: Just Another Weigh

Some of the ones I really enjoy are:

- Living to Feel Good
- Weight Watchers Eh?
- Roni’s Weight Watchen Pages
- Kim Under Construction
- I’m Such a Scale Whore