My 1st Meeting!

Well, as I have posted before I just joined Weight Watchers last week. Tonight was my first meeting, and needless to say, I was a bit nervous. I can remember in the old days getting on a scale in front of a room of people and being mortified when the slide keeps moving to the right...and a little more right...and even more right. The nauseating, stomach dropping, roller coaster feeling...I can still remember it. 


I have decided to attend the same meetings that Sheryl attends. She has been ranting and raving about her leader, Melanie, for a while and I thought to myself she must be a great leader to keep Sheryl so motivated. During the last week or two I have been twittering about joining WW, and much to my surprise Melanie began following my tweets. Sheryl was right, she is super supportive. (So are Sheryl an Trixie though, have to give credit where credit is do!) 


I walk into the meeting nervous as can be, and I complete my registration. And then comes the moment of truth, 173.4 lbs!!!!! Holy shit (Please excuse my French!) I had to take a moment to get my jaw off the floor. I weighed myself last week and I was 181 lbs. That's a loss of almost 8 lbs!!!I didn't think it was humanly possible to lose all that in a week without starving myself.  But, Melanie told me it is entirely possible. In a week I have drastically changed my eating and drinking habits. I have watched what I ate and tracked every thing I ate (including a single Starburst and a single french fry!). I also made it my mission to increase my water intake almost tenfold. 


Tonight's meeting was a special event actually. It touched on a subject I have been struggling with for years, "Less is More".  And indeed it is. Even though it is a "boring" topic, Melanie managed to engage me completely in the discussion. The main focus was portion control, which is a mystery for a lot of people. They don't know what a portion is or what it looks like. I know, before I started I wasn't fully aware of what a portion size should be. I could sit on the couch an mindlessly chomp on whatever I could find. 


Having to be accountable with points helps me to be aware of what is too much for me. Melanie asked some pointed questions regarding portion size and what drives us to eat out of control. I, for one, have always struggled with emotional eating. I eat when I'm bored, happy, sad, excited, depressed, angry, etc... I realized that I ate without truly experiencing food, without tasting food, making wrong choices and just plain bad habits. This past week, I had made an effort to eat smaller, eat slower, eat better. I was successful. 


I have decided to make it work this time. I realize when I am full instead of eating out of control. I have even ventured out to lunch by myself. I have taken almost my full lunch hour to sit alone and enjoy. I have vowed to make better food choices and I have been making the effort to buy things for myself that are healthy and satisfying, rather than eat empty calories at the food truck on the corner. 


Well, at this point, I am exhausted and scatterbrained, and probably rambling too. So with that being said, good night and thank you to my supportive new friends. Ladies, you may not fully realize the inspiration you are to some people. Your encouragement and support is invaluable to me.