Weeks Eight and Nine - 3.4 Cheers For Weight Watchers

The 3.4 cheers are for the total number of pounds I've been able to dump since my last post. I know that I'd be writing about a gain during this time frame if it weren't for Weight Watchers - if I'd be posting at all.

My Weight Watcher weeks go from Friday through Thursday, the day of my meeting and my official weigh in.The week that began on Friday, June 20, was an uneven one with regard to my self discipline. I stayed vigorously on track with both my eating and my exercise the first four days. On the 5th day, Tuesday, I was numbingly tired from a night of interrupted sleep. The fires that were raging in adjacent counties caused a haze that hid our view of the nearby hills. Even with windows closed, our house smelled smoky. I eased myself into a gradual disregard of my alloted points. My most intense exercise was opening and closing the refrigerator door. Wednesday was largely a repeat of Tuesday. With my meeting scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, I got my eating under control. I still wasn't up for getting on the elliptical. Even so, the scale rewarded me with a .6 lb. loss. My conscientiousness at the beginning of the week paid off. Also, the fact that I didn't sabotage myself quite as badly as I've done at various times in the past.

I credit Weight Watchers with my being able to strengthen my commitment to the program after stumbling off it. Knowing that there would be another weigh in on July 3rd, I had the impetus to regain my full focus rather than waiting for some more auspicious day. Those who've been reading my blog for awhile know of my fascination for attractive numbers. (It is not an accident that I rejoined Weight Watchers on the first of the month (5/1/08).

I've had a few challenges this week, June 27 through July 3rd. I've gone out to lunch twice and out to dinner once. On Sunday, which included a picnic lunch and dinner out, I allowed myself to use an extremely disproportionate amount of my weekly points. If these hadn't been available to me, I might have found myself veering into a binge. I felt pretty certain that I'd be able to make up any point deficit during the remaining four days with my 81 minute workouts on the elliptical. As it turned out, I was able to do so, but I ended up cutting it closer than I would have liked. With a 2.8 lb. loss this week, I've only got cause to be extremely pleased.

I am now at the same weight that I was on 10/29/02, the second week of my successful journey from 194.2 lbs. (on the WW scale) to 127 lbs., even 125.5 lbs. (on my home scale). With my home scale reading 189 lbs., my next milestone is 4 lbs. away, the weight I was when I started this blog (185 lbs.). An added challenge this week is that my alloted daily points now becomes 21, one point less than I've been getting. That's what happens when one breaks through to a lower weight range. I'll gladly accept this - and also exercise like a elliptofreak to earn those extra points.