Our Morning Dose of Encouragement

Good Morning! It was another challenging weekend on Weight Watchers. I need to get my head back in the game. Our schedule has been busy and we have not been home a lot which makes it hard to prepare and fix meals! I work Weight Watchers tomorrow evening, which also happens to be my weigh in night. I am going to weigh in, take the gain that I know is coming, and then I am going to hit the restart button.

I thought that it would do all of us some good to take our eyes off of ourselves and focus on someone else. I want to share a Weight Watchers success story that encouraged me throughout my weight loss journey. I hope it does the same for you today!

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Mind Over Belly

Rebecca, Age 34, Height 5'4", Was 200 lbs, Lost 67 lbs, Weight 133 lbs

Before

After

For most of my life, whenever anything upset me, I'd open the refrigerator. It could be the kids acting up or sad stories on the evening news &150 my solution was food. Weight Watchers helped me realize that eating wouldn't solve the problem; I'd just wind up feeling worse. Now when I'm stressed I reach for a book, turn off the TV or do anything except stuff my face. It's become mind over belly.

Light Bulb Moment
It was a typical Saturday &150 I ate like a pig. Very atypically, I woke up Sunday disgusted with my weight and determined to make a change. Later that week, some coworkers suggested Weight Watchers. Since my husband travels a lot and I have two kids, I signed up for Weight Watchers Online.

The Web site's BMI calculator was helpful throughout the eight months it took me to lose 67 pounds. At the beginning, my Body Mass Index was 36 &150 obese. I'm so proud that it's now in the healthy range at 23*.

Following the POINTS® Weight-Loss System would have been much, much tougher without the Recipe Builder. It showed me how to cook lower-fat versions of my favorite foods. I'd never tried egg substitutes before Weight Watchers.

In the beginning I needed lots of motivation, and I got it from the online community on the WeightWatchers.com Message Boards. These wonderful people gave me reassurance that it gets easier &150 it does! &150 plus great tips. I've gotten so many small wonderful ideas like ordering a slice of pizza minus half the cheese.

The Couple That Loses Together&133
My husband signed up two weeks after I did. We're each other's biggest boosters. When we reached our goals we treated ourselves to a long weekend at a hotel without the kids. Our getaway included a spa day filled with glorious treatments. Facials aren't fattening! (Read more about Rebecca's husband Larry's success here!)

Larry and I have more energy now to play with our sons, and we are teaching them healthy eating habits. I'll measure their French fry portions instead of just grabbing a handful or two. I also give them water bottles instead of juice boxes with their lunch.

The Secret
People ask me all the time about the secret of my success. It's focus: I think about long-term goals instead of immediate gratification. In my mind's eye I pictured myself thinner. Now I weigh the same as I did in ninth grade! Being thin makes my life feel fat with promise.

Rebecca's Tips:

I promised myself I'd jog 30 minutes a day no matter what. Some days I don't feel up to it, but a promise is a promise. I lace up those sneakers.

I still track my POINTS values every day. It keeps me honest.

Balance is key. I'll plan a lower POINTS value dinner to allow for an afternoon snack to eat while I'm watching my favorite soap opera.

Buy snacks for your kids that come in individual serving sizes so you won't be tempted to share their goodies.

If you need help with a dinner suggestion, go to WeightWatchers.com. You'll be swamped with great ideas.

Give low POINTS value substitutes a try. My family and I have come to love turkey burgers, veggie burgers and light whole-wheat bread.