What do you do when you need to try something new? Do you hesitate, or jump right in? Do you try every new thing you encounter, or are you cautious and selective? I am the cautious and selective type. I like to read and research before taking the plunge, especially when it comes to what I put into my body. I want to be healthy and not fall victim to the mind robbing disease that has devastated my family. I must admit it is hard with so many “things” out there. I get emails, see videos, advertisements on Facebook and encounter people who truly believe in programs on a daily basis. If I took the plunge each time, I’d be broke and most likely still in the same boat.
The way I stay focused is to remember my why. My why is to remain healthy, active and maintain my memories long into my 90s. With this in mind, I must remain careful about what I eat and drink. My philosophy around nutrition is that food is fuel for my body and the means to remaining healthy. These weight loss programs sound so darn appealing and I must admit those who have had success are totally passionate and committed to them. The before and after photographs are so inspiring and I am extremely happy for them all. But, I just can’t do them. Those programs are not for me as I don’t want to get my nutrition from powders and pills and often if you dig deep enough the ingredients are not totally pure.
With the exception of Purium, a program which I’ve yet to find any bad ingredients in, most of the other programs have at least one ingredient that just won’t work for me personally. I did use Purium for a while last year and will say I had no problem buying it. I truly didn’t mind the expense and it was expensive. My only problem with some of their drinks was the taste. For me, they just didn’t taste good. I am a fan of the Apothe Cherry drink and like to drink that at bedtime. I found a version that cost less though and has the same impact for me.
I mix 2 tbs of this juice with 8 oz of water and drink about 30 minutes before I go to bed. You can drink it straight, but I prefer to dilute it.
Last week, I told you I was planning to do a 10 day green cleanse and shared the book I use with you. I cleaned up my act this week for sure, but still was not able to feel totally on track again. It just feels like there is something every day that gets in the way of my nutrition. I made better choices and definitely lost 5 pounds, but I’m still not satisfied that I’m fueling my body properly.
This week I attended two days of professional development, not for nutrition mind you. As part of the presentation, the presenter was sharing his struggles with weight loss. As he talked, he shared an app that he was using to keep focused. I am not a fan of programs, but found myself at a center signing up that very afternoon. I have decided to do this program only because –
- I get to prepare and cook my own food.
- I don’t have to count or think about anything.
- I will get daily feedback on my journey.
I signed up at Weight Watchers not because I need them to tell me how to eat, what to eat or why to eat that way. Believe me I know that already. I signed up because they have made it so easy to monitor what I am doing on a day to day basis. I love the app (yes I know I could just use a free app) and how simple they have made it to track my day. Yes, the program is about tracking points and that’s just fine. Yes, I’m aware that it really is about counting calories and portion control. Yes, I know that I need to eat healthy fats and this program attempts to limit that, but I think I can make this work to keep me focused and get me back on track.
Right now, I can eat 30 points a day. My superfood coffee counts as 9. Though they would encourage me to swap that out, I know I need the healthy fat it contains and that in the long run it connects to my why. I am able to eat vegetables and fruits as low point and no point options. So, of course you know this will motivate me to increase my intake of those foods from my least favorite food group. The best feature of all is I don’t have to convert or count anything to figure out points. I get to simply scan the barcode and it’s there, or type in the food. Thank you for this wonderful feature! Lastly, you get points to swap the more you move which sure motivated me to take an extra walk last night with my dog.
Am I excited about the program itself, not so much. Am I excited to have a focus to get me ready for training, yes! This sign up for me was for a 3 month pass. Just enough time to get ready to toe the line for my marathon training program which officially starts in June.
I’d love to hear your success and failure with Weight Watchers. Please feel free to share below, or shoot me an email.
Reclaiming My Health 