Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Cursed Thing Actually Works

I already knew this about Weight Watchers, but still, it pains me to admit it: it works. I followed the Flex plan from August to October of 2008 and lost around 15 pounds. Of course, being the person that I am, I hated (and hate) counting points and told myself I'd learned about portion control and didn't need it anymore. So I stopped. And so did my weight loss. Worse, over the past couple of months, I started gaining again.

So I started doing Weight Watchers again, and lo and behold, I've lost 9 pounds in the last 2 1/2 weeks. Suddenly, I'm willing to believe my scale is accurate again, now that it's on a downward rather than upward trend. It feels good to be losing, but counting points is still extremely tedious, so I try to find inspiration where I can.

I've been reading The Healthy Fellow, for instance. It's a lot of information to absorb, and my experience with BFF and his diet bible tells me that I'm really not a fanatical whole foods/strict dietary combinations kind of guy, but it's helpful to have daily or near-daily reminders about making healthy choices. I like him because he claims to have lost 70 or 80 pounds in recent months, a goal I can certainly relate to, and he talks about driving past fast food joints and craving milkshakes, which I can also relate to. I like having reminders about healthy living, about healthy choices, and he gives me a daily dose. It's not 100% me, with a focus on organic and whole food and all of that. I feel like I'm a long way from tweaking the details; if I can just make some major shifts, I'd be better off, and I can worry about fine-tuning the mixing-this-with-that or the the powerful effects of such-and-such spice or supplement down the road, when I've moved beyond the fat bastard stage.

So anyway, Weight Watchers. Damn thing. What really works about Weight Watchers, I think, is thinking in terms of expendable currency. One of BFF's end-of-the-world environmentalist books (or probably more than one, actually) talked about what a different world it would be if environmental costs were figured into the economic system, if a product's economic impact were included in its actual financial cost to the consumer. What a different world it would be. McDonald's wouldn't be nearly so inexpensive, just for an obvious example. I've been thinking about Weight Watchers that way. Suddenly a bowl of chips and salsa, what I would have thought of as a healthy snack before, becomes too expensive in the currency of points. 9 chips? For 3 points? No, it's not worth the cost. What other choice can I make?

And that, my friends, is why I'm suddenly in love with spaghetti squash. The end.

2 comments:

anniemcq said...

Thanks for the inspiration. I have been steadily gaining for the last year. My scale is broken right now, but if it worked, I'm sure I'd be shocked beyond belief. WW does work. I hate it too. But I'm going back. We'll be in it together, okay!?

I, Rodius said...

Okay! We're Schmap buddies; now we can be Weight Watcher buddies! Just don't ask me how many points I'm allowed. It disgusts Aerie to no end. Does the list of reasons why it pays to be a man ever end?

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