Advice for newbies

[jefrado22]

Yesterday at our WW meeting, our leader asked our group what their best advice would be for a newbie. Everyone wrote down the answers and exchanged them with each other, and some were read out loud. I madly copied down a few.

To put this in perspective for you, I'm an emotional eater and a perfectionist with very strong "all or nothing" tendencies. I jokingly refer to myself as a "repeat offender" as I've done the WW program [and many others] many times over the years. I KNOW what I'm supposed to do, I just don't always DO what I'm supposed to do, I end up feeling guilty and beating myself up and then repeating the poor behavior. I'm now in my 60's and have eaten and drunk myself into type 2 diabetes, causing me to truly examine my "self-sabotage."

Here is the advice that particularly struck me [for the reasons stated above]:

"You don't have to be perfect to succeed. Be aware of your choices and do the best you can. If you make a bad choice, don't beat yourself up. It's not failure, it's just a bad choice."

"Examine ANYTHING that make you feel GUILTY so it doesn't become your downfall. Don't beat yourself up for failing to PLAN, JOURNAL, or EXERCISE. Planning and journalling are just tools [excellent ones, by the way] to help you focus on making good choices so you can succeed. You don't have to exercise or "follow the program perfectly" to succeed. Just do the best you can."

That's what they mean by "BABY STEPS." Focus on just one thing at a time, whether it's just learning the point counts of foods, drinking more water, eating more veggies, exercising more .... the list goes on and it can be overwhelming. Be patient with yourself!! (Can you tell I'm not?).

I also found that having a buddy was the best thing for me. I've formed many "virtual buddies" here over the past 10 years (yes - at THIS SITE a core of us have posted that long), and I just made a new buddy at my meeting yesterday. We walked together after the meeting.

You can do it. I did. I have. I will. WW kept "preaching" at me to make this a lifestyle. I get it. I really do. I just couldn't always do it. Then I'd start feeling guilty. And beating myself up. And eating..... You get the picture.

Don't wait til you get type 2 diabetes to WAKE YOURSELF UP! Progam yourself for success instead of "failure". Remember, it's not failure, it's just a [temporary] poor choice.

[jefrado22]

Hey, Ms/Mr Gung Ho...

Did you ever stop to think that you can only step outside your comfort zone a little bit at a time?

Change is difficult. Stepping outside your comfort zone is a form of stress. 10% may even be too much at first.

How do you react to stress? I found that sooner or later I wanted to comfort myself - and it was usually with food.

BABY STEPS!! By all means, please DO step out of your comfort zone to try some of the new things presented to you.
Journaling. Planning. Water. Exercise - pick ONE! Don't try to be perfect.

[kathieny]

I just rejoined Weight Watchers ....Way over my lifetime goal. Looks like this points plus might be harder to stick with but I think county points is the way to go for me to start out.

[jefrado22]

kathie, just curious - why do you feel that points plus might be harder to stick with? Versus which version of WW?

And yes, counting points, at least at the beginning, is very beneficial.

[healthd1]

Well said! Thank you for the great advice.

One of the major downfalls I have in regard here is the lack of planning. It's just not in my nature to plan. I've always enjoyed the 'with the flow' approach. Which has it's benefits too, just not when it comes to eating healthy. I guess that is all the more reason to work harder at it. Maybe in time I'll get better.

Baby steps definitely seem to work for me too. I've noticed I have to be careful not to get caught standing in place for too long though. A little here, a little there adds up, but I think it's important for me to continually increase my efforts. Eating the right foods, drinking lots of water, getting exercise. I'll get there.

[jefrado22]

Hi, Jace.

I know how you feel about planning! I recently stumbled across some advice that seems to help me in that regards, as I now try to have a small meal 5 times a day to even out my blood sugar (roughly every 4 hours). It said to try to combine at least 3 food groups for each meal or snack - ie one protein, one carb (I try for 0 point fruit or veg instead of crackers or breads most times) and one dairy or oil or ....

I think that helps me with overall balance as well as I really hate to plan (about the best I do regularly is to thaw something for the evening meal at the beginning of each day, tee hee).

[healthd1]

I usually have to run some hot water in the sink and speed thaw. Even if I do plan to take something out that day, I still have to remember to do it!

I guess that's where journaling comes in... I'm pretty good at planning AND remembering when I write things down.

[jefrado22]

Our leader has been advising something new (at least to me) with regard to journaling. She calls it "PRE-JOURNALING." I honestly don't know if this is a new WW thing or just what she has found effective. It involves writing down (or entering in the computer) what you PLAN to have that day, in advance (it forces you to plan sort of without realizing it). I asked "but what if you don't eat the lunch/dinner you thought you'd have?" DUH - she said - just cross it out and write what you had (or erase it, or delete it and re-enter it if only journaling on line).

I haven't actually followed her advice. Yet. I think this week (today is day 1 for me), I think I am going to put it all on paper in pencil first - at least for TODAY (baby steps!) and see how it works..... I need a new focus.

[mseeebee]

Susan, that works! After lunch, though (my biggest meal of the day) I write down everything else I will allow myself to have. Takes care of impulsive eating.