I
have ingested liver and enough steel-cut oatmeal and rice cakes to choke an
elephant. I consumed a grilled cheese sandwich once where both the “diet
butter” and the “diet cheddar” refused to melt.
I have
wrapped myself in Saran Wrap, tried an electrode belt around my waist, and I
bought a Thigh Master from Suzanne Somers.
I
have done The Grapefruit Diet, the Hard Boiled Egg Diet, and the Cabbage Soup
Diet. If the plan had a number in its title, I waded through all of them –
3-Day, 7-Day, 14-Day Diet, etc. I did
Adkins and South Beach, Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig.
All
of this in the pursuit of thinness.
I started
this odyssey in the late seventies after I packed on thirty pounds of “baby
weight” after birthing my three kids. My
family doctor suggested I try a 1000-calorie diet, handed me a mimeographed sheet
listing a handful of boring foods, and sent me home with a prescription for some
fat, black pills that the FDA has since banned.
I took the pills for three months and lost all my weight along with my ability
to sleep and blink.
In my
obsession to be thin and healthy, I was killing myself.
I grew up
eating starches and sweets. My taste
buds preferred fried versus fresh or broiled, and any vegetable on my plate had
to be disguised in a cream of mushroom cheese sauce. My side dishes were either
tortillas or slices of white bread. Salads were considered a garnish.
I didn’t
need a doctor or a celebrity to tell me why I was overweight. I didn’t need a plan or a pill or a product. I
needed common sense and motivation. I
needed to change my diet, my mind set, and my life style, but I needed to do it
right. I needed support, encouragement, and accountability. I needed guidance.
Over the years,
I have joined, quit, and rejoined Weight Watchers so many times I have lost
count.
Back in
1974, the plan required I eat liver once a week. It was considered “good for
you.” In the 90’s, WWs introduced the Fit and Fiber plan. I gained on that plan
because it gave me license to overeat high calorie foods, but at least I was
regular.
I have
outlasted all the celebrity WWs who have rolled off the wagon over the years: the
Duchess of York, Jennifer Hudson, and Charles Barkley. I have stuck with Points,
Pro Points, Points Plus, and now the Smart Points. I have eaten my share of
Smart Ones.
And I am
still a returning member.
I love
WWs because it changes with the times. Gone
is the liver; fruits and vegetables are the new must-eats. WWs uses the latest science
in weight loss, control, and maintenance, but it also takes into account a
dieter’s psychological needs. I need a nonjudgmental support system, especially
if I plan to kick this pesky fried liver and onion habit.
Comments
Post a Comment