My First Week on Weight Watchers

I got a call on my 38th birthday. My dad had suffered a heart attack and was in the emergency room. I was able to talk to him on the phone and I teased him about trying to "steal my thunder" by getting himself put in the hospital. We laughed about it, but inside I was scared to death for my father. 


Some great friends of mine bought airline tickets for my daughter and I to go visit my family, because my father's health has not been the best, and I felt like I needed to see him as soon as possible. While I was there Dad ended up in the hospital again, this time for pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and his kidney was starting to fail. His other had failed years ago. When I visited him in the hospital, looking pale, and watching him eat his VERY strict diet I had to fight back tears. I had to make jokes to keep from crying, because I'd be flying home soon and wanted to leave there with us both smiling, in case it was the last time we saw each other. I'm happy to say that since the last time I saw him my dad has been recovering nicely, and his kidney is fine. 


After that visit back home I realized that I was heading down the same path my dad had traveled. For him it started out with Type 2 Diabetes, which he tried to maintain with diet. Then he got high blood pressure. He suffered a stroke in 1998, and later found out one of his kidneys was starting to fail. After doing some research and based on what he's told me, it all started with the diabetes, which he may have gotten from being overweight. If he had maintained his diabetes with proper diet, things wouldn't have snowballed like they did. If he had been in better shape, perhaps he wouldn't have gotten diabetes in the first place. 


I decided it was time to start making drastic changes in my life NOW. Not because it was the new year and I was making a resolution like everyone else. It was because I want to live. I want to see my kids have kids. I want to retire someday, when I'm much, much older. These things won't happen if I'm sitting on my ass eating large portions of junk. 


After seeing how successful a friend of mine was on Weight Watchers and Zumba (she lost 302 pounds) I decided to join. I figured that the $42.95 is a very small price to pay if it adds years to my life. I joined January 4, 2012. Weight Watchers has a Points Plus plan. The short of it is you're given so many points a day and if you don't go over them, go to meetings and use the online tools you'll be successful in losing weight.  I'm proud to say that in my first week I lost 5.6 pounds. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be to stay within my daily points limit. I've always stayed under my limit except for one day, and I went over by 2 points. I've started eating more vegetables, I'm trying new recipes, and best of all, I never feel like I'm starving or deprived. I'm trying to get my other half to join with me because he is overweight as well, and I really think that having a buddy would bring us both great results. 


I know it won't be easy, but I believe now more than ever that I can do this. Not so much because I want to, it's because I HAVE to. There is no choice in the matter anymore and no excuses! I'm not taking no for an answer anymore when it comes to this. I have to tell myself yes! Can I lose weight? YES! Can I make a commitment to exercise at least 4 times a week? YES? Will I be successful? YES!