Health

So last week I went back to Weight Watchers. After a two year hiatus. In 2003, I lost 30 pounds, which was a big deal, because if you take 30 lbs off, people notice. I had an intensely-felt love hate relationship with the the commercialness and gimmickiness of Weight Watchers, (there are some wonderfully funny and biting unwritten blog entries about how little I liked my ww leader at the time) but at the end of the day it was probably the most effective solution for me. Since then, through a combination of exercise spurts, calorie counting, trying to implement reasonable habits where food is concerned, and self-bribery I have kept it except for give or take 5 pounds. My original goal was 140, and and my lowest weight was probably about 137. Last week I weighed in at about 144. So, I don't technically have much to lose, but there has always been this extra five lbs or so that I wanted to get rid of and no amount of portion control, ww online, calorie counting, or jogging, swimming, salsa workout has gotten me there. I am therefore capitulating and going back to the meeting. (Actually I found a better group that I wish I had known about back in 2003.) I am embracing the whole thing: the "weigh in", the little cards with the numbers and the plus and minus signs that the nice ladies write in, the group discussion, stocking my refrigerator with fruits and vegetables, writing down everything I eat and tracking points. (1 pt = 50 calories. Anyone under 150 lbs is only supposed to eat 20 calories a day, which is pretty much impossible, since that is 1000 calories. You get a little overage fund you can dip into if you go over. It works out to 1250 calories per day.) I even bought their fussy little book for keeping track of things. I love it and I know if I do everything that they tell me to, I will lose weight. I am prostrate before the little green and yellow logo and the little pink letters spelling out the words: weight watchers. I am a weight watcher. Not a girl watcher. A weight watcher.

And you can play too!

Goal weight: 135
Weigh in 7/23: 143.8

Also, I would like it to be know that I got up and went jogging this morning. In the humidity that has descended upon Manhattan island. Which buys me three extra points.