Many, many years ago, I did Weight Watchers. I will say that it worked like a charm and I lost quite a bit of weight which I kept off until I got pregnant. But Weight Watchers gave me a gift that I think is bigger than the weight loss.
It created a number value for each food.
For those of you who never did it, the way WW used to work (it’s slightly different now) was that you got a number of allotted points each day. Let’s say 18. And then each thing you eat or drink has a point, too. You can basically eat, drink and be merry until you reach the magic number. Of course, it has quite a few subtleties but that’s the gist of it.
So, for a programmer, having a number value associated with food makes life so much easier. For me, the choices became much simpler. The first thing I eliminated was the stuff I like only a little bit but had huge points. For example, pizza. I know some people love pizza but I can take it or leave it. And now that I know how many points it is, I pretty much leave it. Same for muffins. I like them ok but they are so not worth the points.
So my first lesson was to learn about how many things I eat that are just ridiculously bad for me. For things I adore, like chocolate, that might be worth it, but for things I could go either way on, it clearly wasn’t. I’ve pretty much eliminated those things permanently. This only works because I wasn’t crazy about them to begin with and so I never crave them.
The second, and bigger in my opinion, lesson I learned from Weight Watchers was to make my points count.
This is not about choosing a big, whole meal that’s 8 points over a piece of chocolate that might be the same number. (Though that was good to know too. And sometimes I chose the chocolate anyway but at least it was a conscious choice.) But what I learned was making sure that if I was going to eat the chocolate and get the 6 points, I better eat the BEST chocolate I could find. The one I was really, truly going to enjoy. So that every single one of those points counted.
Ever since I did weight watchers, I never settle for my indulgences anymore. I get the best chocolate or the best dessert. I only eat the ice cream that I truly love.
The other day, I was at Starbucks and I’ve been really addicted to their Cake Pops lately. But they were out of the one I like and so I picked another bite-sized dessert instead.
It was terrible.
Someone else might have loved it but I knew that it didn’t fulfill my chocolate need the way the cake pop did and thus I felt unsatisfied. And, worse, I’d just wasted my valuable points (not to mention money) on something that wasn’t delicious. I made a point to remember that next time my favorite item was out, I wouldn’t substitute. (Ahem, instead, I drove to another Starbucks and got my cake pop!)
I think this idea can be applied to many areas of life. Not just calories but time and money, too. You have limited amounts of each. Make sure that you’re spending them on what matters most. Make every little bit count. Don’t settle for the crappy chocolate. If you’re going to do it, do it right.
I want to be clear that I am talking about an apples to apples comparison. I am not saying eat a 32-point cake instead of a 6-point piece of chocolate. I am not saying go on a $5,000 vacation instead of the $200 one. I am saying all things being equal, pick the super-delicious (for you) 6-point chocolate over the mediocre 6-point one.
I am grateful to Weight Watchers for the lesson it inadvertently taught me. So, now, I buy the best chocolate. I go to another store to find the item I really want. I don’t settle and waste my precious points. I only watch the TV shows I love. I only read books that fulfill me. I do art that I love. I commit to things I know will bring me joy.
We all have obligations in life. Things that are out of our control and things that we wish we could do differently. Things we do that we wish we didn’t have to. Things we don’t do that we wish we got to. Much of life cannot be altered easily. But there are bits we do get to control. However small or big. The goal is to make the very best of those moments. To make sure that in the things we do get to control we are choosing to honor our bodies, souls, minds, hearts by making the choice that is truly aligned with who we are. With what makes us happy.
That we’re making it count.
Thanks for this Karen – a thought provoking inspiring piece. I will go away and think about what it means for me.
Hi Karen,
You said exactly the thing I needed to hear today! THANK YOU!
Karen, Thanks for sharing this post, it was definitely well said, and timely food for thought!
LOVE this post. I’m in the middle of a series of posts talking about the journey I had to take to become the healthier person that I am today! And this is one of the subjects that I’m planning to address soon!! ^_^
Hi Karen,
On that same thought of indulging only in the best of the best, another thing I discovered when I was successful at controlling my weight was that the first 3 bites of anything, even the best of the best, are where the joy really resides. Beyond that it can still be good, but those 3 bites are really the best of the best. I’m not one to litter, but I have been known to eat 3 bites of something really good, and heave the rest right out the car window. (food is bio-degradable, so in my head it doesn’t count as litter!) If I was at home, I fed the garbage disposal like a pet sometimes!
As a number person, WW just kind of bugged me because it required learning new food values–I already know how many calories are in just about everything, so I was resistant to learning points. It helped me a lot in the past to keep a food diary though, and that’s the accountablility and making sure you spend your alloted amount on worthwhile food. I think a lot of it is just awareness…
I need to get back to it, and soon. I’ve been trying to find the motivation, or even to break through to a “She did it anyway” place, but I’m feeling stuck. You’ve done amazingly well, and it really is inspiring to watch your progress and to hear your insights. Thanks for that, and hopefully I’ll find my way back to it soon…
Have a great weekend.
Pat