by year end... (lyn)

Sometime during each meeting, Steve asks, “Who has any celebrations this week?”   One woman announces that she lost three pounds, and the man who doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving lost five.  These are all impressive numbers.  And then Shira (one of my favorite people in the group) raises her hand and says, “I lost point two pounds this week, despite Thanksgiving, a family Bar Mitzvah, and several days out-of-town.”  Then she adds, “I know this doesn’t’ sound like much, especially compared to three and five pound weight-losses, but a friend of mine told me that even if you only lose point two pounds, you still have lost, and that's reason to celebrate.” 

Just as I am starting to feel a bit bad about my weekly result (I gained exactly what Shira lost), she adds, “ But on the other hand, if you gain point two pounds, well, then you are basically the same as the week before.   It’s called Weight Watchers math."   I love the way Shira thinks.

I find it helpful to set goals.  My first goal was to lose 20 pounds by Thanksgiving and I almost made it.  There are five more weeks in the year.  My goal now (which I think is conservative but factors in the holiday season and many more opportunities to eat out) is to lose 5.6 more pounds, for a total of 24 pounds for the year.

Stating the goal publicly makes it more real.