GPS (lyn)

The other day, Zelia was using GPS as we were driving back from Philadelphia.  I kept noticing how the estimated time of arrival at our destination kept recalculating as we met obstacles along the road.  Stopping for snacks added some time.  So did the little detour we made to get to the snacks.  And then there was some unanticipated traffic as we approached the George Washington Bridge.  In the end, instead of taking two hours, we arrived home 40 minutes later than the original plan.

I think the Global Positioning System could also stand for Goal Planning System and be used for Weight Watchers.  Assuming you are as detailed-obsessed as I am.

Yesterday Alexander was filling out a form for taking the ACT (a standardized test) that includes a Student Profile section.  He had to answer a series of questions regarding different activities, many of which seemed ridiculous, by choosing among:  would Like doing this activity,  would Dislike doing it, or would be Indifferent.  Here are some examples from the list:

·     Watch for forest fires

·     Help someone make an important decision

·     Calculate the interest of a loan

·     Pack things into boxes

·     Operate office machines

·     Design a bird feeder

·     Repair damage to a tree after a storm

And one of the questions was: make charts or graphs.    His response to me was, “Come on, who really likes making charts?”  “Me,” I said.  I think he thought I was joking.

When I first started Weight Watchers, I made an Excel spreadsheet (I love Excel) and projected out my weight loss by week.  I assumed a loss of five pounds per week. 

During the first four months (September 16 to January 13) I lost 27 pounds.  That’s 6 ¾ pounds per month, better than plan.  So using my personal GPS, I recalculated my future weekly goals accordingly.  But I made a mistake.   I didn’t account for some obstacles.

1. It gets a lot harder to lose weight the closer you get to goal. 
2. Contentment is inversely proportional to motivation.

Today at weigh-in, Miriam smiles, but not all that broadly.  “Point two pounds,” she says.  I’m now at 131 pounds, and have a goal weight of 128 (although I really would like to weigh less).  Averaging now a point four (.4) pound loss per week (for the past five weeks), I can reasonably hope to reach goal by mid-April.

Ironically, mid-April was my original projection for reaching goal, assuming a 5-pound a month weight loss.  


As we neared my home, coming back from Philadelphia, Zelia's GPS lady announced, "You have arrived at your destination.  Your route guidance is now finished."  And we still had a couple of blocks to go.  


Hmmmm, I sure hope my route guider hasn't quit on me, now that I'm so close.