The Surprise and the Struggle...

I came home from work yesterday evening feeling really tired. It's my own fault. I have been staying up late the past few nights either browsing the Interwebs or catching up on essential TV viewing like American Horror Story (which is awesome) and The Walking Dead (which is not so awesome). Anyway, I trundled in the door after WW class and found a letter from the postman waiting for me by the door.

This was an actual envelope - you know the kind, the ones that don't have a see-through window. Quite surprising really as usually the only envelopes waiting for me are either utility bills/car tax or something/someone I owe money to :) So I open the envelope and guess what falls out...? The most lovely card from Hilary and Margaret whom I had met on the day of the Weight Watchers photo-shoot! The card, which wished me a happy marathon for Monday, was really sweet and so thoughtful. They had also included a disc of photos from the day.

The Photo Disc from my WW Photo-shoot!

You know what this calls for...! A professional side-by-side shot:

I noticed the CD had the new Weight Watchers slogan 'Because it works' on it... and it (Weight Watchers) sure does. Yes WW can be hard at times and yes I feel like I am struggling to hit goal at the moment. No more than the surprise card I got in the post yesterday, last night I caught up with some of my favourite Weight Watchers bloggers. The Nip Tuck Food Blog's most recent post (here) struck about 84 different chords with me all at the same time. It's like she wrote it with me in mind.

Weight Watchers works... it does work. But never forget that things never get easier for anyone. I am not nor will I ever be a Weight Watchers pro or champion. Sometimes I feel that people in WW class or my friends expect more from me, like I am always "on form" or that I shouldn't post pictures of nice food as I shouldn't be eating them. While I'll admit that by and large I am on form, there are times that I splash out. I will go for that 2nd (or 3rd) biscuit or I will have the chocolate dessert after dinner. This doesn't make me a bad Weight Watcher, it makes me human. 

The last line in her blog post is my favourite, it has given me the motivation I've been looking for for the past few weeks:

Imagine yourself, a year from now if you work at it. 

Now imagine yourself a year from now if you quit.

Looking back at my last three months at WW, I have lost and gained the same 2/3lbs. I've gone from 1lb off goal to 4lbs off goal back to 1lb off goal only to bounce back up to 3lbs off goal. I was frustrated - with myself and the process. Yes I know I am training for a marathon and yes I am running for hours each week. But really, in the grand scheme of things... What difference does 3lbs make? I have essentially maintained my weight for the past 3 months. I'm playing the Weight Watchers game because it works! Like I said, while it never gets easier to constantly make the best choices we can (resisting all temptation & exercising at every possible chance), we most definitely get better at it.

I'm still not at goal (as of today I'm 2lbs off), but I have maintained my weight for the past three months. Today TEN WEEKS ago I smoked my last cigarette. This time next week I will have run my first marathon.

And while hitting goal is important to me, being healthy and happy is more important to me.