A Sticky Plan

Have you ever seen the show Mad Men?   It’s a pretty popular show right now, full of drama, mystery and fashion.   The term Mad Men was actually coined back in the 1950’s to describe the advertising executives of Madison Avenue.   From what I understand, the executives created the term themselves, to promote the industry.

The Mad Men of today have hit the jackpot with the weight loss industry.  According to a research report published in October 2011, there are 24,303 companies in the weight loss industry, and all of them our competing for our money.   And guess what?   Business is booming!   Revenue is expected to rise 4.5% over the next five years, and reach 4.1 billion dollars in America alone.    

All of the products out there say they are the best, that you will be successful if you use their product.   So how do you know which one will work best for you?   The easy answer:   they will all work.    There is no secret to weight loss.   It's simple:   take in less calories than you burn and you will lose weight.    Every weight loss product on the market uses this same principle, no magic involved.   You can even do it yourself.

That being said, I still think its important to have a well-oiled plan in place before you jump into eating differently.  Limiting food choices can be stressful.   It might not seem so bad at first when you are gung-ho about starting the new plan.    Unfortunately, other life stresses start happening, and its tempting to go back to the comfort of eating whatever you want.    If you have a plan, you are more likely to stay on track.

When I started looking for a new plan this time around, I had specific requirements in mind.    

*REAL FOOD:   I like eating, and I like food.   I knew that I wouldn’t stay on a plan that had me eating diet food.  I believe food is a gift from God for our enjoyment as well as our nourishment, and that we should be able to eat anything in moderation.   

Along with that, I’m making a big effort to steer away from buying prepackaged foods, or anything with preservatives and chemicals.   I wanted to learn how to eat healthy, whole foods, things I could make from scratch that tasted wonderful, and still lose weight.

*Feel Satisfied:  I didn’t want to be starving all of the time.  That doesn’t work for me.   When I’m hungry I get angry and shaky (hypoglycemia), and its just not fun.    I wanted to lose weight, but not be in a state of constant hunger.      

*Support:   Even after you’ve learned the ins and outs of your weight loss plan, its helpful to have someone there to cheer you on.   Meetings were essential to me.   They held me accountable because I had to weigh-in every week.  More then that, I was reminded of my plan and goals every week.   The meeting leader provided encouragement, tips, and ways to avoid pitfalls.   Other members would give recommendations for different products at the grocery store or restaurants around town.  

I didn’t know anyone at my meeting, and didn’t talk much.   But it was nice to have a room full of people clap for your successes, even if they were strangers.   Weight loss is hard work, and everyone needs some affirmation along the way.

The first time I tried Weight Watchers (years ago) I hated it.   I had modest success, and then the amount of points I was allotted shrunk to the point that I was starving all of the time.   I resorted to eating a lot of prepackaged “diet” food with fake sugar in it so that I could eat a small amount every few hours (for the hypoglycemia).     I dropped out way before my goal, and thought I’d never go back.

I started hearing about the new Weight Watchers program around the same time that I had my "aha" moment.    I heard that there was a big push for eating whole foods, and that you could eat most fruit whenever you felt hungry.    I went to check it out,  and found that it was do-able.   WW was teaching people how to choose healthier foods that are more filling, so hunger was no longer a part of the equation.    No food is off limits in the plan-- eat what you love, but just have to watch portions.    The support was there.    It met all of my requirements, so I signed up.

I’m not endorsed by Weight Watchers, and I’m not necessarily trying to sell you on their plan.   I know it works, and it makes sense for me.   Like I mentioned before, there are thousands of plans out there, and they all will work.    When you choose your plan, think about sticking power, and think long-term.    You are making changes now that will continue on for the rest of your days.