Losing Weight, 5 Seconds At A Time

Yours truly recently joined – okay, rejoined – Weight Watchers (WW) after several years of hiatus. Apparently, I’m not the only one who remembers weekly weigh-ins and meetings in the basement of churches with large binders of food guides and daily journals, nor am I the only one to rejoin, repeatedly, over a lifetime.  According to company officials, that’s on par with about 50% of the WW alums out there, who seem to have a love-hate relationship with what is regularly ranked among the healthiest weight-loss programs in the world according to our friends at US News & World Report.

So why the re-join? The fact that I can easily flow from one digital device to another to easily track my food, movement and success (yes, I’m down 5.5 lbs or 2.5 kilos in two weeks) is a plus.  And the fact that the new Smart Points program accounts for the latest in dietary science, therefore penalizing foods that are high in saturated fats and sugars (hint: tomato soup is a wolf in sheep’s clothing) with higher point values, while decreasing those yummy proteins (like turkey and steak) alongside all-you-can-eat fruit and vegetables (careful with the corn, however). But no, these aren’t the reasons. Sure, I was attracted to the hype around Oprah as both a new investor and face of Weight Watchers, although if we’re being honest, Oprah is really known as the face of weight-loss vs. Weight Watchers per-se. So no, that alone wasn’t a “slam-dunk” for me either, although it did peak my interest.

Instead, it was about a clear yet subtle attempt for Weight Watchers to better relate to ME and MY LIFE “beyond the scale”, which if you listen closely, is not only helping to reshape my waist, but the company’s long-standing perception as just a “diet company.”  Evidence can be seen in the variety of fitness options now available to track via their app (like mowing the lawn or gardening, thank God), the new images, messages and articles featured on many of their on and off-line channels, and the kind of encouragement for “ME Time”, apparently leading to better decision-making over what I do and what I eat.  I’m not completely sold just yet, but honestly, I gotta give major points to a smart WW (pun-intended).

Speaking of those decisions, I learned a great tip on a live-stream conference call last week hosted by none other than the face of weight loss herself, Saint Oprah (I mean that in all sincerity and yes, membership has its privileges).  One of her featured guest speakers – who has lost over 100lbs (45 kilos)  – said something that really stuck with me. She said that it takes 5 seconds for her to make a smart decision.  And that no matter how fast she’s running, or how crazy life gets, she reminds herself that each choice is only 5 seconds long, and in those 5 seconds, she challenges herself to choose right every time, whether it has to do with food or taking the stairs. Hey, I can do that!

Lastly, now that summer is around the corner, I’m having a blast both creating and finding healthy meals and snacks to carry on the go (I am, after all, a world-traveling foodie at heart). And one that was made just for me – at least that’s what I tell myself in the 5 seconds it takes to shake it up – is Greek Girl Beauty Protein – a yogurt-based protein powder for women that tastes AMAZING when mixed with water and ice, and packs easily for this Greek-girl-on-the-go.  And with just 1 point per shake, it’s one less decision I have to make. Giddy-up!

So stick with me, kids, and I will keep you posted of my progress in the coming weeks, including what I eat in a day, just like those celebrities do in People magazine.  A girl can dream, right?