Milestones

I had a conversation with my coworker last night about WW and weight in general. 

She asked me, “Are you still doing Weight Watchers?”

The funny thing is my usual reply is yes.  You never actually stop doing WW.  But, when I really stopped to think about it, doing WW means  that I am attending my weekly meetings , that I am tracking my food daily, that I am exercising several times a week, and that I am making healthy food choices most of the time.

In that case then no, I am not doing WW anymore.  Of course the answer isn’t as cut and dry as it seems and often the answer tends to end with me rambling.  As I’ve shared many times before on this blog the struggle to lose weight is really hard and the struggle to keep the weight off is really hard. 

I have been thinking a lot about milestones in our lives and how they relate to weight. 

When you are fat you are aware that you are fat but your life isn’t necessarily sectioned out into milestones that remind you that you are fat.  Sure when you are only able to shop in the ugly plus size section, it hurts your feelings from time-to-time but you usually go about your life just being fat.  It’s who you are.

When you lose weight and suddenly you are skinny your life takes on a new milestone.  This is what separates you from your fat days and your skinny days.  You will now create a timeline that refers to events as before and after.

If you are lucky enough to stay skinny…well…it is quite grand.  It can feel carefree and enjoyable most of the time.  The compliments really rock!

If you aren’t lucky enough to stay skinny and you start to get fat again…well…then there are LOTS of milestones that hit you in the face like a ton of bricks.  You now compare the before and after but it isn’t as positive as when you were skinny.  You start to feel anxious when you are attending a social function wondering if people will notice that you used to be skinny.  You start to talk negatively to yourself when you remember how awesome it was to be skinny but that you aren’t anymore.  You are reminded every time your pants don’t fit that you used to wear a size (fill in the blank) but now you can’t fit into more than half the clothes in your closet.   

When I hosted my annual Academy Award Party on Sunday, it was like taking a trip down memory lane. 

Here I am at an Academy Awards Party about 10-ish years ago.  My Aunt Barb is wearing my high school homecoming dress.
 

 

Here I am at an Academy Awards party three years ago.  I am wearing my high school homecoming dress.

 

This year, I doubt the dress still fits.

Milestones. 

When you lose weight your life will now be measured in milestones.