The 1 Thing I Focus on For Weight Watchers Success

When I joined Weight Watchers last Fall, I went into it with a positive attitude, which is something I'm sad to admit I didn't do any of the other times I tried to lose weight. My biggest downfall with diets is getting too caught up in these huge numbers I want to see with regard to weight loss, which turns everything into a daunting task. But this go round is different.

I did Weight Watchers back in high school and had minor success. I lost about 15 pounds but kept telling myself it wasn't enough, and then I gave up because the results weren't quick enough. A few years later, I did a doctor-monitored protein shake diet that, long story short, puts your body into ketosis so that the weight just melts off. Yeah, it's pretty much as bad as it sounds, so needless to say, I lost a lot of weight very quickly and then gained it all back. But what I liked about that diet is that I had a big number in my head that I wanted to lose, and I got there quickly, so it didn't feel like I had to work very hard.

Obvious side note: I tend to be a bit lazy and a lot impatient.

Knowing my hang-up about focusing on the numbers going into Weight Watchers this time has helped me to move past it. At the last meeting of the year in 2016, my meeting leader, Julianne, asked us to really think about what is driving our successes. And that was when I realized that above tracking my food, above my positive attitude, and above the accountability of the meetings, was my focus on the small goals. I no longer think about the 50 pounds I'd like to lose. I go into each weigh-in every week with one thought: "My goal for today is a loss." I don't let myself get caught up in the numbers too much, and I celebrate every single loss I have — whether it's 2 pounds or .2 pounds — because it's all a step in the right direction.

This time on Weight Watchers, I don't even have a goal in mind; I just want to be healthier and change my attitude toward eating. So far it seems to be working, as I'm nearing 30 pounds lost in five months. The success is definitely a combination of things, but Julianne, as well as several other women at my meeting, agreed that not getting caught up in numbers is huge. It's not always easy to let go of a big, beautiful goal number, but doing so might just push you toward success in a healthier way.