Am I Bathing Suit Ready?

So one week ago today, I decided to join Weight Watchers….the online version, not the “go to a meeting” version.  Most people who see me wouldn’t consider me overweight.  I’m 6’0” tall and I “appear” to be quite thin but believe me, I’m definitely hiding some things under my shirt and I am most definitely NOT bathing suit ready.  According to doctors, I should fall somewhere between 145lbs – 165lbs and right now, I’m on the higher end of that scale and not happy about it.  Now I’ve never done Weight Watchers before and everyone who has swears by it.  Not to mention seeing Jenifer Hudson on the commercials is pretty darn convincing.  She looks fantastic!  Granted, she has personal trainers working with her every day and I don’t but, after one week I can already feel/see a difference and I’m very anxious to get on the scale this morning.

The Weight Watchers program is interesting.  I like that it holds you accountable for everything including, what you are eating, what activities you are doing and more.  I love that it provides recipes and success stories to keep you motivated and I really love that the way it’s set-up, you almost get excited to go online and track your food.  It’s interesting to see what goes in your mouth and how many points you lose for eating something.  By the end of the week, I was no longer snacking on cookies and chips but on bananas and other fruits.  I’ve also changed what I’m buying at the grocery store.  Weight Watchers has also shown me that my biggest food issue is portion control.  I was definitely overeating!  To put it mildly, I was stuffing myself like a pig and it just wasn’t necessary.  Now, I’m not going to lie…this last week I’ve felt like I was starving to death and I really needed to show some serious self-control.  But I survived and I feel less hungry and it’s getting easier.

I don’t know how many of you out there reading this are currently on a diet, on Weight Watchers or thinking about joining Weight Watchers, but I’m going to recommend it.  I find it easier than trying to figure everything out on your own and because it’s a slower more gradual weight loss, it’s far more healthy for you.  You just need to work through the initial hunger and be patient…the weight will come off.

Okay, it’s the moment of truth for me.   After seven days, I have lost…3.6lbs!!!  Holy-cow, I really didn’t expect it to be that much.  YAY me!

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The Doctor Will See You Now

It is so easy to put off going to the doctor. Trust me. I'm the queen of "too busy." My kids get there. I make my husband go for aches, pains, illness. And when I'm really sick, I'll go mainly because I need to get over whatever it is as fast as possible because I'm too busy to be sick! It's the preventative maintenance that us chicks usually aren't so good at. Our OBGYNs make us come in once a year otherwise we can't get our birth control filled. We typically go to the dentist because our teeth are something we can see. Same with the dermatologist. It is our regular PCP that we struggle with. It's so easy to put off. We feel fine, so we are fine. And while that is typically the case, it is still good to check in, get annual blood work and set a baseline.

I starts to get scary the older you get. Though I'm not terribly older than the other Working Wives & Bachelorettes, I am starting to see friends get sick with cancer. It's scary. I don't remember my parents friends getting sick or seriously ill when I was growing up. A few friends lost their parents, but I never gave it much thought. The older I get, the more it is in my face, especially when you see people your own age struggling with their health.

In our teens and twenties, we are invincible. Nothing can harm us. We can stay up all night and still function during the day. As we climb into our thirties, our bodies start to slow. I read once that the human body was never meant to live past 40. Through modern medicine, better food and better living conditions, clearly that number has raised, almost doubled. We are lucky, but you have to do your part.

Go to the doctor. Get your annual physical. If you don't have regular health insurance, check out a walk-in clinic, such as MedExpress or Minute Clinic. The prices are reasonable and well worth it. If you need to see a dentist and don't have dental insurance, find a dental school. Many times, they offer free dental exams from students. Visit your OBGYN. Any Planned Parenthood offers services on a sliding scale or, if you live in a city like Pittsburgh, UPMC is forever doing studies. I have a friend who is in grad school full-time and over 26 so insurance is a real issue for her. She participates in a study for birth control and, with minimal participation, she gets free birth control.

There are no excuses. Too busy. No money. Make the time. Find the solution. Stay healthy. We want you around...not just for the next 20 years, but at least 60 or more!

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