COME TO A MEETING WITH ME

It's Tuesday and you know what that means? It's trash night and I can't forget to put the cans out.

Just kidding. Well, I do have to put the cans out but, Tuesday, for me, is weigh in day at Weight Watchers. Every Tuesday, I get up early and go to my meeting, weigh in and know that no matter what, the week is over and it's time to start fresh.

I thought I would bring you all along so you can see where it is I go every week.

This is my leader Annie. I love her and can't say enough good things about her. She is so up beat and full of ideas, tips and recipes. She really should write her own book.

To me, the leader is one of the most important things in the meetings. If you click things are wonderful. If you get one you can't relate to, well, my advice is to go to a different meeting and keep searching.

Don't give up until you find a leader you really enjoy. It will make the biggest difference in your weight loss journey.

When my sister and I first joined, we went through several meetings before we found Annie. We knew right away she was something special.

I actually look forward to going to see her every week. I know if I lose, she is there to encourage me to keep going. If I gain, she is there to help me figure out why and what I need to do to have a different result the next week.

She is always positive and such a joy to be around.

The part most people dread is weighing in. Those scales seem to make everyone a bit nervous. Even when you know you did good, it's still not fun to get on there.

Up here at the front is where you check in, pay if you have to and then get weighed.

Go on, step right up!

No one sees your weight, except the lady behind the counter. This part of the scales face her and only her. She will then put a sticker in your book showing how much you weigh and what your weight loss was that week. Then she gives you the book back.

See, it wasn't bad, was it?



Weight Watchers also has some great snacks, cook books, DVDs and other items you can purchase at the meetings. They don't sell these items at other stores. Only at the meeting locations.

I almost always get one or two things to take home to enjoy for the week.

Then you go take a seat and it's time for the meeting to start. Each week is a different topic. The leader will talk a bit and then everyone else adds to the meeting with their input. It is here where you get some super ideas, first hear about new products, make friends and get your support.

Everyone is there with the same goal in mind. To lose weight, get healthy and stay that way.

There are some who have lost all their weight and are life time members but still go weekly. They say they would put all their weight back on if they didn't go. It helps to remind them to stay on track.

I can't wait until I'm a lifetime member. I know it's only a matter of time before I am. I'm not giving up until I make it.

I still have a long way to go but, with determination and the tools given to me by my great leader, all the support from my friends and family I know I'll be there before I know it.

Going to my meetings is fun. I have met so many great people there and it's almost like we have formed a little family. We all know when someone is missing. We know about each other's family. We know about each others ups and downs in trying to lose weight. But most of all, we know we can count on each other for support.

So that's it. What is that? Oh, you wanted to know how I did this week? Well, I'm happy to report that I'm down another 1.4 pounds this week.

I'm leaving for Vegas on Wed. I'm going to do my best to stick to my plan and come back with only the extra weight of the money I won and not the weight of extra pounds!

STEPPING ON THE SCALES

Well, here it is Tues. Weight Watchers day for me. Time to face the dreaded scales.

Today I was pretty confident that I was going to be happy about what I saw. After all, I had been good. Counted my points, did exercise a few times and skipped going out to eat out in an effort to lose weight this week.

Some days you just know you didn't do good and you don't want to step on those scales. After all they don't lie. They tell it like it is. If you were good, the number goes down. If you were bad, up, up, up the number goes.

No those scales don't lie...or do they?

Normally, when I weigh in I don't see the number on the on scale. It's behind the counter where the lady in charge sees it only. Then with a smile she will tell me how much I lost.

Or, if it's a gain, in a quiet voice she will tell me and asked if the gain was a surprise. Which of course it never is.

But, today, the computers were not working up front and so I went into this cubicle with my leader and stepped on the scale. No pause at all. Just got right on.

This time I could see the numbers. WHAT! They had not moved since last week. How could that be? After all, Weight Watchers weighs you in .0 pounds. So even a few oz. would make the number move.

Not today. I was 100% exactly the same as last week.

I tried everything to get that number to drop lower. I moved the right then to the left and even tried standing on one foot! While it got me and my leader to laughing, it didn't get me a lower number.

I don't know why. Really. Sometimes the scales are like that. They just don't give the results you wanted or expected.

I've had weeks where I've eating out of control and I ended up losing weight. Then there are weeks like this one where I did good and I don't lose at all.

I'm not discouraged though. I know if I continue on and do what I did last week then the loss will show up, most likely next week.

Sometimes our bodies are strange and they don't show the weight loss or gain until a week or sometimes even two weeks later.

Often we could be holding on to water weight because of something we ate that was high in sodium or just because we are a woman with that lovely once a month "gift" we get.

I'm not sure really why I didn't lose. I do know, I'm giving up. I will keep on tracking, exercising and following the plan. Because, I KNOW I am going to stick to it this time and get the rest of my weight off.

IT'S A GOOD DAY

Another Tuesday is here, which means time to step on the scales at Weight Watchers. It was a good weigh in with another 1.8 lbs gone. Ya, that means 48.8 lbs gone!

Today I woke up and I actually felt like I lost weight. Some times I don't notice anything and some times I can actually tell.

Today my sister, Maureen, got her lifetime membership with Weight Watchers. That means she lost all her weight and maintained it for 6 weeks. So, now, she gets to go to the meetings for free. The only catch is, she has to stay within 2 lbs of her goal weight.

That should be a piece of cake for her because she not only reached her goal weight but she continued to lose even more weight and now she is something like 10 lbs below her goal weight.

She looks so good! I felt really proud of her today as she went up front to get her award, a golden key charm to add to the rest of the charms she already got for meeting different goals.

I am so happy that she is now healthier and feels much better then when she started. I couldn't help but think about the first time we walked into Weight Watchers. I admit I had my doubts about doing well. I wondered how long it would be before we quit.

Knowing that she stuck to it and made her goal helps me to see that I too can reach my goal. I think having each other to go through this together has made it much easier.

On the days I don't feel like going to weigh in or the weeks I had where I knew I had a gain, it was her that got me to show up. I knew she would be there waiting for me and I would have let her down if I didn't show up. I think she may have felt the same way.

Congratulations Maureen! You did it! I'm so proud of you. Also, thank you for all your help and support in my weight loss journey.

5K WALK FOR THE ANIMALS and WEIGH IN

Yesterday was the 5K Walk for the Animals that I told you all about awhile ago.

My sister, Maureen, her husband Jeff, Trinity and I all signed up to walk. We got people to sponsor us and proudly put out shirts on, got up early and did our part to help save the animals.


This is a 5K that the Orange County SPCA puts on every year. It's a great way to get money to help the animals, get some exercise, have fun and enjoy time with other animal lovers as well as the animals themselves.

It was a beautiful morning. The weather couldn't have been any better for us. The walk was through the trails in the park so it was very pretty.

But the walk was not the only thing going on that day.

Snoopy was there! He was also giving away some tickets to Knott's Berry Farm and telling us about how it's only going to cost $69 for a year pass with no black out days to Knott's Berry Farm next year!

We all agreed to get these for Christmas gifts this year. It's a great deal.

I almost fell over while taking this picture. That's why I'm laughing so hard. First I stepped on Snoopy's foot then he tripped me and I almost went flying backwards but he caught me.

Who knew Snoopy could be so dangerous.

Adoptions were going on also. You could adopt a sweet little puppy like this one.

Or a darling senior dog like this one.

If you would rather have a cat you could have adopted one of those too.

Not this one though. This little one was only two weeks old. The mommy kitty died so these ladies were taking over for her. Feeding the kittens ever 2-3 hours.

Some people came with their hands full. Like this man. He brought all four of his dogs.

Everyone was having such a great time. Even the dogs were smiling.

Trinity just had to take her picture with this big boy. He is a star after all.

Do you know who he is? Have you seen him before?

He is the skateboarding dog. It was so funny to see him ride his skateboard.

I spoke to his owner and he told me that the dog just taught himself to ride. He didn't do a thing. This dog loves riding the skateboard so much that he often has to hide it from him to get him to stop.

I've seen this dog on tv before but to see him do this in person was so fun.

There were dog races. Boy oh boy these dogs could run fast!

Some dogs not only didn't want to run but they didn't even want to walk.

I didn't bring my dogs because I knew my one boy would be like this dog and want to be carried the whole way. So I left them home.

I did buy a carrier like this lady has though so the next time I can bring the dogs and not worry about having to hold my dog when he gets tired. I can just put him in here and then I'll still have my hands free.

There were contests to see which dog was the best kisser, could do the best tricks and which dog could sing the best.

This dog in the photo could read. Yes, you read that right. The owner would hold up a word that was on a sign and the dog would do what it said. He could read and understand Bark, Roll over, Sit, Speak and Lay down.

He won the best award for the best tricks.

Trinity got a lot of doggy love. The dogs seemed to love her as much as she loves them.

She told me there is no such thing as an ugly dog or a dog that she wouldn't love.

I know how she feels. I'm feel the same way.

This little dog is named Charlie. He should have signed up for the kissing contest as he gave Trinity a million kisses.

There were booths where you could join groups, buy items, learn about CPR for pets, buy treats for your animals, donate to rescue groups and purchase raffle tickets.

We all had a great day. We can't wait for next year.

I did want to thank everyone who pitched in an sponsored me. As promised I did match dollar for dollar and the money has been turned in to the SPCA. Thank you so much! It's people like you that help save and take care of all the animals until homes can be found for them.

Today, Maureen and I went to Weight Watchers. We have been going on Tuesdays but we will be gone tomorrow. We are going to see a taping of the Ellen Show.

I think the 5K must have really given me a boost because I lost 3.2 more pounds! I couldn't believe it. I was so happy.

I'm now less then 2 lbs. away from hitting my first 25 lb. goal and then I can book my next trip. I just can't decide if I should do another cruise or just spend the time in New York.

I would love to go to some places I've never been but I also LOVE New York and want to spend more time there. I'm thinking of maybe booking a cruise that leaves from New York and then staying there a few days before. Like I did this year. I don't know.

Maureen did good at weigh in also. She lost another pound. She is less then a pound away from losing her 25 lbs.

I am so happy that we joined Weight Watchers together. It makes it easier to have someone doing it with you. We keep each other on track and get each other to exercise more.

Some days I can feel the weight loss but then other days I feel like I can't tell I've lost a pound. It's strange.

I'm starting to get people telling me that they can notice I've lost weight so that's a good thing. I think the 2nd 25 lbs will be much more noticeable though.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week and taking good care of yourself.