The Weight Watchers Meeting
I have lost and gained weight more times in my life than I can count. I started losing weight when I was a chubby kid. I did it in the 90’s, which was probably one of the hardest times to lose weight. There was basically two ways to do it…a shitload of Dexatrim or eat a shitload of Snackwell cookies.
The Dexatrim worked better. Neither are healthy.
But in 2008, I saw myself over 400 pounds for the first time in my life. I went to the doctor where my blood pressures was around nine million over 176. Okay, maybe not that high, but high enough to give me medication to lower my blood pressure before we could proceed.
My doctor came in and told me I was fat and a walking time bomb. I love when doctors tell people who know they are fat that they are fat. That is why they make the big bucks. He told me I needed to lose weight, which was another “no shit” fact, and then went on with some Academy Award monologue how I should want to live and get healthy. He really got into the speech. Slamming his clipboard on the counter was a nice touch.
So I asked him how to lose weight. Now, I knew exactly how to lose weight. I did not want to lose weight like that. I was hoping he was one of those shitty TV doctors who would just give me a pill and I would lose weight that way. But alas, that was not the case. He told me to eat less and move more. I did not want to hear that. But then he told me about joining Weight Watchers.
Before we go any further, let me explain where Weight Watchers was at this point. This was right between your mom’s Weight Watchers and the DJ Khalid online Weight Watchers. Very few guys did it, or admitted doing it then. They were just changing the point system as well. There was a core and a flex. So Weight Watchers was a weird yet intriguing option.
So I decided to join. In 2008, you couldn’t just sign up online and start. Oh no. You had to sign up, and then go to a meeting.
So i did and I walked into my first Weight Watchers meeting. My goal was to go in, get the books, and leave. And I was the only guy there. but I was not the heaviest, which made me feel welcome. People were stripping their clothes like Spring break to get weighed in. And when it was my turn, I got on the scale, and asked for the pamphlets.
“No, you need to stay for the meeting.” Said barbara-assistant to the leader
“I Can’t.” Said Tony Posnanski, fat guy
“Why can’t you?” Said Barbara
Fuck it. I did not have a reason. So I decided to be the only guy sitting in a Weight Watchers meeting.
So I sat there and listened. You had people tell everyone about a new cookie that was out. Some woman was like the MacGyver of Weight Watchers and how to build some zero point snack that was really 5,000 calories but its zero points. Then there was a kale discussion. I am not going to lie, I really hated it.
Then people asked what they were proud of or “Non-Scale Victories” for the week.
Some thin woman gets up. All of the sudden she tells the group that Weight Watchers saved her because she can eat properly and not starve herself. And this is the first week since she can remember that she ate all her points/calories a day without feeling guilt or worse.
That hit me. I was not expecting a moment like that.
But right after that a woman my size got up. She said that she did not get fast food this week and eat it by herself in her car in an empty parking lot and throw away the wrappers so no one would know. She stayed on her points.
And I started crying.
I cried because I did the exact thing two days prior. I did it a lot. I had no idea other people did it. For the first time, I did not feel so alone. I felt like other people dealt with the same issues that I do. Overeating, paying in cash at fast food places so no one would know, gorging on fast food before coming home and pretending to only eat a Lean Cuisine. I swear I finally felt seen.
And I felt like I needed to get healthy.
Now, diets are diets. Everyone is magical and blah blah blah. Points, calories, or two meals and a shake are literally the same. Sure, people will tell you they are different and one is better. But it is all about eating less. it is about eating more whole foods.
But what I got out of that meeting is I never want to feel alone in fatland again. And I have not. I share my wins and losses here often. I want others to know that they are not alone, just like I finally did that day.
So I am doing real well now. Down over 135 pounds. And I am not going to “NEVER AGAIN WILL I BE BLAH BLAH BLAH” you.
But I will tell you that Weight Watchers meeting in 2008 saved me. It opened my eyes. And I will make mistakes.
But I know others do also. And others will have successes…just like me.
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