Battle of the Bulge

 
I'm a post-menopausal woman who now weighs less than I have my entire adult life. How? Weight Watchers and my Fitbit and my teenage son.

I've been a lifetime member of Weight Watchers since 1994. I rejoined (once again) last February weighing almost 15 pounds more than I wanted. Three kids ago, I lost 27.5 pounds on Weight Watchers. I vowed that I would never allow those pounds to creep back; and after each of my three pregnancies, I rejoined and lost the pesky pregnancy weight.

Well, my kids are now in their teens and 20ies and the struggle was real. I was gaining and losing the same 10 pounds. One crash diet later, I was down to goal. For a handful of years, I was able to keep myself close to that weight. When the pants got tight, I went back to basics (but not Weight Watchers.) 

In the Spring of 2015 menopause was in full swing and my body was changing as well. So, I acquired a Fitbit and begun walking almost five miles daily; I soon and saw those pesky pounds come off. I was now a size four and feeling good. Until a new job and winter weather forced me into inactivity. As a result I gained back over 10 pounds during the winter of 2015; and my old knee injury started to act up. I was scared that major surgery was inevitable and started looking for short cuts. I could do a weight loss plan without paying, right? Wrong.

The pain became excruciating and my clothes were snug. On February 20, 2016 I put on my big girl yoga pants (they weigh less than jeans) and went back to Weight Watchers. I leaped into the program, despite the internal conflict of sugar being excessively penalized in the points arena. I'd like to say the weight fell off, but it didn't. It was slow, but after a month I lost enough (4.6 pounds) to feel better. I went to the orthopedist, and acknowledged I had lost some weight. With Spring around the corner I vowed to walk daily. He said no, but I did it anyway. And guess what? The pain disappeared and so did the weight. 

By June 18, 2016 I was below goal, pain-free and embracing my daily walks. My Fitbit was my new best friend. By the end of the summer I was down 18.6 pounds and scared how I would replace my daily walks. See, I originally hurt my knee in the gym and was scared to sign up. 

But, the wrestling season was also right around the corner and my then-15 year old needed to make weight. So, we signed up for a free month and I lost another three pounds. I weighed less than when I was teenager. So, I signed up for a membership and an interesting thing happened. My weight went up.... still below my goal weight, but it was winter and I was stumped.

In the past I would have quit. Both the gym and Weight Watchers. This girl and her son did not quit. I went back to basics and took off the pounds... and more. On April 29 I stepped on the scale and was down 2.6 for a total lost of 20.6 pounds.I was 6.2 pounds BELOW my goal. 

The bottom line is that menopause (or PMS for that matter) is no excuse for packing on the extra pounds. You can get your old body back (or find one that is better than your 20-something version) by understanding what is happening to your body and applying common sense strategies found in non-fad, doctor-approved diets such as Weight Watchers.   

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