Huzzah! I finally got a letter.
The backstory: after losing 110 lbs on Weight Watchers, I’m at a point where I’m feeling happy and healthy. I’ve met my personal goals for weight loss. Weight Watchers lets you come for free after you’ve maintained your goal weight for a certain amount of time. These “lifetime” members get the support from other members for maintaining their weight loss, and can inspire them as they lose their own weight.
There are two ways to become a lifetime member: your weight can be within what the BMI says is healthy, or you can get a letter from your doctor saying a different weight is appropriate for you.
I haven’t lost enough weight to get to the BMI range for my height, and I haven’t after 2.5 years at WW. I probably could, but I’m happy right where I am. I’ve made a huge number of lifestyle changes, and at this time don’t feel like making more.
I thought that my regular doctor, who was on Weight Watchers himself and lost weight with the program, would be sympathetic. But at my annual exam, he argued that based on statistics, people who are in the “normal” BMI range are healthier than those who aren’t. Even those like me who have good cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. are more likely to hurt themselves when they fall because the weight makes them more top heavy.
Huh?
It’s hard to argue with someone who’s fully clothed when you’re wearing a paper napkin. And he’s right, statistically speaking. But there are statistics, and then there are the needs of individuals. And this individual is DONE!
Fortunately, my gynecologist agreed with me! At my visit yesterday I told her my plight, and she took mercy. I now have a letter saying an appropriate weight for me is 170. I finally feel like I’ve got some agency back!
As great as this news is, it doesn’t mean I can go on lifetime yet. During my months-long hissy fit, I gained a few lbs I need to lose to get to that 170. And Weight Watchers has you do 6 weeks on maintenance before you’re officially lifetime. After that, if you go too high over your goal weight you need to pay. Now THAT would be motivating for me.
So chocolate chip cookies? Not interested. Peanut butter sandwiches? Nuh uh. I’m on mission!
Larkspur
February 11, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Hey, that’s great! I’m so pleased you got it. Kudos to your gyno. (Although it is nice in a way that your GP was invested enough to differ with you.)
Lara
February 26, 2010 at 10:21 pm
A belated CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
It’s fantastic news that you’ve reached your goal & are holding. Well done!!!
And why is it our gyns always take us more seriously than our GPs??? I’ve been going to my GP for 2 years saying something wasn’t right and he kept checking thyroid. Finally I cried on my gyns shoulder & she had me do a glucose tolerance which I failed. I’m not diabetic nor pre-diabetic but the higher protein eating and smaller, more frequent eating has helped remove the fuzzy head and I’m losing 2 lbs/month. Not huge but after gaining 30lbs in 2 years, I’ll take what I can get
but it’s not about me.