I always thought it’d be fun to be a Weight Watchers Leader.  I am a trainer by trade, and actually enjoy public speaking.  My current job is more managerial and design oriented rather than actual training, and I miss getting up and engaging a crowd.  So, when there was a Weight Watchers orientation meeting for prospective new employees, I jumped at the chance, even though I am more than fully employed as it is between my full time job, my family, and volunteering.

Alas, despite losing 116 lbs, I don’t qualify.  It appears that the goal I set with my doctor counts as far as becoming a lifetime member at WW, but not for being a leader.  For that, you need to be within the normal BMI range for your height, and I’m still 15 lbs away from that.

Disappointing?  A little.  Truthfully, I wasn’t sure how I would fit in being a Leader with my other “jobs.”  As it turns out, a change in my husband’s schedule would have made it impossible anyway.

And people want to see a skinny Leader.  They are there to lose weight.  That’s why I joined, too.  But I gained a lot more than just losing weight, and I have more to contribute, too.  It’s so hard to make positive changes in your life when you’re beating yourself up.  What I’d most like to share is how people can keep a healthy attitude toward themselves-to appreciate themselves-no matter their size-even as they strive to make changes.

Will I get down to my BMI weight eventually?  Probably.  I’m not too worried about it.  Will I be a Leader one day?  Maybe.  But my life is full to bursting as it is, and I’m fortunate to have a day job so I don’t need it.

In the meantime, I’ll try being a virtual leader, online.

The change was long overdue.  My old job had become toxic in many ways, and the company itself seems to be in a negative spiral.  I’m glad I was able to leave on my own power, rather than being laid off.

Although I’ve made a lot of positive changes in my life habits, a major life change like a new job has made it difficult to sustain those changes.  Much of my life was built around my old office, my old commute.   My old commute was a half hour drive.  I would visit Berkeley Bowl to get my fruits and veggies on a regular basis.  I went to a yoga studio around the corner from my old office.   I loved my old routine, and it helped support my health.

My new job is in the financial district of San Francisco, so my commute has changed from a half hour drive to a bus, about an hour door to door.  I love the bus!  I don’t have to deal with the crazy drivers, so don’t have to carry that stress.  It’s so relaxing to listen to a book while knitting.  I’m getting a little more exercise in, too, as I need to walk or ride my bike to the bus station.  It’s not far, but every little bit counts.

Even though the commute is easier, it is longer, so I have to really plan my exercise.  So far, I’m not getting to the gym nearly as much as I’d like.  It’s been really challenging to map my old habits to my new commute.  The great thing about habits is you don’t need to think about them-you just do them.  It’s going to take a lot of work to make new habits.

I still miss Berkeley Bowl, but found there are TONS of farmers markets in SF.  Alas, the fruits and vegetables there must be much more precious than those at BB, because they are twice as expensive.  Still, it’s great fun to take a walk at lunch and buy a basket of strawberries as a snack.

Given that it’s hard to swing your mat without hitting a yoga studio, it’s not surprising I found one a block from my office.  Also more expensive (sigh)… The hardest part has been giving myself permission to go there.  At a new job, I want to impress everyone that I’m working hard.  Thing is, nobody is monitoring whether I take an hour for a class during lunch or not–well, nobody but me!

It would be too easy to let everything slide.  It hasn’t been easy making new habits, but I’ve done so consciously and deliberately.  I’m even thinking about changing my Weight Watchers meeting.  The WW in SF is also just a block away, in the building next to the yoga studio.  My leader Kathy moved away (sob!), and waking up early on Saturday mornings is not very appealing.  I haven’t done it yet, though.  One step at a time!

How have you rebuilt healthy habits after a major life change?

So how do you stay on track?  Here are 5 tips that have worked for me:

1. Make a rule: You don’t eat the junk food at work.  Period.  Not one taste, nothing.  Why?  Moderation is hard to come by.  If treats are an option, even if you don’t give in you’ll obsess and make yourself miserable.  Tell yourself you’re just not the kind of person who eats that food.
2. Avoid it.  If one of your coworkers has a candy bowl you can’t resist, ask to meet at your desk.  If you can get somewhere without passing the break room, do it.
3. Push it away.  I’ve literally moved cookies down the hall away from where I’d see them.  And… someone moved them back!  So, I moved them even further away.  This time those cookies didn’t find their way back.  If someone brings donuts to the meeting, push the box down the table away from you.  And block your view with a cup of tea.
4. Imagine it to be totally disgusting.  That’s not cream cheese for those bagels, it’s rancid Crisco.  Those chocolate chips?  Bugs.  Make it less than desirable in your mind, and you can stop thinking about it.
5. Make a deal.  If all else fails, make a deal with yourself.  Have some gum, drink some tea, and tell yourself if you still REALLY REALLY want it after 30 minutes, you can have a limited amount of it.  But you’ll have to track it.  With any luck, it will be gone by then.
6. Bring your own food.  I always have oatmeal, canned soup, etc so I can’t use the excuse that I’m too busy to get food.

Remember, it’s not a treat if it’s every day.  Even if you can’t control everything about your environment, you can control your responses and prepare yourself.

I’m very lucky that at my job our meetings are productive… and few.  Nevertheless, it’s still challenging to handle my group’s departmental meetings.  My commute is twice as long, meaning I have no time for my usual exercise.  I also have less control over what’s available to eat.  And it’s stressful… I’m worried I’ll get stuck in serious traffic and won’t be able to pick my kids up in time.

I used a few strategies this time to good effect:

1. Snacks.  I forgot to bring snacks the first day, and found myself insanely hungry.  The first chance I got I went to the store to buy a nut mix.  Now, nuts aren’t my first (or second or third) choice for a snack ordinarily, but the protein and fat were great.
2. Breakfast.  Our VP thoughtfully catered our breakfast, a traditional one.  I brought a sandwich made of ww bread and some PB2 for breakfast (2 points!), but also had about an egg’s worth of scrambled eggs and a tiny bit of potatoes (because I love them so).  Having my own breakfast made it easier to resist the sausage and biscuits, but I should have brought more and passed on the buffet.
3. Exercise.  Having to sit in a car for 4 hours a day, on top of sitting in meetings, made me really regret having to miss my run or class.  I managed to take a ten minute walk around a park, though, during a break.  The sunshine and the breeze helped me.
4. Lunch.  We could order our lunch from a limited menu.  Given the “salads” were all mayonaisse based, I asked that be excluded from mine.  I also asked for no chips, and brought my own side quinoa salad.  But I should’ve thrown out the cookie that came with lunch so I wouldn’t eat it later.  I could’ve thrown out half the sandwich, too.  Next time, I’ll plan better that way.

I’ve got a few more tactics for next quarter… anyone else have any good meeting mitigation strategies?