Why I Like Weight Watchers' Philosophy

​I know several people who have joined Weight Watchers this week alone.  I really stand behind WW's philosophy.  Their premise is "A healthy body results from a healthy lifestyle."  They also make you 100% accountable for the change you desire.  THIS, THIS, THIS is why WW works!  They give you knowledge and tools, but real change occurs with YOUR efforts. 

ANY lifestyle change (relationship, career, nutrition, making time for yourself, exercise) comes about and is successful ONLY when you put forth effort, commit, and persevere.  Here's the kicker:  in effort to change, you will experience PAIN, uncomfortable FEELINGS and EMOTIONS, and the desire to RUN.  

Do you typically FIGHT or FLIGHT when things get hard and threaten your homeostasis, your comfort zone? 

If you tend to run every time pain surfaces and pulls you back in to the very thing you want to change, how will you stay and fight for your cause, your true desire, and your goals? 

Challenging the pull to retreat and hide from the pain associated with new changes is difficult, for sure.  This may mean no drinks with your best friend this weekend.  This many mean putting off family members because you need to retreat and regroup. This may mean saying NO to shopping and YES to walking.   This many mean setting out breakfast for everyone else so you can sleep and extra 30 minutes.  This many mean tweaking the usual Sunday lunch menu (habit) and trying a new recipe that is healthier. 

The point is change requires effort!  It requires planning.  It requires thinking about what you want at all times so the brain gets used to a new way of thinking.  Our brains don't like change.  The brain likes to sit back and operate on auto pilot, using the least amount of energy possible. So any time we change how we think, our actions, or what new information we put into our brains, our brains have to actually WORK so that new habits are formed and old habits become obsolete. This is neuroscience at its finest, but the idea is to repeat new behaviors, practice new thoughts and behaviors every day, and persevere. 
Make yourself consciously aware of new habits, behaviors and ways of thinking.  Write post-its.  Stick them everywhere, even in your car.  Talk about it to those you are around.  Have the courage to say NO to temptations.  Ask for support.  You are molding change.  It takes time. 

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