My Weight Watchers leader Marianne and I on Sunday May 13th 2007 (Mother’s Day) when I reached Lifetime after 8 weeks, weighing in at 136.2 pounds

Weight Watchers – Lifetime Status

Lifetime Membership is available to you when you:

1. Achieve a weight goal that is within the Healthy Weight Ranges (go to www.weightwatchers.com for those ranges) or a healthy weight prescribed by your physician and are at least 5 pounds less than your joining weight and
2. Have been on maintenance of the Weight Watchers program for at least 6 weeks – as a paid, current member – and are no more than 2 pounds above your weight goal at the end of that period.

 As a Lifetime Member, you will receive your Gold Key charm to add to your 10% key ring and Gold Goal Star charm.  Meetings are now FREE of charge to you as long as you are no more than 2 pounds above your weight goal (you must pay on weeks you are above your allowance).  And this privilege extends to meetings anywhere in the world.  It’s the perfect way to benefit from the support and inspiration you receive at meetings. 

 CONGRATULATIONS!!!

You are now a Lifetime Member with Weight Watchers! 

Now that the weight loss is over with, you can ditch the plan and move on with your life like it was prior to Weight Watchers…right?  WRONG! 

Just because you’re now a Lifetime Member, doesn’t mean that you can behave the way you did before.  You MUST realize that in weight loss, you haven’t just changed the number on the scale, but you’ve changed your BEHAVIOR (how you eat, how you move and exercise), and your IDENTITY (how you view yourself).

I have shed 67.2 pounds in 1 year, 4 months and 4 days and made GOAL at 134.2 pounds (Goal is 135) on Sunday March 18^th 2007.  I kept my weight consistent for the next eight weeks (yes, it’s supposed to be six weeks, but hey, I never do things easily) and made LIFETIME on Sunday May 13^th 2007 (Mother’s Day) when I reached Lifetime after 8 weeks, weighing in at 136.2 pounds.

Do I intend on gaining any bit of that back?  Nope!  (With the exception of pregnancy gains since I haven’t had my kids yet…BUT, I intend on being like my leader Marianne and rejoining WW post-baby to lose the weight again and keep it off). 

Remember, Weight Watchers is NOT a diet, it’s a way of life :0)  Ultimately you would like to keep the weight that you’ve lost off and maintain your current weight for life…hence, Maintenance.   

So, without further ado, here are some tips of the trade (in no specific order) for STAYING a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers. 

 After all, as the slogan says, “Be an After, Stay an After”:

 1.      Attend WEEKLY meetings!

Yes, as a Lifetime Member you only have to weigh in once a month.  BUT, realistically, how many pounds can you pack on in 1 month?  So, my advice, attend WEEKLY meetings.  It’s kept me grounded while losing, so  why stop now?  I have only missed one meeting to date and that’s when I was on a vacation cruise (Sunday January 14^th 2007)...I even went to weigh in THE DAY my ship was docking out of New York Harbor on January 7^th.  Meetings are just THAT important to me!  If your meeting is closed for a holiday, like mine was on Easter Sunday, go to either Saturday or Monday’s meeting.  NEVER miss a meeting if you can...that’s what I think.

2.      NEVER use the No Weigh In pass.

            Weigh in no matter what.  Just face the scale, loss or gain and move on. 

3.      ALWAYS Journal if you’re following the Flex Plan and Journal Non-Core foods while on Core.

            Write every bite or watch the weight move to your hips…it’s your choice.

 4.      WEIGH AND MEASURE your food.

So much damage could be done in NOT doing this.  You can scoop what you think is 1 cup rice, but in actuality is 1 ½ cups of rice onto your plate.  And while the extra half cup (2 pts by the way) isn’t too much, that ½ cup adds up and adds up and you WILL see it on the scale sooner or later.  I still have my old style Weight Watchers scale on my kitchen counter and a million and a half Pyrex measuring cups and spoons.  Take those 20% mailer coupons from Bed Bath and Beyond and go to town buying yourself some new measuring cups and spoons.  They are cheap and worth the investment!

5.      FOLLOW the 8 Good Health Guidelines.

5.1.   Eat at least 5 servings of Fruits and Veggies.
5.2.   Choose Whole-Grain foods whenever possible.
5.3.   Include 2 servings of Milk Products each day.
5.4.   Drink at least 6 glasses of water each day.
5.5.   Have some Healthy Oil each day.
5.6.   Make sure you get enough Protein.
5.7.   Limit added sugar and alcohol.
5.8.   Take a multi-vitamin daily.

6.      EXERCISE daily to weekly

You MUST keep up daily to weekly exercise in order to keep yourself energized and your weight loss ultimately off.  Exercise was extremely important in my weight loss and it’s been great to me in maintaining that loss. 

7.      There is NO “On Program” or “Off Program” since you have made a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

I have heard so many people say, “I went off program this weekend…” and I think, “How did you do that?”  For me, there is no “On” or “Off” because even if I make a questionable food choice (like going to Hooters and having Fried Buffalo Wings at 3 pts a pop), it is still my CHOICE and as I make it, I must PLAN AHEAD and think accordingly of what and how much I will eat, save the 35 extra Flex Points for it and Journal it. Even your poorest choice can still be a good one if you think and plan ahead for it.

8.      Always remember to PLAN AHEAD when eating out.

Just because you’re at your Goal Weight, doesn’t give you the excuse to eat unhealthy or overeat when having a meal out.  I still plan ahead and eat out no more than once a week when I can.  If I have more than one event in a week, I am just doubly careful. 

 9.      Speaking of planning ahead…

I still plan my meals out weekly after my WW meetings.  I write on a piece of paper Sunday through Saturday and with my husband, figure out what we’re having for the week and if/when/where we’ll be eating out for that week.  It’s kept me grounded in my weight loss and in maintenance to know what I’m having ahead of time.

10.  There will be GAINS as well as LOSSES in maintenance.

In maintenance, you’d like to stay at the same consistent weight number for life, right?  Well I’ve learned from both myself and other Lifetimers, that both gains and losses are a part of maintaining your weight loss.  I made Lifetime at 136.2 pounds, but does that mean that every time I weigh in, that’s what I’m going to weigh?  Nope.  Your body will fluctuate a couple of pounds up and down daily.  It’s normal and ok.  So long as you do not go above your 2 pound allowance, your meetings will be free.  For myself, my Goal was 135, so for Weight Watchers purposes, I can not go above 137 or I will have to pay until I’m under that again.  I give myself up to 139.8, which is 4.8 over my Goal and 2.8 over my allowance before I  really need to do damage control (yes, I know I have to pay over 137).  Why you ask?  Because I am a size 6 and I can hit only up to 139.8 before my pants don’t fit and I’d have to buy a size 8.  While I don’t play with that and go above 137, I know I’m also human and giving myself that 5 pound allowance (from 135 to 139.8) allows me to be human.  Anything above that, remember…damage control!!

11.   Continue to rely on your Support team because you’ll need it!

Just because you’re maintaining your weight, doesn’t mean you should do away with your support team.  They don’t have to cheer you on since you’re not in the losing phase anymore but make sure to rely on their support to maintain your weight loss.  My husband Jeff still finds WW friendly recipes, grocery shops using my Points Finder and is my rock when I’m having a blah day.  My parents and sisters are there for my emotional support as well as my friends…my leader provides constant inspiration week after week and my meeting room group always has something interesting to say.  I love my Support Team :0)

12.  Know that it’s ok to “mess up” while Maintaining. 

Just because you overate for one meal or made the wrong food choice, does NOT give you the excuse to chuck the WW program to hell.  It’s ONE meal or ONE food choice.  Analyze what you did wrong or didn’t do right, learn from it and MOVE on!  You will still have human moments and you will mess up.  I’ve done it half a dozen times already, but analyze it, learn from it and I move on.

 13.  Naysayer’s will be there to let you know that typical weight loss doesn’t last.  “You’ll gain it back” they could say.

Prove them WRONG!  Maintain your weight loss…YOU CAN DO IT!!!

14.  YES, you will have to follow Weight Watchers FOREVER!!!

Don’t be scared.  You’ve already followed WW through your weight loss journey, so now that you’re well versed in Flex and/or Core, continuing to follow either program should be a piece of cake (well, figuratively speaking at least!). 

15.  Look at your worst FAT pictures.

Yup, I said it.  Looking at my worst fat pics, not just what I put on this site, has helped me.  Look at the lumps and bumps, double chin, cottage cheese-like arms and thighs and remember how you NEVER want to go back there!  I know it sounds mean and cruel, but it has helped me tremendously because I’m not denying it anymore…I was FAT!  Now some people can’t do that because it would be the undoing of your entire weight loss, so if that’s the case, you shouldn’t do this.  But in doing so, it has really helped me to see where I came from.

16.  ALWAYS remember that your fat life can come back…

if you quit Weight Watchers.  Remember the slogan, “Be an After, Stay an After”.  Don’t quit…it’s THAT simple.  Prove their slogan right and STAY an After.

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