Weight Watchers diary: Week 4

This week we're catching up with both of JOE's Weight Watchers challengers as they finish off another week on a high.

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Name: Peter Cooney
Meeting: Thomas Davis GAA Club, Tallaght
Starting weight: 13 stone 13.5lbs
Current weight: 13 stone 5.5lbs

The door slid across before the group exited the vehicle and surveyed their surroundings. An icy chill eneveloped the air competing with the glacial sense of abandoment that permeated the scene. Closed shop fronts were accompanied by empty streets shaded by amber streetlights; a black stream with ochreus ripples.

The driver’s gelid hand was extended to the sole male in the group. A hand shake, before the driver returned to the vehicle. Red lights faded into the distance as the van drove away. Peter with his three companions looked on as the van turned left along the tittle of the junction. The four were now alone. Welcome to Cavan town!

This is pretty much the start of my weekend downfall. Having been out on Friday, I was able to budget the few pints I had in and had decided that Saturday was going to be a ‘diet coke’ night. Saturday was not a ‘diet coke’ night.

My diet throughout the week was quite disciplined and I was quite pleased with how it was going. Whilst I was out on Friday, I managed to keep my intake within my weekly ProPoints but Saturday it all went downhill. From the chipper to the pints, I went way off course. I awoke on Sunday hungover and treated myself to a full Irish breakfast in the hotel.

Peter before his encounter with the three virgins.

Feeling somewhat disappointed with myself, I stood up and openly declared: I can do this! and whistled for my steed and got back on that horse. The following week I was eating well and tracking everything I ate and was galloping away to weight loss, tackling fast food fences like I was a weight watching Kauto Star.

Weigh in day I was convinced it was going to be a disaster based on the weekend. I stepped up on the scales and to my surprise I was down two and a half pounds, which is a total so far of eight pounds and my initiation into the silver seven club began. I even got a sticker and an extra special kings chair and was allowed to choose three virgins of my choosing. Well, almost.

As I said last week, my mindset has completely changed. Normally, eating badly would throw me off any diet, but I was determined this week to get back up and start counting my ProPoints. The major challenges are still to come as I enter the Christmas period, but I have a steely determination to succeed. We have started discussing festive issues already in class and next week is alcohol which will be more than helpful.

So that’s it for another Weight Watching week. The manzier can now be binned and the belt tightened. It’s actually exciting being able to need a belt again. Hurrah!!!

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Name: Roger Wheeler

Meeting: Castle Arch Hotel, Trim

Starting weight: 15 stone 7.5lbs

Current weight: 14 stone 11lbs

Coming off the back of a weight loss in the first few weeks I was feeling a little nervous stepping onto the scales this week. This was heightened with a stag party under my belt from the weekend. But thankfully I lost a further two and a half pounds. This was somewhat surprising but I do feel it was down to getting some exercise in before the weekend, sticking to the plan and getting into the right frame of mind.

I know from past experience that if you have the mind set that you are going to be up in weight, then nine times out of ten you will be. Simply because you will break your routine of planning, pointing and eating the right foods. This can be avoided if you know that you have a couple of big nights coming up but planning the lead up to them is vital. This means you’re not on a downward slide from a successful weight loss the week before to a weight gain.

At this week’s meeting Jenny, my group leader, spoke about the necessity to exercise as well as follow the plan. This is a great way, she explained, to get the extra push to loose the few pounds while following the Weight Watchers program.

Roger has now lost 10.5 pounds and counting

Now that the weather is after turning a lot colder it can be harder to motivate yourself to put on the runners and hit the roads for a walk or a run.  I am thinking of taking up swimming or an indoor sport for the winter months.

Jenny also sends us a weekly email that contains a recipe and the ProPoints values for the meal. This week there is a nice recipe for a beef stew and with the weather that's in it, I reckon this will come in useful.

With Christmas on the horizon I really hope to reach my target of losing the further seven pounds that I set for myself last week. Only four and a half to go with four weeks left. I hope it can be done with the boost of this week’s weight loss and I am more determined than ever to get there.

Be sure to tune in next week for hopefully yet another positive progress report.