A conversation.
WW lady: How are you today?
Me (eyes still puffy from yesterday’s events): Not great. I haven’t been here in a while…and I know what went wrong, so please don’t ask.
WW lady: Don’t worry. I won’t.
Me: Well, maybe it depends on the person, but if I had stepped on that scale and you had asked me if I knew what happened, it would probably have reduced me to tears.
WW lady: Don’t worry.
I step on the scale with much fear and trepidation.
Me: Well, glad that’s over with.
It’s bad…but I’m not all the way back to where I started…and I knew it was going to be bad because I got on my own scale this morning.
WW lady (with just the slightest hesitation, a very calm voice and kind smile): Do you have a plan?
Me (shocked that she has the nerve to ask me anything, but glad that she was looking forward and not back): Yes.
WW lady: Good.
Me: I’m just going to focus on tracking my points…and I have a great support group.
WW lady: That’s great. (I am starting to feel better.) Just focus on that one thing. That’s it. Don’t worry about anything else. Are you planning on coming to a meeting next week?
Me (caught completely off guard as I wasn’t planning on it because I am going to be in Nashville next weekend, but I couldn’t say that so instead I just blurt out…): Yes. But I need to come on Wednesday and I don’t know when the meetings are.
WW lady (walks over to grab me a schedule): Here you go. The times that are listed are the weigh-in times. The meeting will start 30 minutes later.
Me: Okay. (I start to walk away and then realizing that she forgot to give me my new book for the week.) Could I get the book for week three?
WW lady: I’m so sorry. (And she really is.) Here’s the book, and this will be really good for you this week. It goes through all of the different meeting topics, essentially, and is full of some great little exercises for you to go through.
Me: Thank you.
End scene.
I don’t think I could have asked for a better experience today, under the circumstances. This woman, a complete stranger, but someone who has been in my shoes (at least in this regard), was so understanding and compassionate. It was exactly what I needed. Not what I got last time: an abrupt know-it-all type who (maybe) thought that shame was the best method to get me back in regularly.
So here we go again, for the third time. I have no great advice today. No deep insights. No huge lofty goals to share. Just a conversation and hope for good things to come.
existential dilemmas 
oh chloe i miss you!
when things are really crappy, they can only get better, right? At some point there has to be a bottom and the only way is up. Also, I read your comment on Denae’s blog. . . . do you know the name of the language of love book for kids?
Chloe, you are awesome for going back. Glad the WW lady was kind and supportive :o)
So glad that the WW lady was kind and supportive–with the right tones and approach.Really, the people that *clock us* in each week and the way they encourage(respond to The Scale) us almost have more of an effect than the meeting leader.You can do this!!
One week at a time….scratch that, 1 day at a time. Thats how you do it, I know how the scale at WW is. You are awsome for no matter what it says!!!! Just keep the positive attitude By the way….I absolutely love reading your blog….There’s no sugar coating.. Have youever thought about training for a TRI? now that you have conquered the 1/2 marathon?
You’re strong. You really are.
chloe — I’m so there with you about the mean workers that you want to avoid. There is one lady at my meetings that I will NOT weigh in with. She is 5’1 and weighs about 90 lbs and she lost 12 lbs to get to goal. Whatever. She is so full of herself. I think she is there just to shame us all. She looks over her little reading spectacles and pronouces our loss/gain for all to hear. I hate people like that. I’m 1/3 of the way to goal (which is the weight I am at in the picture at the top of my blog). I have ALOT more to go. I was proud of myself that I ran for 10 minutes without stopping yesterday, that is how out of shape I am. Keep at it…Weight watchers works…
I’m not sure what her name was. I was so in my own little world of suffering that I didn’t even notice.I think it’s so awesome that you are both doing it. It probably makes it a little easier on some level (even if it is embarrassing for Jayson). I always admire men who are in there. I’m sure you’ll see me in there again. I’ve got a little “accountability group” doing it together, so it should be good.
chloe, it was so great to see you there yesterday. i’ve been in and out at weight watchers too, and i’m glad I am back again. it is so hard for jayson to go. he is so uncomfortable and it makes him mean sometimes. he always sees some of his customers…its pretty embarrassing. but it is an amazing program, and i know i can’t do it without the meetings, tracking, dedication, etc. Hope to see you there again. Which girl was it anyway? I love some of them, and others I take a little extra time taking off my shoes so i don’t have to weigh in with them.