Category: Life as I Know It

My everyday life as a woman, wife and mother.

Chapter 1: How to Join Weight Watchers

Okay folks, I’ve officially been a Weight Watcher for almost two weeks now and I’m already seeing success. Yay! The best part about this plan is that I can eat tons of zero point foods during the day so that I don’t ever really feel hungry. If I start feeling a bit empty, I can eat an apple, peel a banana or even grill up a whole skinless chicken breast if that’s what sounds yummy.

Since I’m enjoying this program right out of the gate, I decided to start my story with a quick guide on how to join Weight Watchers. I researched the program online and also joined via that venue, but I’ve seen several people walk right into a meeting and join on the fly. If you’re like me, I like to know what I’m getting into and look for red flags before I commit myself (and my pocketbook) to a timely endeavor. With that being said, I went straight to Weight Watchers online at www.weightwatchers.com.

how to join weight watchers

Once you are at the WW website, you can read all about the program, view success stories and get the lowdown on pricing options. Of course the longer the term the better the pricing, but it seems like they have been offering special deals all month long. I purchased a three-month membership that included the weekly meetings and the online app (which is totally awesome). You can just purchase the app or even opt for personal coaching if you decide those might be better options for you, but I was told at this week’s meeting that research has proven that people who attend regular meetings see more success. I haven’t actually seen the research, but I’m just sayin’. . .

To find out more about the pricing options, click on the “Pricing” tab at the top of the page. In the middle of the pricing page you should see the three membership choices. You can click on each of these tabs to read more about the different options. When you are ready to make a choice, click on the tab you want and then click on the orange oval below those tabs that says “continue with . . .” for the choice you want to make. You will be taken directly to a page that shows a price breakdown for your particular plan choice. You can view all the details related to a plan and then click on the blue box that says “Select this plan” to make your choice. You will then go to a page that asks for personal information and then payment options that are easy to follow. I will tell you that once you pay, you are active immediately. So if you don’t plan to start right away, you might want to hold off on the purchase until you are ready.

join weight watchers

Speaking of meetings. . . here are a few tidbits about finding the best fit for you. Before you decide to sign on with Weight Watchers, you might want to make sure that there is a meeting time and location that works for your lifestyle. Here again, the WW website makes this a simple task.  On the page with the three membership tabs (shown above), simply scroll down until you see a heading called “Convenient Locations” and click on the “Find a Meeting” link. When the new page opens, simply put in your zip code and hit the search button to the right. Voila! You will then see all the meeting locations near you. If you click on a meeting location, you can then see all the meeting times and leaders.

join weight watchers

The most confusing thing for me about selecting a meeting, was that I thought I had to commit to a meeting time and location and sign up for that particular one. This is not the case. You can show up to any meeting at any time and you will be welcomed with open arms, although those arms really only want to hug you once a week.

There’s a little note at the bottom of the meetings page that urges newcomers to arrive at their selected meeting 30 minutes ahead of time. I think this only applies to people who haven’t signed up ahead of time, because you will need to fill out paperwork and submit payment, which takes a bit. If you join online as I did, you can simply arrive about 10-15 minutes early, wait your turn if there is a line, show your membership information via your smart phone and tell them you are new.  At this point, your friendly WW staff member will step up and take good care of you.

*****

Want to know what happens at those not-so-super-secret Weight Watchers meetings? That’s next, so come back soon or subscribe via email to never miss a post.

 

Prologue: My Weight Watchers Story

Prologue: My Weight Watchers Story

5870749384_220953388aWith the new year comes resolutions, goals and promises that we hope will renew our lives, transform our bodies and lift our souls. . . fast forward to February and many of us will have already thrown in the towel.

This year, like most others, I decided it was finally time to lose weight and get fit via a lifestyle change. Sounds great, eh? Kind of like all the other times I decided “The Weight is Over.” I’ve tried time and again to shed several pounds and beef up my exercise routine (I even managed a 5k a few years ago), but I ultimately end up in the same spot with a big “F” on my report card in the subject of health. Perhaps it’s the 40-something of it all, because gone are the days when I can quickly shed several pounds with a few tweaks to my diet. *sigh*

After several attempts at mastering a healthy lifestyle the same old way and getting the same result (y’all know the definition of stupid, right), I decided to take a different approach toward my goal. I looked at my personality, past successful situations and things I enjoy, and realized that a solo journey may not be the answer for me. I like to think I am strong willed and valiant enough to go this alone, after all I know what a healthy lifestyle looks like, but in reality I’ve always been a team player. Literally. I played softball, basketball, even a little Intramural football and I thrive on the comradery and accountability that comes with belonging to a team working toward a common goal.

Since I’m such a people person and belonging to a group suits me, I decided to adjust my weight loss approach to capitalize on the strength of numbers. So this week I decided to join the seemingly unglamorous ranks of the Weight Watchers. You know, that mysterious organization that was born before I was and has mesmerized an aunt, mother or family friend on and off throughout the years with special meetings, point counting and quirky little calculators. Yup, that’s the one!

After a bit of research into popular weight-loss programs, I decided that Weight Watchers has a proven record and most closely supports the ultimate lifestyle change I’m seeking. There are oodles of success stories associated with the program and meetings are even led by folks who have “been there and done that.” Plus, there is very little commitment if it doesn’t seem to be the right fit (yes an emergency exit, if you will).

So I’m joining a team and pulling on a new jersey (hopefully one that will be four sizes smaller this time next year) to lean on the strength of numbers. I’ll keep you posted here at Small Talk Mama on the ins and outs of it all and hopefully reveal a few lessons along the way.

If you are interested in joining me at Weight Watchers (there’s a special offer valid until Jan. 8, 2018) visit them online at https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/

 
photo credit: ElliGill thirtynine 25062011 via photopin (license)

A Few Instagram Favorites of 2017

A Few Instagram Favorites of 2017

I absolutely must say that Instagram has become my favorite social media platform during the last couple of years, probably because I love to express my own self through photography so much. I can enjoy a quick look at all the quirky, beautiful, fun and amazing photographs in my feed without having to wade through all the opinions and sharp words that often come with other forms of social media. If the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” is true, then I can uncover a million stories in a fraction of the time it takes to scroll through Facebook.

So in the spirit of sharing a tiny glimpse of life and welcoming the new year, I want to pass along some of my favorite Instagram moments from 2017. But before I show you my picks, I want to pass along the top nine most liked photos according to Small Talk Mama’s followers and the stats. Here they are:

Best9of2017A

Okay, so while I don’t think stats lie, I do think they often fail to tell the whole story. Some of these top photos garnered likes because they were associated with a project or challenge, which adds lots of nontraditional traffic to a particular post. . . and why a photo of my curtains made the list, I’ll never know. So let’s forget the data for a bit while I share a few of my 2017 Instagram favorites you might have missed. . .

 


 

 

#kansascityzoo on a beautiful March afternoon.

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on

 

 

What a crew at the Tulsa Zoo! #tulsazoo

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 


 


 


 

 

First splash of Memorial Day. #memorialdayweekend #swimming #familyfirst

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 

 

Formal night

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 

 

This is Alaska!! #summervacation #cruise #hollandamerica #family

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

 

Happy birthday big boy!

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