One Great Routine to Help you Lose Weight

I've been around Weight Watchers for enough years to see that they change some part of their program nearly every year sometime between November and January. Some years the changes have been big and some years the changes have been small.  Back in October I attended a meeting where the leader told us that the program was not changing so we could purchase any discounted products and know that they would still work fine in the new year.  Then in November when I attended a meeting I was introduced to the "new" program called Weight Watchers 360.  As far as I could tell from the materials handed out, the discussion in the room and the WW website, there was little to no change.

As I have continued to go to meetings I have seen a few of the small changes that were made.  Starting in December I saw one of the changes come to the meeting room.  It was the "Routine of the Month."  December's routine was to pack a snack.  It was a fine reminder to pack a snack when going out and about but nothing that hit me intensely.  I think that I was too focused on Christmas food to care much about packing a snack.

This month the "Routine of the Month" made a ton of sense to me.  This month we are being told to set a new routine of eating a fruit or vegetable with every snack and meal.  If you are a pretty health conscience person who has been watching your health for a good amount of time you may not be hit tremendously by this idea......at first.  That's how I felt in the meeting room when the leader first introduced the routine.  Then as the conversation kept going I saw how it could be more of challenge than I thought.  I thought that I ate plenty of fruits and veggies each day but I am realizing that I can do even better. I will toot my own horn and tell you that it is rare for me to have a meal without a fruit or veggie.  My confession would be that it is very common for me to have a snack that does not include a fruit or veggie.  I love to snack on granola bars, string cheese, yogurt, crackers, pudding and other foods that are not in the fruit and veggie category. I have always thought that these snacks really are pretty healthy.  After all, they are not candy or ice cream.  But I've recently realized that they can certainly be a lot healthier.

Since my meeting on Tuesday I have challenged myself to have a fruit or veggie with every snack or meal.  On Thursday I shared my new routine with my family. I told them that we should all try this new routine.  My husband, Bryan, agreed with no problem.  He and my son Jason then decided that potato chips would count as their vegetable at snack time. I was not impressed by their enthusiasm.  Regardless, the whole family has been trying to make that a new routine.  It is a fabulous routine that I look forward to eventually call a habit.  I have think more about eating fruits and veggies than I thought I would.  It's not automatic. It's not nearly as easy as I thought I would be. It's going to take work but it will be worth it.

Now when my kids ask for a snack I tell that that they can have one but need to remember to include a fruit or vegetable.  I've even taken it a step further and told them that they need to eat the fruit or veggie first and then if they are still hungry, can have something else too.  Somehow it's easier to remember this "rule" when I am telling them than when I am grabbing a snack for myself.  Would anyone like to volunteer to be the person that I ask for a snack when I want one?

Have a great day,
Corinna

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13