FA (foodaholics anonymous)

I am not the smallest person in the world, nor do I want to be. But I did decide that something finally needed to be done, and I had to do it for myself. I started out with the reasoning that I just wanted to be able to like the pictures that from my sister's upcoming wedding, but that quickly changed. So I joined Weight Watchers. After years of trying to do it on my own or with a doctor that I don't think has ever been even to the upper region of her ideal weight or even with a trainer, I decided 'why not? it's worked for my sister.' And it has worked (well up until my birthday yesterday where I ate too much and had more cupcakes (yes, with an 's') than I should have which I justified because I did have to go to work on my birthday). I have lost slightly over 45 pounds in about 18 weeks, gone down three pants sizes, and drove the lady doing my bridesmaid dress alteration crazy when I came in every two weeks or so and the dress would be more loose than what she had fit it for.

Well, in July, two of my friends from college came up to see me. We started talking about the fact that I had joined weight watchers and Rebecca mentioned that she once went to a meeting with her mom and she felt like it was "an AA meeting where people over-weight people talked about food" (not a direct quote but you get the point.) Now, Rebecca is one of those people that's going to grow up to be an old lady and people that see her walk down the street are going to go 'look at that cute little old lady'; she is 5 foot 3 or 4, and is probably lucky to weigh 115 pounds after she eats an eight course meal. And her mother is almost as small as she is, so what they were doing going to a weight watchers meeting is a mystery.

But what she said has had me thinking for the last month. And she's right... it is exactly like an AA meeting about food instead of alcohol. For a lot of over-weight people, food is their addiction. Whenever they're sad, they eat... happy, they eat... bored, they eat... angry, they eat... frustrated, they eat... stressed, they eat. Food is their comfort, their friend, their celebration. You name it and food can probably fit any situation. This is present company included... it used to be true anyways. So weight watchers is exactly like AA, it helps you find another outlet for how you deal with different situations. And they also talk about other, healthier options. So yes, I am a foodaholic, but I'm okay with that because I am now getting it under control (with the exceptions on birthdays :o) )