In support of the resolutioners

/ Meg

Walking into my local Weight Watchers to weigh in yesterday, I felt a ripple in the Force.

Place was packed.

I’m usually the only soul there, running in on her lunch break with hair askew. The whole process clocks roughly five minutes. A few seconds to shed my shoes and coat; a minute to chat with the kind lady assisting me on the scale; another minute or two to talk about my loss or gain, including tips on tweaking my routines.

Then I’m back in my car, back to the office. Little muss. No fuss.

But now? Well, the New Year’s get-healthy resolutioners have arrived. In droves. Three ladies were signing up for WW as I entered, all bent over paperwork with curious expressions. Another woman was seated with her iPhone, trying to navigate the app, and I felt a pang remembering my own anxiety when my husband and I joined last year. She was asking about the tracker, about how points work. It took all my willpower not to start schooling her.

I can be a know-it-all. It’s one of my least pleasant traits, honestly . . . but at least I have the good sense to be one only in my mind.

And anyway, I’m not a jerk. I was in their shoes not so very long ago. Visiting Spencer’s family last January, we were freshly engaged and eying our future — and after a conversation about health, we had one of several talks about weight. I remember pulling up the Weight Watchers site in his parents’ study, reading over the general information with a knot in my stomach.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I said.

I was scared. Scared of failure.

But I went. And I got serious. Something finally clicked for me, and it’s been a life-changing journey since.

My first step after enrolling in WW last year? Going to the grocery store. I remember plunking bananas on my desk right off the bat, taking advantage of the program’s allowance to eat as many fresh veggies and fruits as you like (zero points!).

They seemed foreign, those bananas. I didn’t usually have fresh anything hanging around. I couldn’t picture eating fruit every day, because . . . well, just because. Because I never had. Because I was used to my poor habits, used to feeling junky, used to the convenience of a granola bar or cookie instead of proper fuel.

But people can change.


Fruit


I’ve overheard folks complaining about all the New Year’s resolutioners clogging up their gyms come January 1, snagging the best machines and crowding out the regulars. Since I hate sweating and am actually rather fond of loafing around, I haven’t stepped foot in a gym in years. But I felt that same unease at Weight Watchers, where my usual five-minute stop turned into a long escapade.

But it’s okay.

We all start somewhere. Maybe World Fitness and Weight Watchers will empty out by March, haunted again by only the diehards, but maybe some of those new guys will become regulars themselves. Though we’re all on personal paths, I’m rather fond of mankind as a whole . . . and I’d like to help, not hinder. Be friendly. Be kind.

Getting anywhere starts with that single step, you know?

So I’m trying to be patient. I’ll allot more time. I’m notoriously aggravated when it comes to waiting, honestly, but I focused on chatting with the ladies in line ahead of me. I shared favorite snack tips, asked about their goals. I tried to project encouragement — something we all could use a bigger serving of each day.

That and fresh fruit, of course.


18 thoughts on “In support of the resolutioners”

  1. This is such a relief to hear/read! I have been contemplating joining a gym and had finally decided to do it, not because of a resolution, but because I think I’m finally ready for that next step. Then I heard some of my walking friends complaining about the “resolutioners” and had just about talked myself out of joining. Maybe more people will see it from your perspective and help others on their weight loss or fitness journeys instead of discouraging them. I’m probably still going to wait a few weeks, though, just to be safe…

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  2. Hi, great article! and yes it will be March, maybe the end of Feb – I worked as a clerk for WW for two years, and it’s so inspiring to see everyone start their journey to a better version of themselves. For some people, that journey may only take a few months, for others its about a new lifestyle. Good luck with it all,and Happy new year! 🙂

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  3. I’m planning on joining a gym this new year, so I’ll be one of those annoying resolutioners myself – but I will own it! Like you said, we all have to start somewhere. Your story is very inspiring and has given me great motivation to get fitter in 2014 🙂 thanks! X

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  5. I think at some point we’ve all been the ‘resolutioners’. And honestly, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stop my self from helping the woman with the app. So kudos to you for staying back from that.

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  6. I went the excercise route, but it petered out after I moved house and winter set in, hopefully I’ll pick it up again soon, but extreme Kudos to you for sticking with it AND helping others. There’s not too many who would do that.

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  7. I’ve kept your reply to my comment from a couple weeks ago in mind, and I have *not* quit WW. In fact, I’ve recommitted! It’s early days yet, so we’ll see how it goes, but so far, so good. It would really be great to have some jeans that fit again, so I’m trying hard to keep my eyes on the prize. Thanks for the encouragement! (Also, would love to hear about some of your favorite snack ideas).

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  8. Ah yes the resolutioners. But we’ve all been one, and even though I’ve been on a program of my own now for a couple of years, you always have a little renewal going on after all the holiday excess. My newest toy is my Fitbit, which I LOVE. I love new toys to keep my eye on the bigger picture. It is always fun to pick up a few more die hards around March or so 🙂

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  9. Ahhh seeing things from the other side of the grass! I remember being a little discouraged when I would head to the gym in January only to find my favorite classes packed with newbies. You’ve set a great example in this post Meg–we could all remember where we started and help and encourage those who are getting their own start.

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  12. I love this Meg. I don’t think I’ve said it before but I’m so proud of you and inspired by your journey to a healthier lifestyle (I don’t want to call it “weight loss” because it really is about so much more than that, but the weight loss is pretty impressive all on its own!). If I were one of the ladies you mentioned, new and scared and trying out something so intimidating for the first time, I’d be happy to have any bit of advice or encouragement you had to offer. In practicing patience for yourself, I bet you’ll find you’re also giving a lot of positivity to those around you, too. Happy new year! 🙂

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  13. I love your attitude! My brother-in-law was complaining about the rush of people that were going to be at his gym, but we all have to take that first, scary, step.

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  15. I love this point. I’m definitely someone who gets easily annoyed. But honestly, I think sometimes that annoyance really just comes from my own fears. I’ve been that person who resolved to lose weight and failed (numerous times I might add) and I still find myself struggling with a healthier lifestyle. I lost ten pounds over the summer but the holidays seriously impacted my progress and set me back an unfortunate amount. But everyday, I resolve to do better. I resolve to be healthier, to move around more, and to just be the best me I can be. I don’t always succeed and it can be incredibly easy to fall back into lazy old habits but every day is a new opportunity. And every day we’re all just trying to be the best we can be. If we recognize that solidarity, we can all be allies.

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  18. I think it’s absolutely wonderful that you were able to be so absolutely patient with all these “resolutioners”. I think it’s great that you’ve been able to find a lifestyle routine that works for you! Hopefully, a few more people experience that same life-changing experience that you had.

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