Summer seems to go quicker with each passing year. I always have all of these lofty goals, and then suddenly it is time to prepare for the upcoming school year. So what have I accomplished?

I began Weight Watchers on April 5 after weighing in at the same weight I was when I was nine months pregnant with my youngest. Honestly, I had given up on getting back to a weight I was comfortable with; I blamed my inability to lose weight on menopause. While menopause certainly made losing weight more difficult, I was also unwilling to give up the foods I had enjoyed all of my life. It was hard to accept that I could no longer indulge in burgers and fries and all the desserts. But I was miserable. I had to make changes, and Weight Watchers was my last-ditch effort to find myself again.

As of this morning, I am at my goal weight, having lost 20 pounds in 14 weeks. I have never stuck with any type of eating plan, so I am really proud of my progress. I no longer crave sugary treats, but opt for fruit instead. This was evident when I went to my daughter’s bakery yesterday, passed the case that was filled with deliciousness, and helped myself to a bowl of fruit. Who is this person I’ve become?

Have the last three months been easy? Not really, but they haven’t been terrible either. I have said no to many of the foods I love. I have eaten before attending parties so that I am not tempted by fried chicken, brats, or cupcakes. I have perused the Weight Watchers app before going out to dinner so that I am prepared to make a healthy choice when it comes time to order. My husband is also doing Weight Watchers, and has lost over 35 pounds. It helps to work the program together so that we can plan our meals or choose restaurants that support our needs. One of the things that has helped us become successful is making simple substitutions.

I used one such substitution at dinner last night. My brother was going to be at our house (he is also doing WW), so I made a dinner that was low in points, but also delicious. We had Alaskan cod, and I just used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray and seasoned it with Old Bay. It was so good! I had glazed carrots last weekend at Cheddar’s, and wanted to duplicate them. The copycat recipe I found was too high in points, so I found another and still made substitutions. I used baby carrots, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, and some brown sugar. While they were not quite as good as those at Cheddar’s, they were better than most I had eaten. Along with cod and carrots, we had baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon, for a total of four points! I added a dessert of sugar free pudding and fat free Reddi whip for three more points, but seven points for dinner and dessert is excellent. The best part was that we were all satisfied.

Despite an on-going hip issue, I am continuing to run. I ran a 5k on the 4th of July, and not only ran a good pace, but also won my age group. I am currently participating in challenge to run or walk 3.1 miles for the 31 days of July. I can no longer run every day, so some days I walk or I do a combination of walking and running. Oddly, my hip doesn’t hurt when I run; it mostly hurts when I sit. I have been going to the chiropractor since April, and every time it seems to be improving, it will suddenly start hurting again. I would still like to run a half marathon this fall, but the hip pain might keep that from happening. It is frustrating to try to exercise and take care of myself, only to have my body work against me.

Three weeks from today is our first teacher day at school. Being obsessive, I have my classroom set up, mandatory videos completed, and some assignments ready. While I always dread the end of summer and freedom of the days, once school begins I am always glad to be back with the kids, and back into a routine. I am also very routined with my eating when I am in school. I don’t mind eating the same thing every day, so I will have eggs for breakfast, a banana for a snack, and a 310 shake for lunch. This totals two points. If I add an English muffin to breakfast, I will have five points during the day, leaving 18 for after school. If I can maintain my weight for a few weeks, my point allowance will increase, but I am so scared I will begin to gain again. It is easy to put on weight quickly, but it takes so long to lose it.

Overall, I feel 100% better! I have more energy, I can do more physical activity, and I can fit back into my clothes. I also feel better about myself. I know that I will have to remain faithful to WW in the years to come, or I will be right back where I began. I will have to be willing to forego many of the foods I love, but giving up those few minutes of pleasure in order to feel better and add years to my life seems to be a small sacrifice. My next goal is to tone my arms and abs. I need to spend more time with strength training, as it is very important for women my age.

I have learned a lot on this journey. I hope to continue to make healthy choices and to exercise regularly. I have never had much of a problem with exercise, but I have always struggled with food choices. When I was in my early 40s, I would go for a run, and then stop at the convenience store for a Diet Pepsi and a Nutty Bar. And I lost weight. Those Nutty Bars are long gone now, but in exchange I have a healthier body.

Until next time…