“I recently had a long discussion with a good friend who was very upset with her weight loss progress lately. As we talked she kept saying to me “Terra, I’m just working SO hard and nothing is happening.”. I sure know how she feels but it sounded so much like a diet mentality. Work hard for a one, specific reward-weight loss. So I asked her what specifically about how she is living is she finding difficult.—– If this process is that tortuous and miserable then I think we need to re-evaluate what we are doing and how. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” so to speak (who skins a cat? Gross. But you know what I mean!) It is up to us to customize our lifestyle to fit our needs and wants. Weight Watchers gives us guidelines but that’s just the beginning of it. Its what we do with those guidelines and how we make them fit our lifestyle that determines our success. If we are really unhappy with the foods we are eating, we need to take it upon ourselves to change it up. Go on line, find new recipes, look for new, fun foods at the grocery, ask friends or other members at the meeting what they are eating.- If tracking seems impossible, try doing it on-line, buying the 12 week journal or creating your own food journal. Figure out a way to get yourself to do it that feels comfortable. Sometimes it’s as simple as a getting new pen or colorful paper! I’m a big fan of stickers too, as you know! Laugh if you will but if it motivates you track more, you will lose weight and then you’ll thank me!! Remaking our lifestyle is not as cut and dried as just losing weight. We need to find a sensible way to do it that we enjoy. It’s more effort, no doubt, but that is real change that lasts and is worth it. After all, our true goal is to improve our quality of life and that means enjoying the journey not waiting day in and day out for the destination.