I was subbing for a WW leader in Patchogue last night and had a great time with the group. When I introduced myself to them, I told them about my total weight loss and there followed the inevitable question - How long did it take you?
I guess that's important to us as Americans, who live life on the run. We're probably the only nation on earth who will even stand in front of a microwave shouting, "Hurry up!"
I told them fifteen years and there was a gasp. I think some people reckoned I was kidding, but I wasn't. From the first time I joined Weight Watchers in Miller Place in the summer of 1992 to the moment I became a Lifetime Member in Selden in May 2007, it was virtually 15 years.
Of course, I must add that I was not following the WW program for most of that time frame. There were short bursts of activity and enthusiasm, varying between a few weeks and a few months during that period, but the truth is I didn't get to where I wanted to be until I joined for the fifth time and determined to stick at it.
It's that commitment that is tough to follow through on, but the better we are at it, the more satisfied we will be giving an answer when someone asks, "How long?"
