A New Year, a New Approach: Weight Watchers® Personal Coaching

This post was created as part of a relationship in which I was sponsored by Weight Watchers and given a free three month subscription to try their new Personal Coaching product and write about my experience. Though I was compensated for my time and commitment, all views, positive and negative, are my own. #WeightWatchers #WWsponsored

As we're winding 2014 down, most of us are making plans on how we'd like 2015 to take shape. Some make the same resolutions year after year, while others switch them up and attempt something new each year. Either way, the intention of improvement is still there and that is the important part! Weight loss and getting healthy are at the top of resolutions lists and for good reason: everybody wants the new year to be the best it can be and that generally starts with yourself. I've decided that I have some changes I'd like to make and I've partnered with Weight Watchers for three months of Weight Watchers® Personal Coaching to help me achieve my health goals.

One of my best friends has used the Weight Watchers program off and on over the years and I've always been amazed at her weight loss. While I've dieted and lost weight on my own, I ALWAYS gain the weight back after a while.

My friend has had great success at weight loss on the program over the years and has done a great job of maintaining her healthy weight while my scale has fluctuated all over the place as I've struggled with my "diet plan" of the moment. She and I have talked about the benefits of Weight Watchers a few times over the years and she's always encouraged me to try it for myself when I start talking about getting healthy. I've always said, "Maybe later!"

Well, later is NOW.

I'm currently about 20 pounds over my ideal weight and I'm just so ready to grab a random pair of skinny jeans out of the closet without first having to check to see if they fit. I'd like to be able to just take a photo of myself without worrying about which angle the camera is pointing, if I have a muffin top, or if my cheeks look like I'm a squirrel preparing for winter.

This photo is flattering, but it took five tries...

Weight Watchers wants people to tackle weight loss with a new perspective by changing people's relationships with food for good. Unfortunately, we can't live without food and it is everywhere we look. Did you know we make 200+ food decisions a day and that most of our decisions ultimately make us feel like a failure? The link between those decisions and our emotions is often strong. We eat when we're hungry, tired, bored, angry...and the list goes on. Weight Watchers recognizes that stuff like road trips, ball parks, gas stations and foods courts, holidays, weddings, and parties can heavily influence the way we eat and that sometimes we feel overwhelmed and powerless to make healthy eating choices during these events. This is why Weight Watchers focuses on having an honest conversation with ourselves and making a lifelong change - while eliminating guilt and personal shame on the weight loss journey.

One of my biggest issues with weight loss and getting healthy is that I travel quite often. While I eat very healthy food at home (mostly homemade), I tend to tell myself "I can eat whatever I want when I am traveling because I always eat well at home!" It makes sense right? Well, let's put that into perspective: Out of the 27 days of December prior to publication of this post, I was only HOME for 11 days. that's 26 days of eating airport food, dining in restaurants and grabbing whatever fit into my purse as I went about my travels. And then, of course, there's the "I might never be here again - I better try that famous XYZ dish."

What really struck me with Weight Watchers is their take on weight loss: Weight loss isn’t complicated. People are. That makes so much sense to me. The concept of getting healthy and how to lose weight is very simple - eat better food and eat less of it. Where I suffer the most with weight loss and getting healthy is maintaining the healthy eating, holding myself accountable and motivated to continue the journey. The coaching aspect of the Weight Watchers program is really exciting to me because I NEED A COACH. I need someone to tell me that I am doing a good job when I am on track and that I need to do better when I am traveling and decide to eat my way across a country. Eating gelato in Europe is wonderfully delicious, but the tight-fitting pants when I return home aren't so fantastic.

I went to Europe last year weighing 120...and came home substantially larger...

The Weight Watchers program has been around for 50 years, providing a weight loss system for the body and a support system for the brain with new personal coaching. Each coach has successfully lost weight on Weight Watchers, which I appreciate. It's definitely easier to receive inspiration and motivation from somebody that has "been there, done that". The new coaching starts with an initial phone conversation assessment so the coach can learn more about your lifestyle and you both can define specific problems and develop an action plan. The coach will create customized goals for each week and be available with unlimited access via phone, email, and text message for encouragement and accountability. There is also helpful information on the Weight Watchers website, including recipes and meal ideas, an online support community, workouts, coaching - there are even apps for your smartphone so that you can take the whole shebang with you, wherever you go!

I'm looking forward to real support from a person that understands where I'm coming from. They have walked a mile in my shoes, so to speak, and I think I'll greatly benefit from a person that will help keep me on track and accountable - especially through the hard parts like travel and snacking! While I am just getting started on my new journey to getting healthy and hopefully seeing a bit of weight loss, I am optimistic and excited about my involvement with Weight Watchers Personal Coaching!

After enrolling in the the Weight Watchers Personal Coaching plan, I went through an assessment where I submitted my goal weight and filled out a questionnaire about my eating and exercise habits. You even talk about your stress levels - which is something a lot of weight loss plans lack. Stress plays a huge part in my eating, so I was thrilled to see that it was taken into account. When it comes time to choose your coach, YOU actually get to do the choosing! Each coach has a small bio so that you can select someone that you relate to. For instance, there was a coach available who spends all her time outdoors and loves to cook gluten-free. I hate cooking, gluten is my most favorite thing in the world and I just couldn't see us seeing eye to eye on anything without the common bond of gluten. While it may seem silly, I think being able to see bios when choosing your coach can really help you choose the right person! I ultimately choose a woman who lives in a major metropolitan area who I thought would be a good fit.

I am excited about this, guys!! I'll have 26 PointsPlus each day to spend on food and drink and an extra 49 PointsPlus each week - which let's get real, they'll likely be spent on extra coffee creamer and pizza. With Watcher Watchers coaches available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I'm not worried - I can always get online or call and ask for help when I am nearing the end of my points and want one more cookie...

Are you struggling with getting healthy and weight loss goals? How would a Weight Watchers personal coach help you?

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