Well those meetings conflicted with some family obligations and off I was to find another meeting. I floated, for about 2 months I floated I attended a few different meetings looking for a connection. If you have been over weight and have been to a meeting with a good leader then you know what I am talking about. Some people have it some people don't. Some leaders really connect with you and take a personal vested interest in your journey.
That is all I was looking for. Someone to keep me motivated and give me the push I needed every week. After all that is what we pay Weight Watchers for. I am a monthly pass member so I pay every month to use e tools and attend meetings etc. and it was always worth it to me once I was going to a good meeting. I could do it on my own for free at home, but again it helped me so I kept at it.
Then I found Stacy. She was a leader unlike any other, she is loud, outgoing, and does not let you hide in the corner. She brings humor and light to the meetings and she takes an interest in you. She was the first leader to give out her personal phone number during meetings in case we had questions during the week or needed support. I was blown away when I attended her meeting. And I thought this is what I need, someone who will keep me accountable but who I can relate to!
And so I settled in once again to a great weekly meeting which was only 7 minutes away from my home. Being a full time working, part time schooling, mom to a toddler, this is most important a meeting I can run over to in a few minutes, a meeting the toddler can come to without feeling judged. And Stacy gave me that. She got interested in my journey and even got me interested in working for Weight Watchers. 9 other leaders I had been working with and not a one had given me the dream to come work for the team and tell me how inspiring I could be to other people.
Then tonight an announcement was made that Stacy would no longer be doing out meetings. They told us that Weight Watchers corporate has decided to move her out of the meeting and she is being replaced with someone brand new. When I asked why, I got no answers and was told I could go to her other meetings which are 30 minutes away in the inner city. Making those meetings would be a logistic night mare and I would not be able to get there every single week. When I called corporate to complain of this, they claim that they do not make the decision to move leaders around and had no idea what was going on. I am waiting for a call back.
So here I am, sitting here pondering why I should even continue going to meetings because I hate being lied to and I feel someone is not telling me the truth. I feel betrayed and disappointed that a company I have trusted to guide me through the most difficult journey of my life has let me down. And there were many other members at my meeting who feel the same way.
So this comes as I have been struggling with getting to "lifetime" goal weight, I have been wrestling with this because I am physically small and happy with myself but according to my BMI I have to lose 5 more pounds to be at lifetime. So I sit and wonder, is it time to cut my ties with Weight Watchers and focus on my training and clean eating only? I planned on talking about it more with Stacy but obviously now that is not an option...
We shall see, I am curious to see if I will get some answers to the leader situation from Weight Watchers corporate whom I called today.
Let me know your thoughts please!
14 comments:
It could be a "corporate" decision but made by the regional manager. I know all of the leader shifts here are done by the guy who manages this region. They are still referred to as corporate decisions though.
It would be a shame to quit WW when you are so close to lifetime. Have you thought about getting your doctor to write a note for you? They will adjust your lifetime goal. I know its hard to lose a leader and meeting that you love. Hang in there and stay strong!
I'm so sorry! That must be SUPER frustrating! I have no advice since I've never done WW, but I bet you have the skills to strike out on your own.
Great weight watchers got you to this point.
Over the last few weeks reading how you do your workouts, your enthusiasm for training and wanting to achieve your goals I believe you can now go it alone.
I'm sure if your prefer to have company there are other at weight watchers who might feel the same or grab some local friends who might join in for a regular workout .. but I think you've got what it takes to say Good Bye WW.
If you are unsure of how to progress there are millions of books with reviews on the good ones or online programs maybe get a personal trainer once or twice a month to keep things moving forward.
Whatever you do you'll definitely get there guarantee it!
Do you have her home phone number? Give her a call, let her know what you are thinking. She sounds like a wonderful motivator who will give you great advice. I have no doubt you can do it on your own, but you don't want to fall into your old habits, so I would suggest you get those last 5lbs off and become Lifetime, that way you can always have that support. I totally get everything you are saying, I have been through alot of leaders as well, but because you have her personal info, let her know what you are thinking and go from there. Good luck, I know you will be fine:)
Yes Mel I know it was made by the regional manager, I am a bit annoyed that she did not even show up last night to introduce the new leader and explain her decision.....
Jennifer I am not sure about getting a note, I dont want to accept defeat just yet you know what I mean?
Thanks Raymond. I am quite sure I could do it on my own, I just honestly like the concept and plan of weight watchers and was hoping to hit life time and start doing a meeting or 2 to help inspire others.
Love, yes I called her and she is encouraging me to keep going. I am just frustrated with the entire situation still.
just my opinion:
it's not about Stacy, it's about you and the 98 lbs you already lost. Are you focusing on the right thing? Are you finding excuses not to get to Goal? fear of failure or something?
Don't mean to be rude - I come across these type of inner issues in myself and have to take a look inside from time to time.
So annoying. The WW leader at our work is a guy and he's TERRIBLE so I didn't join. I hope someone gives you an answer.
Sorry to hear about you leader. I to think you should finish what you started. Only because you are so close to your goal weight. I dont want this to be a set back for you. If you dont go to the meeting maybe you could go just to weight in so that you are made accountable. I am a lifetime at ww. I was so excited when I reach my goal weigh. You can do this. Just try to think of it as a new challenge.
You've come a long way, right! give ww the boot and start your own thing!!
Save $$ and stress
I go to WW meetings as well, and know just how much leaders can make or break the experience. I've had two awesome leaders - and both had to step down due to life issues. Think they spoiled me, now the other leaders aren't matching up. Frustrating.
For me, I need meetings - they reset my focus every week. Even with how much I've got going on, I start to slip if I don't have the support group at least every couple of weeks.
Maybe try taking a couple weeks away from meetings, see how it affects you? See if you have more trouble than usual?
For me, I'm muddling my way through finding new leaders ... and I'm taking notes. I plan on becoming a WW leader someday, so I'm learning from those that aren't so good just as I did from my awesome leaders.
I, too, am a bit frustrated with Weight Watchers. I have lost over 200lbs with Weight Watchers. I was 388lbs and I am now 170. Weight Watchers works really well. According to my BMI I should be 160 but, I have spoken toa doctor who has told me that excess skin is the rest of the weight I carry and that losing it would not be advisable for me as I cannot afford the 25 thousand dollar surgery. it could cause some serious health issues. I have spoken to weight watches about being a leader. (Everyone in my meeting room is inspired by me and even encourage me to become a leader) and I was told I could not because of the BMI. Which, I find ridiculous.
I know your pain! I too joined and had a fabulous leader & even had a few really great ones come to fill in. About 2 months after starting she had to give them up to take a better opportunity. I was crushed! I loved the way she "confessed" to us her own struggles & that it was not just short term to reach a goal but a journey! I stuck with it & made lifetime. I went out on my own for a while, got busy with life. I did start to notice that I was feeling like I was slipping.
Some very close friends had finally seen how well I was doing & asked if I was still going :( I started going back with them! I have now dropped 8 more lbs since! I still don't LOVE the leader. She just don't inspire like the other & it feels more like a classroom now. Just lacks spunk! But I have taken that as an inspiration too, I want to be that kind of leader for people like us who love that! I have already submitted my app!
Don't give up! If you are interested to helping others go for it! Good luck!
M
It sounds like you would be an amazing leader yourself. Have you thought about passing it forward?
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