"Why do you think that was?"

The medical supervision part of my medically supervised weight loss journey is being provided by Dr. Thomas Neil.  Dr. Neil himself went through the Optifit program a few years ago and lost 50 pounds or so.  I like Dr. Neil!  He also has a family practice and has now become the Scharf family's official  primary care physician.  This picture is from our first meeting.  Those of you who know my sister Kerri, who is on a parallel journey with me to health and fitness, know that she is never without a camera.  Even our first Optifit visit was a photo opportunity!

Last week, at our 6 week evaluation, everyone including Dr. Neil, was congratulating me on the great accomplishment of having lost 21 pounds.  I must have seemed less than overjoyed because everyone was also telling me that I needed to let myself be really proud of that accomplishment.  Which I was, but with SO MUCH weight to lose, 21 pounds is just a drop in the bucket. 

Dr. Neil, probing a little, asked why I wasn't more excited with my 21 pound loss.  He actually wanted a real answer.  Imagine that!  I told him that I have lost 21 pounds many times before.  I can't really see any difference in how I look.  He was kind of stubborn and seemed to want a REAL answer to his question!  Hmmm.  So I told him of my experience last year.

In January 2009 I was invited to join in at a neighboring real estate office when they launched a weight loss challenge.  We each paid $35 into the prize kitty, and would meet weekly for a lunchtime weigh-in and meeting.  Over the course of that 3 month challenge, I was the weekly biggest loser once, my team mate was the final biggest loser and as a member of the winning team I got a land fall cash price of $130!  I lost a total of 25 pounds.  Since then, in the past year and a half, I regained all the weight I lost and a BONUS ten more pounds!  So you see, until I lose 35 pounds, I'm not even back to where I was last year before I gained back the weight I lost.

                Why do you think that was? 

Another question from the good doctor!  And it stopped me in my tracks.  Again, he wanted an answer.  Why do I think that was.  Why.....    Why did I work so hard to get it off and then let it creep back on?  That's a REALLY GOOD QUESTION.  My reply, the simple, obvious and superficial answer, was this - Because I resumed eating with abandon.

Dr. Neil sort of chuckled at that and encouraged me to give some thought to the why.  That question has been on mind ever since, and I don't know the answer yet.  WHY did I resume eating with abandon?  WHY would an intelligent woman let that happen?  WHY?  It is so absolutely ridiculous!

As I have given it some thought this past week, I don't know the answer, but I do realize one thing.  An epiphany of sorts.  The weekly weigh-ins and accountability WORKS to keep me on track.  It's the common denominator in my successful periods of weight loss.  I hadn't realized this before. 

I hadn't seen this picture of Dr. Neil and me at our first meeting since Kerri emailed it to me more than 6 weeks ago.  I have to say, for the first time I CAN see a difference in how I look now from how I looked then.  So now, I have to admit, I am a little more excited with my 21 pound accomplishment!  Just a little...  ◦

"Why do you think that was?"