Anybody a Weight Watchers leader?

[koima]

Having a leader you connect with makes such a difference! I have a lot of weight to lose (about 100 lb left) and I couldn't identify with someone who lost 14 lb. I don't think I'd feel like they understood the very long term investment in time and effort it is to lose this huge amount. I'm sure a leader who lost 14 lb and kept it off has done their fair share of work to do it, but it's just not in the same ball park in my mind. But it's good to have someone who has lost less and can more easily identify with someone who has less (but still stubborn!) weight to lose. Different leaders are right for different people, so it's good that there is a variety.

I wrote on my blog awhile back about a really terrible WW substitute that we had in our meeting several times. I called corporate about her and they were surprised at how unprofessional she was. When my leader knows she's out and the sub will be there, she warns me in advance so I can attend a different meeting! Here's what I wrote then:

We had a substitute Weight Watchers leader today and I didn't care for her as much as our regular leader. She started the meeting talking about how she'd gained weight recently (really motivating!) When talking about activity, she said she's not exercising. I brought up the Couch to 5k that I started earlier this week (followed by the ice cream truck, haha) and she said, "Well, I can't do that because I can't run."

Another woman talked about how hard she's finding it to avoid ice cream when her kids are taking a nap because she feels like she deserves a reward, and the substitute talked about having smaller portions or just eating Weight Watchers ice cream, ignoring the reason behind the eating and the option of changing the habit to something else nurturing to her, like painting her nails or reading a book or taking a bubble bath, etc. I can see how having a meeting leader that encourages you makes such a difference. My regular meeting leader leaves me motivated and excited about the next week, and today I left a bit annoyed.

And the second visit, after which I called corporate:

The Weight Watchers leader substite I didn't like was back again. She started the meeting by saying she'd gained 5 pounds and the scales must be off. Well, I lost 3.8 lb and am counting on them being right! Then she goes on to talk about how she started out SO fat at 170 lb. and how did she let herself get so big, and talking to a new woman about how it's good that she started WW before really getting heavy. Um, HELLO!? I'm starting out at 311 lb. and my GOAL is 165. I'll be THRILLED, jumping up and down and hugging anyone who will let me, when I reach 170 and even then it will take more than a year of hard work to get there. I almost left in the middle of the meeting, but I wanted to tell her how discouraging that was. She talked again about how she doesn't exercise, but she has heard it can help. Our regular leader is at a bowling tournament and she said the regular leader was "almost fanatical" about exercise. WHAT?

After the meeting, I told her that I found talking about the weight in numbers really discouraging, since she was feeling so horrible about being at my goal weight. She said that's not what she meant, and I'm taller and she has smaller bone structure besides (taller by two inches and who can see my bone structure under all this padding?), and that she was eating unhealthy and not at a good weight for her. I said she should say she was eating unhealthy and was uncomfortable at her weight instead of saying how terrible 170 is. I'm still feeling discouraged and will be mentioning it to my regular leader next week. (I find my regular leader inspiring and incredibly helpful. She has lost 140 lb. and I can identify with her.)

At the second visit, she was talking about how someone stood outside an at-work meeting eating a big bagel slathered with cream cheese, seriously describing the bagel, cream cheese dripping off of it, etc. I had been on Core and doing really well at avoiding refined flours and extra fat and I left craving a bagel and feeling so discouraged. A good leader makes such a difference.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Wow, that sounds like a horrible leader. When I lose the weight I would love to be a leader. I plan to lose about 55 pounds, but I'm scared that people will judge me negativey because my starting weight is many people's goal weight. But it is medically considered obese for me because of my height. So I guess a leader should not say what their starting weight was? I'm honestly curious. Or was it simply the way she said it?

 

[koima]

I think they shouldn't say their weight at all, for exactly that reason. If you have 55 lb. to lose to be medically in the healthy range, then I doubt anyone will be upset that you're losing that 55 lb. The leader was not significantly shorter than I am, which was part of the rub for me! Had she talked about how being X amount overweight made her feel would have been just fine - she felt heavy and unable to participate in activities and her joints hurt, or she wanted to avoid diabetes, or she just wanted to feel prettier, all a-okay. Saying how 170 lb. was just so miserable, and telling a woman it's good she started now before she got really big in front of a room full of really big women? Not okay!

 

[cepmom]

I think they shouldn't say their weight at all, for exactly that reason. If you have 55 lb. to lose to be medically in the healthy range, then I doubt anyone will be upset that you're losing that 55 lb. The leader was not significantly shorter than I am, which was part of the rub for me! Had she talked about how being X amount overweight made her feel would have been just fine - she felt heavy and unable to participate in activities and her joints hurt, or she wanted to avoid diabetes, or she just wanted to feel prettier, all a-okay. Saying how 170 lb. was just so miserable, and telling a woman it's good she started now before she got really big in front of a room full of really big women? Not okay!

I totally agree.....I have never heard a leader talk about their begining weight; only the amount of weight that was lost. To tell a room full of overweight people how awful it was to weigh xxx is inconsiderate. I'm sure many people would be thrilled to get to that weight and consider that a great accomplishment (which it is!)

 

[Lucky4me]

I do know that last 10-15 pounds is the hardest to lose, so I could listen to and respect a leader like that.
I've had some doozies for leaders before. One woman lost 125 pounds and every. single. meeting. pulled out her life sized before and after posters. Problem was, she still looked like she needed to lose 50 pounds or more. She wasn't really about teaching and helping, she was about preaching and bragging.
Another woman talked about her kids the whole meeting and passed around their photos. She was so dull I wanted to fall asleep most of the time.
Then there was the one who was BFF's with two or three people attending the meeting and spoke directly to and only to them. I felt as if I was an intruder and so do everyone else.
Yep. I've seen a lot come through that building.
Now if I could only go on and stay on the program and lose the weight myself, I could be a leader.

 

[ms.yt]

I had to go to the same meeting with the "almost 14 pound" leader because I couldn't make it to any other meetings this week. Apparently I wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed with her because I was the only one at the meeting today. I lost 2.4 pounds, though!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I had to go to the same meeting with the "almost 14 pound" leader because I couldn't make it to any other meetings this week. Apparently I wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed with her because I was the only one at the meeting today. I lost 2.4 pounds, though!

Uhmmm. . .do something for me as an old leader who likes WW and thinks it does a lot of good? Not in the spirit of meanness or anything, but just as a nice gesture. . .

Look on the back of your materials. Your weekly booklet or your weigh-in booklet or whatever. There will be a 1-800 number.

Call that number and suffer through until you get to speak with a live person. Ask to speak with the manager for your meeting. If asked, tell them what you've told me. You'll probably get a call back from someone known as a Territory Manager. This is usually a very nice woman who is in charge of all the leaders. Tell her what you've told us. The 14 lbs thing won't be the issue here, but your leader's attitude will be. The Manager can work with the leader and get her back on track or find someone who will be better suited for your meeting (one would hope).

If the meeting closes because of low attendance, it will be that much harder for people who want to lose weight to get to a meeting. Think of it not as trying to punish a leader, but as trying to get something good for anyone who is just starting his/her journey towards health.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I had to go to the same meeting with the "almost 14 pound" leader because I couldn't make it to any other meetings this week. Apparently I wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed with her because I was the only one at the meeting today. I lost 2.4 pounds, though!

Yay!!!! 2.4 pounds is great!!!!!

I'm doing WW and I love my leader. She is inspiring, caring and just wonderful. I look forward to going to my meetings every week. The weight is coming off slowly and although that may discourage me, I still love my leader and the whole WW experience.

I hope that you find a leader soon! You deserve a good experience! If you're ever in Allentown, PA, I can give you the name of a WONDERFUL leader!

Best of luck!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I thought of you tonight. First Weigh In at my new location and chosen meeting time. I have to apologize to you because I kind of thought you were overreacting, I've never had a leader who rubbed me the wrong way like that. Until tonight.

I just moved to a new city and tonight was my first night at the new location and time I chose.

I was going to be a good girl and stay for the meeting tonight but the leader was a total turn off. He rubbed me the wrong way the minute I walked in. He was in the other room and I thought he was a very loud and self absorbed member. Then I realized he was the leader! Before I even went into the room I asked her if he was the normal leader. If so, I was going to have to try another time. She said he is not, just filling in for the leader who is on vacation.

He apparently is a preacher by trade and has the yelling/preaching style of speaking. I do not come to WW to be yelled/preached at. I prefer a leader who is more conversational and actually listens to their members intead of talking just to hear the sound of their own voice. The last straw was when he was talking about how he thought he just might have diabetes because he was sooooooooo fat and how it was the end of the world and how he asked everybody to pray pray pray and thank God he didn't have diabetes. Now he's skinny and will never get it. As somebody with diabetes, hearing this kind of complete ignorance about my disease just rubbed me the wrong way.