Individuality

Working for Weight Watchers brings about interesting moments.

Last night, I met a man who is in a wheelchair, living with MS.  We had to find a way to weigh him, and our scale was not a "scooter" scale, it is for an old fashioned wheelchair. 

This presented a real issue for this gentleman, actually, the couple.  He was there with his wife, who we desperately trying to help her husband.

They told me that his doctor suggested he lose weight.  However.....even his doctor couldn't weigh him, because as he has MS, he needs to be manually moved, which makes it impossible to step on a scale.  I asked how the doctor came to the conclusion this man needs to lose weight, (as he didn’t look terribly obese), and they said it was determined on his blood work.   Fair enough!

I always find peoples stories interesting.  You can never take anyone at face value. 

As I spoke to this couple, more information started coming out.  And I started to hear more details about how this man was trying to lose weight. 

He decided to take our program, calculate how much he was supposed to eat, deduct a certain percentage, based on the fact that he was stagnant in his lifestyle....and apply our program that way!

The wife was giving me this information, but as I was listening to her, I heard her words....but I saw her face!  She was very concerned about the way he was going about this.  I told her that he needs to start by doing the program as it is designed....not how he would like to design it. 

I found out, he was an accountant.  Now, I'm humored.

He has taken our number of daily points allotted to him, deducted a percentage of points because he cannot move, and factored that in to his daily food count, which puts him at a deficit that Weight Watchers does not support.

As I feel, I'm getting closer to these people by the minute, I told him, "This is a program, not a sale.  You will start by applying the program as prescribed and we will make decisions after we see how the program is affecting you".  He smiled in a way that I am all too familiar.  He's not listening, and doesn't care what I say! 

That's okay by me.  I have stated my peace, and I realize that I am not him.  I do not live with his disease, I do not prepare his food, there is nothing I can do about it.  But I tried.
.....and then moved to the next level......the emotional level.

I put my hand on his wife and I said, "Do you see her?  I can tell that she is very concerned about you and making bad choices.  She is concerned that you are not eating enough, and so am I”. 

Then I suggested a few minor, yet significant changes and told him I would like to see his tracker next week so I can assess his intake.  They agreed and most importantly, his wife looked like she had a sigh of relief!

Losing weight is hard.  Just like any decision we make to change our lives, we have to find the passion behind the decision and then make a plan to see it through.  But as we are all unique, so are our decisions to get there.

Most people come in, feeling lost and uncertain.  This couple was definitely that way.  I found comfort in knowing, that even though I am not a doctor, I have the ability to help them on some level that will make their lives a bit easier.  Even if only to listen.

I could tell by the look on the wife’s face, that she saw an ally in me.  Someone on her side who cares about her husband, and is willing to push him just a little bit to make the right decisions. 

I was touched by her caring.  I cannot imagine having the burden of caring for someone so completely, and doing it all with love.  I was blessed to meet this couple, and I will look forward to seeing them next week, when I can pull out my calculator and challenge this former accountant on another level!

Happy Friday!