Weight Watchers meetings began in Gallatin on Jan. 9 at the Daviess County Health Department.
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If you missed that meeting you can still join at any time, according to leader Mary Jarboe. The “getting started” sessions will explain the food plans and the processes and the support system.
Mrs. Jarboe lost 40 pounds on the diet plan between Jan. 9 and Aug. 8. She was instrumental in convincing the organization to set up a meeting place in Gallatin.
Weight Watchers is a scientifically based program and is endorsed by the medical field more than any other diet plan, Mrs. Jarboe said. The program promotes the choice of a healthy living life-style, and since there is no other program of its kind in the county, the Daviess County Health Department agreed to allow the meetings to be held in its offices.
The next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 16, will also be held at the county health office, but because the first meeting saw 56 people attend, including three life-time members, the meetings starting Jan. 23 will be moved to the Gallatin Christian Church, which has more space to accommodate.
Weight Watchers is a “for profit” organization and charges a registration fee and a weekly fee.
“The program stresses that we have to eat to lose weight,” said Mrs. Jarboe. “Eat healthy, wholesome, nutritious foods and move more.”
Exercise doesn’t have to be extreme.
“It means walking more in everyday life,” she said. “Taking things downstairs one at a time instead of piling a basket full and making one trip. Parking further from the door. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Taking the longer route instead of the shortcut.”
There are two basic diet plans, core and flex.
“The hardest part of dieting for me is learning to control portions,” she said. “I love to eat. The flex plan allows you to eat what you want within a daily points system. A lot of people are successful on the core plan. You don’t have to track points. You eat until you’re satisfied. — not necessarily as much as you want.”
As a leader, Mrs. Jarboe facilitates the meetings. Discussions focus on a new topic each week, like nutrition and healthy habits. Members also support one another and pass around tricks of the trade.
“One of the tricks a lot of members teach is to drink a glass of water before you go out to eat,” she said. “It works a lot better than you might think.”
Everybody is invited to the meetings, including adolescents from age eight to 17. This age group is welcome but does need a doctor’s recommendation for their weight goal. While the program has a recommended weight range for adults, members can get a doctor to help decide a different goal if they think it would be more appropriate .
The program is not exclusive to women. Mr. Jarboe said when she was in leadership training in Milwaukee, Wis., there were four people from Missouri, two men and two women.
Members can celebrate achieving their weight loss goals publicly or privately.
“You don’t have to weigh in front of people,” Mrs. Jarboe said. “No one knows anybody else’s weight.”
To lost just 10% of your body weight is considered a tremendous health benefit. If you’ve tried fad diets or crash diets and they didn’t work, you might consider joining Weight Watchers. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. The Jan. 16 meeting will be at the Daviess County Health Department, and, after that, at the Gallatin Christian Church.
“You don’t put weight on overnight, and it’s not coming off overnight,” said Mrs. Jarboe.