Weight Watchers let me down :(

Before Tina and Weight Watchers:

Yup.  That's me at my most miserable.  My dad convinced me I should join Weight Watchers because he had been doing it and he'd lost 50 lbs.  So I tried it.  Went to Thomson bright and early one Saturday morning, and attended my first meeting.  I lost 3.2 lbs. the first week, and within the fist 6 months, had dropped over 50 lbs.  My highest total weight loss had been at 70 lbs. 

Then life happened, the boy lost his job for 9 months and I gained 15 lbs. of it back.  Oh well, I still went to the meetings and let Tina and the other women motivate me.  I had gotten back on track, with my last weigh-in losing 4 lbs.  :)  I was happy that Saturday.  Monday afternoon I get a call saying Tina had been let go as the group leader.  :(

I'll be honest with you, the last week and a half hasn't been easy.  Those 4 pounds (and probably more) have come back, and I need my Tina.  It's like someone broke up with me out of the blue.  Or my therapist got fired and we weren't finished fixing me.  I said a year ago when they were thinking of having a meeting here in town that I would go and support the new meeting, but I'd still weigh in Thomson with Tina.  She's my girl, and her motivation and accountability are what I need.

But the powers that be in Augusta decided she couldn't be leader anymore unless she committed to attending voluntary staff meetings on Sundays.  Look, the woman has a husband and three children.  They both work full time, and the only family day they have is on Sunday.  You just asked her to choose between her family and her members.  Come to find out, the woman replacing her is paid less than Tina.  Wonder if it's $800 less a month.  That's what they've lost so far (that I know of) in monthly memberships that were cancelled.  Cancelled because of the decision to fire Tina. 

This woman is the sweetest woman you could ever imagine - monday night people who never attended WW showed up to sign the petition to re-instate her, including the President of the School Board.  :)  Yay.  So many people are hoping that this works!  I know I personally would tell WW to kiss my ass if the same thing had happened to me, but Tina won't.  If they ask her back, she'll come back.  Helping her girls is more important than her pride.

When I cancelled my membership I told them that I needed and wanted to be there, but their actions have prevented that.  I don't want to give $40/month to a company that cares more about making money than making money in the process of helping people.  Bring Tina back, and I'll be the first one to call and start again.  She thanked me for supporting her during this.  I asked her what else I was supposed to do, she supported me for 2 1/2 years.  We are trying to get her to start her own weight-loss support group.  Because, even though I've come a long way, I'm not done yet.  And she's not done with me yet, either.  :)

Thanks, Tina.  You helped me get to this point, and I love you forever for that.  ♥

60 (or so) lbs. lighter.