Bea Loozer

Golden Goalies members meet each week. We all agree that the act of weighing in weekly is paramount to maintaining a healthy program. As we spend weeks, months, years together we see long-term patterns in our weight. Last week a member said she has lost over 40 lbs. since joining many years ago. A new member lost 10. Though losing 10 pounds in a couple months is unusual, members develop the habit of checking and recording weight weekly, which leads to seeing those patterns I mentioned and, hopefully, losing weight. I track my weekly weigh-in results on an iPhone; others keep a chart; and our recorder Irene has everyone’s information in her log book. Some members even keep a daily record.

Weigh-in is also tied to some challenges. No one takes our piggy pot too seriously, but each week those who gain weight drop $.15 in the pot and someone who lost weight wins the pot, which is sometimes quite small — a fact I interpret to mean it’s been a good week for the group.

Also, we have some contests to keep us motivated. Sharon recently won the bitter end envelope. She netted $10 because ten members put $1 each in the envelope and she was the final survivor in the contest — the last one to hang in there by to losing weight week after week. We occasionally have a bitter end battle go on for months before all but one member is eliminated. That’s a lot of weeks with weight loss.

We also have a four-week contest with the club offering a mystery dollar amount for the person who holds the mystery envelope. To be successful (and keep the envelope) that person cannot gain weight for four weeks or she loses the envelope. Actually, she has to lose weight at least three of those weeks. Sadly, one member this month lost for three weeks, then gained a wee bit, so she lost the envelope and any money in it. But that’s not so sad really; after all, she did lose for three weeks. A different member then had a chance to get the envelope and face the same challenge.

None of the money is awesome. But incentives are good. Besides winning a little money, the winners get kudos from the whole group. There are no put-downs for weight gains in Golden Goalies, but there sure are pats on the back for successes.

Join us for support, encouragement, shared wisdom, and some good laughs. Weigh-in is between 7:00-7:40 a.m. in the Mirror Room of Sun Lakes Country Club. The meeting starts after weigh-in next door in the Friendship Room. Contact Rita at 895-2559 for more information.