The Kid’s Cookin’ Now

Think losing 100 pounds is a tall order? Try doing it while earning your degree in culinary arts. That’s exactly the challenge Christian faced. Not only did he want to lose a substantial amount of weight by making an important lifestyle change but he committed to doing so while constantly surrounded by food. In his own words, “If I can lose weight despite being in that environment, anyone can.”

As a guy in his early twenties, Christian was an instant anomaly at his weekly Weight Watchers meeting. But the more success he saw, the more he shared, and the more comfortable he became; he realized that his uniqueness proved how encompassing and adaptable the Plan really was. Christian became such an important staple of his meeting, he was later asked to become a Leader himself, an opportunity he not only seized but continues to thrive in.

WeightWatchers.com: So, how does your story with Weight Watchers begin? What brought you to your first meeting?

Christian: Well, I was always a heavy kid growing up. My friends just accepted me that way because I was one of the biggest kids on the football team. But I had unhealthy eating habits; I would go to a fast-food restaurant and eat…before I would get home for dinner. I wasn’t really thinking.

When I was a senior in high school, I decided I wanted to study culinary arts, so that’s what I did. Now at a culinary college, they don’t call it the “freshman 15” — they call it the “freshman 50,” and I absolutely put that on. At culinary school, you eat everything — you eat your homework, you eat your tests — everything is consumed. So I was “doing college” but in a very uncontrolled state.

I tried to lose weight but was a yo-yoer. I would try certain diets, and that’s just what I was doing: “dieting.” I was restricting myself. I remember thinking to myself one day, Give Weight Watchers a shot — why not?

WeightWatchers.com: And what was that initial experience in the meeting like?

Christian: It was me and about 20 women over the age of 60. It was intimidating being the only guy in there. But I loved that this Plan had no restrictions. I could eat what I wanted as long as I tracked; that no-diet lifestyle worked for me. And luckily, my Leader was awesome.

WeightWatchers.com: What were some of your keys to success on the Plan?

Christian: Having a PointsPlus® budget to stay within really helped me. It nudged me toward having a salad for lunch instead of a burger. Of course, if I wanted that burger, I could still have it — I just had to track it. It’s a plan that forces you to be accountable for what you’re eating, because the scales don’t lie.

I’m in school, so of course I’m gonna go out and drink, I’m gonna eat pizza. And I did that two ways: I had my weekly PointsPlus Allowance, which gave me 49 extra PointsPlus values, which allowed me to venture out and have beer, wings, pizza. I also usually pretracked my PointsPlus values because I wanted to be controlled in that situation. If I got out of control, I would immediately know I was going over what I preallotted for. Slowly but surely, I was starting to kind of grow up and be responsible with what I ate.

WeightWatchers.com: Was your attitude toward your meeting changing too?

Christian: Definitely. Rather than being a bystander, I started to talk and engage when I formed useful habits that I thought would be helpful for others. I’d talk about how I was walking for 30 minutes a day or whatever else was working for me. That’s why Weight Watchers is great. It’s a program based on the individual; it fits any lifestyle. Once I started feeling like my experiences had the potential to benefit others, that’s when I started to share.

WeightWatchers.com: Did fitness play a role in your weight loss?

Christian: Fitness was huge for me. I couldn’t even run a mile before. When I first started, I said to myself, I want to be able to run 3 miles…soon. There was a 3-mile loop that I would walk every day, even in the rain — morning, afternoon, whenever. I made a point of going those 3 miles. Before long, I started running it. And eventually I was ready for my first 5K, which I completed in 30 minutes — I was thrilled. Recently, I did my first half marathon with my dad, and I completed it in 2 hours and 22 minutes. I was really living.

WeightWatchers.com: How did you become a Leader?

Christian: My territory manager came up to me when I reached Lifetime and said, “You’d be an inspiration if you became a Leader.” At first I didn’t want to do it — I wanted to cook. I wasn’t even sure I could do it. She was supertalented and so motivating. But just like taking on the challenge of losing weight, I decided to take on this one as well. So I joined the team.
Now I absolutely love being a Leader, sharing stories and learning about my members. That keeps me motivated. Learning what’s in my members’ heads keeps me honest. I mean, we’re still living life. I might have reached Lifetime, but I’m not “cured” — I still need to keep myself committed to being healthy, and that’s what my meeting offers me.

WeightWatchers.com: What’s your philosophy in the meetings you lead now?

Christian: I’m really big on member-to-member connection. I like to talk as little as possible and have the members communicate and share their stories. I get my story out of the way early. I need to give myself credibility. Because right away, I’m a guy — that can be a red flag, right there. But I like being a male Leader; it gives me a unique perspective. I have members tell me they appreciate how I make the meetings feel young and lively. It doesn’t feel that way to me, because that’s just the way that I operate. But if they’re loving it, I’m loving it. When they succeed, I succeed — that’s just how it works.