In which I meet up with a kindred spirit

I had a real treat today as I got to spend some quality time (minus any time our kids were bugging us) with my friend Rebecca.

I met Becca 9 years ago when I was losing my weight/made Lifetime with WW. We met via the excellent forums at Dotti's Weight Loss Zone (a great supportive place for WWers), and it turns out Becca lived not very far from me. Every once in a while we'd get together, but more often we'd keep up with each other online.

After I started regaining my lost weight and giving up, I purposely drifted apart from Becca and other online weight-loss friends because, sadly, they were a reminder of how I could be living - should be living - and wasn't.

However, happy day, now that I'm back in the swing of things, the band's back together. Becca still lives in the area, so we get together from time to time to catch up. Today we were able to do so while our children played amongst themselves (for the most part).

I truly appreciate Becca and other friends because they have a very specific understanding of my life.

They understand:

Living on plan.

Living off plan and the consequences.

Juggling family, work and the WW lifestyle.

Facing temptations.

The implication of cookouts, parties, restaurants, holidays and vacations.

The exact Point value, from memory, of a cavalcade of food, and so much more.

I don't have to explain anything to Becca and others, they just know. And to these folks, roaming from grocery store to grocery store to find a specific low-Point food item isn't desperate or weird, they appreciate you doing the legwork so they can grab it, too.

I don't like the label "weight-loss" friends because they are truly friends, but the adjective is more to describe their perspective and extensive knowledge than stick them in a box. They have an empathy - especially Lifetimers getting back to goal - that is rather rare in most circles, and they are very generous in their friendship and support.

Becca is heading back to her Goal weight, too, and is doing it as she has in the past: very, very well. Check out her blog, it's an excellent, motivational read.

Thoughts on the above photo:

1. Time to retire my shirt to PJ-only land. It's too big.
2. I look crazy smug. I am not smug in real life. Well, not much...
3. Our pupils are not naturally pitch black - had to fix red eye, LOL. So I look like a smug serial killer (which may be redundant now that I think of it). Anyway, the picture on Becca's post is way better.
4. Other than all the above, lookin' good.