Hi Ladies,

It seems our group has shrunk considerably, so I am wondering if anyone has any ideas about threads that we should cancel or combine, as well as your thoughts on continuing with posting in general. I don't want to abandon the site, but it seems that so few of us post anymore. I guess I am wondering about other people's thoughts. We have stopped a lot of the other daily threads due to lack of interest, so I am wondering which ones we need to keep as far as which ones are important to you. I really miss the threads where people shared a little more about their days, etc. But it seems that either most of us aren't willing to be that open, or they don't have the time to post in that way. I guess for me, that was one of the biggest helps - to share my own struggles and successes and to help others with them. I am not sure that I will continue if all we do is a quick daily post of OP. But that is just my opinion.

Please share your thoughts too, so we can decide as a group where to go.

Thanks,
Uki

I just came online to check in here, and I cannot tell you how much this site has meant to me. As you can tell from my posts lately, I have really been struggling, and this site has been a real anchor for me. The most valuable threads have been the daily OP thread, and despite my struggles, the weigh-in thread has helped too. I am so inspired by those you who have more successfully negotiated this journey and would welcome the chance for more support by getting to know each other better. It would be a tremendous loss to me personally as well to our whole community, for this site to no longer be here. Sincerely, Maajida

I would miss this site if it wasn't here. Check it several times a day. I would encourage everyone to include how their day is going in the OP thread. Just posting OP doesn't do much for me. I have to include more about my plans or how things are going. Just putting down my thoughts is very helpful for me.
I also like to see the weekly weigh ins. It gives me a place to be accountable in a somewhat public place. It is also encouraging to see how others are doing.
The exercise accountability posts are good for me also.
Maybe we could try posting recipes that we find that are very good.
Don't know what the answer is. Why are people leaving? We may have to face the end of the board sometime if I remember right Aimee only had this paid up for a few months when we switched to here.

Pat

I too would miss this site and it does seem like we have shrank down in participants lately. I'm wondering how many people are around and just lurk and never post?? We do need some fresh thread topics though. I have this site open all day while I'm at work I would hate to see everyone else leave. I've tried other message boards in the past and this one has always been my favorite. Come on guys, what can we do to keep it alive and interesting.

I don't post as much anymore because, I've been doing so poorly at staying OP. I feel everyone else or most everyone else here has their act together and I'm the only screw up. I think we should have a thread of when we don't stay OP. That would help me know that I'm not the only one struggling, (not that I want anyone else to struggle). It would be like a confession thread.

I also think I'm the only one here that has a lot of weight to lose and everyone else in on maintenance. I do applaud all of you for being OM because I also know how hard that is. I don't know, these are just my thoughts. I like this site a lot, I check it several times everyday, even though I don't post. I do think there are probably a lot of lurkers that read and don't participate. Just my 2 cents worth.

Laura

Laura,

I am not on maintenance yet. I still have about 35-40 more lbs to lose. I'm not sure who else is still losing but I know I struggle with being OP. I log in in the morning and say I'm OP...but like last night, I blew it.

I miss when Jeancat used to do the food finds/reviews etc. I loved reading those.

I am with you - I would miss this board very much too. I guess I was starting to feel like maybe folks were posting not so much because they wanted to, but because it was just a habit.

I agree we need to change something to keep it interesting. I like the ideas of adding a little more about your day when you post OP. I also think the struggles/confessions thread would be great. It wasn't so long ago that I struggled terribly with binge-type behavior, and it was SOOOOO helpful to get it off my chest and to have others reply that they had been there too.

I always felt like this group was supportive and kind. I felt safe coming here whether I was doing well or not and my goal would be for everyone to feel that way. I would MUCH rather hear from everyone on a regular basis even if things are going terribly. I don't want you to feel like you can only post if things are going well. Part of the whole struggle for me was working through that. Success is a continuum - it is not black and white. It was a 2 steps forward/1 step back process for me. I had to make little changes and then fail a couple more times before I could move forward. Forgiving ourselves is all part of it too. No one is perfect and this is real life which means we can lay out all the best intentions and still fail miserably. What matters is where we go from there.

So, please keep posting your ideas and let's get this board moving in the right direction. If anyone has ideas and wants to volunteer to head anything up - I am all ears!

Hugs,
Uki

Laura, I'm not on maintainance. I've lost 64# but still have 62 to lose to get to my goal. None of us are perfect and I think we learn from other's struggles. So please post how things are going. Sometimes just writing the words will help you see where the problem is and may encourage you to get back on track.

Pat

I check this site every morning before I leave for work. I don't always post, but look here for the support of others. I would hate to lose this site!

I check the site a few times during the day usually. I love to hear about everyone else's struggles too because that's what life is filled with! I have found tons of support with you ladies here. I think the recipe thread would be fun too. But maybe we can just start posting our struggle for the day and how we overcame it.

I also think we should just keep the weigh in post going but not make Tobe start the post every time. And we shouldn't make Tobe start all of the other posts. That takes a lot of time for her.

I really dont want this site to go. It has been just as good as if not better than my meeting. I have not been able to post as much as I had been this winter due to all the activities my children are in and all the out door work we are doing to our house. I think the ideas that have been brought up like the recipie thread and the confessional are great. I also agree the weigh in thread should stay If that is some thing I can take over for a while I will sure do that. I get really excited when I have lost and I not only get to tell my meeting friends but all you as well.

I do love the op thread. It is interesting hearing about all your lives. and the weather if that is what that days conversation holds!!

I will probley do an op in the morning and then a check in at night to say how I have done. I dont have alot of time in the morning to post before getting my self to work and my children to daycare.

Uki you let me know if you need me to take over some of the daily posts. I would be glad too.

Anyone read any good motivational articles/stories they could share? Any good quotes/poems? How about those that go to meetings, share some of what was discussed at your meeting with the rest of us. I do the online/at home program, so I miss those discussions from meetings Anyone have any helpful websites that they go to often for support? I did find one I'll share with you all, it's thedailyplate.com. I used it the other day to find points for an Applebees dish that was not WW. It's a web site.

I'm still brainstorming this morning.

Carrie, A great website I like going to daily is weightwatchen.com. Roni,(who runs the site) has a lot of great low fat recipes. She does them on video so you can watch her. She also has her toddler son helping her cook on the videos, so cute. She blogs with helpful ideas almost daily, check it out.

Laura

Laura,

I love her site! I found her awhile back. She is really good about whipping up meals with stuff you'd have on hand.

Okay...I admit it...I'm a lurker , but I check this site several times a week and recommend it to alot of people, I don't want to see it dissolve.

I believe I read that the site itself will expire, that it is paid for through a certain date. I don't know if its feasible, but someone I used to work with started a website for all the employees that used to work for my old company (I think its free), its through www.ning.com, perhaps someone who is a little computer savvy could look at setting something up there.

Once its created the administrator emails invitations to join the site. Each member then accepts the invitation, creates their profile, there are tabs for forums, events, photos, each member has the ability to create their own blog...anyway you kind of get the idea.

Like I said, the group I belong to is a bunch of ex co-workers, she found the site through someone trying to put together a high school reunion. I don't know about the initial set-up, but it is pretty user friendly once you join, I was able to complete my profile, change the look of my "page", upload some pictures, and join in some of the forums.

Please let me know if I can provide any further info on this site

How much longer do we have on this site...anyone know?? Patty??

Hi everyone; I must admit I'm also a "lurker". I have posted on the weekly weigh in for a little over a year now but thats about it for my post. I do visit this site almost daily and have always enjoyed it and have gotten very helpful and insiteful information from all of you. I would hate to see the site dissolve. Thanks to all of you that are keeping it going!

I don't know how much longer Aimee is paid up for. I may be misremembering (I do that now and then). Glad some of you are coming out of lurkdom.

Pat

Okay, Okay, I'm a lurker too. I post sometimes, but have struggled with my weight program for the last year. I check this site several times a day to see what everyone else is doing. I just started to exercise again. So far I'm back on track for three weeks and I have to loose the 15 pounds that I have gained back. I guess I'm pretty embarrased, because I said that I worked too hard to let myself gain any back and I did. Please don't let this website end!! The lurkers still need it, haha

Susie

Susie,
Welcome out of lurkdom! You're on the right track so don't beat yourself up too bad. It's 15 lbs., not 51! You've caught it before it spirals totally out of control!

We need some newbies! Lurkers: come out and tell us who you are and what your story is! We all need each other, no matter where we are in our weight loss process.

Susie, good to see you here. Jump back on the wagon. Congrats on being back on track with exercise. I'm convinced that exercise is the answer. Hope to see you posting more.

Pat

I agree Susie, 15 lbs is so much easier to catch up with than 50. And you realized it very quickly it sounds like, that's what matters.

It's really quite funny how many people show up when it's time to shut down the site. It's nice to know you're all out there!!!

Hi Everyone...I've been lurking also...I haven't posted since I've been doing terrible. I have lots of stress right now and you guessed it, I'm a stress eater. I keep saying I'll get back OP today and then I just throw in the towel for the day. About this site...I think the message board will continue. Aimee needs the site to sell her cookbooks which bring in just a little more money for her to live on since she doesn't make that much money and she is now on her own. As long as she can afford the site I'm sure she will keep it going. I will see her tomorrow so I will ask her and let you all know...Hopefully I can get myself back together in a couple weeks and get back on program...You are all doing a great job...

Patty (aimee's mom)

I'm a lurker...
But i come to the site everyday and read. It's been tough trying to be OP lately. I guess that's why i don't post.
I totally love reading all of your post tho. It would be sad if this site went away.