Amanda, I'm also sorry that you are having trouble finding the support that you need here at 3FC's. I can understand your dilemma. When I first joined this site, I posted a thread about my Atkins plan under support. OMG , was I blasted. I learned quickly that if I needed support to lose weight, it was here. But, if I wanted support for doing Atkins it could only be found in the Atkins room. Many, many, many posters felt that my plan was ridiculous and unhealthy. But, obviously it worked for me. Just as your plan is working for you. I did get offended and I got over it. Like you, my plan was medically supervised and I was doing what my Dr. had instructed me to do to take the weight off. Without a doubt, I still feel that my chosen plan was the right one for me given my health situation and my need for faster wt. loss. I don't regret it for a second and I know that my being almsot 100 lbs. overweight was WAY more harmful to my body than eating a low-carb lifestyle that allowed me to take the weight off. I know that you probably feel the same is true, that your plan is more healthy for you than being over-weight is. This being said, I support you 100% in your medically supervised plan.
I just finished reading "Thin for Life" and there are people in that book that lost the weight through Optifast if I remember correctly. It does have a maintenance plan for transitioning to regular foods and there are stories of maintainers with this plan. If you haven't read this book, it's a good read.
Anyway, I wish you the best possible success with your plan.
Amanda, I am sorry that you are feeling frustrated and judged....
and let down by this site. I guess I look at this site a bit differently. I consider this site a resource and a tool. I love hearing about other people's journeys and what has worked or not worked for them. I give and take advice with the expectation that it will be considered and evaluated for how it fits in each individual's plan. I haven't noticed any particularly judgemental posts although perhaps I have seen some passionate posts. I would never tell you that you have chosen a plan that I considered unhealthy or not likely to work and if I did I would expect that you would give that opinion the consideration it would deserve. However, if you asked about other people's success or problem's experienced with a particular plan I would offer my experience. That is all we really have to offer--our experience and the desire to see each other succeed. I see that you have had great success with your weight loss and that is certainly something to be celebrated!
Even if Amanda never comes back (sad) ... I've got a few thoughts evoked by this thread. Some even perhaps partially relevant.
1. If you don't like me, my plan or my posts ... don't read me. This can be applied to any post or poster on the board.
2. Do read Wyllen. She's very smart, very balanced and understands where people are coming from.
3. If someone tells you something that you've never heard before, sounds too good to be true, sounds fishy or stinks to high heaven ... check it out.
4. If a poster seems to be disagreeing with you all over the place ... check them out. Like Lily talked about and Atkins. She wouldn't have gotten much support from Vegans.
5. Put your info in your profile or signature or something. People need to be able to, at least in part, understand where you're at.
6. Read profiles and signatures. You need to know where someone is at before you start from the beginning.
7. 3FC is a big place. There is someone here who is sympatico ... find them. It's worth it.
8. It is as valuable to give support as it is to receive it.
9. Never underestimate the power of what you write. Anybody can read it. You could be typing the one niblet of info that starts an incredibly obese person on their way to health. You could be stopping a young lurker from dying of anorexia ... no pressure.
10. The good news about 3FC and the internet in general is that anybody can come here and give their opinion. The bad news about 3FC and the internet in general is that anybody can come here and give their opinion.
11. Oh no an odd number ... don't even get me started on the term Starvation Mode. I wish the original Chicks would *star* it out like the term I use to describe it might be.
Bottom line is that I think everyone on this board offers the information that they have available to them freely - and because the nature of the board is to discuss topics relating to weight loss, will bring up differing viewpoints. I don't think anyone is meaning to attack you by saying that they aren't sure your plan can be healthy - they are offering the information that THEY have found to be true in a forum designed specifically for that purpose.
I agree with this 100%. Amanda, I'm sorry you feel that people are ganging up on you or being generally unsupportive, and I completely understand your pet peeve of "research" studies cited on this board and anywhere else. I would hope that no one is meaning to be unsupportive or negative and their comments are in good nature and out of concern. I think it's great that this plan works for you and that you're being supervised. I understand why you would see it as a personal attack, but I really don't think it's meant that way.
As for the inquiries about your plan, I'd take that as more flattery than anything else. Sure, I can see why you'd be annoyed, but at a forum such as this one where people are all in similar struggles, people who are successful at losing are inspirations to the rest of us. I could see why you'd get annoyed having to type it out, etc. Perhaps, as mandalinn has suggested, you could put some info in your siggie. Or you could post a link to the post you originally made about going on the plan... I remember reading that awhile ago, I think.
I, for one, have enjoyed reading about your success. I have nothing against your form of weight loss or your plan and wish nothing but the best for you, and hope you continue to post. I'm sorry you're frustrated, and I wish you conitnued success.
I will try not to repeat what's already been said. Rather than focusing on your particular plan of choice, I'll try to go in a different direction.
Most of us here are not researchers or scientists or medical professionals. When we read articles, we assume the ARE written by people with some knowledge on the topic. We see statements like, "research has shown that those on a severely calorie restrictive diet are more likely to gain back the weight they lose." I can't point you to a specific article, but I CAN affirm that I've read similar statements numerous times (in magazines, in newspapers, online on sites like the Washington Post or CNN, etc.).
I'm not stating my personal opinions or ideas or anything here, but based on the above, you can't blame a person for accepting something they've read on CNN as truth. Statistics and studies are very easily skewed--just as you were able to whip out a quote about a study where people on very low cal diets were more likely to be successful, I could probably find 10 that say the exact opposite.
In any case, the last time I ranted about something, the powers that be began a new section of the forum (hello, Featherweights!). Perhaps there could be a section here for people on MEDICALLY SUPERVISED low-cal plans. I believe there are a couple members in the 300+ section that are on low cal/liquid plans as well (and I don't believe any of them have been met with any hostility--it's a really welcoming group if you'd like to seek support there as well).
I'm sorry that you feel as if this board is not supportive, but you do have to realize that this is an open, anonymous forum where people are going to voice their opinions. You are right, topics like starvation mode can be debated back and forth. But that's where it's up to the reader to do their own research and draw their own conclusions.
I went back to read through the thread, and I really didn't see where I (as I was one of the ones who responded to you) or anyone else was trying to be extremely harsh or judgemental. I'm sorry if you were offended, but I just took it as a lively and interesting conversation, with different viewpoints from different folks. Of course not everyone is going to agree with your views. That's life. That's why we have different religions, different political parties, different everything. I would only hope that you would not stop posting because of an incident like this.
I think it's best to keep in mind that this is a place of people - with their own opinions and their own ideas. Although you tell people to go research, their is a lot of "research" on any plan out there. I'm sorry that you felt picked on but I also know that you've had some strong opinions out there as well. I don't think it's fair to expect other people not have strong opinions.
As far as support - I've always considered the support aspect diet-blind. I think there are universal frustration with any diet plan. And there is universal support. However, if you're on a low carb diet and you post that you're on a low carb diet and you're struggling with an aspect, you should expect the advice counter to low-carb (unless you're on a low-carb only board).
I also agree that many people ask questions when they're not familiar with the diet. When I researched Optifast, I scoured the board and was frustrated because there wasn't many posts about it. I think you could provide that if you were willing to. Of course, I also wanted to hear the arguments for and against it, so you'd have to want that as well.
Oh boy, buckettgirl, I hope you come back to see this thread. I feel like a sister to you in so many ways... but 3FC for me is a lot better than nothing, and I've learned to make the most of what I can get.
For decades, I've lived with nutritionist/dietician biases that seemed to have very little to do with me, and my best shots at managed weight loss. When I tried the usual "count calories, eat healthy, and be as active as possible", my weight just kept climbing. People would listen to my accounts, talk about addictive personality, portion control, denial (of reality), and other variants of "you're lying". I"d go back, try again, fail again, question my own grip on reality.... Then I volunteered to live-in a start-up women's shelter, and saw another morbidly-obese person, with her habits and results. I saw her 12-16 hours of each day, and saw exactly what she ate and drank: a black cup of coffee each hour, and one half chicken breast each evening. Not balanced at all!- but she gained another 15 lbs over the year we both spent starting up that shelter. I took her word for it that she did not cheat at all when she went home each night, because she knew her life depended on losing that weight, and because I witnessed the iron control she exerted over the active span of her days. And she also told me her one daughter had the same problem, and that their doctor would not/could not believe them. (Her normal daughter ate more than the two of them put together, and was skinny.) Then it dawned on me that there is at least one metabolic corner that no-one back then wanted to admit exists, and that the research was less than complete. I then tried to go through my own doctor, onto well-supervised medical weight loss programs, and again I got supervisors scratching their heads, saying, "This can't be right! Everybody else is getting such good results!" But at the same time, I would faint each time we exercised, didn't matter how much we took down the intensity, and outside of that I was dizzy and staggering and complaining of ravenous hunger when everyone else was just fine. This time my anomalous results were documented with a bit more credibility. And after the second such attempt, finally my doctor started being on-side and really hounding the available research. Only alternative doctors had much to say at the time; main-stream medicine was too busy protecting its butt. Easier just to discredit us exceptions, than to go out on a limb and risk getting sued. So yes, I too have some angst around the lack of "thinking outside the box".
Well, to cut a lo-o-ong story short (and not further hijack your thread), I am also on medically-supervised very low calorie dieting. I'm incredibly happy the standard advice works for so many of you, and I know it's hard work, no matter how clinics pretend not. But most of us on VLC diets, under supervision, are like those who qualify for weight loss surgery - we've a long history of fruitless, well-disciplined attempts, and we're desperately obese, and already facing some big health crisis. For me it was metformin, glipizide, and likely insulin too, for life, with NO guarantee of control. Guess what? A period of ketosis followed by a well-thought-out maintenance plan and no drugs, is a no-brainer! It's also hard work, and I realize most of 3FC won't understand, and I've looked at the 300+ and WLS groups as well, but the 100 lb club has more of the same issues as I do. So here I am for the time being, and it's nice to know there are 2 other people (from this thread!) who may share the same diet issues with me. And when maintenance time comes around, well then my issues will more resemble the norm here, as will yours, buckettgirl and red ohare.
So - for very selfish reasons, THANK YOU so much, for posting, for ranting, for being upfront, buckettgirl! Please stay on this forum, or at least consider privately mailing me? It's so great to feel that there are others like me here!
I dunno if I should be one to speak since I've only started my weight loss journey. But I, too, am doing a very low calorie diet. I once posted about my binging (which initially I thought had to do with my low calorie consumption) and I received a lot of support. Many urged me to go higher on calories. Honestly, they're just giving us the advice they thought was best and what has worked personally for them. But I realize I have to try this and do it for myself and see what works for me.
I'm going to continue with my VLCD. If starvation mode does indeed hit me like it has for many people, then I'll know that upping my calories would work for me. If it doesn't, then I still know that many here will be happy for me and my weight loss because I did something that worked for me and reached my goal with it, no matter what the method. In the end, everyone just wants to help, that's all.
I really hope you decide to stay. I've never talked to you before but I still wish you'd come back.
I have to disagree with something Colleen said probably in response to what I said in my post about if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all. I've learned the hard way that most people don't want to hear the plain and obvious truth. We are all adults and frankly I'm pretty sure that whatever truth you may want to tell someone they probably already know but don't want to admit so what is the point of typing it in and sending it off? If you know that this person doesn't want to hear it and generally it is usually pretty obvious by the tone of their posts, then posting something that you think is the plain and obvious truth is only going to hurt them so you are only posting to make yourself feel better and more superior.
There have been a lot of times where I went to type something in but then deleted it because it would have only ended up being hurtful no matter how hard I tried to be diplomatic or careful in my wording. In fact I've thought of several things reading the responses in this post but why bother, it is just counterproductive.
i will be honest, i did not read your entire post.. however i did read enough to see that you are on a low cal diet which i dont see why anyone would have a problem with that. if it works for you then like they say you do you and leave it at that. iam also on a low cal plan and it has also worked really good for me. i dont belive in the whole starvation mode thing because i see the proof in my progress.
Bucketgirl - I hope that we can offer you more of what you are looking for and I am sorry that you feel like we haven't been very supportive. I hope you stay, I myself have always been very supportive of your plan and would like to continue to do so. If you don't, good luck with everything.
I think that more than enough has been said on this thread. I think we should move on, therefore I am closing this thread.
I hope that we can offer you more of what you are looking for and I am sorry that you feel like we haven't been very supportive. I hope you stay, I myself have always been very supportive of your plan and would like to continue to do so. If you don't, good luck with everything.