Missing members...
 

I really enjoyed reading posts from a couple of members who haven't posted in quite some time: "elvislover324" and "berryblondeboys" (aka Melissa). Does anyone know where they went? I really hope all is ok with them. I would try to send a message via the 3fc site, but for some reason private messages never get through/to me on 3fc.

While I don't know about berryblonde, I know that elvis decided she needed to take a break from 3FC.

Oh I am sorry to hear that. I enjoyed Elvis' posts as well.

Also, I notice that there seems to be an ebb and flow of frequent posters... Some people will be really active and then for whatever reason they just sort of disappear.

I think unfortunately many times the reason for a forum member's absence is due to "falling off the wagon" and weight gain. I don't know how true this is, but it's an observation I've made based on a lot of re-introductions, or long time members who start posting again after years of being MIA. I know this was the case for myself - when I first joined the forum I was pretty enthusiastic about losing weight and posting on the boards, but then after finding out I was pregnant I took a break from 3FC and weight loss all together, then came back after the birth of my son. As an aside, I notice that I'm much more successful with my weight loss efforts the more I log onto and post on 3FC.

I agree that people that sometimes go inactive usually come back. I joined in 2008 (wow!) lol ...in tha ttime I've have 2 pregnancies (one that's almost done.) I usually disappear for a while during that time too. I'm back in hopes to get revved up for weightloss after baby.

This is just my opinion, but this forum is not what it used to be. I mean I really like it, its very nice, but it was warmer years ago, which might also contribute to some people taking breaks, idk...it used to be hard to walk away from here, now, I kind of enjoy when I go a few days without it...again idk if thats the case with anyone but me.

I want to say that I remember berry talking about a vacation to visit her (her husbands?) family this summer (in croatia?). I don't remember when she was going or for how long, but if she hasnt been posting for a bit it may be it is because she is on vacation. . .

. . . of course with my own comings and goings in the last year I could be remembering a vacation she was discussing LAST YEAR lol

I have lurked on and off a long time here, and it's been so interesting to watch waves of prolific posters come and go over the years. Some people are extremely prolific and dominant, leaving a very big footprint on the site -- and then one day, they vanish. (This happens to every type of poster, but you really feel the absence of prolific posters.)

I have gotten really invested in the efforts of some posters that I barely or never even cross paths with on this board! And really root for them, and then get sad when they disappear. I wonder what happened to rockinrobin or lilybelle or ennay from many years ago. I miss JossFit and LockItUp from earlier this year. I am so happy to see sontaikle posting again - could go on and on with names. I really wish the best for those who stop posting. The "go away = regain, come back = back on the wagon" is sadly true in my own personal experience, but I hope for better for them. Edit to add - I hope to see Elvis and berryblondeboys back one day, and if not, hope they're happy and healthy. :)

I miss rockinrobin so much....

I have been wondering about BerryBlondeBoys too!!! Hope she is okay.

As for Elvislover- she is doing just fine and well as I keep in touch with her outside of 3FC. :)

I remember Stephanie (LockItUp) saying she wanted a break from 3FC but dang, that's a long break!!! LOL. I also miss JossFit's posts. Was so happy to see Sontaikle back!

I think sometimes, because this has happened to me here lately, the people who have reached their goal no longer feel like they really belong here anymore. I still read the posts that catch my interest and I'll put in my two cents every now and then, but most of the time the things people post about here are things that I know nothing about or simply have nothing to add to so I just don't. And of course, life outside of the internet often catches up with us and some people just have a lot of things going on. I know I'll be in the process of a move in the coming weeks so I won't be online as much as I normally am and might be without internet for a bit til we get everything situated. When things like that happen, people definitely won't be on a forum, lol.

But I miss Melissa, too, and I didn't know Sontaikle was back! Where has she been lurking around? I haven't heard from Stephanie (LockItUp) in a while either and hope she's doing well.

People come and go, definitely. Some times of year are also harder to post with life business and such. And yes, on a weight loss forum if someone goes majorly MIA without an explanation it is often due to regain.

For me, if I'm posting less I'm either really busy with my kids or pregnant. Otherwise I check in daily and have since 2009 :)

I disappear when pregnant too. It's frustrating to read about weight loss when you are not allowed to lose weight. I also think soemtimes being here would have reminded me pregnant women do not NEED an entire large bag of chips for fetal development........... so maybe I should have stuck around ;)

I've been annoying people here since 2010 and I have to say it just gets hard to come up with interesting things to say when you're not actively losing or trying to lose - my "journey" is sort of at or near the end and I just do the same thing day in and day out. There are the occasional fitness NSVs or some new exciting food discoveries from time to time, as well as "fat days" and "good days" and "why did I eat THAT MUCH ice cream" days, but it's mostly just "I eat pretty well and have found a successful maintenance routine." I think this is what happened with Joss and LockItUp too - if you REALLY wanna stalk them I'm sure they could be found ;)

Silence I've found either means all is well or all is really not well. And who's to say they aren't lurking? ;)

Joss posts regularly on MFP. So she's not totally gone from the loop; she's just not loud and proud on here, lol.

I come here for that one reason. I was gone for 3-4 months and my eating was horrible. I came back just to keep myself in check. I'm not looking to lose weight, but I don't need to eat sweets and junk every day either!

I take breaks sometimes when I find myself getting grouchy about typing up the same advice and comments over and over again. It's not a newcomer's fault when she asks a question I feel I have answered 100 times, and so when I find myself feeling ungracious or snarky about hauling out my same old comments, I know it's time to go away for a while.

I don't post a ton but this is true for me as well!

Definitely this! Around New Years Resolution time it just helps for me to be scarce. I can't keep humoring people who diet hard for a week, post six times, and drop off the face of the earth. It isn't a wise use of MY time, which is limited anyway, and particularly if I have nothing kind or useful to contribute. Sometimes even when it is useful I delete it, because a fair number of folks aren't ready to hear harder truths about their choices and what it take to stay weight reduced.

It comes and goes for me. Sometimes I'm in a very charitable mood and post a rash, and other times I mostly check in on certain folks and lurk. That's the way of things :^:

Aww I didn't know people missed me! I disappeared because I had a lot going on and I wanted to concentrate my efforts on life (I'm single for the first time in years), and I was trying to go in the opposite direction of most people here! I was trying to see if I could gain muscle and strength and it kind of got weird to post in a weight loss forum when I was trying to go the other way.

I miss this place though, so I had to come back. Nobody except for one of my friends gets my quirks in real life. Much easier to come here and talk about this stuff ;)

Some days I am just too busy to post.

They are normally good days!

Me too!! I think of her and wonder where she disappeared to often.

Glad you're back... Sorry to hear about the life stuff. I'm in a similar position and I know it's rough. Hang in there!

Funny, just a couple of weeks ago I got to wondering about you and checked your twitter and blog, and just figured you needed a break from all this for whatever reason. And now you're back! :carrot:

* * *

I've been wondering about BerryBlondeBoys, LockItUp, and ElvisLover as well. I know I'm not nearly posting as much as I had, but I've been lurking about with not a whole lot to say these days with just an occasional post here and there.

I guess I've been sort of torn . . . so happy to finally be pregnant, yet having it happen when I was only 12 pounds away from finally being overweight? I've never been just overweight, I've spent my entire adult life obese and beyond. While I am concentrating on eating healthy and low-impact exercise, I can't exactly focus on losing weight right now. :dizzy: I also feel that if I post a lot right now, it's going to be little more than a lot of whining and complaining when I've really been more blessed than ever. :(

I go MIA frequently, but never because I fall off the wagon per-say. I just have an insanely crazy busy life. I log in daily and read daily, but unless I have something of importance, I don't always write up a post. The weeks where things are low key I write like mad! Now that summer's here, my time is outside more than inside...and my business is starting to pick up, keeping me busier than I ever intended! :D

I've had a lengthy hiatus (Mfp). A lot of the ppl seem
to have been on it and might lurk here once in awhile.
Idk really. Just thought I'd chime in, just lurking about
today. :)

Since I've hit my goal, I notice that I've been lurking more and posting less. It's a combination of things for me. I find that since I'm not actively losing anymore, for some reason I'm not finding my "niche" here quite so easily anymore. Sometimes I see posts and think to myself "been there, done that" so I don't continue on if I'm in a hurry or if I see many other brilliant responses already written. Something keeps drawing me back here though. I know I don't have maintenance mastered (ha!) and there's still a lot for me to learn here.

I needed to walk away for a couple of weeks. I think partly because it's summer, people are busier - I know I have been! But I realized not posting was making it a little easier for me to justify going off plan, so I promised myself that even though I have an extremely busy schedule right now that I would at least check in every couple of days.

I've only been here for a few months, but I get the snarky feeling that goes along with some of the repitition.

Personally, I stopped posting because my life situation changed. I moved, and it was only me working so we didn't have the internet or a computer. Now, we do. :D There are a myriad of reasons, but suffice it to say that when they're ready/can, they'll come back!

Oh my goodness it sounds like you've been dealing with a lot. Hope you are hanging in there and doing well.