[brad]

Hi, I've been in TOPS for 1 year. Before I joined tops I lost 73&1/2 pounds. When I found that TOPS was in my city I joined. I can't seem to get the motivation or support I need. In fact since I have joined TOP, I have GAINED 11 pounds. I really feel that I was doing much better on my own. It was less pressure to lose. I am doing Weight Watchers on my own at home and have lost 2 pounds this week. I don't know whether to continue TOPS or not. I have 16 pounds to go but I need as much or more support as someone who needs to lose much more. As I get closer to my goal it has gotten much harder to lose. Has anyone else had this problem?

[lady06498]

Brad,

I know how you feel. I will be your weight buddy. I am doing WW also. Christie on this board just started doing WW about 2 weeks ago and loves it. She just joined this past week. I can't afford to go or join but I have been doing the WW for a long time on and off since the 123 plan. That is the plan that I do. I just started back on it this is my second week and I am doing well.
Tops has a lot of benefits if you get into the right chapter and the right people in the chapter.
Brad I have learned something over the past year about life and especially this weight loss thing. No matter what you do for a plan or no matter who helps you do this it is ultimately UP TO YOU to do the work. You have to want it in your heart and soul if you are going to succeed at anything in life. People can support you until the cows come home and if you aren't 100% committed and doing what you NEED to do daily you will NEVER succeed. So if you do it on your own or with the tops group it doesn't matter. You get out of things what you put into it. If you are really active in your group then you will reap the benefits. If you just go to show up every week then you won't succeed.
You are capable of so much and are beautiful inside and out. You only need to change for you not for anyone else. You have what it takes so reach for the stars and do this. We will be here to guide you and support you.

Sherri

[brad]

Hi Lady, Thanks for the support. I will be glad to have you for a buddy. I feel that everyone has expected me to reach my KOPS by now and I feel pressured. I really don"t care about being a KOPS. I just want to reach my goal and not feel pressure. Our KOPS lost her status because of constant pressure to keep it. I feel it will only be a short time until I reach my goal and I want to feel I can keep it off as I did before.We had a treminal deayh(5weeks) and I am a heart patient, so the gain I had then was stress. I just don't want to feel stress from the club. It just may be me. Maybe I am putting myself under too much pressure. Thanks for the advice. I lost my weight by making a goal of losing 5 oounds at a time and it worked for me. I am doing this again now. I bought a used set of Weight Watchers from eBay and it should be here in a week. I am hopeful this will work. Thanks a lot.

[FLgal]

Hi Shelby,

Congratulations on losing 73.5 pounds. You have been doing great.
I have been in TOPS for about 8 years and have never reached my goal. I keep yo-yoing, gaining a few pounds and then losing them. But the good thing about belonging to TOPS is that weighing in every week and being accountable to that scale has kept me from gaining back all the weight that I had lost originally. I am one of those people that CANNOT do it on my own. Sherri is right. IT IS up to us. We have to get our minds set on losing. It has to be something that we want to do and I think that you have that mind set to lose because you have lost so much before joining. Sometimes we can get the other members losing just by showing our enthusiasm when we have a loss. I lost for about 21 weeks in a row, and I made a big deal out of it and then some of the other ladies started trying to see how many weeks they could make it without gaining. And several of them did really well. Also, a lot of people join TOPS that don't need to lose much weight. That is okay, because TOPS is there to support those that only want to maintain their weight or to keep from gaining. Some of the ladies in our chapter aren't interested in becoming a KOPS either because of the pressure of keeping their status. They keep within a few pounds of their goal, which is okay because they are where they want to be.
Setting 5 pound goals is good. That way your aren't looking at the whole picture, just 5 pounds at a time.
You're doing great.

Nita

[brad]

thanks flgirl, I need the scales to keep me on my toes also. I just can't seem to get back in the losing mood like I have been in the past. This week, I'm going to try harder and see if I can lose something. I do better using the point system. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Eleni]

Shelby I agree with all the others. I try to not push any of my ladies. You will find many here ready to help you. There is no rule that I know of that says you have to be a KOP. And if you never bring in a goal slip you won't be one anyway. Talk to your leader.Maybe she can help you

[Eleni]

Shelby If you look at top of page you will see the bio thread. Check us out and please let us know something about you.

[brad]

Good mornig everyone, well, today is a new day and I still haven't found my modivation, but I am working on it. I'm taking it a day at a time. Hopefully today will be better than yesterday. Thurs. is weigh in night. Wish me luck. I will be happy if I lose 1 pound a week. It is easier for me to keep it off if I lose small amounts. Have a good day.

[Mima]

Hi everyone-I have been going to TOPS since April -I only neede to lose 10 lbs and there have been many weeks when I haven't been motivated. But I am getting back on track because my triglycerides and cholesterol went up. I am on a med right now but still trying to be good. If I lose a lb in 2 weeks I am happy and I only have 3 and a half to go. When I was in WW, those last lbs wouldn't come off. for a long time. I find that walking is essential to my weight loss and I ahve been doing 30 minutes a day, Good luck, Brad-he that's my husband's name. Mima