[coco99]

Hi Everyone
Hope everyone is doing ok. Made it through the holiday ok. I guess I didnt. I gained 1 3/4 lbs. I really didnt think that I was off program to much. But guess I was. Will have to try harder next week. Will have to write down everything again.
Hubby is feeling better today. Still having some headach and dizziness. But not like over the weekend.
We are starting a contest at our TOPS group. It is a picnic basket. If you gain you have to bring something for a picnic. If you lose you dont. For tonight. Everyone has to bring something to start. It will be over for July 4. But everyone knows who will win. The lady that had the gastric bypass surgery. She has been winning everything. I know I heard a couple of ladies say it wasnt fair that she was in the contest. No body else has a chance. So dont know.
Well I better get off here. Just wanted to check in and see how everyone was. And ladies give me a kick in the butt so I will have a loss next week. Everyone have a great evening.
A TOPS PAL
COCO

[Belle013]

Coco....I don't think that is right for someone who had the bypass to be able to be in the contest either.
TOPS.....Take off pounds sensibly! I don't think bypass is what that means. I remember a long time ago when I belonged to tops someone wanted a person who had a bypass to come and talk to us about it but it didn't happen because it was against the rules. Just a couple of weeks ago a woman who had bypass come and give a program at our tops. Back then something else wasn't legal either. If you gained weight one week then you come in the next week and lost 4 pounds it was divided by 2. Now we have people miss a couple of weeks and come back with a 5 pound loss and win everything for the night. That doesn't seem right either. That happened to me....she lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks and I lost 4 in one week yet she took the prize. This is a little different. We have one lady who gains one week and loses it the next and wins the gift all the time. Last month I lost the most weight for the month by giving up food the hard way, but we had a lady who had been in the hospital for 3 weeks of the month and she come back and won the month with a loss of 17 pounds. That is a little different from the bypass, but tuff if you had really worked hard to lose. In our contest we set it up until only the new weight counts, so it stops some of the gaining and losing. Oh well!!!!! I guess the greatest prize of all if just losing the weight.
Sorry about the gain this week, it happens. The hope is that it will be gone next week a long with some more. Glad to hear hubby is feeling better.
Belle

[Christian]

Here is your big ol kick in the right direction
Sometimes you need a hug instead I am sure you will do better this week and if you need a kick I will sure try ...I know you can do it!!!

[Eleni]

Ok I probably need to mind my own business but. As I have been a leader for a long time I am amazed that any "good"chapter would allow what is happening in yours.
First of all there is a way to reward by-pass and regular members. I had 2 ladies that had by-pass the first year when they didn't quite know what to do about it. All our contests were such that yes one of the by-pass people won But also someone else won. That way it was fair. Just as members don't compete against others in different weight loss divisions. In fact by-pass people are now in their own division. They do need to be rewarded as even with surgury it is not as easy as some think.But those that do not have it need to be rewarded also.
As for the other.Don't you have any rules for losing in order to win.
At my chapter for a weekly prize 1. Must have attended the week before and not had a gain. That way someone who has been out for 2 weeks and comes in with a loss is not eligible. Weekly prises should be just that.weekly Also if no one wins the weekly loser baskets I give one to a KOP
For monthly loser member must attend all meetings and lose a min of 4#.
If it is a timed contest such as who loses the most in 6 weeks then that is fair as everyone has same amout of time to lose. But once again there should be a prize for by-pass surgery and non surgery.There are no rules that say you can not award both.
Hopefully your board will attempt to make things more fair.It is very discouraging when you feel you never have a chance to win anything. I know TOPS is not about winning stuff but it is a good incentive and reward.
So don't let it discourage you. Set yourself up a reward for when you achieve small goals.
Ok I have run my mouth. I hope things get better for you.

[FLgal]

Hi everyone,

Our best loser rules are similar to Eleni's. The best loser for the week has to have had a loss the week before to win the prize. If they are in the red or missed the week before, they do not qualify for best loser that week. It keep the people who gain one week and lose the next week from getting best loser. We call best loser, not biggest loser.
We have not had anyone with the gastric bypass surgery, but I can see where you need to make rules to cover that also.

Eleni, congratulations on being in the black since March. That is great. How many weeks now? Keep going.

Coco..writing everything you eat down is a good idea. I do much better when I keep a food diary. I used to keep one all the time, but I have gotten lazy about doing it anymore. I need to write it down until it until it becomes a habit.

Have a good night.

Nita