[futurecfo]

So my first week of TOPS I gained .8. I am so mad at myself. It all started date night at the movies then it got progressively worse through the weekend. Why? I don't know. Am I afraid to be pretty or look good? On the French diet I'm allowed to have whatever in reasonable portions, so why binge? Maybe that was the push I needed...having to tell a group of basically strangers that I gained. So I'm on track. I'm writing everything down that I eat. I'm exercising every day. I am making it a priority...I am a busy person. I have lots of fun hobbies that are far more fun than the gym so it's hard, but health has to be my priority. I am hoping that along the way I learn some new things about myself, that maybe I won't gain this weight back again and won't have to binge any longer. I read the best tip on a website - Food is not your friend...if you get the urge to binge call a REAL friend. It's sometimes hard to remember that though.

[jillybean720]

I wish it were that easy to call a friend--my schedule doesn't exactly include normal friend-calling hours, but food is available 24-7! I would not be able to do the rench diet--too many foods are trigger foods for me, so even if I only had a little bit of something really yummy, it would make me want 10 more really yummy things, and even if I only had a little bit of each, a little bit of a hundred different things adds up to a whole lot by the end of the day!

I like TOPS (even though I am, by FAR, the youngest member of my group)--the accountability of having to weigh-in every week whether I want to or not and the fact that there are other people who are going to hear if I gained or lost for the week helps to keep me on track. Plus, they're a wealth of knowledge as a group, and some of the weekly programs are really helpful, too.

[Juhi]

hmmm.....what is TOPS

[jillybean720]

TOPS = Take Off Pounds Sensibly. It's a weight loss support group. You follow whatever diet you want, though they do have books with nutritional guidelines and suggestions that you can buy. It's a million times cheaper than WW, LAWL, JC, or any of the other goups I have seen. You go to meetings once a week, weigh in, do roll call (where everyone announces if they gained or lost for the week), and then normally have some sort of program given by a group member about exercise, nutrition, or pretty much anything health-related (we once had a specialist on meditation come speak to our group). From my understanding, the price goes up on Jan. 1 to $24 per year (currently $20). From there, each chapter has its own varying fees. At mine, we pay $5 a month and a quarter per week for dues. Aside from that, there are no other required fees. Very affordable and helpful--basically a support group, so if you are looking for something super-strict, TOPS isn't it. A lot of our members are even doing WW plans and just come to our meetings instead of theirs.