My intention to have the support group is just that... a support group. There are some of us who do not want to go to eat every time. That is one of the reasons most of us needed the surgery to begin with. I just want a group to sit around and talk about the ups and downs of the journey they are going through. We could meet at the District for coffee and sit around just getting to know each other. The reason I wanted to start the group was so that I wouldn't have to travel clear across town for support. Those that have already met for lunch and future dinner, if thats the kind of group you want to have that is fine too. Those who just want to have a support group let me know in private message on my profile. We can then make plans to meet. Not wanting to step on anyone's toes with this. JUST WANT SUPPORT!!! NOT FOOD!!! LOL!!!!

Thanks,

Fran

xoxo

I'm nowhere near your area, but wish I were........ I had to laugh when I read your post. I drove 60 miles to my very first 'support group'....at an IHOP!!! I had been doing very well, walking the line with my food and behaviors and had already lost 90 pounds. I thought everybody else was going along just about like I was. Imagine my surprise when that 'support' group (which was an existing, on-going bunch) spent most of the time ordering food and EATING that food.....PILES of food!! (IHOP is 'generous', ya know). They couldn't even talk for shoveling the food in! I never went back....

So....I don't know what your experience was, but I certainly understand what you are saying. All my life my family's only source of 'recreation' was eating out....eating in.....EATING (we don't dance, drink or party.....what else is there??) so I was very much in need of finding something social to do other than EAT....that's part of the lifestyle change most of us need to make this thing work for us. Meetings at IHOP are probably not the most productive method of affecting change.

My little group I meet with now is very supportive.....we meet at a home and swim; or we walk and talk; once we met at a sugar-free bakery (that was about as daring as we've gotten); we meet and trade Protein supplements and recipes; we trade clothes; we go shopping at consignment shops......in other words, we SUPPORT our lifestyle changes and encourage one another in our journey and just enjoy the benefits of being LOSERS!!:cool2:

Best wishes to you......hope you can get a good group pulled together.

Thanks Gayle!!! I am glad you UNDERSTAND where I am coming from. Others think otherwise. I am sure I can get others to meet and discuss thier journeys.

Fran

I do not like the down talk about the meeting that I personally am planning nor to I condone the talk about the meeting I just attending.

I didn't exclude anyone & I certainly didn't do anything wrong by choosing PF Chang's and I am now so aggravated beyond belief it's not even funny.

I also do not appreciate that the group that got together is being "pointed at" like we did something wrong by eating out... You weren't there- you don't know what went on- so mind your business and don't judge people.

And to be perfectly honest I'm really pissed because Fran was planning on coming with us until their finances took a bad turn and had to cancel...

So what's REALLY happening here is--- that eating out was o.k. 2 weeks ago, but NOW that she can't afford to eat out- the people that can are now the bad ones who are surrounding themselves with horrible food in restaurants!!!???!!!

Why are you being hypocritical? {I love you Fran, but I have to call you out on this one... it's ridiculous...}

And not that we need to explain ourselves, but just so you know how "horrible" we were...

#1 We all had Water...

#2 One of us had Soup the rest of us shared portions that were smaller than appetizers at any restaurant I've ever been to. (Tapas)

#3 If you look at our photo, none of us even touched the bread on the table!

Food was NOT the reason we met- food was there so we could eat, as we ALL have to do 3 times a day!

We spent MOST of our time getting to know one another and asking questions.

So basically, we did not meet at an IHOP- we did not spend the entire time ordering food, nor did we overeat by any means... OMG- GUESS WHAT? WE'RE ADULTS!!!

Don't judge if you weren't there or had a bad experience where you "use to live"... that's not fair to the rest of us...

Going out to eat is something I love to do and is something I will continue to do for the rest of my life. I have to eat- so why not do it socially? Nowhere on the menu does it say that you can't share nor does it say you have to order anything more than an appetizer or soup... No where does it say- you must overeat to enjoy eating out...

If someone cannot come because of financial reasons or simply because they can't handle being in a restaurant- that's not my business- but don't put others down because they CAN handle it... It would fantastic if every day were roses- the fact is no matter what you plan, where you plan it, or when you plan it, someone will have something to say about it and try to change it... That's why I put what I did on the invitation...

The group that got together last week was from all over the valley- we decided to plan the meetings centrally so it's easier to have larger groups attend... I would love to have other events to go to in Henderson but I have yet to see a date and time actually planned out.

If someone actually plans one & sends out an invite, then I will be happy to attend that one too... Support is support no matter where you are sitting or standing or eating or drinking...

And by the way- I had visitors in town all month- I probably ate out 20 times or more (no exaggeration) and still managed to lose weight... Eating OUT was not what got me here, it was the choices I made- it was the exclusion of exercise- and a life long struggle with yo-yo dieting.

Edited July 18, 200818 yr by Yvonne72

I with you my friend! I had the surgery because I had a problem with food. Meeting in restaurants everytime is too much of a temptation. I need support for encouragement in changing my lifestyle and sticking it.