Let's make the TMB great again

George I disagree with your idea that facebook drove people away.  I firmly believe it was because the same people post day in and day out about their aches and pains.  It never seems real, it seems like it is just to get attention.  It started about 2 years ago with 2 people in particular then they left and others replaced them.  There are also those that post constantly about how they can't lose weight but refuse to follow the "rules".  A lot of times, people coddle them and say "it's OK, start over tomorrow" but tomorrow never comes.  It gets old reading the same posts over and over from people that refuse to help themselves.  Those of us that are successful know it's a lot of hard work and that we have to fight everyday to keep the weight off.

Now don't get me wrong-EVERYONE has the right to post what they want to and everyone has the right to complain and discuss their struggles but all we ask is that they make an attempt to try to follow the rules and listen to any advise that's offered.

Personally, I love the TMB.  It's where I find out so much about people's lives and I love to hear their success stories.  I'm motivated by the newbies and love to help celebrate their victories but unfortunately very few newbies are posting.  I wish I knew how to motivate people to rebuild this site to what it once was.  I welcome any and all suggestions and challenge each of you that wants to see a return to the TMB of old to put forth the effort to make it happen.

I am not saying Facebook drove them away.  It gave them another option when the whining was going on.  And then they stayed away, or at least cut down on their posts on TMB.   And I wholey agree that there is a lot of whining about "non-success" while not following the rules and sometimes seemingly having no intention to follow the rules. 

I have been guilty of departing from the scene for a week or two at a time, except for the NW thread.  Just because of exactly what you discussed.

I try to be supportive, but you can only be supportive to the same person for so long with the same problem all the time.  There's times when I think, "if you were my kid, I would be tempted to smack you onside the head to knock some sense into it"  (not you personally...LOL).

This was such a different site a couple years ago when I first came on board.  Everyone was nice to each other all the time.  When we backslid, we fessed up and went forward.  Don't know what happened.  Wish I had answers.

I agree.  Over and over again.  They aren't worth my effort anymore so I don't post or reply to them.  Problem is they post ALOT so that leaves few threads to reply to...leaving me lurking and reading but choosing not to post. 

1.  name: Donna A.

2.  Occupation: Homemaker

3.  Pre-op, post-op or considering weight loss surgery? Post-Op

4.  What are your personal goals regarding WLS? Just to be able to be able to lose this 15 lbs I've put back on and to maintain.The further out I get the harder it gets!

5. What do you struggle with regarding weight loss? Just maintaining and too much dark chocolate

6.  What threads do you like on the TMB? I mainly lurke. I read it all

7. What would you like to see on the TMB that's not here? Old faces

8.  Do you need an Angel, buddy, support group location, doctor recommendation, workout partner or friend to help you? Yea it would be nice. All the support groups are too far.

9.  Do you attend support group meetings? Use to until I moved.

10.  What else would you like to share about yourself? Hate that I'm struggling so just to maintain.The further out I get the harder it gets. I hate dieting and I fail at it big time. Trying to get back into exercising, we'll see how it goes! I've been married to my lovely husband of 35 yrs. We have 3 sons, 3 daughter-in-laws, and 7 grandchildren!

I cant cut and paste (no laughing!) so here are my answers!

1.Megan Izykowski aka Meggie in Texas
2. I work at Neiman Marcus in Gifts/Epicure(gourmet goodies)/Stationary
3. I am 2.5yrs post op
4. I have reached goal and am actually a few pounds underweight. My goal is to gain 3-5 and maintain for life!
5. I struggle with constant complications and excess skin.
6. The threads I like are George's, Karla's and Monday Morning weigh in.
7. The Oldtimers are greatly missed!
8. I have all of you and my hubby watching over me who could ask for any thing better!
9. unless I am in the hospital I faithfullt attend support groups. My Doc's, Rise and Shine, and I try to attend Lose It For Life!
10.Even with my complications I would have the surgery again! It has enriched my life in so many ways. I have been married to Ken for 19yrs, he has 2 marvelous kids he shares with me and we have 5 grands! At home a have a 4 legged child of the cat persuasion named Ursa! I love life and hope to keep it for a very long time!!

Meggie, my little twinkie...one of these days were going to have computer class and teach you how to cut and paste...love you silly girl!!

LOL - my sister says the same thing...she doesn't know how to cut and paste. Drives me crazy and we ALL know that I'm more than half way there.........

1.  name  Jennifer

2.  Occupation Housewife (the perfect job for me!)

3.  Pre-op, post-op or considering weight loss surgery? Post-Op, 20 months

4.  What are your personal goals regarding WLS? To be normal, healthy & able to have a baby.

5. What do you struggle with regarding weight loss?  All of this extra skin (which DH says looks like raw pizza dough..mmmmm)!!  Staying within my 10 pound bounce.  Insomnia.

6.  What threads do you like on the TMB?  Train, things like this, recipes, non drama items

7. What would you like to see on the TMB that's not here?  I will probably think of an answer at my 3 am waking/redosing.

8.  Do you need an Angel, buddy, support group location, doctor recommendation, workout partner or friend to help you?  Any lack of any of the above is my failing, because the TMB,  and specifically the Collin County support group is amazing! 

9.  Do you attend support group meetings?  Not lately, drama keeps happening.

10.  What else would you like to share about yourself?  I will be getting an upper body lift no later than 2012, depending on if the Lord lets me carry a baby or if we adopt.  Legs, arms & boobs are optional.

1.  Name  Loralea

2.  Occupation  Web Developer...computer geek

3.  Pre-op, post-op or considering weight loss surgery?  Post-op, 9/26/07...wow, hard to believe it's been that long

4.  What are your personal goals regarding WLS?  Stay healthy and active.

5. What do you struggle with regarding weight loss?  I've met my primary goal, healthy and active, but still stuggling to stay in the weight range I'd like to maintain.  I'm up a few pounds over that, and know what to do to fix it, but can't seem to make it happen every day.  I'd love to regain the drive that I had when I was newly post-op.

6.  What threads do you like on the TMB?  Honestly, haven't been on here but a couple times in months.  I have no idea which are still here and what may be new.  Always liked reading the train, even if I didn't take time to post.  And I liked the IDEA of the accountability threads, but never stuck to them.  My favorites are the heart-felt questions and struggles rather than the daily threads.  I like that connection directly with other members here.

7. What would you like to see on the TMB that's not here?  The people that left (obviously they won't see this answer though).  Just to clarify, not that anyone ever wondered...I never made a concious decision to leave the board.  I just kinda drifted away.  I found that Facebook was meeting my social needs without leaving me feeling obligated to contribute as often as I did here.  But obviously Facebook isn't meeting all my needs.  I know I need to be back here for the accountability and mostly for the motivation and inspiration.  I really do want to lose these last pounds again, and Facebook's doing nothing for me there.

8.  Do you need an Angel, buddy, support group location, doctor recommendation, workout partner or friend to help you?  Always need my friends.

9.  Do you attend support group meetings?  No, used to but haven't been in awhile.  Schedule conflicts...and other long lists of excuses.

10.  What else would you like to share about yourself?  Well, I've been answering like you all know me, but for those of you who don't...  I'm married with FIVE children, live in Trophy Club, and used to post here alot.  I host some of the after-parties, the New Year's Eve party, and various other get-togethers thorughout the year.  I LOVE my friends that I met here on the TMB and would love to make new ones too.

Like I have answered to a couple of posts here, Facebook did begin the decline of this board (totally MY OPINION).  I believe it will take people that realize and admit that, to make a concerted effort to start posting here again and reap the benefits of total support. 

Looking forward to you being here more often, even if it is just once or twice a week.  This board is not as successful unless people that are such success stories, like you, post here.  Not laying the blame on "you" personally, but a "you" general you, whi*****ludes me.

ETA:  Apologize for my wording, I hope you understood the thought.