Should we modify this group?

Recently there has been some discussion on the main vsg forum about the possible need for a "middies" group for those in the middle of their weight loss journey. Some folks feel they are beyond the beginner issues but are not ready for maintenance as they are in the middle of their journey.

While I think the middies can set up their own group if they want, I would like to see these people feel welcome here in this group since they can get a lot of valuable input from those at or near goal in this group. In fact I think a  lot of members of this group are in the middle stages and mainly lurk here even though they are most welcome to post questions and fully participate. I have always said this group is open to all, regardless of surgery or stage - even to pre ops.

So to make these people feel more welcome, its been suggested we change the name of the group to Advanced VSG,  or the Far Out VSG group ( I like this) or some other name. Feel free to suggest names. And I would also change the profile to remove the part about being at or near goal and simply making it for those beyond the initial post op stages interested in longer term issues.

So what does everybody think? The goal is to be inclusive and to maintain lively and provocative discussion. While we have a large group. most of the posting is done by a few die-hards and I would like to encourage more participation by all members. Many have said they are reluctant to do so because they are not at goal.

Anyway, please provide your input. This group has been such a great inspriation and support source for me and I want that to continue for all.

Diane

 
This is what I posted on VSG Main the other day:

Post Date: 9/7/11 12:24 pm 
 
It's my understanding that VSGMG is open to everybody.....but focused on Maintenance. Everybody is encouraged to use VSGMG as a resource.

I talked with Diane (Group Leader) and after the suggestion of a middle group......the thought of redefining VSGMG (tweaking) came up.

I need to be corrected if I'm wrong....but this is how I see it.

Everybody still needs to participate here on the main board.

- The middles.....say 3 months out and more could ask/share about weight loss as they journey towards goal on both main and VSGMG.

The middles should be the ones that help out the newer people here on the main board....cause well...they just came from the beginnings and things are "fresher" to them than someone a couple years out. Everything from Insurance issues, pre-op, liquids, mushies.....3 week stall ect.

- The middles will benefit from asking/sharing on the VSGMG because getting to goal and maintaining are "fresher" to minds of the vets in the group.......

I hope I was accurate on this soft guideline as it is still a work in progress.

frisco

yep Frisco, that about sums it up. I will see what others say and maybe slightly redefine this group. but we all know it really is what we make it regardless of what we name it.   Diane

I don't think it's a bad idea.  Although I wonder if it should be encouraged at maybe a year out so that those newer VSGers will stay on the main board a little longer to help out the newbies.  I sure would hate to see the newbies lose some of their resources.  Of course, we would never deny anyone membership! 

 I think it's a great idea, I hesitated to post here initially but figured what the heck because I am so far out and have been here for years. However I am not at goal yet. And I don't think Im the only one. Anywho, the main VSG board moves so darn fast...that I think it would be helpful for all to divert some of the middies here. Because I just cant read all those posts in the main forum and try to decipher through them to get to the middle of the road person like me. Even though I am far out from surgery....I still consider myself an advanced middie.

Jenny
127lbs lost

I do think it's important to encourage new members and to be inclusive. There was another long-term group a while back which died because long term people left and no new ones came in. It starts to be a fine line, though, because you can't JUST have newbies and newbie discussions on the main board.  I'm all for this group continuing to expand, but the danger is that if you start to duplicate the main board too much, it becomes very confusing and causes a dilution of information. The problem is that, just as middies need to begin thinking about and discussing longer term issues, it's critical that newbies read about what is coming for them in the middle stages as well. So, in a way, it kind of all hinges on the middies, who need to straddle both worlds. If they (or the vets, for that matter) leave the main board entirely, it won't work. I agree with what Frisco said that the middies need to be the ones who answer the early questions on the main board and come here for longer term discussions, but they also need to provide "middie" guidance to the newbies. I've been on these boards for about 5 years and have done my bit on answering the same old/same old questions from both newbies and middies, though I will still chime in if there is a different question or I think I can provide a unique perspective. I do pop over to the  main board every day, though I don't read many posts and answer fewer...

So, I guess I say, go for it but we need to make sure that the main board doesn't just become newbies asking each other questions...

Lizanne

Hey I already belong to other OH groups but I still always come back to the main VSG group. It's like coming home to Mom's house after you've moved out. It's just comfortable, familiar, and where you know your always welcome. My opinion is that no matter how many other groups you splinter off into, all VSG folks will always come back home to Mom's....

Craig

I totally agree with Frisco and Liz.  I would hate to see all the "middies" defect from the main forum.  They are still very much need over there.  And I don't really want this forum to become to blurred with discussions that newbies deal with.  But I do like the idea of calling this the "Advanced VSG Forum".  I think the "middie" people are gonna need to straddle between boards...but most maintainers of us do that as well. 

Laura

My only concern is that the focus of this group changes from people who are mostly done with that period of rapid weight loss to people who are still very actively involved in weight loss. Your focus really does shift the farther out you are and there aren't many places where someone farther out can go and feel like they fit in, while there are still plenty of places that people who are less than a year out can go and feel like their concerns are welcome and there are people there who can help them.

I like it the way it is, even the name.  You feel a sense of pride and accomplishment posting on this board knowing you are in Maintenance.

But I also find the main board moves so fast.  So opening this up to the people that are at goal, near goal or further out and working towards goals sounds like a really great compromise for everyone, AND I think we have all of those people here now, we will just have more of them, which will make our group bigger and more helpful.  I like it!

Otherwise I agree with everything Laura said...  not sure what the new name should be though... gonna give that some thought.

Cindy