Almost 8 months out and I feel like a rock star diva.  About 112 pounds down.  I find a lot of conversations obsessing over stalls and I wanted to say I have had several unfortunate delays to say the least..... The search feature has given me much ease. I found 100's of posts on stalls and delays which made me realize that if you are eating 1100 calories or less a day, drinking your liquids and getting your protien ...you will start losing again.  It is therapy for some just to post instead of researching, and I get that , but do yourself a righteous one and use the search my friends.  It will help take care of that monster in your head that keeps saying, "you are failing!"  Resolve to all of you.

scarlette

Actually-it may not. Some personality types NEED to emote.  They also NEED the personalized assurance.

Also-when some people write help, I have stalled..and post their diets..I cringe. I have seen candy and potato chips (POST OP) listed in what they ate. On one hand, I am glad they are honest, but I typically dont answer because I think they must be trolls. Some more patient people DO answer and steer them in the right direction. Sometimes, people dont realize that they need MORE protein in their diet..or more fluids. And this is what the boards are all about.

So in summary, I would encourage them to keep posting. Just like complex mathematics-sometimes one does not see their own errors..but an outsider can.  And some..just need to emote.

You are so right that many people just need to get it out and get direction just for them but the search button is still a winner.  Almost anything someone posts today about their diet or "help I have stalled 2 weeks out!" Has been posted before and it helps me so much when i search and see all the experience that had gone before me.  Wanted to give the search button a positive plug :)

Having been a part of OH for coming up on 9 years now I can't even imagine the number of repetitive posts I've read. Dependant on my mood (or patience) I will respond or skip. The search function is greatly improved lately - it was terribly disappointing previously. I too would encourage others to use it (and other search engines for that matter) to research and learn.

I have no issue whatsoever with people posting questions - that's what we're all here for. I do take exception to multiple posts of the same question on the same page - I wonder if people sometimes don't read threads and simply post the question without looking to see if it had recently been asked. In any case, people do seem to get the information they're seeking.

There do seem to be a few posters that expect answers be handed to them without any effort of their own. A person posted on another forum about needing suggestions for a certain stage of eating/specific recipes, etc. Several of us posted well researched, vetted links to the information and were "thanked" for our assistance with this message in return: (and in all CAPS, if you please...) I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO GO SEARCHING OR READ. I WANT PEOPLE TO POST THE RECIPES HERE FOR ME.

I kid you not. LOL!!

OMG.  I am so sorry for you!  Like really, that was very rude of the person. HOw hard is it to click a link.

That may be a person I would skip in the future.

Also, I noticed I dont get the search feature in Internet Explorer. I have the magnifying glass in google chrome but not IE.  So when ya'all were talking about the magnifying glass/search feature, I was like "I dont see this".  The reason why, was I was using IE!

The sad part..there is actually a forum here called "Recipes!"

There is AND I run a recipe forum here on OH too - and the link is in my signature! LOL

The vast majority of folks are sincere, motivated and want to do well. AND they are willing to put forth the effort to do so (if we don't advocate for ourselves, who will?). Others not so much. ;)

I have the search feature in both Chrome and IE. I wonder if it depends on what version of IE someone is running?

I understand about the re-hashing...it can be annoying.

However, how many of us have repetitively been on diets/programs that DIDN'T work for us?  I think everyone of us has.  So when we hit that two week stall, based on our prior experiences where our efforts have previously FAILED, we may go to that fearful place and wonder "What did I just DO?  Did I just hack up my stomach and re-route my intestines to FAIL yet again?"

One can read about the two-week stall for hours..but until it happens personally to you...one can not fanthom the quality and quantity of emotion (e.g.fear/hopelessness/lack-of-confidence in the surgery itself) .

That is why we need each other.  It is the written assurances of others who have struggled, JUST LIKE YOU, and have come through it helps re-assure the person having the problem. It is good to have re-assurance from someone who immediately preceded you on the journey. For example, someone who just broke the two-week stall comes along and says, "Hey, that happened to me last month...it broke and I lost 5 lbs in a week" or a vet that went through it "awhile ago" and is well aware of OTHER problems that may be further up the trail.

Further, if one has counterproductive habits, someone telling you "Dont mess this up" may really help. For example, I have a friend in WW. She is losing well now because she had a health crisis. However, previously, whenever she plateaued she would think "What the hell, I am doing everything right and not losing so why bother?" and fall off the wagon. NOw her, diabetes will NOT let her fall off the wagon abd she has lost 100 lbs this year without surgery.

In summary, between the lack of confidence that THIS will really work for you, personality type, and perhaps some self destructive tendencies, we need each other for advice and accountability.

Personalized advice and accountability.

Congrats on your magnificent weight loss -- and as an added note, I agree completely with the sentiment of your post.  

Thank you so much.....I am amazed everyday