I am just going to give this a try and see how much response I get! It's the new year and we are basically going to have a boom in the forum!~ I thought that maybe we could start a few groups and let a lot of you get involved! I know a lot of you are supportive already but I thought this way you would get more recognition for it! basically I was thinking like

Diary Support Group
Newbies Support Group
General Info Support Group (tickers avs posting ets)


Any ideas are welcome or opinions basically I was trying to let people wanting to be more involved volunteer and do that to supportnewbies more!

I can help...let me know what I can do...Im here as much as I can be...maybe I can do diary support...

Give me a yodel if ya need help

Im mostly of the time willing to help

I could help out also. Just let me know...

I wouldn't mind being a support for someone who'll stick around and be serious about this. The last one bailed on me after 2 days.

Awsome girls I am going to let you decide on what groups you want and I will do this anyway is better for you I just think a lot of you are awsome at helping and I basically want to be able to give everyone the chance to be involved in the forum. Post the group you want and then one of you can basically be the one to organize it! I know I can but I want each of you to to this the way you want or suggest because this forum is a family effort and we are all family and I want newcomers to feel the same about the forum as we do!

ill go for newbies or general info etc.

I have tons of diaries i already keep up with lol.

i am new still, but i am willing to support diary posting and other newbies.

I'll do newbs or general info.

I will work on gettin into newbs diaries...dont really know how to set it up I will just make sure to visit and offer support when I see them pop up in the new posts...

I'd be willing to provide a butt-kicking when people ask. I do support too, but I'm talking about people asking for something a little more than support. Does that make sense?

Bondage?

im a new memeber, just wanted to let you know, i know how it feels when you get bailed on- dont know if it was a supporter or supportee (if there is such a word) that bailed, it is so frustratijg when you want tom get some kind of support and all you see is everyione writing to new people who flitoff anyway all the time, or its new people writing to new people- meaning its always an influx of passers by- its also frustrating when you put a question on a forum (whihc is a support forum) in desperation for support- such as, "help- ive bneen tryingt o lose weight for years and im close to losing it" or "I beem sober for two weeks and i want a drink help!" (this is actually a random example to show desperation- and no one replies!!!!!!! this has happened on lots of forums ive posted tyop- and i gve up tryignt o get support- this is because there is an influx of messaes passing and no one regular volunteering for a role- it can depend on who answers your e mail on that day- its a bity wierd always speaking to new people also- it would be nice to sought of get to know someone- even if it is in a cyber world. this has happened on one forum i j0ined for many months but it closed down after the whole forum subscribing system changed- this worked really well because it had volunteers- you always knew you wuld get an answer to your e mqail even if it was just from the volunteer- in other words there was someone dedicated to caring- and thart pretty special when you have someone willing to ut the time in for that reason. i know i for one could real;ly do with ther support right now as it seems i am failing in help0ing my son losing weight and short of taping our mouths up i dont know what else we could do- i undertsand gastric banding now- the probopem is witht he mind and the addictions to food.

Rosielee - in my experience the best way to get a support network is to post in the newcomer and diaries section and see who visits - then visit them back in their diaries. Maybe visit a few diaries yourself and see if any visit you back in your diary.

Try and build up a rapport with some people. That is they way that friendships are built. It often works well if you find other people at a similar phase of their project - maybe look for other people just starting out. Someone that has been here a while may already have a million friends.

It can also be good to join in challenges and clubs. I would say that it is a good idea to post regularly - as it appears that people get out something similar to what they put in.

I have known people come here and just visit their own diaries - then wonder why no-one visits to support them.

You mention gastric banding - you could maybe find people in the surgical weight loss section that would have things in common with you.