So long WW...

Hellooooooooooo TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly)!! Ok, let me start at the beginning.

A few weeks ago in our WW meeting, the leader was reading Empowering Beliefs. One of them was that this is easier than most things we've done. I looked around and everyone nodded. I raised my hand and said for me it was just the opposite - it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I told her I felt like an alcoholic, but instead, food was my drug. I want y'all to know that NO ONE ELSE said anything. Everyone acted like this was easy as pie for them. Then someone said, "Well I think it's easy to follow the program." Yeah, but how easy was it to DECIDE to FOLLOW the program? It's easy to count points, but it's not easy to always stick to the plan. It was then that I realized I was sitting in a room full of people who didn't know what to do or say, simply looked toward the leader for guidance. That is NOT my idea of a support group. I felt like everyone in the room was a bunch of fakers. I mean, seriously, if it's so damn easy, WHY are you HERE??? You wouldn't even BE fat if it was so damn easy. Man, GTFOOHWDBS. That was the first time I left a WW meeting feeling a little empty.

The next day, I told my boss about it and told her how I felt like I was in the Stepford WW Club. I mentioned TOPS and she said her grandmother and aunt were members for years. I've been to the website (www.tops.org) and read all about it. Since it's a nonprofit, it's WAY cheaper than WW, only $24 per year. I decided to go to a meeting to see if I liked it.

I LOVED IT!!!! The women were SO nice. I'm definitely the youngest person there, lol, but that's not much different from WW. I was also the only Black woman. This little older lady (who I think will be my favorite) was telling me about the group (she has two daughters who come as well) and mentioned that there were a couple other African-American girls, too. I chuckled to myself, but I was glad she wanted to make me feel comfortable and welcome. The chapter has dues, also, only $2 per month. So I'm basically looking at $48 a year. And they have conferences and stuff. They have contests and stuff. Like they are having a summer contest where they are paired up and whichever team loses the most wins (I forget what). Then they have an Angel of the month which is whoever loses the most that month and then at the end of the year they have a Queen (or a king, but they're are only 2 men in the group). AND they bring low-fat snacks!!! Fruit, pretzels, rice cakes, coffee. It was the most bizarre experience, being at a weight-loss meeting eating snacks! And these women are losing! You get a diet and goal weight (or range, I guess) from a doctor (she said have him/her write it on a prescription pad). So everyone is doing something different, but they are SO supportive of each other. I got to meet a couple people who'd met their goals and are now KOPS (Keeping...). They tease each other and seem like a little family. When I left, they all said they hoped to see me back, and they will.

I look at it like this: I already have all the tools I need from WW. Why keep paying $12 a week when I'm not getting what I need? I went for 12 weeks, so that's $144. $144. And I'm 12lbs down. I paid $12 for every pound I lost. Was it worth it? Hmm, I think so, I mean, it is what it is. WW works, so I'm glad I got all the tools from the 12 weeks I went. But I'm not shellin' out any more money to them. I was gonna keep goin' until I got my 10% keychain, but damn all that. Next Monday, I'm paying my TOPS membership! :)

Oh yeah, I weighed in last night. I even had on a denim skirt (I didn't go home and change). Even in the heavy clothing, I've lost 1lb since Thursday!!!! YAY!!! I *might* go to WW tomorrow for the last time. Maybe. I probably won't, lol.

So that was my TOPS experience. What y'all think?