Hey, what have you got to lose? June 30, 2007 8:30 PM   Subscribe

Catfood asked where she could find an intelligent weight loss support group online— a Metafilter for dieters, basically. Ferociouskitty set one up on Spark People. It seemed like a great idea that could use a little publicity.
posted by orange swan to MetaFilter-Related at 8:30 PM (14 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite

"Catfood asked..."

"Ferociouskitty set one up..."


IT'S A TRAP!
posted by Eideteker at 9:09 PM on June 30, 2007 [8 favorites]


I wanted to make that exact joke, Eidetaker. But I thought why bother, when someone will do it for me.
posted by orange swan at 9:23 PM on June 30, 2007


I'm always glad to be of service for the lovely swanlady.

Hallmark and I are working on a line of cards for next year: "Thank you for being predictable."
posted by Eideteker at 9:30 PM on June 30, 2007


Cool, I joined. I've always been a little weird about those communities because many people are trying to lose large amounts of weight and I just want to lose about 10 pounds.
posted by Brittanie at 2:17 AM on July 1, 2007


I have lots to lose, and for the longest time, I was all, "oh, you only have 30 lbs to lose, you just don't understand me."
/whine

But I pretty much realized we all have to go through the same process. I might have to do it way longer than someone who has to lose 10, but it's the same basic principle.

Looks like we've got all kinds of goals over there - everyone's welcome.
posted by ferociouskitty at 5:36 AM on July 1, 2007


But whats the name of the Team???
I joined and the first team they suggested was Knitters> I mean I ask you, how will I lose weight by knitting?
Only joking, let me know where the Meta Team hangs out on spark, please?
posted by Wilder at 6:24 AM on July 1, 2007


It's "private" - follow the link in orangeswan's post.
posted by ferociouskitty at 6:48 AM on July 1, 2007


Oh, and although I was really tempted to call it "MetaFatties," I chickened out, so it's just called Metafilter. *yawn*
posted by ferociouskitty at 6:52 AM on July 1, 2007


May I humbly suggest "HURF DURF WEIGHTER LOSER"?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:54 AM on July 1, 2007


I joined. I only need to join 10-15 pounds, but it's really not wanted to come off...
posted by miss lynnster at 8:25 AM on July 1, 2007


OK, this is awesome. I just joined too.
posted by nkknkk at 8:54 AM on July 1, 2007


Hey, a community of people losing weight that I want to belong to! Amazing. This is far more appetizing than hanging out with the WW girls w/whom I have nothing in common other than wanting to lose weight. Awesome.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:20 AM on July 1, 2007


I have to say, after messing with it a bit and getting my favorite foods programmed in there, I do like their food diary a lot. It kind of confirms for me that my eating habits aren't so bad, and it makes it easier for me to give myself boundaries when I decide to eat bad stuff. (Yesterday I ate a piece of KFC & a slice of pizza at a picnic and I was feeling pretty guilty.)

Now I just have to get off my flabby bum & exercise more.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:35 AM on July 1, 2007


Yesterday I ate a piece of KFC & a slice of pizza at a picnic and I was feeling pretty guilty.

I can't help but suggest that you and others similarly afflicted would be much better off if you somehow converted that food guilt into something that is nevertheless still cautionary but much less emotionally negative. I have a strong sense that food guilt, like sex guilt, is inherently harmful even when one's food consumption or sex, um, consumption is out-of-control. Both food and sex are good things, and necessary to well-being. Even in the case of truly harmful things to the addicted, like alcohol, isn't it the case that AA and others try to help people avoid guilt and work the problem out differently? I would think this approach would be far more necessary and effective in the case of food. Or sex. Or anything else that is natural, healthy, and good and necessary for a person in moderation.

I'm not at all a person who would claim that both guilt and shame are inherently bad things that one should expunge from one's personality. But they are both good and necessary tools when used very selectively and surgically. When they are not scalpels, but mallets, hammering away at any and every odd-angle in one's personality, they become part of the problem, not part of the solution. And while it may be the case that one only feels such guilt with regard to food consumption and not "every odd-angle in one's personality", weight and appearance are such emotionally explosive and wide-reaching things that this is just as true.

I've never been more than slightly overweight, and I've always been male, so there's never been much pressure on me to worry to about my weight. But I've been close to people who have had problems in this area and it seems to me that an odd dance of indulgence and guilt is sort of a self-reinforcing habit that needs to be excised before one can develop better habits and a better self-image.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:30 PM on July 1, 2007


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