I too am very leary of making a committment to do something for a whole year regarding this WOL. I am afraid of failing yet again, and yet, I feel this is it. I never thought a 'support group' would work for me - and I really don't look at all of you as a 'support' group - with the connotation it brings. Those types of meetings were always framed in the knowledge that each person might leave at any time - especially after they reached their personal goals - they would be gone. Those types of meetings were not with a way of life as the goal, but they had a sort of 'temporary atmosphere'.

I tried various group type meetings - TOPS, WW, etc. - I never really felt a part of a group - and maybe that is my own fault. They required a lot of effort to go to a physical meeting every week and also there was risk in 'opening up' to strangers. I also didn't want more people to 'see' me fail yet again. I also didn't want to make friends and then lose them again - after investing of myself into others, which I do when I meet people, and endure more rejection. Rejection becomes a way of life with 100+ pounds to lose as you all know very well. To be successful, you must learn to live among the rejection and learn how to minimize it as much as possible.

After reading posts all week, I have not come across one post that was negative or judgmental in this group and I feel a safety here that I have never experienced before - not that I am expecting from anyone to provide to me anything - but, it is being given here - and freely and with sincerity - so, therefore, because of the wonderful things I have learned, and have seen here among the members, I am ready to risk the possible losses for the inevitable gains that making a committment to all of you will bring, so...

I, Patti, otherwise known as PattiK, promise to commit to this extraodinary group for one full year. I promise to visit this thread on a very regular basis. I promise to stay true to this group in good times and in bad!! I will promise to continue to be as enthusiastic about low-carbing, in one-year as I am today! I will NOT just disappear without letting everyone know what I am doing or what has happened to me. I also promise to post to this forum with sincerity.

Patti