I haven't read chapter 4 yet. But the idea of accountability is a tough one for me too. I have a very critical mother who is harsh and condemning when it comes to my health journey. She tells me all I am doing wrong and criticizes how big I have gotten. There is no encouragement there at all.
On the other side of the coin, other friends just don't want to be accountable. I have also invited people to join MFP too, and they get started then drop off (as I have done several times) but when I follow up with them, they are annoyed and frustrated with me.

It is a challenging and tender area for all of us I believe. But I do have an example of someone who did it right. I met a lady through twitter and MFP and she has been such an encouragement to me. When I dropped off she just check up on me a few times but it was gentle and kind, and not harassing. I wasn't ready to jump back in to MFP at the time, but it kept it all in the back of my head. It really was encouraging for me and really helpful. So I think one way we can learn to handle this accountable thing is to be open to people checking in on us, and then also learning to be gentle and loving when we check in on others.

I honestly believe the women I have found here are in a place that they want to be encouraged and they need that kind and gentle support so it will be easier to give it. I am so thankful to have found women who can be that in a safe way.
Thank you ladies. This journey can be so hard, so discouraging, and so lonely at times. We do need each other. We do need the encouragement.
Keep up the good work,
And Thank you.
Amy

I too am looking to this group to be my accountability partners. I am so glad I found this study and group!!

Hi Everyone!

So I've sent each of you friend requests. I was in denial as I read Chap. 4 until she made those points at the end. Then I had to agree that the only reason I succeed is because I'm accountable to someone. Over a year ago I found an exercise buddy on Nexercise and now I exercise 5 days a week because I don't want to let her down.

So now, in that same spirit, I join all of you. Please feel free to contact me if you don't see the message that I've completed my daily diary. And if any of you are also on Kik, I'd like to connect with you there also. I think of Kik as my kick in the pants to get me going. (My Nexercise buddy uses Kik to nudge me.)

And I pray for all of us. I pray that we remember to look to God when we are craving and need strength. Have a wonderful day!

Accountability is very difficult for me as well. In the past when I have asked for help in this area, I never receive encouragement only condemnation when they see me make not so wise choices. So I don't ask. Hoping being in this group will give me some of the accountability I need.

Hey ladies! I'm so excited that I found this group! This is my 3rd time going through made to crave and I just love it! I'm really looking forward to going through this journey with all of you. I'm very excited about being a part of a group who will hold each other accountable for eating to live and not living to eat! I have my food diary on my fitness pal open to the public so if any of you want to look at it daily to make sure I'm not cheating, then feel free! I hope everyone has a wonderful day eating in obedience to God!

I so get that. We can be there for each other. We can do this thru Christ!!

So today I added a bunch of friends from the blog on M2C and I'm so excited. I just made my first green drink while my husband and daughter made pigs in a blanket and devoured them. That smell was killing me but I did it I didn't want to come log pigs in a blanket on my food diary!!

Regarding embarrassing food diary entries:

So I just had to log in a Costco hot dog. However, this is also the day I have an hour yoga class. So I made a deal with myself that I would definitely go to that class to make up for it. I really didn't have a choice with the dog. I looked up the calories beforehand and was going to do the Chicken Caesar Salad instead, but found out that it's 110 more calories then the hot dog! And the hot dog would keep me full all afternoon where the salad wouldn't. So hot dog it was. (BTW, it was a company errand and my co-workers who I went with insisted on eating at Costco. Ok, yea, I could have gone and got something healthier afterwards. But by then I would have been starving.)

Just found this group-saw a post on the facebook study tonight! Keep strong girls...you can do this! I lost my weight this summer and fall...my struggle now is to maintain. For me that is harder than losing. I must exercise every day to keep it off...right now I am highly motivated, but I know that will change.
This is the second time I have gone through the book, and daily I find new insights.
Marie

It looks like I'm a couple of weeks behind everyone else in finding this group. I like it because it's a lot more intimate than the 43,000 and way easier to keep track of everyone and to keep each other accountable.

I only have one really close friend and she's in the study with us, but she's just too busy right now to really commit. I have another kind of close friend at work, and she's supportive but she's probably not going to be able to hold me accountable.

So I'm counting on all of you for the next 60 lbs. and you can count on me, too. I like the post about checking in - when we do, we need to be loving to our sisters and not take offense when someone gives us a nudge. It's all coming from a place of love and concern. I'm going to send each of you a friend request - let's stay strong!