I am in the September Maintainer. I had done well on my own for 6 months before joining it, having maintained a 70 pound weight loss, but knew the extra support of a group could be helpful. And, it was and I started off great.
I had gotten so far off track this winter, however. I think seasonal depression set in and instead of exercising more to compensate for my blues, I pretty much quit exercising. I convinced myself if I kept my diet under control I would be fine. I wasn't. By mid-March, after a vacation, I was so far over I knew I would never make the next weigh-in. So I joined a Kickstart to motivate me into dropping those extra pounds. I did, and it worked, but I still had a LOT of leeway as I was topping out the max of my weight range. So, I joined another Kickstart - one for Fitbit Fanatics, and it has totally gotten me back to where I need to be.
I had convinced myself that I could be an island and that I really could do and maintain this all on my own. I was so wrong! I did not realize how much the support and friendly competition and challenges would motivate me and put me back in the game! I believe that I can really do this now, as my lifestyle and not as a "diet." I know I can be healthy AND happy. I believe that from this point forward I will be more concerned about weighing ENOUGH to make the weigh-in as opposed to concerned about if I wait until the final morning, will I squeeze by?
I will most likely be in a Maintainer for the next several years, and, if needed I'll do another Kickstart to get back to where I want to be. Thank you Diet Bet Community for the support and motivation you provided that allows me to be the ME I want to be.