It not only happens once the weight is off, but as you are going down the scale too. :) I did the online stuff too but in conjunction with the meetings. I made several friends and if I'd had a "bad" week, at least I knew I was going to see people I enjoyed. The weighing in thing is private and at least where I went, no one ever made a face or said something nasty if you did indeed have a "bad week." In fact, the season between Thanksgiving and New Years, they give praise to anyone who keeps the weight gain under 5 pounds or just stays the same....pretty realistic if you ask me.