Why I love MFP.

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

Because for all the arguments and 'mean' threads; you guys make it fit.
I don't want to be on a diet that restricts what I can eat. I want to be able to eat all the food that I love, just less of it for a little while, and then a little bit more of it when I'm at my target weight. I love the fact that so many of you truly subscribe to the everything in moderation mantra and I don't feel like a freak.

So yay us - group hug... and now I'm off to the Pool.

GaleHawkins

I have found "Thinking" is required. I have found not diet that is not restricting. In my case it was carbs. I do think diets have to be life long decisions for some of us. If you are 20-40 a good diet may stop working well when you hit middle age for example.

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

Lol I don't hate thinking full stop, I hate thinking of a username

Lizzy622

HUG I have also found new foods to love through reading the message boards.

bwogilvie

newmeadow wrote: »

I love reading about all the MFP folks who love that they can eat any ole thing in moderation.

But I just wonder - what did they do before they came to MFP?

Did it take coming to MFP for them to realize HEY! MFP says I can eat ANYTHING I want in smaller quantities and lose SCADS of poundage. WOW! That must make it TRUE! I'LL DO IT!!!! Oh LOOK! It WORKED!

I mean, no one ever thought of this before? What were they doing before? Not eating delicious foods in moderation? I mean, like, um, overeating delicious foods?

That's me! I haven't really changed what I eat in the last 2 years, but I have changed how much I eat. I realized that I was misleading myself, to the tune of about 60 calories a day (which adds up over a decade), about how much I was eating, by not paying attention to signs of satiety, by approaching food (especially calorie-dense food) as a treat, and by not realizing that when my activity level dropped significantly, I had better eat a lot less as a result.

And with MFP, I have discovered that I can, in fact, eat ANYTHING I want as long as it fits in my calorie targets. I've lost over 60 pounds in the last 22 months following that plan. I've adjusted a few things in my diet by paying attention to what makes me more sated (and thus satisfied) early in the day, but mostly it's a matter of actually counting calories and not eating more than I need.

Alluminati

newmeadow wrote: »

I love reading about all the MFP folks who love that they can eat any ole thing in moderation.

But I just wonder - what did they do before they came to MFP?

Did it take coming to MFP for them to realize HEY! MFP says I can eat ANYTHING I want in smaller quantities and lose SCADS of poundage. WOW! That must make it TRUE! I'LL DO IT!!!! Oh LOOK! It WORKED!

I mean, no one ever thought of this before? What were they doing before? Not eating delicious foods in moderation? I mean, like, um, overeating delicious foods?

Yup. Me. Twas a big duh moment.

IHateThinkingOfAUsername

newmeadow wrote: »

But I just wonder - what did they do before they came to MFP?

Pre-MFP I had gone on various 'diets'. The most successful one was a diet plan from a large supermarket here in the UK, in fact I was one of their runners up for Slimmer Of The Year. The diet plan I chose required me to cook every meal from scratch, and basically consisted of meat and two veg; with reduced (not low) carbs. This was great. I lost the weight. But I didn't really learn about my real life eating. I didn't learn that I could actually eat some foods I enjoy (like pizza) without it meaning the end of the world. I didn't learn how to cope with special occasions (meals out etc). Sure I liked the food I was eating, but I was definitely depriving myself of things. I learnt I was safe if I could cook from scratch and not eat starchy carbs with an evening meal (veggies were allowed but not pasta, potatoes, rice etc). That just isn't feasible for me to live for the rest of my life. Especially when real life came back and so did the weight!

I had heard the age old 'moderation is key' message; MFP didn't teach me that. But what it has done is given me the tool to be able to put that into practice. With MFP (or any other calorie counting system) I now know what 'moderation' actually means. I know I can eat whatever I like, I just have to make sure I don't eat too much of it. Take today - for lunch I'm having pate!! For tea I'm having roast potatoes!! And for my post-tea/pre-bed snack I'll be having some bourbon biscuits!! All previously 'banned' items that I missed, or didn't dare have because I didn't feel in control, I didn't know how much I could have. Now I don't force myself to cook from scratch every single meal, every single day; because there are times when I just cannot be arsed. But through MFP I have found there are alternatives other than phoning for a takeaway.

cincysweetheart

newmeadow wrote: »

I love reading about all the MFP folks who love that they can eat any ole thing in moderation.

But I just wonder - what did they do before they came to MFP?

Did it take coming to MFP for them to realize HEY! MFP says I can eat ANYTHING I want in smaller quantities and lose SCADS of poundage. WOW! That must make it TRUE! I'LL DO IT!!!! Oh LOOK! It WORKED!

I mean, no one ever thought of this before? What were they doing before? Not eating delicious foods in moderation? I mean, like, um, overeating delicious foods?

Not a new thought. I always believed moderation was not only possible…it was the answer (for me). But literally… all the people that I know IRL that has lost weight (or is trying to lose weight) is doing it through some sort of major restriction. My sister has cut out anything with added sugar. Completely. My co-workers have tried everything from HCG to Atkins to God only knows what they are on now…

So, what I love about MFP is finally realizing that there are other people out there who have a freakin' brain and recognize the truth about calorie deficit (something my co-workers don't believe in) and have actually adopted the moderation "diet" and have lost weight doing it.

Aemely

cincysweetheart wrote: »

So, what I love about MFP is finally realizing that there are other people out there who have a freakin' brain and recognize the truth about calorie deficit (something my co-workers don't believe in) and have actually adopted the moderation "diet" and have lost weight doing it.

I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers, consultin' with the rain... But, I also make time to enter in my food into MFP.

I love MFP because there are a lot of people who believe that healthy eating and exercising is a permanent lifestyle change not a d**t. Plus, they have proved it through weight loss and maintenance. Congrats to all of you successful people!

nilbogger

It's not that I didn't know moderation was a thing. I grew up watching Richard Simmons infomercials! I just didn't know how much I was supposed to eat. Now I know, but I need the tootl of the calorie counter to keep me on target and accountable.

yoovie

moderation is mildly amazeballs.