Why MFP is the only way to lose weight

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  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
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    I'm confused. Are you seriously expecting us to believe that you are unaware that many people never get fat and never keep a food diary? Or that fat people never lose weight without a food diary?

    Or to believe that ALL healthy people keep a food diary? I'm healthy. In fact, I've never had any health problems other than a short term virus or cold. And I'm not fat. I have been overweight, but I've never been obese. Yet out of my 52+ years of life, I've only kept a food diary for < 2 years. And, I never measure my food.

    You make me feel special. :flowerforyou:


    I can't imagine anyone having longterm success without keeping a food diary. Yes, some people are naturally thin, or are naturally less hungry. But as special as they may be, or as "not fat" as they are... I would bet that they would not be able to lose x amount of weight longterm without a food diary.

    Then I hate to say it, but maybe you just hang around the wrong people. I do know people who can live a healthy lifestyle without keeping a food diary. Yes it's a great way to be accountable, but certainly not the be all end all. FWIW I think MFP is a great tool, and maybe a leading tool going forward in the technological age, but it's not the only way to do things.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    I don't know that its THE BEST WAY...everyones needs are different. However...it seems to be the best way FOR ME. Its working, relatively fuss free.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I'm confused. Are you seriously expecting us to believe that you are unaware that many people never get fat and never keep a food diary? Or that fat people never lose weight without a food diary?

    Or to believe that ALL healthy people keep a food diary? I'm healthy. In fact, I've never had any health problems other than a short term virus or cold. And I'm not fat. I have been overweight, but I've never been obese. Yet out of my 52+ years of life, I've only kept a food diary for < 2 years. And, I never measure my food.

    You make me feel special. :flowerforyou:


    I can't imagine anyone having longterm success without keeping a food diary. Yes, some people are naturally thin, or are naturally less hungry. But as special as they may be, or as "not fat" as they are... I would bet that they would not be able to lose x amount of weight longterm without a food diary.

    Nonsense. People have been losing or maintain a healthy weight for thousands of years without writing down what they eat.
  • aloranger7708
    aloranger7708 Posts: 422 Member
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    I don't think MFP (specifically) is the only way, but calorie counting is 100% guaranteed to work if you do it right.
  • adamgottlob
    adamgottlob Posts: 36 Member
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    Nonsense. People have been losing or maintain a healthy weight for thousands of years without writing down what they eat.

    Please stop misstating what I wrote. I am not saying you can't maintain a healthy weight without a diary. You can be skinny or fat or any weight without a food diary.

    But by the time we are past age 20 we have established a food baseline, based on what we like to eat and how much. As we get older, maintaining this same food baseline will normally make us gain weight. The only way to combat this is by keeping track using a tool such as MFP.

    If you think someone can go from whatever weight they are, to a lesser weight longterm without keeping a food diary...I will take that bet.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I wouldn't say its the only way, but its what works for me.

    Reason being, I have been overweight all my life and told to lose, and it got worse after my mom died in 2009. If I would have stuck with MFP back in 2011 (yes I deactivated my account back then due to a "friend" who had posted some very nasty things in her blog about me. Needless to say when I came back to MFP, i made the decision to not have her on my friends list) I probably would have lost more (mind you pregnancy jump started my weight loss and no I didn't have morning sickness, they feel its because I was so active during the pregnancy is why I lost).

    But slow and steady wins the race and eventually I will get there.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    If you think someone can go from whatever weight they are, to a lesser weight longterm without keeping a food diary...I will take that bet.

    Well who wouldn't? This being an internet site on which you know nothing would ever come of it. :wink:

    Are you very young? I ask because before online sites like MFP that allow tracking food diaries were far less common and calorie counting much more difficult. Yet, people still lost weight. Some even maintained it long term, though we both know that percentage is small regardless of a diary.
  • adamgottlob
    adamgottlob Posts: 36 Member
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    Is 41 very young? The whole point of my thread is based on the two articles I sited. IMO after reading these, if someone is going to try and lose weight without somehow keeping track of everything they eat , they are poised for a very small chance of success longterm.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Is 41 very young? The whole point of my thread is based on the two articles I sited. IMO after reading these, if someone is going to try and lose weight without somehow keeping track of everything they eat , they are poised for a very small chance of success longterm.

    Unfortunately, statistically everyone that loses weight has only a small chance of success long term.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
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    For me, calorie counting is necessary. I'm horrible at guessing how much I'm actually eating. When i was younger, i didn't track calories and I ate HUGE lunches and dinners, but i was also working on the farm during the summer, or in extra-curricular activities at school so i didn't have time for mindless snacking. Enter college/post-college - still eating huge lunches and dinners and adding mindless snacking and not nearly as much activity. Helloooo weight gain.

    I keep track as the day progresses so i can see exactly where i'm sitting for the day, and i can better decide if that afternoon snack that i'm craving is REALLY worth the extra 280 calories.

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