What did you learn using MyFitnessPal that changed your habits?

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wunderkindking

Oh.

This is a pretty personal one (they're all personal, but still):

If I am physically hungry, I should *freaking well eat*. Not go eat a slice of cake or grab a bag of chips, but actual food with decent macro split. Even if it puts me over calories.

Ignoring physical hunger for me just leads to eroding willpower, and 'bad' decisions later - meaning I'll just grab whatever food at some point and then regret it. This is true now at a healthy BMI but it was also true when I was obese. Messing up and eating something earlier in the day that would make meeting my calorie goals harder still didn't mean I should skip dinner/get to the point of being starved and then getting dumb and being miserable. Chalking it up as a 'shouldn't have done that/those calories were not worth it' and going on and eating some chicken and broccoli (or whatever) and going over some was way more productive than white knuckling it through a headache and growling stomach.

elizaeee

Finally lost another 3 lbs after my monthlong plateau, because I quit eating back the calories MFP said I had burned. I'm now 1/2way to my weight goal, but far from my strength and flab-free goals.

venustra00

It’s almost as if my husband is mourning the loss of his eating partner. He has never had a weight issue, and we enjoyed treats together for many years, but now I always say no, and opt for a healthy snack.
It’s an adjustment for both of us, but we are slowly adapting to the new routine.

suzleigh1

On July 1, 2021 (at 200 lb), I went to see a nutritionist to try to figure out why I was not losing weight after I had cut out dairy, significantly reduced unhealthy carbs, and started walking and working out. We both came to the conclusion I was not getting enough calories in my day (I was probably taking in 500-800). Once I got on MFP, I’ve been able to successfully track my caloric intake, focusing most on calories and proteins. I’m still not losing weight as quickly as I would like, but will keep on with losing at least 4 lb per month (which I realize is the healthiest way to go). Today, August 21, I’m at 193.2.

mbrodecki117

I think the big thing for me is the accountability of tracking - it makes you mindful of what you are taking in. I started optivia to give myself a boost. It works well but I’m not crazy about the restrictions of certain kinds of foods with program and the cost. Am currently trying a hybrid- tracking, using some of their fuelings and some I’m making. The mini meals are working as well as the water consumption.Definitely a learning process, but I’m lost over 15 lbs since June. Slow and steady I’m in this for the long haul

LeeH31

Tracking helps me to have the will-power to stop eating when I have reached my calorie goal. The fleeting pleasure of having an extra serving or snack only to see the scale go up just is not worth it for me. It has to be a pretty special reason for me to break my determination not to exceed my calories. When I do, I try to just let it go and enjoy the special treat or special occasion reasonably. At this point I don't sweat the macros, but I have noticed that they average out just fine over the course of a week.

grigaramanda

Not a diagnosis, but found this while trying to understand why I’m never thirsty as well. Seems to mirror what others are saying about the brain and ADH.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adipsia

lottiecatte

That hitting my protein goal helps me feel SO much fuller and stops me having blood sugar crashes, that I really don't eat enough fibre, and that potatoes aren't as high calorie as I thought.

hayds342

I discovered how many calories are in flour and icing sugar.

ljbowser1

I have been of and on MyFitnessPal for a year now. Did great at first but while watching my granddaughter during lockdown & summer vacation I fell back into my old habits. They are back in school today (hopefully with no issues) so I am starting again again.

RichardAllenWayne

I learned that I love salt more than anything in the world lol

lynnehbtravis

My aha moments are: Not drinking enough water, not eating enough once I started my program and the struggle to eat salad...I hate salad. I'm exercising regularly now and need my calories, water and greens! However, I'm losing inches...slowly, but surely! Yay.

jdrice5214089

I learned from another member on MFP that " losing weight is a slow process and requires patience and consistency over the long haul ".

LeeH31

I learned that willpower fades, but habits keep you going. Good tracking habits can overcome faulty willpower!

jodylynn1970

Hello, this is my first day using Myfitnesspal. My Aha moment have had a few in the last year or so but this last one did me in. Had a stent put in my heart and total hip replacement. A few other things and I'm only 51 yrs old. But I'm willing to do what it takes to keep me here as long as possible. I have to stick around and watch my grandson grow up. He truly is the man in my life and all the reason to live for.

jodylynn1970

I have learned that I didn’t eat enough yesterday. No wander I was still hungry when I went to bed last night🤦‍♀️

matthewzirvin

matthewzirvin

This is me today at 227. I began at 261 in March 2021. If you look at the profile pic, which I will be changing, the change is palpable. What I have learned from this is to be mindful of the calories I take in, and mindful of the calories I burn, and the balance between the two. . That, and to be brutally honest when logging in food. If I eat a slice of pizza, log it. If I have a candy bar, log it. That way, you have a real accountability coach built in- yourself.

AmyE26

That I can eat what I want, as long as I stay within my calorie allowance and I make sure that I include healthy food (like we're having nachos tomorrow but I'm having like a quarter plate nachos and the rest salad) and that I don't have to stick to 500kcal per day and just eat protien and veg .. which is what I was doing. I also found out that I am intolerant to gluten, and one of the side effects of this was maintaining or gaining weight if I had gluten (this is why I ended up just having 500kcal per day to try and stop gaining weight). Since I have stopped having gluten I am losing weight (I'm not advising that people give up gluten if they don't need to)

WTGNicole

Brooklyn_Born wrote: »

My AHA moment happened in December 2008. I had just run my slowest 5k time ever and still at age 61 I won my age group and was being cheered. After all I was an "old lady" I knew I couldn't train any harder and I was already drinking only water as my beverage of choice. Could it be the 25 extra pounds I was dragging around? Exactly, the shock of using MFP's nutrition tracker and buying a food scale proved that I could not "outrun my fork".
11 months later, 25 pounds lighter, I ran 3 minutes faster and I've been in maintenance ever since
Thank you for the wake up call.

I love this so much!!

stealthette

I learned the value of weighing food. I was so shocked, and still am, about how small 100g of chicken actually is.

TiffHawkeye

I am just beginning my journey ( day 10 to be exact)

I cannot believe portion sizes and how I was underestimating some of the foods ( weighing them out is such a great skill to use).

Meal prepping for the week has been amazing- I feel like I have less stress over what to eat or how long to make it. It has also made tracking easier when I know what I am eating all day long

SugarFemme24

I lost over 200 lbs w/ keto and tracking (450lbs to juuust under 250lbs) a few years ago. I had a bad breakup and let those feelings push me back into my bad habits and really struggled to get back to it. I gained back about...80ish pounds and started feeling all the old fat girl woes (my feet hurt more, it's harder to move my body, etc) I realized that I had to get my stuff together unless I wanted to go back to 450 and not fit into the world anymore.
For me, it's all about mindset. I track because data is helpful. I track because I'm a butthead to myself when I eat and having clear numbers that show that my eating isn't as bad as I assumed is helpful. I believe in the good health benefits of keto and I don't want to get diabetes or any other long-term disease. I don't want to wait until my body breaks down to do something good for it. She deserves to be cared for better than that. My mantra when I don't want to deal with tracking, limiting myself, or exercising is "if not now, when?"
If I don't get enough calories one day, I really focus on feeding myself well the next day. If I have a high carb/calorie day, I just move on without being mean to myself about it. It's only a problem if I use it as an excuse to binge. I don't focus as much on weight loss anymore. I love my body as she is and I treat her with love. I can only control my behavior, I can't physically choose to make my body smaller, I have to change my behavior and that will happen naturally.

Whydahdad71

I have learned quite a bit actually. I have learned my nutrients profile along with the calories to just about everything. I think this app is a wise investment.

lorib642

Portion sizes. I now weigh out certain things, like nuts, beforehand rather than eating from the bag

Caramel_Apple

not only did the carbs keep my blood sugar up they also kept the pounds on

CrystalLaurey

wunderkindking wrote: »

That I was eating about a thousand calories most days -- in condiments.

Seriously.

It wasn't the junk food, the carbs, or soda (i only do diet) that was the major source of my weight problem.

Condiments.

This! I didn't realize how much "little things" like condiments added up. Once I started measuring portions I was shocked by the numbers and when I adjusted my diet, I found out that I either didn't really want/need it or that I was okay with a lot less than I had been using (1 TBS of mayo becomes 1 tsp, 2 TBS dressing becomes 1 TBS with a splash of vinegar).

Awesomewow

I never knew that lemonade has carbs I also learned that I can have things I want, I just have to account for it and balance it out. I have decided that my favorite lemonade, rather than being healthier that soda, is too expensive calorie-wise. 😅 I told my husband that some food was too expensive and he told me not to worry about $$ just get what I wanted. I had to explain.

susanlee53

Snacking while watching tv is merely using crunchy things to alleviate boredom. It doesn't work. I get done snacking and I'm still bored. If I get up and do something else, then that attacks the boredom and doesn't wreck my food/fitness plan.