Torn between MFP and Sparkpeople

honeylissabee

I've been yo-yoing between Sparkpeople and MyFitnessPal for a while.

On one hand, the MFP app is far superior, and the database is amazing. I can find EVERYTHING, and tracking on here is so easy. The Fitbit integration is also a lot nicer than Sparkpeople's.

However, I love how Sparkpeople has a calorie range rather than one set number, and I keep wondering what site I should track on.

Anyone have experience with Sparkpeople and having a calorie range rather than one set number?

shadow9193

I like the one set number because it keeps me focused.

Francl27

Well I don't know sparkpeople, but nothing stops you from putting your goal as the high end you don't want to go over, and just eat less if you want to.

runningvegan

I tried Sparkpeople for a couple of days, but I thought the website was pretty slow and clunky. Having a range or a set number did not make a difference to me.

Brige2269

I joined sparkpeople when it first came out, there wasnt much to it, and I really didnt understand all that tracking then. I found MFP and yes the app is great and so is the website. Forum is better too. Mostly what I don't like about SP is that the pages are way too busy, I want it simple like MFP, so I stick with MFP.

llkilgore

I like the MFP forums a LOT better and don't bother with those over on Sparkpeople. And I'm almost offended by the sparkpoints nonsense. It's a pointless time waster that just adds to the already excessive clutter of the site, as well as to my overall sense that the entire community is afflicted with a collective sugar high.

I do like Sparkpeople for food tracking, though, for a couple of reasons. One, the site keeps a stable and searchable database of favorites that's completely under the control of the user. You just check a box on an entry that works for you and then never have to worry about sorting through all of the competing similar entries to find it again. That's especially useful for foods I know I'll eat again but don't eat very often, such as Christmas goodies or produce I buy only when it's in season. So long as it's on your favorites list, a food you haven't eaten in a year will pop up just as quickly as one you've eaten every day this week. And because it's searchable, it's not a big deal to handle a very large database. I check that box on practically every new food I log and rarely bother to delete anything.

Two, specifying a serving size that deviates from the standard serving is more straightforward in SP. For example, if the entry is set up for 85 grams and I eat only 72 grams, I simply change the "85" to "72" in SP. The MFP site requires me to enter my actual serving size as a fraction of the standard, or 72/85=0.847. I'm 60 years old and not as good at doing math in my head as I used to be.

Whether there's a set number of calories for the day or a range doesn't matter to me, as I never look at those numbers anyway. I've been in maintenance for 2 years and don't tweak my TDEE often enough that I need a website to keep track of it for me.

honeylissabee

Two, specifying a serving size that deviates from the standard serving is more straightforward in SP. For example, if the entry is set up for 85 grams and I eat only 72 grams, I simply change the "85" to "72" in SP. The MFP site requires me to enter my actual serving size as a fraction of the standard, or 72/85=0.847. I'm 60 years old and not as good at doing math in my head as I used to be.

It depends. I've had to do that extra math more on Sparkpeople than MFP. It's easier for me to find an entry that will list something in ounces or grams instead of "servings." Or, take a can of soup for example. A recipe I made calls for 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. On here, I can just say "one can", but there, I have to figure out how many ounces are in a serving and how many servings are in REALLY in a can (because cans of soup usually have fractions of a serving). It's a pain, though I've also found that making custom entries can be easier on Sparkpeople, so maybe I'll just start making more custom entries.

I'm still torn. I will be active on both site's message boards regardless. I feel this site is better for more technical aspects of weight loss including discussing TDEE, calories, BMR, ratios, and other numbers. However, I like Sparkpeople for the more emotional side of weight loss. I don't care about the Sparkpoints. I never have.

I suppose, I have to keep in mind that I am not stuck at either site. Right now, I think having a range with a set number is a good idea to get myself back into the swing of things and able to stay on track, but later on, I may find that I need to manage my calorie burn and intake a little more closely, and MFP will be better for that.

But I still love the tracker on here better overall.

appifanie

I've done both and I prefer MFP. The pages are cleaner - the SP ones are all cluttered.

sheshe2774

I tried Sparkpeople. I got frustrated b/c I couldn't find a lot of things in the database. The main reason I went so long w/out a journal is b/c it can be very time consuming. I consider mfp my journal now and it's rare that I have to track down nutritional info. It was a matter of convenience for me so here I am.

LiminalAscendance

I joined sparkpeople when it first came out, there wasnt much to it, and I really didnt understand all that tracking then. I found MFP and yes the app is great and so is the website. Forum is better too. Mostly what I don't like about SP is that the pages are way too busy, I want it simple like MFP, so I stick with MFP.

The forums certainly are "simple" here, I will grant you that.

llkilgore

Two, specifying a serving size that deviates from the standard serving is more straightforward in SP. For example, if the entry is set up for 85 grams and I eat only 72 grams, I simply change the "85" to "72" in SP. The MFP site requires me to enter my actual serving size as a fraction of the standard, or 72/85=0.847. I'm 60 years old and not as good at doing math in my head as I used to be.

It depends. I've had to do that extra math more on Sparkpeople than MFP. It's easier for me to find an entry that will list something in ounces or grams instead of "servings." Or, take a can of soup for example. A recipe I made calls for 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. On here, I can just say "one can", but there, I have to figure out how many ounces are in a serving and how many servings are in REALLY in a can (because cans of soup usually have fractions of a serving). It's a pain, though I've also found that making custom entries can be easier on Sparkpeople, so maybe I'll just start making more custom entries.

Yeah, you run into less than convenient user generated entries on both sites. I get really irritated when there are tons of entries that specify the volume of a serving and few, if any, that specify the mass, when both volume and mass are given on the nutrition panel. I deal with that over on SP by importing and editing a existing volume entry to turn it into a mass entry and then permanently adding it to my favorites list. It's really the stability and searchability of the favorites list that tips the balance for me. I'll take an extra minute or two to customize an entry because I know I'll be able to find it in seconds when I need it again. I eat a wide range of different foods and don't like that things scroll off MFP's "Recent" and "Frequent" lists, or that I sometimes have to search through several pages to lean that they have.

zensugi

I'd go for whatever makes keeping track of your food easier, which increases your chances of actually doing it. In my case I couldn't find a lot of food in SP, therefore I use MFP. There is nothing stopping you of using one for tracking food and another for the forum.