New to MFP

countrylove12

I just started really using MFP within the last two days. I'm trying to pay attention to everything and not just my calories - all of the intake trackers here.
I'm also signed up for weight watchers online. I'm trying to really get into MFP to see if I would like to cancel my WW subscription and not have to pay anymore. (I've been paying for like 3 years).

Anyone have any tips/ideas/help/things they'd like to share?!

Thanks!

StaciMarie1974

If you're feeling overwhelmed then back up and pick 1-2 things to focus on this week. And as you get them under control, add in more.

As to tracking everything - that may not be necessary unless you have underlying health reasons. Target your problem areas. For me its fruits/veggies & making sure I get enough protein. The rest falls into place when I take care of those details.

I've never done the points of WW but in theory counting calories is the same thing but with more precision. And free!

countrylove12

Thanks for the reply StaciMarie - The WW points are easy, however, you can essentially eat whatever you want for those points you get during the day. There is no calorie, protein, carb, etc., counts. That's why I think I'd be doing a little bit better with MFP and really paying attention to what I'm actually eating. Plus MFP syncs with my FitBit which is nice.

Do you ever have a "cheat" meal or day? How do you go about counting those calories? I ask, because, with WW you get an extra 49 points per week to eat on let's say, splurges. That's what I think I'll have a hard time adjusting to with calorie counting. Not being able to add in those extras if I chose to have them.

DavidSTC

Thanks for the reply StaciMarie - The WW points are easy, however, you can essentially eat whatever you want for those points you get during the day. There is no calorie, protein, carb, etc., counts. That's why I think I'd be doing a little bit better with MFP and really paying attention to what I'm actually eating. Plus MFP syncs with my FitBit which is nice.

Do you ever have a "cheat" meal or day? How do you go about counting those calories? I ask, because, with WW you get an extra 49 points per week to eat on let's say, splurges. That's what I think I'll have a hard time adjusting to with calorie counting. Not being able to add in those extras if I chose to have them.

You go about counting ALL of your calories, and that guides you on how much you can eat. It's a process figuring out what your calorie count should be. Some people don't log when they cheat. I do. Here's why: It keeps me honest in the future. I see how much I ate, and when I think about cheating in the future, I remember how many extra calories that I can run up quickly. So, it usually slows my cheats in the future.

One other thing: Everybody slips up from time to time, and everybody indulges on special occasions. I don't see any problem with doing it once in a while. But, if you get in a habit of logging everything, I think you get more disciplined. If you get in a habit of not logging, you're not really getting the true benefit of MFP. My advice would be not to plan on cheating, but to know that it can happen at parties. Then, try to estimate all that you eat ... even if you might be off a little bit here and there. It's kept me honest through this process.

Good luck!

chilly1470

Hello, I had tried everything: carbs, WW, carbs again, even Cambridge for crying out loud, Slim Fast, pills, and pills, carbs (meaning Atkins), and NOTHING, worked as well as this. You see, when you realized you are no longer dieting, you can set yourself up to win. Don't torture yourself, but don't abuse yourself either. It is all about balance. If you slip, it's not "cheating" or "going off your diet", it's just caving in for a moment. Plus, if you fit a goody into your daily net numbers, it's not cheating, just adjust and move on. Now, to me, goodies are sweets and chips and the like. They were my drug of choice, lol. You can do this here without paying any fees, plus there is a lot of good info and advice. Add me as a friend if you like, and I can steer you in the right direction for advice and support, because I need it too and have found some very valuable friends. Good luck and you can do it!!

DavidSTC

Hello, I had tried everything: carbs, WW, carbs again, even Cambridge for crying out loud, Slim Fast, pills, and pills, carbs (meaning Atkins), and NOTHING, worked as well as this. You see, when you realized you are no longer dieting, you can set yourself up to win. Don't torture yourself, but don't abuse yourself either. It is all about balance. If you slip, it's not "cheating" or "going off your diet", it's just caving in for a moment. Plus, if you fit a goody into your daily net numbers, it's not cheating, just adjust and move on. Now, to me, goodies are sweets and chips and the like. They were my drug of choice, lol. You can do this here without paying any fees, plus there is a lot of good info and advice. Add me as a friend if you like, and I can steer you in the right direction for advice and support, because I need it too and have found some very valuable friends. Good luck and you can do it!!

That's a good point. If you want ice cream or chocolate or some other goodie, do it. Just keep your overall calories down for the day by cutting elsewhere. Through time, I've mastered eating just a little sweet here and there, instead of a huge piece of cake or pie or some other sweet. Or, I do have a donut, but stop at one, share one with someone. I just cut out some calories later in the day. But, even if you go over, you can cut a few calories the next day and the day after if you really want to even things out. You adjust as you go.

erkerns

Welcome!

I lose my first 30 lbs using WW online. I had to sign up for MFP to participate in a program at my gym, so for a while I was doing both at the same time. After about a month I switched completely to MFP. They are basically the same thing; both equate to counting calories - WW just turns calories into points. After using MFP, I found WW to be a little limiting. Their online database didn't have enough things in it. I like how the database in MFP has everything in it, and users can verify that the entries are accurate. Also, once I got the hang of MFP, I didn't see the sense in continuing to pay for WW.

I get a bit obsessed with weight loss math, so I ended up figuring out how many calories WW was telling me to eat. (Don't ask me how I figured it out - it was 2 yrs ago. I'm looking at the spreadsheet on my computer now.) At 200 lbs, 5'6", 25 yrs old, sedentary lifestyle, and as a female, it was telling me to eat 1275 calories. The weekly points turned out to be 2012 calories. So, using a spreadsheet, I started keeping track of "weekly" calories - I ate 1275 calories a day, and if I went over that, I took it out of my weekly calories. And I still lost weight just fine! I also tracked calories burned by exercising and let myself eat those back if I needed to. And I kept losing weight.

It's all the same - MFP, WW - WW just hides the calorie counting behind points to make it easier and less intimidating. And MFP doesn't have any kind of "weekly points." But, you can add those in yourself - if you are careful. MFP requires you to do more work. Since I know that both work, I don't feel terrible if I go way over my calories one day a week - those were my "weekly points!"

I would say that yes, I do have a "cheat" day at least once a week. But I try to balance it - for example, if I know I'm going out to eat on Saturday night, I will exercise Sat afternoon and eat very little during the rest of the day. I still track everything, even though sometimes it's just estimation. It's all about balance.

_runnerbean_

I've done WW in the past and have recently started MFP. If you are used to "tracking" you will fund MFP very similar. If you want to have a cheat meal once a week you could eat slightly less than your recommended calories for 6 days then "spend" those calories on day 7. That way your weekly intake is correct. Eg if your MFP target is 1200 cals, eat 1100 every day for six days then on day seven eat 1800. Log your exercise and eat your exercise calories- or save them towards your treat. I would echo what others have said- try to log everything, even treats, so you can look back and review your progress in a few weeks. Good luck!

resahollywood

I agree with David! It's not about cheating, it is about awareness. And, just as your body becomes adjusted to one particular exercise, it can also become adjusted to a particular pattern in eating. So, tracking what you actually eat increases your awareness.

Depriving yourself of something (dieting) only makes you want it more. If you know how many calories are in a Swiss Cake Roll (my weakness!), perhaps you will only eat half of the pack!

Log it! Log it! Log it!

countrylove12

You guys are giving me some great advice! Thank you so much! Part of my "cheating" thing was I guess the whole being held accountable. Technically, on WW, if I want something even if I have no more points I eat it anyway. I think that's always been part of my problem. Some days I feel more hungry than others and I don't really have an accurate way of tracking my "activity points" so I don't eat them because I don't know if they are right. At least here, MFP will sync with my FitBit so I can eat them if I get hungry. I'm hoping to really get the hang of this in the next week or so. That way I won't have to pay for my WW subscription anymore!

terri_journey

I've done WW in the past and have recently started MFP. If you are used to "tracking" you will fund MFP very similar. If you want to have a cheat meal once a week you could eat slightly less than your recommended calories for 6 days then "spend" those calories on day 7. That way your weekly intake is correct. Eg if your MFP target is 1200 cals, eat 1100 every day for six days then on day seven eat 1800. Log your exercise and eat your exercise calories- or save them towards your treat. I would echo what others have said- try to log everything, even treats, so you can look back and review your progress in a few weeks. Good luck!

This isn't a very smart idea for a long term weight loss goal. Sure you can have a "Cheat meal, day" if you must but if you are eating your allotted calories and some calories back from exercise you shouldn't have to do that. I would suggest you follow what calories MFP suggest and make whatever it is you want fit into your day. This program works. Believe me, I know. I'm a work in progress and proud of how far I have come.