Is there anything I should be wary of here?

_runnerbean_

There are quite a lot of flirty people on here looking for love. Can be a positive but be wary if you are married. Don't agree to friend requests from people who don't leave a message.

a4phantom

Like kshadows and britishbrocco said, any weird, magical or extreme diet that looks more like an eating disorder with pretensions.

lorib642

Watch out for the "coaches" and distributors. They only offer support in hopes that you will support their bank account.

How do I know if they are after my wallet? When they ask me for cash?

People that recommend "plans" that cost $$. There is no cost to eating a deficit and exercise (besides the actual food, obviously). Stuff like BeachBody, Shakeology, BBV, etc

Youll be able to tell,,,their post will be big inspirational stories but come off sounding what they are...advertisements.

This isn't exactly true. Beach Body fitness programs are butt kickers and will get you in shape. They do cost money, but after you buy them, they are yours forever. They cost a fraction of the money of a gym membership. I sent you a private message laying out what to watch out for. This guy is right about the supplements and the Shakes. They are expensive and totally unnecessary. The programs, however, are totally legit.

Thanks, that was one thing I was wondering about. Thanks for the message

icrushit

Once you screen past the general quirks specific to online forums of any sort, I would say specifically to be aware of the zealots here, of which there seem to be a lot. Sometimes they can be of help, but like any believers of just one true way, it can be a rough ride if you're looking to discuss an equally valid approach that differs from the reigning dogma.

Also, seems there's a lot of flirty people here too, and must say as someone quite non-prudish, I was quite taken aback by some of the sleazy thread titles in the chit-chat forum when I signed up initially. Another surprise was that there's as many gals as guys that start/ keep these things going.

ahoy_m8

Welcome and best of luck to you! Two thoughts on what to be wary of:

(1) Decide how much time you want to spend on forums. I have learned a lot here from people's willingness to share their individual experiences. It has truly helped me, but it can turn into a time drain if you're unwary. Pop in when you need a little inspiration and dive into the threads of interest to you. Avoid topics with "starvation mode" in the title. There is misinformation, and some topics seem to get re-hashed. Kinda like Groundhog's Day.

(2) Be mindful that the experiences shared are individual. There are women on MFP who are elite athletes working to get from 18%BF down to 15%, and there are women who are in the process of losing 100 lb. Those two groups will each have their challenges, but their experiences and what works for them will be extremely different. I see occasional blanket statements that could be categorically true for someone with 30%BF but completely untrue for an elite athlete, and posters don't always disclose details of their individual circumstances. You can learn something from anyone, but be aware of where they're coming from.

KandGRanch

Watch out for the "coaches" and distributors. They only offer support in hopes that you will support their bank account.

How do I know if they are after my wallet? When they ask me for cash?

beachbody, shakeology, herbalife, plexus, etc. if they are touting the benefits of any SINGLE brand, run fast.

BinaryPulsar

Obviously there will be a lot of differing opinions. So, try to avoid fads and gimmicks and stick with the basics. And do what you will stick with. Don't overcomplicate.