I can't believe this is working

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sparklejunkey
sparklejunkey Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all,

I've been using this app for 5 weeks now, but haven't posted here before (Typically, I'm a lurker rather than a poster). I really didn't think that doing a food journal would help me at all. In fact, I thought it was a stupid waste of time. But since Weight Watchers charges you $60 for the same thing and I needed to try SOMETHING, I figured I could try this for a week. Well, that first week was an eye opener. My goal was to be better - I didn't have to be good, I just had to be better. So I set the goal of 2000 calories a day with at 10lb weight loss in 5 weeks. Something small and totally doable. And because this app is so easy to use, I actually stuck with it. Not only that, but it worked! I made better food choices, did better with portion control, stayed below by calorie goal, and never felt deprived. Just irritated because it was working when I fully expected it to fail - I could have been doing this a long time ago!!
So now I'm posting here because, hey, if doing the journal helped when I thought it wouldn't, maybe participating in this community will help even more. So please pass on what is working for you and any suggestions you might have.
And - I met my goal! I've lost 13 lbs so far! Nothing else has worked for me so that is freaking amazing!!! YAY! :smile:

~Helen

Replies

  • marshmallowmind
    marshmallowmind Posts: 82 Member
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    Well done on your loss so far! :D I hope you stick with it & enjoy it here. :)
  • elifefull
    elifefull Posts: 46
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    Hey Helen! I just signed up yesterday and I to was gonna sign with WW, but didnt want to spend the money and then I found this. I get excited to log in what I ate, I hope I can stay focused and stick with it, but if you lost weight doin it, I will use you as my motivation. :-)
  • Sonnut
    Sonnut Posts: 57 Member
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    I agree, this is much easier and effective than I thought it would've been. This site has helped me look at food, portions included, in such a different way! I'm not hungry, just having smaller portions and making some different food choices. I still splurge on what I like, I just know more now how to let those things fit into my life.

    I also like the tools, which help me keep on track. I cook A LOT so I like putting in my own recipes and letting this site to the math for me. I also use the food database to research restaurants and help me make my menu choices before I even go out.

    Welcome, and keep up the good work!
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
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    Great job on working it! :laugh: I had a similar experience-- I'm terrible at self-discipline and I would eat or exercise as I pleased and I also thought calorie counters were dumb (I still think that a little since I get a bit dumb counting), but it was the discipline I needed. I couldn't do it myself, but this little online journal is perfect to show me what unhealthy things I was eating and how irregular my exercise was. Plus I have the app on my phone so I never have an excuse to not log. So many times I've been tempted to sneak a snack and not log it (happened last night! temptation that is...) and having MFP made me log it-- before it would be "oh it's just a little thing" or "I can go to the gym tomorrow to work it off". Now, I have something to keep me on track. Cheers and GL on your journey!
  • sparklejunkey
    sparklejunkey Posts: 4
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    The recipe & my meals tool s are AWESOME! And I love that so much of what I eat is already in the database. It makes it easy and fun!

    I've been tempted, too, to eat something and not log it. But even if I didn't log it, I still know I ate it. Nobody sees my journal but me so it is stupid to try to lie to myself - I know I ate it! If I had to show the journal to someone else - like Jenny Craig makes you do - I would lie on that thing every single day without a doubt. Then it's pointless, which is probably part of why I thought the journals were stupid to start with. But on here, I don't lie. Even if I make the choice to splurge - I enter it in the journal. No one is perfect and at least this way, I'm honest with myself and taking responsibilty for my choices.
  • Solitary_2011
    Solitary_2011 Posts: 3
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    Hi Sparklejunkey~
    I am inspired! I liked how you said I didn't have to be good, I just had to be better. It is hard to be good, but better I think I can do...God Bless You for your comments, and keep up the good work!
  • bayles1
    bayles1 Posts: 408 Member
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    Hey,

    Glad everything is working out for you.Well done on your losses.Your right by interacting with the community and by adding friends for support and dialogue will help you going forward.You can glean tips from people directly or by just viewing other peoples diaries.Good luck and best wishes...:smile:
  • polkadotred
    polkadotred Posts: 8
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    Reading stories like this are giving me new inspiratio9n. I can Do this. Thankyou xxxxx

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