View of MFP from non MFP'rs

mrrodriguez

I've had three interesting interactions with people about the whole idea of using MFP from people in the community. The first was from the personal trainer I WAS working with a few months ago. I mentioned the idea that MFP encourages you to eat back your exercise calories. She looked at me cross eyed and said "You absolutely have to have a calorie deficit to lose weight" and seemed confused by the concept. I didn't try to explain, but didn't continue with my personal training with her.

The second interaction was at my doctor's office. The nurse who weighed me noticed that my weight had gone down quite a bit. (The nurse is sort of pudgy herself). I told her I was using MFP and she said sort of deadpan "Oh, I've tried that." I guess that wasn't a bad comment, but not a whopping endorsement of my program either.

The third one happened when I was at my hairdressers. One of the other hairdressers and I were talking about the upcoming Thanksgiving Day food, and how to avoid overeating etc. I told him I had lost 25 lbs. and didn't want to regain them over the holidays. He asked me how I was doing it. I said MFP. He said "Oh, you're counting calories. I use weight watchers."

No one said anything directly negative about MFP, but it was interesting how others not on MFP perceive the site and it's philsophy.

ElizabethRoad

I've had three interesting interactions with people about the whole idea of using MFP from people in the community. The first was from the personal trainer I WAS working with a few months ago. I mentioned the idea that MFP encourages you to eat back your exercise calories. She looked at me cross eyed and said "You absolutely have to have a calorie deficit to lose weight" and seemed confused by the concept. I didn't try to explain, but didn't continue with my personal training with her.

Sorry but why did you leave out the most basic information - that you already have a deficit figured in? Of course she didn't get it.

MisterDubs303

^Agreed. Eating back your calories still includes a calorie deficit, it's just already calculated in in MFP. The trainer was right, but so were you.

LesliePierceRN

Most of the interactions I've had are from people who (1) haven't heard of MFP or (2) say something like they do WW. I've not had any negative comments per se.. especially in light of my 45# weight drop and generally who I"m talking to didn't manage to keep their weight off. Besides.. sour grapes, ya know? If they've not had success, they probably aren't gonna pat you on the back for yours.

herwonderland

Where I am, in Singapore, I don't think many have heard of MFP. I had simply wanted to find an app that will help me keep track of everything I put in my mouth. I had gained 10kg in 3 years, purely by eating and I'm 27. It was not fun. I came across MFP purely by chance 6 months ago! And how it has changed my life (I have lost 8kg so far). I have tried introducing friends who tell me they are serious about losing weight, but they get lazy when logging in and they stop. They said they can't be happy. Or they are on other methods - Paleo diet, No carb diet, Slimming teas etc etc or just exercise like crazy.

Recently during lunch at work, I was keying in what I was eating (it's so much a part of my life now), and my colleague commented, "You know, you won't be happy counting your calories." Then I looked back up at him and said, "But I AM happy! It's the happiest I've been in years. At peace with myself and being proud of myself." I think people need to see sensible calorie counting (or MFP) as part of your lifestyle and not just a one hit wonder to immediately shed pounds. What really helped me and I love is the MFP community. If you go out there to make contact with likeminded people, you will find yourself naturally motivated and even responsible for the food choices you make every single day. Perhaps, that's why the nurse didn't find that it worked. It's a lifestyle and you need to be slightly proactive too!

AND congratulations on your weight loss! ♥

alimac92

I read someone's post about the best way too lose weight is to keep your mouth shut.

I think this is true there is always someone who has an opinion. If it didn't work for them they write it it off. If you say you are on a particular diet people gather round like vultures waiting for you to have a slip up so they can be smug. It really puts the pressure on and makes it harder to stick with it.

I couldn't stick with weight watchers I was constantly hungry, it wasn't the diet for me. My husband used the computer program with weight watchers for years. I didnt put him off, I helped him food wise. He lst 6 stone!

When I joined this site I realised that this was better for me and my husband uses it too. He prefers it to W.W. counting calories and checking nutrition is working better than counting points.

This is my second stint on this site and it's because of the interaction with Pals that has really kept me logging on.
No one judges me here, I am learning to make lifestyle changes. I wish I had learned to keep my mouth shut years ago when I worked in an office full of women. I might have done better keeping my diet plans to myself.

I suggested this site to two males colleagues and they wrote it off after a couple of days. So I don't mention it any more and I just smile when they say they are starting a new fad diet then see them days later tucking into crap junk food.

MermaidFaith

I think that WW is just a more basic way for people to limit their intake. smaller number may make it easier to understand for some people. I personally prefer this site to the online weight watchers group. I really like the interacting with people and it makes keeping track so simple.

I get the same type of reaction from people i tell about MFP also. One of my friends from work did end up getting on MFP and likes it too, so its fun to have someone to do it along with in real life too But most of the people i tell are just like, oh uh huh ok.

Liquid741

the peeps that i have encountered like the idea of MFP, but honestly they dont have the focus to stay with it...and they all love to eat. imo, MFP and weightloss is about focus.

it was hard at first to log in everyday and input my food, but now its second nature, and the biggest issue i have now is having clothes that fit.

i just bought 2 pairs of jeans, because everything fell off of me...now those jeans that i bought 2weeks ago are getting big...and also down to my last notch in my belt to keep them up...its a great feeling! a feeling i never want to lose...so the cookies and crap, i honestly dont miss anymore. unlike the peeps that have tried and failed at MFP.

_Ben

Most people are impressed by my weightloss, but say that counting calories is too hard. Id say I spend a total of 2 minutes a day actually plugging in my calories

debbiequack

the peeps that i have encountered like the idea of MFP, but honestly they dont have the focus to stay with it...and they all love to eat. imo, MFP and weightloss is about focus.

it was hard at first to log in everyday and input my food, but now its second nature, and the biggest issue i have now is having clothes that fit.

i just bought 2 pairs of jeans, because everything fell off of me...now those jeans that i bought 2weeks ago are getting big...and also down to my last notch in my belt to keep them up...its a great feeling! a feeling i never want to lose...so the cookies and crap, i honestly dont miss anymore. unlike the peeps that have tried and failed at MFP.

Same here-- I get a lot of support but most people say they don't have the focus.

Debbie

Phoenix24601

Most people are impressed by my weightloss, but say that counting calories is too hard. Id say I spend a total of 2 minutes a day actually plugging in my calories

^this

sunkisses

I like the people who think counting calories is this negative terrible thing. The most important part of losing weight is being aware of your caloric intake so you can create that deficit. That's why those systems like Weight Watchers & Nutrisystem that keep you ignorant of your actual calories and tell you what to eat only last as long as people are willing to do it. MFP means you have to know this yourself and a lot of people would rather not find out that their poor eating habits are what is making them overweight. I expect the negativity because I know most people really aren't ready to deal with the truth. So the stigma of calorie counting on MFP does not surprise me in the least.

realme56

Finding MFP was a lifesaver for me. People have to be ready to lose the weight though. As much positive feedback I have gotten for my weight loss lots of people think o am "dieting" which is not what I feel MFP does for me. This site helps me to think about what I eat and make good food choices. I go out to eat, I do parties, I eat a lot somedays but it is just better foods.

Although the site builds in the automatic deficit it allows for so much freedom on how I achieve my goals. I started at a high calorie intake then gradually decreased which is much more successful then trying to go from eating 3000 or more calories daily to 1200.

I will still blow the horn for MFP to anyone who asks and accept that they may either not be ready to really lose weight or that this really isn't the program for them.

realme56

I like the people who think counting calories is this negative terrible thing. The most important part of losing weight is being aware of your caloric intake so you can create that deficit. That's why those systems like Weight Watchers & Nutrisystem that keep you ignorant of your actual calories and tell you what to eat only last as long as people are willing to do it. MFP means you have to know this yourself and a lot of people would rather not find out that their poor eating habits are what is making them overweight. I expect the negativity because I know most people really aren't ready to deal with the truth. So the stigma of calorie counting on MFP does not surprise me in the least.

Very well said!

Marley112586

I've only told my family about it but everyone but my father in law thought it sounded great. He just laughed. Which surprised me cause hes a big fitness buff. And he agreed with me its about calories he just thinks a website for it is dumb i think. I don't think i would keep up with it without it.

Iamfit4life

Siggy thinks I'm insane.

The humorous part, I'm basically here for maintenance at this point.

He has a good deal he'd like to lose. I keep telling him to try it.
He refuses to believe what he puts in his mouth might be part of it.

"I'm not doing that calorie counting bullsh*t". He likes to tell everybody about this so they can laugh when I'm plugging my food into my phone.

healthybabs

I have given up trying to tell people how I am losing weight. When I did tell people about the site or how I was managing things they would mostly retort with..."Oh, you should try blah-blah-blah, I heard that works"....OK LAMO why would I want to do that when what I am doing is working!!??????

I am just fine with people who say, "You are looking awesome, keep it up!" I say "thanks" and move along.

stubbysticks

imo, MFP and weightloss is about focus.

^^^^^^^^ THIS.

I came from a different weight loss site & I will say the concept of "eating back your calories" is unique to this site. It was confusing to me at first. I think part of what makes it confusing is that MFP doesn't show you your total calorie burn for the day compared to your intake to give you the daily deficit (my other site did). The non-exercise calories burned are somewhere behind the curtain.

I get the concept, it basically has you keep a constant deficit each day rather than you having the same intake each day, but I prefer not to have my intake depend on my activity since that can vary so much from day to day. When I'm done losing weight I will probably do it tho.

When I tell people about MFP I focus on the food logging. 9 times out of 10 the person says "oh I can't do that." Well ok then. Or I'll hear some other collection of excuses. What they fail to realize is that it doesn't matter to me...their unwillingness to change won't make me fat. So I just try to share as much positive feedback as I can about what I do, as much as they want to hear anyway, & let it go.

fallenangelloves

When people comment on my weightless and ask how I've been doing it, I just tel them I cook everything from scratch and count calories. Usually I get that polite "oh that's great" and a smile. People really want to hear that I have found a miracle cure, pure and simple. Only the ones that act really interested do I mention MFP to. A couple have tried it. One said it was too difficult and went back to WW (which I totally don't get why you would pay for that when this is free). But for the most part I just tell myself this works for me and my husband and I would rather take the time to enter my calories than be fat.

_Sally_

I like the people who think counting calories is this negative terrible thing. The most important part of losing weight is being aware of your caloric intake so you can create that deficit. That's why those systems like Weight Watchers & Nutrisystem that keep you ignorant of your actual calories and tell you what to eat only last as long as people are willing to do it. MFP means you have to know this yourself and a lot of people would rather not find out that their poor eating habits are what is making them overweight. I expect the negativity because I know most people really aren't ready to deal with the truth. So the stigma of calorie counting on MFP does not surprise me in the least.

I agree with this.

This also shows the difference between people who are interested in losing weight versus committed to losing weight (and keeping it off).

I personally tried and failed in counting calories a few times over the years. With MFP, it just seemed that the tools made it easy to do, and my MFP pals gave me a reason to keep coming back to the site and staying engaged.

There is no real MFP "philosophy". It has calculators (which will ensure you have a deficit to lose weight, without factoring in exercise, which is why excerise calories are added back to your net calorie targets - to ensure your deficit isn't too large).. and yeah - they suggest drinking a good amount of water, too. However, you can use whatever calculators you want or develop your own plan with your doctor or trainer and customize your MFP goals and macronutrient percentages, and what you decide to track, etc. so it really is a tool set and a community versus a "philosophy".

If you've lost 25 lbs by eating healthier, exercising and not doing anything crazy, why would anyone have any negative opinions about that? I think most people really don't want to acknowledge that losing weight is really as basic as managing your inputs and outputs and making better choices.

yoshi91610

I have only lost 15lbs, but every time I lose it is posted on my FB page where my family is. I get a lot of friends and family ask me what this site has to offer. I just say it helps keep track of every thing. With weight lose there is no secret pill, or secret food that you must eat. And this website really has what I needed, my calories for the day, I can add in my carbs, and sugars and protein, Most of my family is diabetic so they think nothing can help them with eating right (I don't know why) But this website really helps me.

My brother asked me what I was doing and what foods did I only eat now? I told him I eat whatever I want, I just find healthier options to cook it. and if I do eat something that isn't 100% healthy I log it and see what I still have left. He said it sounded hard, I told him MFP does all the work and I am usually off of here in less than 10 minutes