OMG. I lost two pounds. ME. Mearlie. Lost. Two. Pounds.

mearlie

I was going to weight watchers for over a month and gained a pound. They kept telling me to "believe" and to keep coming and it would work. I kept thinking there was something really wrong since I didn't have to count fruit and vegetables.

They were also pushing that new gadget, the active link. Thank you SOOO much Weight Watchers, for trying to sell me that thing. Because it made me start looking for an alternative. And I discovered the fitbit. Although THAT gadget is a little pricier, I don't have to pay to USE it. Yes, they charge $5 a month just to USE it. And it's non-transferrable. Once you buy it, it's YOURS forever. And there's a couple more arguments I have to buy fitbit instead of active link but I'll stop there.

Then I learned that the fitbit will sync with myfitnesspal, a FREE online tool, but NOT with weight watchers etools!

So I came here.

Then I learned that I like the food diary here at MFP much BETTER than Weight Watcher's etools for a good few reasons.

And you know what's even funnier? I don't need the fitbit. I'm losing weight without it.

Why? Because I'm tracking EVERY SINGLE calorie. Or at least that's my thinking thus far.

I lost two pounds! Yippee!

teioneon

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! Keep it up!

SquidNebula

That is so awesome. Welcome to MFP!

samblanken

WOOHOO!

Fitbit is addictive though! I started walking, then said f that, I can jog! And then I registered for 5K, and another. And another. And an 8K!

You know you can link fitbit and MFP - that's pretty handy too.

TravisBurns

Way to keep it simple. Way too many people overthink this **** and that is exactly why they don't lose weight. JUST ****IN DO IT!!!! And you ARE! and you are going to keep seeing results. Keep it up.

kama_no

Well done :-)

hooperkay

wonderful... I always questioned my friend at work who never counts strawberries, but eats like a couple of pints a day??

erikaaaaaaaa

GREAT POST! And cheers for your 2 lbs!!!

LeggyAmericanGirl

I always lost weight but MFP has helped me to stay focused for almost 8 months now! Happy journey to a happier and fitter you!

taunto

Kudos!!!

mearlie

Samblanken, I still plan to buy the fitbit, but I downloaded MapMyRun and it's helping me to "gadgetize" my walking - now I can put the fitbit on a list of things I want for my birthday or something

I think the fitbit will be most beneficial bc I think it will help me increase my daily activity. That's what the active link is SUPPOSED to do, but from all the reviews I'd say many people are not at all motivated by it.

Just very happy I found this website, this is better for me.

Charismasme2

WELL DONE!!! Your gonna rock this!! Friend me if you'de like, I can always have motivated, caring friends!!!

PJmetts

My husband joined WW online for men, he printed out some recipes (which I like) but when I put the ingredients into MFP I found I could usually only have 1/2 of a serving. I'm still losing weight, however, he's been paying and gaining....LOL he just doesn't get "it" or doesn't want to do what I'm doing. Love your post and Love MFP!

a_stone_girl_dances

YES! Excellent job and thanks for sharing your insight!

michellekicks

Great job!

I prefer the detailed tracking of calories/macros vs. weight watchers points too. Welcome!

LAWoman79

Samblanken, I still plan to buy the fitbit, but I downloaded MapMyRun and it's helping me to "gadgetize" my walking - now I can put the fitbit on a list of things I want for my birthday or something

I think the fitbit will be most beneficial bc I think it will help me increase my daily activity. That's what the active link is SUPPOSED to do, but from all the reviews I'd say many people are not at all motivated by it.

Just very happy I found this website, this is better for me.

I bought my Fitbit almost 5 months ago, and it still keeps me motivated!

mearlie

My husband joined WW online for men, he printed out some recipes (which I like) but when I put the ingredients into MFP I found I could usually only have 1/2 of a serving. I'm still losing weight, however, he's been paying and gaining....LOL he just doesn't get "it" or doesn't want to do what I'm doing. Love your post and Love MFP!

I'm sure the WW plan is working for lots and lots of people, but I'm pretty darn good about food choices, even when I'm not on a diet. What I'm not so good at is portion control. Especially when I don't have to "count" it.

There's not a huge difference between logging foods from WW to MFP BUT for ME and what I EAT, I can easily find alot more foods in the MFP database. With WW etools I was constantly saying to myself "eh, this food is close to the one I just ate". Here on MFP, the database houses more foods that I, Mearlie, consume.

Maybe that would be motivation for the hubs? Tell him to try the food diary for a day and check it out? I really think this site is better, I really, REALLY do. And... did I mention that it's FREE?! lol

MaraDiaz

Congrats! Keeping track of everything you put in your mouth really does work. It's slow sometimes and it's still not easy, but it does tell you when you're doing it right and when you're doing it wrong and gives you the info you need to adjust things to work for you.

Added bonus that it's free!

Although don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a fitbit or similar, gadgets are nice, too!

Kimdidit

That is Awesome :0) Thanks for sharing.



Kim

LisaLouisiana

That wonderful. Congratulations!!!

I like MFP the best, too. It really works for me. I've been doing more and more exercising because of it, too. I want to see those burned calories!

Now you need to update your ticker so that it shows those two pounds, your first two, I might add. Go to your "My Home" tab and find "Weigh-In" in the menu on the left under "Your Diet Tools."

Keep it up!

RohitOberoi

Nice work!

meshashesha2012

Congrats!!!

Good for you for being motivated by this. it's important to set mini goals along the way so congratulating yourself for 2 pounds loss is just as important as feeling good about a 20 pound loss..

now go shake what ya new healthy lifestyle gave ya.

onedayillbeamilf

Fantastic!

LisaLouisiana

I'm sure the WW plan is working for lots and lots of people, but I'm pretty darn good about food choices, even when I'm not on a diet. What I'm not so good at is portion control. Especially when I don't have to "count" it.

There's not a huge difference between logging foods from WW to MFP BUT for ME and what I EAT, I can easily find alot more foods in the MFP database. With WW etools I was constantly saying to myself "eh, this food is close to the one I just ate". Here on MFP, the database houses more foods that I, Mearlie, consume.

Maybe that would be motivation for the hubs? Tell him to try the food diary for a day and check it out? I really think this site is better, I really, REALLY do. And... did I mention that it's FREE?! lol

Buy a little digital food scale ($20 at Walmart) and some metal measuring cups to use as scoops. I had the same problem as you ...portion size..... and now if I put that I ate 100 grams of something, you know that I ate 100 grams of it. Not 99 and not 101. I also dish out most things with my little metal "scoops." Half a cup of beans was put in my bowl with the half cup measuring cup. I also like when they give you how many grams are in a half cup of this or that. Like asparagus, for instance. Half a cup is 85 grams. It's much easier to weigh out 85 grams than to smash my asparagus into a measuring cup.

livymom09

I just wandered over from the WW board. I am soooo over WW, everything is just complicated and I love MFP database,it is awesome!!!

MissNations

Glad you found what works for you. Cheers! :drinker:

jenni765

Great job. :-)

mearlie

I'm sure the WW plan is working for lots and lots of people, but I'm pretty darn good about food choices, even when I'm not on a diet. What I'm not so good at is portion control. Especially when I don't have to "count" it.

There's not a huge difference between logging foods from WW to MFP BUT for ME and what I EAT, I can easily find alot more foods in the MFP database. With WW etools I was constantly saying to myself "eh, this food is close to the one I just ate". Here on MFP, the database houses more foods that I, Mearlie, consume.

Maybe that would be motivation for the hubs? Tell him to try the food diary for a day and check it out? I really think this site is better, I really, REALLY do. And... did I mention that it's FREE?! lol

Buy a little digital food scale ($20 at Walmart) and some metal measuring cups to use as scoops. I had the same problem as you ...portion size..... and now if I put that I ate 100 grams of something, you know that I ate 100 grams of it. Not 99 and not 101. I also dish out most things with my little metal "scoops." Half a cup of beans was put in my bowl with the half cup measuring cup. I also like when they give you how many grams are in a half cup of this or that. Like asparagus, for instance. Half a cup is 85 grams. It's much easier to weigh out 85 grams than to smash my asparagus into a measuring cup.

I have a kitchen scale that I used when I made handmade soap. Gotta measure lye to the gram. I've used it a couple times to weigh foods, and if I stall I will definitely start weighing everything. Thanks for the tip! I have but do NOT use my little measuring devices so I should def get those out and start using them. Great idea!

My point about portion control was to demonstrate that here on MFP, every calorie matters. On WW Points Plus, they don't count a banana, can of pineapple, huge salad with lettuce, carrots... you count the dressing but not the food. But the food has calories in it too and I "believe" that the reason I was NOT losing weight on Weight Watchers is because I was eating too many calories. They WERE healthy calories, BUT they were calories.

Here I count everything and in ONE WEEK I've lost 2 pounds! Woot Woot! I'm still giddy, lol!

llpleslie

Way to go!

mearlie

I just wandered over from the WW board. I am soooo over WW, everything is just complicated and I love MFP database,it is awesome!!!

TOTALLY agree! WW tries to "dumb it down" I think, with their Points Plus program, but for me, their simplicity made it more complicated. Because it didn't make any sense in my head. I joined mostly for the comradery and found I wasn't really socializing anyway at the meetings. I'm not saying WW doesn't work, it just wasn't right for ME. And I have some darn good reasons for switching here!

Wait. Did I mention, MFP is free?

greatthatsgreat

I just wandered over from the WW board. I am soooo over WW, everything is just complicated and I love MFP database,it is awesome!!!

TOTALLY agree! WW tries to "dumb it down" I think, with their Points Plus program, but for me, their simplicity made it more complicated. Because it didn't make any sense in my head. I joined mostly for the comradery and found I wasn't really socializing anyway at the meetings. I'm not saying WW doesn't work, it just wasn't right for ME. And I have some darn good reasons for switching here!

Wait. Did I mention, MFP is free?

YES! I agree 100%. I was "with" WW for a year or so and I only gained weight. I think the problem for me is that it didn't make me accountable ENOUGH, especially with the Points Plus program. I have found that MFP makes me acknowledge every calorie (if I log, which I do, because why wouldn't you), and that has helped me lose 5lbs in about a week and a half.

Also, I am a graduate student with a paltry income and no external financial support, so anything FREE and EFFECTIVE is like a bloody dream come true. Finally, I totally agree with you re: the food database. For my purposes, MFP has a far more comprehensive database. Overall, just a million times better. Feel free to add me if you'd like support! Glad to see this post.