Is this a fitness site?

319tokona
319tokona Posts: 31
in Motivation and Support
I have to share an observation. Recently I was challenged by a dear friend as to why I had mostly women friends on my friends list. I explained that I used to have mostly men but found that men just did not correspond to other men at the same rate / frequency that women did. I would sincerely enjoy having supportive male friends on my list because I could learn / share tips that pertained to what I'm doing. But, since many men don't seem to be interested in true fitness support, I have cut most of them and I am left with the BEST friends list ever. I have a few guys on my list that interact just as often as the women do and I am blessed to have them as friends. I'd like more but it is what it is.

does anybody else get the idea that this is more of a "meet up" site that a fitness site sometimes?

Replies

  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    I consider this a weight loss support site but maybe that is because of my own personal goals. I came here due to the awesome calorie counting tracking abilities, otherwise I wouldn't be here. The friends/facebook like interactions are ok and I consider them purely platonic. I don't care if there are men or women on my friends list, as long as they are supportive.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    It's always been a fitness site to me since I never had any friends on here. Well, except I just started accepting requests and now it's a completely different world. It's fun!
  • jccst9
    jccst9 Posts: 58 Member
    I see this as something that's just like anything else in life: it's what you make of it.

    To satisfy my personal goals I use it as a support system as a little reminder not to give up because I deserve to live as the best me I can be. For those who are in far better shape, maybe it serves as motivation to continue on the right path.

    What I find that every MFP member has in common is that they're in search of some type of answer(s) they can't seem to find in their everyday "real" lives.

    Good luck on your journey! :)
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    It's always been a fitness site to me since I never had any friends on here. Well, except I just started accepting requests and now it's a completely different world. It's fun!

    Yay! A toast for a friend :drinker:
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Well I'm married and have both genders on my friends list... no one has ever tried to pick me up. But then I don't get too into the chit chat threads and delete people who are too much about sex in their posts.

    I think you get what you put out there. I have awesome MFPals :bigsmile:
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    I've also never had anyone try to hit on me. I like to support and encourage my friend list. I hope I do a good enough job! I appreciate when they do the same for me. =)
  • ASaxe23
    ASaxe23 Posts: 158 Member
    I just delete anyone that friended me to hit o me...I'm about fitness!
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
    As with anything it's whatever you make it to be. Going to be different for everybody. I like being able to get support and support both the guys and the ladies and being able to look at the ladies is a perk as well.
  • bodiva88
    bodiva88 Posts: 308 Member
    My only friends on the site are people I know IRL. It's purely a fitness site for me. And I like being able to have a little cadre of people who are in my life who are sharing this experience.
  • Maddi_InBetweenDays
    Maddi_InBetweenDays Posts: 177
    I say a post the other day where someone called it "MyFlirtingPal" LOL! From reading some of the comments people (mostly women) make on here I'm sure they would agree with the name.
  • pudgeylou
    pudgeylou Posts: 202 Member
    I have never felt like this was anything other than a fitness site, but also there are probably 30 women to every 1 man I have seen on this site, so that might explain why a lot of us have never been hit on. I have a few male friends that log in and respond quite regularly but for the most part you are correct in that the women are much more active on the site. I love this site because so far it has been friendly and all about the goals...no one trying to get numbers or anything.
  • hollyNhollywood
    hollyNhollywood Posts: 426 Member
    Almost all my friends are females. Only one or two men. I have had one or two emails from random men hitting on me, but that's it. My friends are all for support and motivation.

    Not to say that flirting on here doesn't exist w/ other members :wink:
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
    At first, I had an all-female friends list, but I've just started accepting a few male requests. They aren't showing themselves almost naked and hitting on all the ladies, they are logging in every day, and they seem to be serious about nutrition and exercise. There are a few of y'all on here!
    My hubby is on here, and he also takes his health seriously, but he's just not as chatty and sociable as I am. I guess he receives all the motivation he needs from me. :happy:
  • Bakerchk
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
    I wouldn't say "meet up" site, because most of my guy friends have NEVER suggested that. For me, my guys and girls write about the same. But I do notice that women normally have more guy friends, visa versa. But I think most of us are still here for the same reasons.
  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
    Not just you at all. I have seen a lot of meeting up, however I also see the commonality of fitness and health still being the underlying factor. Just because I am not actively looking to meet up, doesn't mean I will begrudge another from it - but like you, just don't want to be seeing it every 20 mins on my news feed either. Life events? Sure! Goals? Sure! Trying something new? Sure! Constant begging for some personal touches... not so much. :laugh:
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    It's always been a fitness site to me since I never had any friends on here. Well, except I just started accepting requests and now it's a completely different world. It's fun!

    Yay! A toast for a friend :drinker:

    My first!:love:
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I found friends distracting and made me self-conscious about my diary, so I chat but don't friend.

    LOVE the calorie/exercise tracking. That's what I'm here for.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    I deleted a lot of men on my list recently because they were crude, rude and lewd. They had NO respect for the fact that I'm happily married. I have fitness pics posted of myself as progress photos in my profile and I was forced to take some of them down as their comments made me feel ashamed of my own body. It's one thing if someone notices your hard work but to start pm-ing them and asking them to chat with you offline is another thing altogether (which one man "suggested" to me).

    Even if I was single, I would join a dating site and not use MFP to find a man. Just not my style.

    I'm very careful now who I accept FR from and will delete if I suspect someone is just there for "social reasons". I even had one guy defriend me when he found out I was married. Obviously, my martial status "offended" him in some way. Oh welz.
  • Ivarivdnoe
    Ivarivdnoe Posts: 51 Member
    It's always been a fitness site to me since I never had any friends on here. Well, except I just started accepting requests and now it's a completely different world. It's fun!

    Totally feel the same way, but most of my friends on here are female also!
  • sabolfitwife
    sabolfitwife Posts: 423 Member
    I don't send friend requests, and only recently started accepting them. But, the few women I have accepted are absolutely amazing and supportive. Strangers that I don't even know congratulating me on the smallest weight loss, for logging in every day, and burning even just 100 calories. They are awesome. Only one guy has sent me a request and he honestly just looked like a creeper so I denied it. This is all about me and getting healthy and fit and I want to do the same for the few friends I have on here. I agree, I don't understand the people on here who just want to have 1,000+ friends. Go to Facebook if you want to spam, this is a health/fitness website used to better ourselves and each other.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    I had a few dodgy pms that seemed to be outside of the fitness/health genre, and did not make any attempt to reply to those messages.
    I had a few male friends on my old account, and they were fine, but a few deleted me due to my suffering eating disorder related issues.
    I now limit my friends to mostly females who have similar issues to myself, or who at least have the patience to be able to deal with them. I don't think males like to deal with anyone with an ED, even if said person is working hard to get better, and netting a good amount of calories.
  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
    You have to weed through the people who are just here for attention. I am flirty by nature, I may say "good job handsome" or "way to go tuff guy" on my male friend's posts but I do that in my real life as well. Doesn't mean I want to PM them or chat with them offline. The only time I ever "pm" people is when I send a friend request. I put a little blurb in the message re: why I am friending them.
    I've surrounded myself with people who are hard core dedicated to losing weight, log every day, exercise regularly and can support while joking around. I also enjoy reading about people's lives. I don't think every post we make has to be about food, diet and exercise. One of my friends' daughter just left for college and she's having a really tough time with it and I try my hardest to lift her up and show her support. I'm not quite sure what my point is but I think there is a definitely a balance and it can exhausting finding people who are real.
  • WifeNMama
    WifeNMama Posts: 2,876 Member
    Like any site or tool, it is what you make it.

    Gals are chatty. We gotta get our words out somewhere. Hahaha. If you're not using it for picking up women, then don't sweat it. Just keep being motivated by the friends you have and weed out anyone who makes your experience something you don't want it to be.
  • MissCierra2008
    MissCierra2008 Posts: 36
    I see this as something that's just like anything else in life: it's what you make of it.

    To satisfy my personal goals I use it as a support system as a little reminder not to give up because I deserve to live as the best me I can be. For those who are in far better shape, maybe it serves as motivation to continue on the right path.

    What I find that every MFP member has in common is that they're in search of some type of answer(s) they can't seem to find in their everyday "real" lives.

    Good luck on your journey! :)

    Way to put my thoughts into words! I do love how this site reassures me that I am not alone and there are people out there with the same questions (and people who can provide the answers!)

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