The 2 sides to MFP

However, the point that has been lost is that the OP is suggesting that those threads are not a great first impression for someone who is just getting started. I totally get why someone overweight would find it discouraging to see those threads at the beginning stage of their journey.

This is completely subjective....

Because you're not making a point.

So people CAN celebrate their success in threads as they so choose? Good. Stop complaining about it.

I've seen people on this site get discouraged because there are advertisements they don't like. We can't make this place soft enough for everyone. There wouldn't be one success thread. No one could celebrate an NSV.

Weight loss is not easy. I know. Even after you've lost all the weight it's hard work every damn day.

If you're going to be completely derailed by a topic on a website.. you don't have what it takes. Period. This is work. I'm extremely proud of everyone who does the work but I'm not going to tell them to tone it down for the people looking for ANY excuse to give up. Like the friend of the OP.

I do have a point. You just missed it. I'm not surprised. I wouldn't be able to read around those big guns either. *shrug*

Because I've built muscle using MFP I must be dumb....

I wish people like you would just get the hell off fitness websites, since you clearly have such issues towards people in shape. I hope you never reach your goal, whatever will you think of yourself then?

If you hate fit people get off fitness websites. Stop putting the blame on them.

Brett, I might not have agreed with your posts in the past but I have respected you.

Until this.

Brett. I've watched other people love on you from afar....now I'm loving on you too!

Women like to look at attractive men. So what? I'd be willing to bet that your friend has at some point in his life looked at a website or magazine that featured women wearing hardly any clothes without any other measure of their worth outside the fact that they look great in a bikini.

Yes I'm sure he has. He nor I are in any position to suggest this type of thing should not be allowed

Once again my point is this: If you went on an allergy forum looking for advice on helping combat allergies, and the first impression of the site was people discussing attractive men/women etc, then you would be put off - that's not to say it shouldn't be discussed in sections of the forum (off topic for example) just that if you clicked on recent posts to see what people on the forum were discussing, you would not stay - that's a shame don't you agree?

True. It would cause me to wonder exactly what kind of site it is, but it would not completely take me away from the site. Of course, that varies from person to person, obviously.

The chit chat board says fun & games. If you look at that ONE forum and immediately think that the whole site is like that, well...I'm sorry for you. There are what...5-6 other forums that are clearly dedicated to health, fitness, motivation, support, AND success.

The fun and games is for just that, fun and games.

I can tell you, I would probably not be as active with this site and logging my calories AND working out if it were not for the people I've met. And most of them have come from that section. Yes, some of the things in there are silly and pointless, but once you see that it's pointless, move on.
Yes, there are the "rate the person above you", and the "whats sexy" topics, but they are for fun, and honestly, it's like a compliment. If I ever post on those (which I have, but only a couple times, not religiously), it's nice to hear someone say I have a nice smile, or nice eyes. Someone even told me I have good cheekbones, I've never heard that.

I tell people about this site and how helpful its been, and I also add in the social aspect. It's fun, and it makes changing my habits and working out fun too.

The chit chat forums are not meant to chase people away, they are meant to be there for fun. To take a break from the every day boring things. Yeah, you look at most recent topics and you see a lot from that forum, BUT as I said before, if you let it define how you view the site, then you might not have wanted to be here anyway.

I think I've said all I want...yes. :happy:

so maybe i did or didnt get your point, but no one even wants to get the point of those people that had the gall to get fit and be happy about it here.

Again. Nobody says you can't post. People are saying the rating and how sexy are you threads devalue MFP and make it seem shallow. That's all.

-Cheer- Someone got it! That's ALL I'm saying. Being shallow about your new looks is different from being proud that you got fit! I LOVE the success stories, they motivate me. I think it is FANTASTIC to see people drop weight and look great and be HAPPY with the body the achieved. I don't get unmotivated by ANYTHING posted, not even the hot or not. I don't go IN those forums because I think they're shallow and a pitiful way to get attention.

It's GREAT you lost weight, I'm happy for you. I'm GLAD you love your body. That's fine. But if you want to get rated go to a rating site... that's IT...

Women like to look at attractive men. So what? I'd be willing to bet that your friend has at some point in his life looked at a website or magazine that featured women wearing hardly any clothes without any other measure of their worth outside the fact that they look great in a bikini.

Yes I'm sure he has. He nor I are in any position to suggest this type of thing should not be allowed

Once again my point is this: If you went on an allergy forum looking for advice on helping combat allergies, and the first impression of the site was people discussing attractive men/women etc, then you would be put off - that's not to say it shouldn't be discussed in sections of the forum (off topic for example) just that if you clicked on recent posts to see what people on the forum were discussing, you would not stay - that's a shame don't you agree?

True. It would cause me to wonder exactly what kind of site it is, but it would not completely take me away from the site. Of course, that varies from person to person, obviously.

The chit chat board says fun & games. If you look at that ONE forum and immediately think that the whole site is like that, well...I'm sorry for you. There are what...5-6 other forums that are clearly dedicated to health, fitness, motivation, support, AND success.

The fun and games is for just that, fun and games.

I can tell you, I would probably not be as active with this site and logging my calories AND working out if it were not for the people I've met. And most of them have come from that section. Yes, some of the things in there are silly and pointless, but once you see that it's pointless, move on.
Yes, there are the "rate the person above you", and the "whats sexy" topics, but they are for fun, and honestly, it's like a compliment. If I ever post on those (which I have, but only a couple times, not religiously), it's nice to hear someone say I have a nice smile, or nice eyes. Someone even told me I have good cheekbones, I've never heard that.

I tell people about this site and how helpful its been, and I also add in the social aspect. It's fun, and it makes changing my habits and working out fun too.

The chit chat forums are not meant to chase people away, they are meant to be there for fun. To take a break from the every day boring things. Yeah, you look at most recent topics and you see a lot from that forum, BUT as I said before, if you let it define how you view the site, then you might not have wanted to be here anyway.

I think I've said all I want...yes. :happy:

:flowerforyou:

Women like to look at attractive men. So what? I'd be willing to bet that your friend has at some point in his life looked at a website or magazine that featured women wearing hardly any clothes without any other measure of their worth outside the fact that they look great in a bikini.

Yes I'm sure he has. He nor I are in any position to suggest this type of thing should not be allowed

Once again my point is this: If you went on an allergy forum looking for advice on helping combat allergies, and the first impression of the site was people discussing attractive men/women etc, then you would be put off - that's not to say it shouldn't be discussed in sections of the forum (off topic for example) just that if you clicked on recent posts to see what people on the forum were discussing, you would not stay - that's a shame don't you agree?

True. It would cause me to wonder exactly what kind of site it is, but it would not completely take me away from the site. Of course, that varies from person to person, obviously.

The chit chat board says fun & games. If you look at that ONE forum and immediately think that the whole site is like that, well...I'm sorry for you. There are what...5-6 other forums that are clearly dedicated to health, fitness, motivation, support, AND success.

The fun and games is for just that, fun and games.

I can tell you, I would probably not be as active with this site and logging my calories AND working out if it were not for the people I've met. And most of them have come from that section. Yes, some of the things in there are silly and pointless, but once you see that it's pointless, move on.
Yes, there are the "rate the person above you", and the "whats sexy" topics, but they are for fun, and honestly, it's like a compliment. If I ever post on those (which I have, but only a couple times, not religiously), it's nice to hear someone say I have a nice smile, or nice eyes. Someone even told me I have good cheekbones, I've never heard that.

I tell people about this site and how helpful its been, and I also add in the social aspect. It's fun, and it makes changing my habits and working out fun too.

EDIT:
If I've missed the point then...well..Im sorry. I haven't read all of this...but still..

HAVE A NICE DAY!!

The chit chat forums are not meant to chase people away, they are meant to be there for fun. To take a break from the every day boring things. Yeah, you look at most recent topics and you see a lot from that forum, BUT as I said before, if you let it define how you view the site, then you might not have wanted to be here anyway.

I think I've said all I want...yes. :happy:

Nope, I dont care anymore.

Im going to go exercise.

I hope someday you all score a 10 and burst with pride and genuine happiness.

Good for you... hope you can score a 10 in context not just fitness.

PEOPLE ARE SAYING POSTS THAT RATE PEOPLE JUDGED ON HOW THEY LOOK MAKE MFP SEEM LIKE A SHALLOW, POINTLESS PLACE. And perhaps those posts should not be showcased first thing when people click on Recent Posts.

And yet, others still disagree. Just because YOU feel that way, doesn't mean everyone does. I'm just glad you don't run the place. I can only imagine what MFP would be like then....

There would be lots of rainbows that's for sure. :P

So if people were not allowed to post threads that are based purely on judging others MFP would not be a good place for you anymore? Why is that?

I came here for the Calorie Counter... and stayed for Boobie Friday.

Brett, I have seen many of your posts on the site and typically share your opinion more often than not. To some extent, I share your opinion on this post as well. However, the point that has been lost is that the OP is suggesting that those threads are not a great first impression for someone who is just getting started. I totally get why someone overweight would find it discouraging to see those threads at the beginning stage of their journey. Excluding the chit chat section from Recent Posts would not take any fun away from anyone, including myself, that participates in those threads.

But it wouldn't be a true representation of this site--and a lot of people obviously do like that section and would find this site exciting and fun from seeing those threads. If we want to get picky, maybe a suggestion could be made to MFP that when you sign up, you can design your homepage like MSN or google. Click the boxes of the forums you want to show up in your recent post list.

But that would be something nice they could do, not something they should feel obligated to do. The site is obviously popular--I don't think lots of people are getting turned off and turning away. I agree that changes can be made without upsetting the apple cart, but I also don't think the changes suggested need to be made either.

This is coming from someone who never goes into the attractiveness rating threads, so I'm not defensive. I don't even have pictures of myself on my private profile. I just don't think the threads are all that out of place on a site that values fitness, any more than the "fat women in bikinis" thread is out of place. They are a little shallow, but like with TV, when a show that comes on isn't to my liking, I change the channel. I don't ask my broadcast provider to change the options so I never have to see that they exist. I understand no one is demanding a rule change, but I'm not sure what people are supposed to say other than, "Tell him about the rest of the site." I would be insulted right now if I were the people who are being indirectly referred to as shallow and embarrassing as the forum's first impression.

And if I did go to an auto site, and saw threads about sex, I'd click on the forum list. As long as there were forums about autos, I'd shrug and move on to the next forum, not look for a new site.

If only MFP would let us filter out certain forum groups from the "recent forum posts" section of the main page.

They do.....it's called the left click button on your mouse. DON'T CLICK ON THE FORUM AND SCROLL DOWN TO READ IT. :huh: :indifferent:

That is not a filter. Perhaps you should try to understand the point the OP was trying to make.

I do understand the point. The point was there should be a way to filter out certain forum groups.

As far as I know the forums don't automatically pop up in windows on the screen every time you log in???? The user does have to use a mouse to click on the forum to read it.....so it seems relatively easy to NOT CLICK if you don't want to read it? I didn't read any forums for the first 2 months on here.

I get irked by some of the "I can't get out of bed, but somehow I made it to the computer" threads either, but I use the left-button filter that was magically installed on my mouse and I DON'T CLICK on them. Pretty simple I think.

In fact, I'd bet that's why MFP made different forums and titles for postings, so that users could CHOOSE what to read or not to read. I could be way off base here...... :huh:

Unfortunately, even though you say you get it, you still don't.

Thanks Confuscious. Perhaps you could explain it then?

Also, for those saying that those who want to rate should go to a rating site-they don't have to. MFP has chosen to allow it. They are very willing to delete and lock threads that violate their rules. They obviously choose to accept these threads.

I wonder how many calories typing burns

Because I've built muscle using MFP I must be dumb....

I wish people like you would just get the hell off fitness websites, since you clearly have such issues towards people in shape. I hope you never reach your goal, whatever will you think of yourself then?

If you hate fit people get off fitness websites. Stop putting the blame on them.

What a horrible thing to say.

PEOPLE ARE SAYING POSTS THAT RATE PEOPLE JUDGED ON HOW THEY LOOK MAKE MFP SEEM LIKE A SHALLOW, POINTLESS PLACE. And perhaps those posts should not be showcased first thing when people click on Recent Posts.

And yet, others still disagree. Just because YOU feel that way, doesn't mean everyone does. I'm just glad you don't run the place. I can only imagine what MFP would be like then....

There would be lots of rainbows that's for sure. :P

So if people were not allowed to post threads that are based purely on judging others MFP would not be a good place for you anymore? Why is that?

It's a question of censoring. I don't go around telling people what they can and can't post, what they can and can't participate in. That's all. Do I EVER post in those rating threads, no. Do I want someone to come along and say we can't? Hell no. Where do we draw the line?

I'm just not that kind of dom...