The Most Important Thing You Have Learned From MFP

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  • WrenStory
    WrenStory Posts: 103
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    Two things: 1) It really is a matter of eating a little less than you burn, and 2) I really won't get big from lifting weights.
  • OkieinMinny
    OkieinMinny Posts: 834 Member
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    Lift heavy stuff
  • Blastastic
    Blastastic Posts: 280 Member
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    Every word to Dont stop believin'
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
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    I've gained a greater understanding of how my body actually functions and what it needs.

    Learning about TDEE and BMR has been frightening to get my head around as someone who has always crashed and burned, but it is a lesson I am so glad to have learned.
    I still struggle with it now and again, but I know now that if I feel crap it's usually because I haven't eaten enough, which is much easier to rectify!

    Can't type this without saying a big thanks to Heybales and Helloitsdan.......they talk sense!
  • oceangirl37
    oceangirl37 Posts: 37 Member
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    1) working out doesn't have to be torture. find something you love that keeps you moving and do it.
    2) there are benefits to weights and cardio. I don't have to choose between them ( which is great because I love doing both)
  • OddballExtreme
    OddballExtreme Posts: 296 Member
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    Let's see:

    1. Log EVERYTHING. It's amazing and shocking to know how much carbs and sodium are in some foods (like the fact a bag of Honey Barbecue Lay's Potato Chips as a surprising 460mg of potassium and just 190mg of sodium while a Healthy Choice Top Chef meal has around 3X MORE sodium and doesn't even taste that salty).

    2. Do NOT deprive myself of sweets. I was living for a long time under the impression I couldn't eat any sweets (I have Type 2 Diabetes). Turns out I can, as long as I watch how much I'm taking in. I also understand just because something is sugar-free doesn't mean it's carb-free! I don't even like sugar-free anything because I get a horrible aftertaste in my mouth for at least an hour!

    3. Do NOT call this a "diet"! After I was diagnosed with the diabetes, I changed my habits, which led to the weight loss. I call this my lifestyle plan.

    4. Trust myself. What works for someone may not necessarily work for me and vice versa. I'll stick to how I've done it my way and let others do it their own way, since, heck, we're all in this together anyway.

    5. It's okay to indulge ever so often. On occasion I will go over my numbers. If I don't do it like that all the time, I can still manage to keep things going.

    6. Don't stop living because of diabetes. There's this one episode of the 2011 ThunderCats cartoon ("Song of the Petalars") which gave me two of the greatest quotes to live by, and this was before I was diagnosed with the diabetes:
    "In the end, what matters isn't how long we've lived but how fully we've lived. The good we've done, the friends we've made, the love we shared along the way." -- Emrick the Petalar just before he dies

    "We're all leaves passing in the wind, here and then gone. But while we're here, we live to the fullest!" -- Lion-O
    Because of these, I've never felt more alive than ever, and I won't let diabetes control me!

    7. A good support network pays off. Having friends, no matter how far away they are or how far their journey is, helps so much because I know I don't have to fight this battle alone. If I do fall off, I know I have my friends to pick me up.

    I've been on MFP since June, and I'm so glad to still be a part of it!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    That this is a lifestyle change and not a diet!
    This and also to log log log what you eat, it makes a huge difference

    And I'm going the other route.

    What I've learned is that I don't have to completely change my lifestyle in order to eat right and shed the fat!

    Also, I agree with the OP. Don't starve yourself! There's no reason to go hungry. Eat nutritious foods, and don't go too far below your maintenance calories, and you won't get hungry.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Can't type this without saying a big thanks to Heybales and Helloitsdan.......they talk sense!

    ^^ This too! And I'm adding SideSteel and Sarauk2sf :heart:
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    1. My friends are awesome.
    2. Picking up heavy things is awesome.
    3. Bacon.
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    Lifting weights is a must.
    I'm allowed to EAT!
  • erinpooh
    erinpooh Posts: 90
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    1. Log everything--food and exercise.
    2. No food is off-limits. What matters is portion control.
    3. Dedicated exercisers have more success.
    4. Friend as many people as possible. Random buddies keep you motivated and accountable!
  • cruzcrzyMarie
    cruzcrzyMarie Posts: 251 Member
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    The importance of logging in DAILY even in maintenace.
  • lp91413
    lp91413 Posts: 48 Member
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    I have a few off the top of my head.......that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. that i can find healthy alternatives and recipes to my favorite foods and still satisfy my cravings. that support is essential. That I can actually like to exercise and not look stupid doing it!

    and....THE SUPPORT HERE AND MY MFP FRIENDS ARE AMAZING!!
  • brendasimic
    brendasimic Posts: 2 Member
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    NOTHING is off limits as long as I don't exceed my calorie budget. How liberating is that!!:happy:
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi14wDTxNw
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust Posts: 518 Member
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    Log your calories everyday so you can get an accurate account of what you're really putting in your mouth......real eye opener.
  • Tat2dDom0105
    Tat2dDom0105 Posts: 661
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    Is that this isn't Facebook.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    The definition of "thigh gap".



    Actually, probably the importance of protein intake.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    1. Don't eat after 7pm
    2. Sugar is the personification of Satan
    3. My microwave is a death-ray-box
    4. Breakfast jumstarts my metabolism
    5. All kinds of other nifty tidbits of "knowledge" along the way
    6. Raspberry ketones, green coffee bean extract, saffron and whatever other things come to my email spam folder totally work and are so worth the money
    7. It couldn't possibly just be that eating right and exercise is all you need-it just can't be that simple

    And most importantly-I learned what a thigh gap is, and that's it's an actual goal for some people. Hmm.

    Editing because I can't believe I forgot to add "cleansing". That's super duper important too!
  • ravenlair
    ravenlair Posts: 8 Member
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    The most important thing I've learned is the power of portion control. I log my planned meals/snacks in the morning and if I'm a bit high I look at portions. This morning I changed a whole toasted sandwich round with 2 TBS polaner all fruit to HALF a round with 1 TBS all fruit. I saved 80 calories with this simple reduction is portion! I guess the concept is self evident but it has always been all or nothing for me and this "tweaking" of portion is a revelation in calorie control for me.

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