Why does MFP help?

Knowledge is power. Knowledge of what I'm eating gives me power over my weight. Simple as that.

Accountability. I don't always input my calories, but frequently checking in keeps me in the mindset of reasonable eating and consistent activity.

I think it's the anonymity at the beginning. I wouldn't tell my best mate how much I weighed or how unhappy I was, I definitely wouldn't show pictures and talk about weight (real weight). Here nobody judges you because they are all in the same boat and have been there done that. They know exactly how you feel and that makes it all seem more possible when you read the success stories.
When I lose weight I get a humongous virtual hug from people and a high five.
I feel great and also being such a huge site there is someone out there at any time of the day to talk to or bounce ideas off.
The other thing I find is if I am reading inspiring stories on here and tapping out responses, I don't have any hands left to nibble and graze!
I know this sounds daft but I truly believe this site has saved me from what could have been (gaining instead of losing) and thrown into this FREE program comes some amazing friends who have gone from virtual to real life!
BIG UP MFP
:flowerforyou:

It works for me because I've discovered I can eat almost anything and lose if I stay within my limits. It isn't a diet where certain foods/food groups are eliminated or I have to eat meat replacements or anything like that. And I find my own progress to be motivating and there is a visual record of it on my ticker!

This.

Plus trolling. Lots of trolling

For me, it's the calorie tracker and being accountable to myself. I've only ever lost weight when counting calories. I'm an emotional/boredom overeater (I had to go to counseling to help deal with that issue) and MFP has helped me to say no to many needless snacks and to be aware of how much and what I am eating. It has also motivated me to exercise even more than I already was. I have also noticed that some of the pre-listed exercise calories burned are WAY higher than what you're really burning, so I track that myself and I rarely eat those calories burned. I've also fixed a lot of preset calories on some of the foods I use the most. I am also a baker and cook... Love to cook! So being able to put in a favorite family recipe, for me, is priceless.

I can't really say I like the "support system" on here though. Probably just because I don't need someone telling me I'm awesome when they don't even know me. I'm not one who's ever wanted cheerleaders, I suppose. (It works for some people, just not me.) I have a few of my real life friends on here and they are my support and I am theirs. And the forums are full of people who think they are experts on their own program and feel they need to tell everyone they're wrong if they don't follow THEIR plan. The simple truth of it is that when you're first starting out, you need to experiment with what works for your unique body - maybe you do need to cut down on dairy/cheese, maybe you do need to cut back on carbs (notice I didn't say cut OUT entirely??), but maybe you just need to eat healthy, nutritious foods that fuel your body and make thoughtful decisions. It has to work for YOU and YOUR lifestyle... not JoeSchmoe42, whom you've never met, who preaches the pink grapefruit diet in every single forum.

And that is not to say I don't appreciate all the HELPFUL tips people give out, I LOVE those... it's just the bullying and preaching I have a problem with. I have been absolutely inspired by many people on here to push my workouts, to try new foods, and to face this lifestyle change with hope and joy. And to those people I say: Thank you!! :flowerforyou: I have already decided that to celebrate my first 50 pounds lost, I'm going to start running. Normally I would never consider running unless a bear was after me (it happens in my neighborhood), but I can see so much good health and fitness coming from it.

My advice to many people is to 'invest' in yourself - the time for exercise that works for your body and lifestyle, the time to think ahead and prepare nourishing foods, and the education to understand how it all works together. If you haven't seen a nutritionist or a dietician, it might be something you should do to learn about what's healthy and what's not. And to learn from a real expert what's fact and what's fiction... because I've seen a LOT of fiction floating around in these forums.

Personally, I both like and dislike MFP. I love the idea that this is community of support centered around being "healthy". Now, as to why I put healthy in quotations. A lot of people think being healthy means restricting what they eat. Saying, "Well, I can have this greasy, fried food in moderation." It is encouraging people to eat whatever they want as long as they can stay under their daily calorie intake. Then those people wonder why 5 months later all that weight they lost has slowly crept back up on them. What MFP should be doing is teaching people to actually live a healthy lifestyle. Too many people on here are worried about being skinny rather than being healthy, and health should be their main objective! Being skinny does not mean being healthy. And eating a ton of crap while working out does not make you healthy either. So many people are just consuming calories left and right without caring what they are putting into their bodies. FOOD SHOULD BE FUEL. If you have a really nice car that you worked super hard to buy on your own, are you going to use the cheap gas on it? Or are you going to go premium so that your car will last longer and run better? The same goes for our body. We need to STOP TREATING OUR BODIES LIKE THEY'RE TRASH CANS! Being healthy is 60% nutrition, 20% cardio and 20% strength training. We should be eating less processed foods and more fruits/vegetables.

I guess in the end, I just wish MFP would truly encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle all around.