Why did you choose to join MFP?

I started the exercise part by accident, then a few weeks later I noticed my pants were falling off. I was lurking in another forum and saw mfp mentioned. Being that I was a lost lamb kind of wandering around the diet & fitness path, I joined hoping to get a handle on what I was doing. Mfp seemed like the way to get my food in check along with accounting for the exercise I was already doing. Mission accomplished.

After many successful months, I started posting in the forums, got me some mfp friends and the whole thing changed. I now have people that cheer me on, and people I cheer on. And The benefits of having people to "talk" with who can understand that it really is annoying to have to go buy new clothes every month, or the challenges of eating (or not) pizza and brownies, and just generally wanting to talk about getting healthier.

As for mfp being about exercising so you can eat more-well not exactly. Mfp does very much help people like me get a handle on how diet and exercise work together. Mfp does help you learn that when you burn calories through exercise, you can (should) eat more and helps you learn how those work together vs a vague "active", "lightly active" setting. I run 20-25 miles a week. I would keel over if I didn't eat the calories I "earned" from running. Mfp helped me learn that running a mile does not mean I'm in the free and clear to go to the all you can eat buffet. Eating more because you exercise isn't a bad thing, it's about learning how the two work together to help you reach your goals.

I came to MFP because I came across some new information that could be incorporated into my diet. Whenever I modify my diet by professional input or things I am learning about better nutrition, I like to track my food intake.

Previously, I had been using a software application that provided a full panel of panel of your diet. It had goal setting similar to MFP with ratio settings for protein, fat, carbs, plus another 3 items of your choosing. I chose water, fiber, and glycemic load. There were also menus to record measurements, exercise, and other profiles. I stuck with the nutrition.

The more I used this software the more it became customized with my recipes, my frequent foods, and additions to the inventory. This customizing as I went eventually made the program quicker to log my data, because in its native format it assumes a mostly packaged and processed is your selection. It took time to have to scroll through and it's search function was not robust enough to create short cuts to your probable items amongst thousands.

But over the years I had it to where it worked for me. Then I had computer hardware failure, and although I have data backed up I can not open the files much less initialize the program. Rather than hunt down the software developer who wrote this program for his wife, I, like you cruised the internet to find a new nutrition tracker.

Friends use one that had such a small inventory of foods before, I checked it out again. The inventory had grown as did its popularity; there were so many adds and too many screens to navigate through. I continued looking.

There were 2 top contenders. One had the full nutrition panel I liked, but it was poorly designed. I found myself getting frustrated over a test weekend logging my food. MFP has a limited nutrition panel, but a very impressive inventory. For example, I entered whole milk non-homogenized, and it even had this milk from small family farm upstate from where I live in its inventory. We drink it when we are on vacation. Although my local milk was not listed, they had a near match. Also many of the healthfood brands I use were present in the inventory. Moreover, the search system is robust to handle longer search strings in random order, so logging was relatively quick--even without customizing.

The fact MFP is an online app instead of installed software is both benefit and a danger. Personal hardware failure will not obliterate the program. On the other someone else controls apps, so things can change.

I have been using MFP for 9 days and found that the MPF Community is a strong pull as well. I was planning on ignoring the whole social aspect--but 5 days in and I have so much to express! Already I think I have more here than I do on any other social media. What gives?

Because I am a biped I do put exercise into my health picture, but it is not the focus of my MFP activity. Besides working-out bores me, I am more into working (currently shovelling snow) or recreating (walking the dog) for my daily exercise. I do aspire to get back to a little morning yoga.

My brother-in-law was a C4 and a variety of professionals designed a phys-ed routine for him with free-weights and even rowing in a specially rigged scull, with the neck and shoulder muscles he did have. It does require a menu of arm bands and sometimes helpers or a dog. He did every day, so that he could keep on driving his van. Sorry to go on about Jeff. I miss him.

I started the Primal Blueprint lifestyle. Well, at least the diet, not so much the exercise as it got cold. I lost some weight, and lost some annoying pains that had been bothering me, apparently from eating wheat. But, I really wanted to lose even more weight and feel even better, and I realized that my portion control really sucks when I am not tracking. Someone at Mark's Daily Apple mentioned MFP and since it seems pretty easy, I went with it.

I really don't like how mean some of the people here can be though. People ask an honest question, and then get slammed because they are not doing the diet that works for someone else. It makes me feel bad - I know most people tend to be nice, but they are not always the ones speaking up.

Just a quick question, on some of your posts there are weight loss scales showing how much you have lost. How did you get them?

That is called a Ticker. I found the link to the Tickers, when I was on my profile page. I click on it and played with the different options, until I found the one that I liked. Some folks set it up to show just the amount that they want to lose. Others choose to show their starting weight and goal weight. There are lots of designs.

Get yourself a Ticker, Sis. It is a wonderful reminder of your goal and your progress.

Thanks for that. I'll have a look.

100% honesty - I had had this myfitnesspal account for 5 years easy - never ever looked at it past the 1st day i signed up. And then I'm sure the thought process then was that it was too much and I just "wasn't feeling it" - that's a magic keyword I used to use a lot for, "I'm feeling too lazy, why bother trying?" lol

Fast forward to present end of 2012, late december, my office announces they're going to start a fitness inititive for 2013 - and that we will be allowed to make and log into a myfitnesspal account while on the clock.

I work at an answering service 14 hours a day - I welcome the opportunity to do something else sometimes lol.

So I thought what the hey - wonder if I remember my username and password? - as it turned out after 5 years - i still did. Fate? lol

So I said what the heck - we'll give it 1 honest week - the good ol' "college try" lol - and guess what....after 1 week, I was down 3lbs and staying very full and not feeling hungry and still getting some treats and w/o much exercise at all.

2nd week in I said well let's try it another week - that week only down 1lb - but expected it - the eating was "as good as" the 1st week's "college try"

Coming up on Wednesday as my 3rd weigh in - *fingers crossed* - been eating so much spinach on my sandwiches I think I'm going to turn into one, or, move my computer at work into the bathroom haha.

I joined because I saw MFP mentioned in the newspaper. I had just read a book that finally cleared up a lot of things about diet and exercise for me, and I was ready to get on with it. I had tried some software previously, but this is so much better. I've stayed because it is working for me, and I think a big part of that is the social aspect. Hurray for a good friends list!

I joined mfp to be held accountable for what i eat and drink on a day to day basis. I never in my adulthood exercised or watched what I ate. I have had 3 children and been a sahm for 11 years and packing on the pounds. At 220lbs and only 5ft tall i was really starting to feel uncomfortable in my own skin. So I decided to change. I found mfp while browsing exercise apps on google play but never gave it a try until a friend asked me to try it. Now im hooked and have lost 10lbs by counting calories and exercising! The positive support I get here really helps.

I joined because a friend was losing weight using this site. I have stayed because it is working.

I have RA so, like you, I do not burn hundreds of calories a day like most others here.

I am a FIRM believer in doing what works for you so......
I am set to 1280 calories a day and am at or under most days so I can eat on Fat Fridays and go out once in a while etc.Yes ( gasp) I have cheat days ( which I log) and it works for me.

I like your honest approach . Good luck with your weight loss and your new knees.