Why have you stayed with Myfitnesspal?

Davelh1976 · February 2013

My company wants me to speak to interested employees about loosing weight. This will be my second meeting (1st one was at a church) . What can I do to help people commit? Most people quit in 2 weeks. Can you teach want to? Why have you stuck with MyFitnesspal?

My reasons
Body is a Temple
4 boys
Health
Just Hate being Fat
Would like my wife to not to have a Obese husband (although even when I was Morbidly obese she loved me the same)

I am looking forward to seeing your replies!

chatterbox3110 · February 2013

I stay with MFP purely because that way I can monitor what goes in my mouth! I log EVERYTHING, even if I've been offered a sweet, and its surprising just how many 'extra' calories you can consume in a day without even realising.

I've done SW and WW, but MFP is the only thing that's worked for me, and while its working I'm not leaving!

stuntpilot51 · February 2013

That's fairly simple.

1. It's not a fad diet and it works.
2. It's free.
3. Seeing the results is the motivation to stay.
4. I can eat what I like.

The first thing I would do is send your new recruits to the success stories forum and look at the results of other people.
Let them see what weight loss really looks like.

squinz · February 2013

I like the support you get on here.
It teaches me to be accountable and to think about the way I eat.

ktsmom430 · February 2013

Everyone of the reasons already stated!

The community support is wonderful as well.

It works!

Most importantly, it is a lifestyle change. Something that I will have to keep doing every day, even after I reach my goal, hopefully for the rest of my life.

P.S. Very awesome that you are passing on to co-workers the inspiration of your success! That must be very rewarding for you.

rainghirl · February 2013

I've lost the weight that I wanted to lose, tracking with MFP made it easier to keep track of what I was eating and to not overeat. However, I've carried on using it now because it's useful for maintaining my weight as well. It was mainly reading about this US study http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708080738.htm that convinced me that logging what I eat and the exercise I do on a daily basis is going to stop me piling the pounds back on. The study might be something you can refer to in your presentation, if you don't already.

Actually I think that was an older article, this refers to the research and is what I read more recently http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/weight-loss-secrets_n_1671547.html but both studies came out with very similar findings regarding keeping food diaries, amongst other things.

Hope it goes well.

groke101 · February 2013

MFP is the only thing that has worked for me, you get positive feedback and can monitor your progress. The app both informs and educates you to live healthier.

Good luck, it must feel great to think that you are inspiring others.

F1uffy123 · February 2013

That's fairly simple.

1. It's not a fad diet and it works.
2. It's free.
3. Seeing the results is the motivation to stay.
4. I can eat what I like.

The first thing I would do is send your new recruits to the success stories forum and look at the results of other people.
Let them see what weight loss really looks like.

This^^

It doesn't have to be about starving yourself and ridiculous amounts of exercise!

In place of a roadmap really help me set as suitable and sustainable amount of calories. I'm not hungry all the time. I can still have the occasional tale away and incorporate it within my daily allowance.

My work recently did something similar and provided people with a pedometer. People then teamed up and tracked their daily steps as a team for 12 weeks. Leader board each week and as everyone was working as a team, it inspired people to move more as they didnt want to let their team down!

Sandylovesm · February 2013

I'm unhappy, unhealthy , without MFP, I would contnue killing myself a bit every day eating the way I used to do. Very important cause I'd like to live a long and healthy life, being able to do activities with my family, being able to be pregnant...

Lots of support and motivation over there.

Lots of very good advice

VelociMama · February 2013

My friends here are amazing and have been supportive at my lowest times and at my highest. Having people who are going through the same struggles makes trying to accomplish something great much more manageable.

Calorie counter is free and overall very good.

SurfyFriend · February 2013

Why have I stayed with MFP?
- sustainable
- it teaches moderation and consistency
- helps to recognise patterns which lead to weight gain/loss, also has helped me minimise mood swings, afternoon fatigue, skin problems (seeing what I ate prior to have caused it), etc
- supportive community
- less time consuming than trying to count everything up with a pen, paper and calculator.

NoSharpei · February 2013

Great question, and congratulations on your weight loss

A friend told me about MFP about 18 months ago. She kept telling me how great it was and badgering me to use it too. I politely declined for some months, as tracking just sounded like too much hassle. However, after she started losing weight and I was still at a standstill, I decided to try it. I haven't looked back. I love the community support, the forums, the fact that MFP tailors to how *I* live, helps to retrain poor eating habits AND is available on multiple platforms - iphone, iPad, PC etc

terilou87 · February 2013

iv not been on here long but i can definatly say i will be here for ever.

reasons,
1: the support from others is second to none
2: keeping track of exactly what your eating is easy
3: the results you can see by monitoring your weight/measurements
4: the success stories from other people ( keeps me motivated)
5. it made me realize i need a lifestyle change not a diet
6: m.f.p made me realize my portion size was huge.

personal reasons
1: my children
2: myself
3: i couldnt go up stairs without getting slightly out of breath
4: i was getting very lazy
5:i was eating just because i was bored
6: i was the heaviest i had ever been

my opinion is M.F.P = best thing since sliced bread :happy:

meechster20001 · February 2013

I've been on here for a while but I needed to make that .mental adjustment to wanting to live a better life and committed to that change in December 2012. MFP has made me more conscious of what I'm eating and the daily target of calories, carbs and fat to stay under while I try and go over on protein for a healthier diet.

A lot of this stuff is mental, you have to want to change for you and realise a healthier lifestyle should be happier one. I've still got a hell of a long way to go but I'll keep logging here, love the support when I post up a loss or the flurry of answers if j ask a question. I'll keep reading the success stories and finding them really motivating (anyone else mentally composing theirs months in advance?!) And I'll enjoy the new found confidence that losing a bit of weight has given me. MFP is a really useful tool with an awesome online community that makes a huge difference..

firemanfive0 · February 2013

MFP helped me realize how much I was over eating. When I first started tracking, the numbers were shocking to me. In years past I had tried SlimFast shakes and other things but this time I committed to eating my normal food that had been tweaked to a healthier version. MFP caused me to become a label reader and really pay attention to what I was consuming. The other thing that 'clicked' this time was that my eating habits were going to be for the rest of my life...the added benefit is the weight loss. This 'click' happened about 2 months into my change...my original goal was weight loss but it changed to a healthier / fitter me that has been able to lose weight. With this change of mindset, came the desire to start exercising again, so there at Christmas time I started in the treadmill and have committed to a 5K in June and I have told everyone. Where as this may not seem much to some, this 5K is operated by all my friends. The EMS and FD take care of the registering and are positioned around the course...so there is no 'failing' in this 5K for me. Dave, as you know, my diary has always been open and will remain that way...I hope that my eating habits might effect some one in a positive way and help them. Good luck on your speaking event and you will do an awesome job, your being proud of yourself will show them why your are doing and continue doing MFP.

npetercmway · February 2013

Why have I stayed with MFP?
- sustainable
- it teaches moderation and consistency
- helps to recognise patterns which lead to weight gain/loss, also has helped me minimise mood swings, afternoon fatigue, skin problems (seeing what I ate prior to have caused it), etc
- supportive community
- less time consuming than trying to count everything up with a pen, paper and calculator.

This^^^^

It is a tool that gives me the ability to change a lifetime of poor choices and to relearn how to eat and balance cals in vs cals burmed.

BellehavenfarmDawn · February 2013

I have been here since the beginning of January and stuck with it during a holiday in New Zealand ...where I left 4 lbs!

1. biggest Reason- I am a horse woman from waaaay back. On MFP all my friends are horse people and I love the support. Joking about mucking stalls for exercise! that sort of thing. I talk to horse people all over the world! We have a Group too, kicking around all sorts of discussions.Dr. Dean Ornish includes community support as critical to long term lifestyle change

2. It's free and easy

3. I am becoming more educated about food and portions through logging. My interest is in health and I try eating very well, mostly veg, beans and fruit. Logging has encouraged me to find recipes for Greens like kale and Swiss chard. When I logged food in a notebook it was cumbersome to look up calories etc. MFP is easy. They've done all the work. just plug and chug. More than once, I have resisted food because I did not want to log it! LOL In fact I have avoided events where I thought I just could not yet handle the temptations, and I didn't want to log the mistakes.

Hope this helps.
Dawn

PaulFromEssex · February 2013

I love My Fit Pals

daj150 · February 2013

I have stayed because, like most people...especially in the US, have a major portion control issue. MFP helps me stay with that. In addition, I am fed up with ultra-processed junk and the seemingly continual decline in quality of meats. So, I am all about changing to a very healthy lifestyle. I have been with MFP since 2010 and I have fallen many times because my only goal was to lose weight. That is a great goal, but not maintainable, and too easy to get depressed or side-tracked. Changing your mindset to a new healthy lifestyle that INCLUDES eating better and the correct portions...now that seems to typically be one of the better ways people stay on track. Granted, people who have lost TONS of weight seem to just need to see before pics to keep on track...sadly, I don't have before pics and never really got too out of control...so that doesn't work for me.

tndejong · February 2013

this site opened my eyes to what i was eating. the food log is what is helping me the most. in the past, i thought just eat veggies and fruit and you will lose weight. in theory, yes. but when you put together a salad, you dont consider the many things you add that make it bad for you. i never thought things like peanut butter or nuts could be so high in calories. and it helps me plan ahead. i can make a meal plan for the day and see how i can add in my treats. i can stay within my goals and have my cake too! i also like the exercise tracker. i dont much less pay attention to the calories burned. but its nice to see as time goes on how much more time im putting into being active and set myself goals with it. example is i did x amount last week.. add more time this week. plus the people on here are so nice and helpful. i can ask questions and not feel stupid. everyone is here for the same reasons. sometimes one positive post can make you smile and feel like your accomplishing something. we challenge each other too. do 50 squats! i posted a challenge one day. every 30 minutes you do of exercise, i will do 5 minutes more on my elliptical. they made me do an extra 45 minutes that day! people give up because they are not ready to commit. that is like asking someone to give up smoking or other bad habits. your not going to do it until your ready.

JamieG8991 · February 2013

A friend of mine introduced me to MFP and I'm so glad she did!! I stick with it because I'm losing weight and it's so easy!! I'm eating healthier, but still treating myself to my favorite foods AND still losing weight!! It's definitely a win/win for me. :bigsmile:

Why have you stayed with Myfitnesspal?

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