Does myfitnesspal really work? Please help :-)

RVfrog · June 2013

You have to do the work. MFP is a great tool to help you and there is alot of support here and really great people to help and encourage you.

emergencytennis · June 2013

In my opinion, weight loss is 40% knowledge, 30% self-discipline and 30% determination. The biggest key, for me at least, is knowledge and that's where MFP comes in. If you're aware of what you're putting into your body and the calorie content of the food you eat, chances are you're going to make better decisions. MFP is a great tool (especially the app!) for tracking what you eat. Studies have shown that simply keeping a food journal can greatly increase your odds of success. Do I think MFP works?! Absolutely! And I'm proof Please feel free to read my success story!! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/979204-lost-50lbs-now-i-m-a-success-story-too-very-pic-heavy Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:

What is the difference between self-discipline and determination?

brucewoodward13 · June 2013

If nothing else MFP has shown me where I have had blind spots when it comes to food. There were things I would eat willy nilly before thinking they were "healthy" so didn't matter... and then all those little snacks through the day add up if you don't watch yourself and most importantly BE HONEST about what you are eating. If anything overestimate calories in and underestimate calories burned then you can't go wrong.

I would also say, don't beat yourself up over binge days or meals, just make sure that over the course of a week you are generally within your allocated counts.

jasonheyd · June 2013

Here's my experience:

It works, but...

It's not an exact science.
Everyone's different.
It's (probably) a lifestyle change, not a "diet."

MFP's a great tool for helping you be mindful of what you're putting into your body, and it's not bad for tracking what you're burning off from exercise & activity. But... it should be more than just calories in vs. calories out ... and, even if that's what you're looking for, calories in and out are both estimates, your body's going to fluctuate and change day to day, week to week, month to month.

So, don't expect perfection, and don't expect that you won't have weeks in a row of "WTF!? I was doing well, and now NOTHING!?"

If you use MFP to track what you eat, including keeping an eye on your macros (carbs, protein, fat), estimate what you burn from activity & exercise (and make sure you're getting some exercise!), and have the patience to make adjustments over several weeks to get things tweaked & "dialed in" to work for you -- and then be willing to make those adjustments all over again from time to time -- then yeah, it works.

And the other thing I'd add is that almost no one can "diet" all day, every day. You don't need to stop living your life, you don't really need to "never have another _____", just use MFP to keep things balanced, choose healthy food as your norm, and if you go out for Olive Garden's Tour of Italy every now & then, log it, factor it into your weekly totals, and keep living your life.

Like I said, it's a life-style change, a marathon & not a sprint, blah blah blah.

Kelly1985 · June 2013

WOW what quick replies! and some great ones too!

It definately does open your eyes to what you think is less calories than what it actually is, I was toying around with it before putting in some of the foods I eat now and when you see the calories it makes you thinks!

Think I'm just bored of the "points" system even though I know points its just calories! Its like I need a change!

I've also (this is my 3rd week) been walking to and from work which is about 6000-7000 steps (I have the WW's pedometer) and been doing skipping every other night. Not long bouts of skipping as its hard and I'm trying to build fitness/energy levels up, Tuesday night I did approx 20 minutes of fast skipping, slow skipping, couple of minutes rest. So I am trying other things in terms of exercise, oh and I've been practising the hula hoop!

I'll probably still stick to WW's but use this site as an eye opener haha!

xx

nikilis · June 2013

no I lost 33lb through cookies, cakes and pies.

traumaticthrash · June 2013

this tool is the best thing since sliced bread.

doitforabby · June 2013

MFP doesn't work. You do.

But yes, MFP is an awesome tool to help you get where you want to be and STAY THERE.

THIS!

liddienicole · June 2013

It really is great. Before I joined, i had no idea how many calories I was eating. It shocks you because you find out something you eat often is a lot of calories, and really makes you realise why you put on weight in the first place. I've been on here nearly a month and lost about 6 pounds - so its not fast weight loss but its gradual weight loss that means you are more likely to keep it off. Plus I find it so addictive - I love coming on here and logging my food. It's sort of like a game for me :P

benjib84 · June 2013

My simple opinion on this is all diets effectively work on calorie control and food optimisation.... only some diets go about it in a different way ie weight watchers = points, Slimming world = syns....

Having done all 3 i think MFP works best, as its simple, easy to use and you get rewarded for working out....

Ive tried to diet for 10 years and tried everything going and MFP has given me the best success

jblackjr · June 2013

If used properly it will do exactly what it's meant to do, get weight off. However, you can't eat a bag of cheetos and then feel guilty about it and simply not log it, that just counter productive and will get you nowhere. Be honest about what you eat and LOG EVERYTHING. You do that and you will start to see the weight come off.

frugalafterfifty · June 2013

I agree with the posts about knowing how many calories you are actually eating. The main reason it is working for me is that I have some great MFP friends who read my open food diary and exercise posts and comment and critique. I think twice before I eat something cause I know they'll catch it. Plus when I see their calorie burn from exercising it makes me get my exercise in too.

I've been posting 66 days in a row (which may not sound like a lot - but is for me) and they've been a tremendous help.

Tiff050709 · June 2013

If you work at it, then yes MFP does work.
I love it.

jharb2 · June 2013

I would say yes it works. If you do it consistently. Its worked for me-took a year, logged every day and excercised. Its not MFP that works, its you doing the work that MFP lays out for you. Up to you to do it. But yes, I am proof. I've lost 51 pounds

bluefox9er · June 2013

Hi Everyone

I'm very new to this, never calorie counted in my life, I've always done weightwatchers which is pointed but just lately becoming quite bored of it and have read lot's of success stories on the net about people who calorie count.

Does this really work?

Kel
x

You will get out of it exactly what you put into it....you have to really WANT IT.

Once you have decided you want it, then you have to BRING it..every damned day and be prepared for the most awesome experience of your life.

srob98 · June 2013

I've only done this for a small amount of time, but it obviously works.

When people say they are not losing (not everyone, mind you, but many), it is often because of "little cheats". Things like serving yourself a larger portion than you log - look at how much a serving of pasta is....actually measure it with a measuring cup...you will be surprised how small the portion really is! So, if you are going to double or triple that portion, it needs to be logged that way.

The best advice I can give you is to get some graduated measuring cups...just cheap little plastic ones will do. Measure your portions for the first 3 weeks or so, until you adjust what a portion looks like in your mind. That has definitely been working for me!

Plus, you really, really, really do have to log everything you eat, and you need to drink your water.

I have not lost a ton yet, but I have only been on here a few weeks. However, my energy level is already up, I sleep better, and my mood has really improved!

I have not done anything crazy...I don't eat "clean", I don't eat at a crazy low calorie total, I just tend to prepare food at home a lot more because it's easier to figure out the calories. Thus, I am eating more whole foods (always good) and saving lots of money! (Although it seems like I am always doing dishes!)

Good luck!!!

tomich54 · June 2013

MFP doesn't work. You do.

But yes, MFP is an awesome tool to help you get where you want to be and STAY THERE.

This! It makes you accountable to yourself! I have logged in religously for the last 12 months, and I'm thrilled by the results! It gives me the motivation to keep on! :happy: Also, most importantly - it's not a "diet", it's changing your lifestyle!

kazaroona · June 2013

I started on MFP to help keep track of my calories but since I have been used to it I now take more notice of my macros, like protein and fat etc and now find I eat more healthily as I like to keep these in the green too, and I find I stay fuller.

My tip would be to record even if you know you are way over, and have had like a takeaway or something. I find this helps me to see where my limit is and also somethings are way more/less than you think they are. For example I found out by accident that my fave thing from the Indian restaurant is only 290calories which is great so when we do order I know that if I get that then I can work it into my allowance or damage limitation!

grandevampire · June 2013

MFP doesn't work. You do.

But yes, MFP is an awesome tool to help you get where you want to be and STAY THERE.

This, so much. At the end of the day, MFP is just a tool that remembers and adds stuff up for you.

Educating yourself sufficiently as to why certain things work and others do not is what makes the difference. That way you will be able to set goals (I don't mean goal weight goals, I mean what you are going to eat today/this week/this month goals) that are realistic and will be effective for you. Blindly following any system that has been set up to help may or may not work if you don't know how to adjust/improvise in practice. (I heard Weight Watchers has "free" foods? Maybe it works out for the most part, for losing weight but objectively nutritionally, it doesn't make sense because no real food except maybe water is actually "free" when it comes to calories and nutrition. Extra may not harm you in the long run, but you certainly shouldn't ever think of them as contributing nothing even if they contribute in a good way to your needs.)

MFP is a very convenient-to-use tool to employ in order to meet the goals you have set for yourself. By laying bare information that I would never have paid attention to or remembered over time, MFP has motivated me to find out more, and as a result reconsider my life and make a long-term difference.

ETA: So yes, it has "worked" to get me closer to my goals, but to be clear, I have manually reset just about every target number from the defaults the tool gave me to follow (total calories, macros, fibre, sodium).

marylorrainecox · June 2013

It is very similar to keeping a financial budget. It helps you identify where you are spending your calories, so you become more aware of your spending and can adjust as needed. It is also great in that it shows nutrient amounts and has the option to scan the barcode of food items that have a bar-code for more accurate nutrition information.

I also use it to track my workouts. For example, today was an upper pushing day (weight lifting), so I went to my last upper pushing day and copied the exercises. I made a few changes in what I did, but the majority is similar. If I was able to do 15 reps of a specific exercise last time, I went up in weight this time. I personally choose not to subtract my calories burned, but I still like to see the charts and to track my progress. I also definitely see a difference in my progress related to my rest (days when I do not exercise).

MFP won't do the work for you, but it is a tool to make the work and your progress a little easier to chart.

Good luck!

Does myfitnesspal really work? Please help :-)

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