Sticking with MFP

DakotaKeogh · June 2013

1. Vanity. I had a health episode when I was nearly 300 pounds. I found myself in a situation where I was shirt off, heart monitor probes taped all over me, a sea of puffy, pale underbelly, surrounded by five very, very fit firemen. It was utterly humiliating and I swore it would never happen again.

2. MFP just worked. Watching the numbers made the lifestyle change a game. And it was fun to rack up the exercise minutes and calories day by day. And I have great connections here that I don't want to let down.

3. Yes! I reached my goal nearly two years ago. I don't trust myself. I'm sticking around to be sure I don't fall back into old ways.

Wildflowerangel · June 2013

1. What made you realize that you wanted to change your diet and/or exercise habits?

I was driving home with my nine year old daughter. She told me that the night before, her dad had come downstairs and found her eating a meal at about 1 am. He told he (and it still hurts to write this) that if she kept eating at night, she would weigh FOUR HUNDRED pounds, like her mother.

I didn't weigh four hundred, but I was four pounds shy of 300. So I started out of anger.

2. What made you stick with MFP?

Seeing the changes in me, changed me. I began doing it because I was not just mad, I was seeing results and for the first time, I was not feeling like I couldn't do it. I didn't need diet pills, shakes or whatever. I was just counting calories and working out. Plus, since I got p***ed off at my husband, I bought a pool membership for $500 a year and started swimming. I felt really good about using money on myself for a change. Felt the same way when I bought my bike.

Plus, I see the daily progress of those on my friend list. I read their food diaries. They read mine. It's a support net that really hold my weight and I love it.

3. Are you planning on sticking to MFP after you reach your goal weight?/Do you currently do that now?

I think that I have to.

I can't imagine how I'd respond if I were in your situation. It just hurts to read what your husband said to your daughter. Good luck with your weight loss journey-- you can definitely achieve whatever goals you put your mind to!

Hotdawgnothotdog · June 2013

(.1) I just started jumping on my trampoline out of like nowhere and from it, lost 14 pounds, not changing my eating at all. Then, I got more and more into it, it was a change over many months.
(2.) I had an on and off relationship with MFP until about late April, until I hit a plateau, I hopped back on and lost gradually, I don't plan to leave again any time soon.
(3.) I'm not sure. If I get to gaining weight without it, definitely, if I can maintain my weight without it, no.

popsicklestar · June 2013

I've consistently worked out for awhile, but my weight usually fluctuated between the highest weight for my height to not be overweight and 5-10 pounds overweight. I was still in good physical shape due to my working out, but could definitely stand to lose at least 10 pounds. I had just finished a month long cleanse and lost 10 pounds, and kind of wanted to keep losing weight and keep it off and not lose the same 10 pounds over and over again every year. I had a conversation with a trainer at my gym who logs all his food, and I recently got a new smart phone, so I decided to give it a try.

I honestly didn't expect it to work so well. I didn't ever think it was even possible for my body type to fit into a size 4-6. I always thought counting calories would be an annoying chore, but I actually like it now. It's interesting to know exactly how much you've eaten during the day and how it breaks down nutritionally. I also don't want to be that annoying person who's constantly talking about their diet, so it's nice to have the mfp social aspect, so my friends in real life don't have to constantly hear about it. I definitely plan on continuing with mfp because it's so easy to overeat when you're not tracking. It also takes away the food guilt I normally experience when I eat things like pizza and ice cream. I used to think I had to forgo junk-type foods entirely if I wanted to be super fit and lean, but I realize now that I can have treats sometimes and still maintain the weight I want.

artsycella · June 2013

1. What made you realize that you wanted to change your diet and/or exercise habits?

My husband and I started talking more seriously about having children soon. And I realized that being overweight would make that harder in a lot of ways--harder to conceive, harder to be pregnant, harder to give birth, and harder to be a good role-model and teach children how to have a healthy, nourishing and sustainable relationship with themselves, their bodies, and the food they consume.

2. What made you stick with MFP?

Actually, after doing some real soul searching, I've realized it's because I'm not happy at work right now. I know that sounds weird and unrelated, but I feel very unhappy with my work and I think I was subconsciously looking for something I could do well, something I could exercise some control over (no pun intended). MFP provided me with the tools to do that. Now that I've been doing it for 3 months it's become habit and I hope that even if my work situation improves I won't give it up, but I really think that's what gave me the initial motivation/stubbornness needed.

3. Are you planning on sticking to MFP after you reach your goal weight?/Do you currently do that now?

No. Eventually I hope that I'll be able to use MFP to teach myself how to eat well and sustainably and maintain my weight without the need for the tool. I'm far from my goal weight right now, but once I get there I plan to wean myself off calorie counting slowly. Eat at maintenance for a while, then start logging after eating rather than before, then logging at the end of the day, then at the end of the week, until I've got it figured out. This is a fantastic tool, but it's one I hope to outgrow. I feel the same way about my scale.

Sticking with MFP

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