Why even bother coming here?

I don't really get why everyone is so concerned with what other people are doing.

It would be incredibly rude to go up to an overweight person in a McDonald's and say, you really think you need that Big Mac?

And yet that's essentially what people are doing here when they offer unsolicited advice or criticism to another person about their eating habits.

If someone wants advice, they'll ask for it, otherwise, just let people be... my two cents.

Except that that person is in McDonalds, and we're on MFP actively trying to educate ourselves on healthy weight loss.
I mean, people can do whatever they want (yay freedom!), but if they're new and completely disagree with the system they're using, then why use it in the first place?

Exactly. This site is designed to work a certain way, i.e., to help a person maintain a steady calorie deficit or surplus over a length of time in order to lose or gain weight.

It would be silly to walk into McDonalds and try to talk everybody there into eating organic tofu, tempeh, and sprouts instead of big macs. It would be silly to walk into a catholic church and try to convince everyone there to be mormon. It would be silly to go to an AA meeting and try start offering people beer and vodka.

Similarly, it's completely absurd when the people who either "don't get" or don't believe in how MFP works start trying to discredit the whole thing. Why are they even here? It's confusing for the newcomers and annoying for the veterans.

There are other reasons to be here than weight gain, loss, or plain healthy eating.
For some people, a net of -200 or so might be a vast improvement.

I'm not saying a net of -200 isn't a vast improvement. For some people, it could be, and that's great. I'm just talking about people who are new/don't believe in the system and preach to others without having learned anything yet.

I don't really get why everyone is so concerned with what other people are doing.

It would be incredibly rude to go up to an overweight person in a McDonald's and say, you really think you need that Big Mac?

And yet that's essentially what people are doing here when they offer unsolicited advice or criticism to another person about their eating habits.

If someone wants advice, they'll ask for it, otherwise, just let people be... my two cents.

Except that that person is in McDonalds, and we're on MFP actively trying to educate ourselves on healthy weight loss.
I mean, people can do whatever they want (yay freedom!), but if they're new and completely disagree with the system they're using, then why use it in the first place?

But I'm not here for weightloss. And I'm really surprised at how easily people will yell "starvation mode", while the actual truth is that for the vast majority of people here it will never be a reality. Not even when they eat below 1200 calories a day. I restrict calories severely for quite another reason than weight loss, but one of the reasons why I am not making my food diary public is to keep people from giving me undoubtedly well-meant, but rubbish advice.

I don't really get why everyone is so concerned with what other people are doing.

It would be incredibly rude to go up to an overweight person in a McDonald's and say, you really think you need that Big Mac?

And yet that's essentially what people are doing here when they offer unsolicited advice or criticism to another person about their eating habits.

If someone wants advice, they'll ask for it, otherwise, just let people be... my two cents.

Except that that person is in McDonalds, and we're on MFP actively trying to educate ourselves on healthy weight loss.
I mean, people can do whatever they want (yay freedom!), but if they're new and completely disagree with the system they're using, then why use it in the first place?

As you said - yay freedom! I use MFP to accurately track my intake and to track my workouts. I don't believe in starvation mode the same way that many people on here do, and that's my prerogative. I do what's working for ME. And being 36 lbs lighter and counting is working for ME.

I realize that the OP is addressing people who seek advice and/or complain about not losing anything although they're not following MFP suggestions, but the rest of you with this holier-than-thou-I-think-that-I-can-rag-on-a-newbie-because-I've-decided-to-join-the-site-a-few-months-before-them-but-I-still-haven't-really-lost-that-much-weight-but-I-must-be-right-because-I-can-post-a-bunch-of-links-where-other-people-scream-my-same-mantra folks need to get over yourselves.

There's a HUGE difference between support and acting like the MFP hall monitors.

I'm honestly truly sorry if I sound like an "MFP all monitor" to you; it wasn't my intention. I'm not trying to hate on ANYBODY, nor am I trying to sound "holier" than anybody. I am simply stating (as I've done many times before) that if someone is new, they shouldn't be giving advice that they haven't learned.
As for disagreeing with the MFP website- hell, *I* even disagree with some parts of it. I changed my protein, carb, and fat levels because of a medical condition I have. But when one says things like "Don't do what MFP says, it's ALL wrong and doesn't work at all!" then I don't understand why one would come to this website.
And I'm sorry if my 29 pounds aren't a "considerable amount" to tell others about what I've learned. But quality over quantity. I haven't tried to actively lose weight for the past 10 months because of personal reasons- but I've still been on this site, learning. My 29 pounds may not be a great quantity, but I've done some pretty damn good quality learning.

Exactly, and this is why we don't appreciate being lectured by all these high-and-mighty MFPers that think they have the right to tell us how unhealthy we're being... It all goes back to my point. If we ask for advice, offer it... Otherwise, worry about yourself because you don't know why a person's eating a certain way.

I will just continue to give the best advice that I can and refute any poor advice that I see, while at the same time giving the best support I can to my friends struggling to overcome disorders, and while continuing to "worry about myself" as well. I'm just stubborn like that.

I don't really get why everyone is so concerned with what other people are doing.

It would be incredibly rude to go up to an overweight person in a McDonald's and say, you really think you need that Big Mac?

And yet that's essentially what people are doing here when they offer unsolicited advice or criticism to another person about their eating habits.

If someone wants advice, they'll ask for it, otherwise, just let people be... my two cents.

Except that that person is in McDonalds, and we're on MFP actively trying to educate ourselves on healthy weight loss.
I mean, people can do whatever they want (yay freedom!), but if they're new and completely disagree with the system they're using, then why use it in the first place?

As you said - yay freedom! I use MFP to accurately track my intake and to track my workouts. I don't believe in starvation mode the same way that many people on here do, and that's my prerogative. I do what's working for ME. And being 36 lbs lighter and counting is working for ME.

I realize that the OP is addressing people who seek advice and/or complain about not losing anything although they're not following MFP suggestions, but the rest of you with this holier-than-thou-I-think-that-I-can-rag-on-a-newbie-because-I've-decided-to-join-the-site-a-few-months-before-them-but-I-still-haven't-really-lost-that-much-weight-but-I-must-be-right-because-I-can-post-a-bunch-of-links-where-other-people-scream-my-same-mantra folks need to get over yourselves.

There's a HUGE difference between support and acting like the MFP hall monitors.

I'm honestly truly sorry if I sound like an "MFP all monitor" to you; it wasn't my intention. I'm not trying to hate on ANYBODY, nor am I trying to sound "holier" than anybody. I am simply stating (as I've done many times before) that if someone is new, they shouldn't be giving advice that they haven't learned.
As for disagreeing with the MFP website- hell, *I* even disagree with some parts of it. I changed my protein, carb, and fat levels because of a medical condition I have. But when one says things like "Don't do what MFP says, it's ALL wrong and doesn't work at all!" then I don't understand why one would come to this website.
And I'm sorry if my 29 pounds aren't a "considerable amount" to tell others about what I've learned. But quality over quantity. I haven't tried to actively lose weight for the past 10 months because of personal reasons- but I've still been on this site, learning. My 29 pounds may not be a great quantity, but I've done some pretty damn good quality learning.

Your 29 pounds are awesome. I'm very (genuinely. seriously) happy for you. I'm happy for anyone who feels healthier today than they did yesterday. Hell , I celebrate with mini-goals that lead to new shoes and plane airline tickets. However, you totally proved my point. You thought that I was bagging on your weight loss, or lack there of. It's not my intention, but didn't it suck? How dare I be judgmental without such limited knowledge of something that is so personal?...

Get it? Got it? Good.

I dont think ive ever heard anyone flat out say this site dosent work.
I also dont think we need to follow what it says to a T
My Dr and dietcian both know where i come from and whats up with me more than mfp does so as long as im cool with them,then im cool with what im doing.
That does not mean I cant be here to track the stuff I want to track.
It also does not mean I dont have the right to disagree.
At the same time I have NEVER told anyone what to do on this site.I will speak for myself and no one else.

I don't really get why everyone is so concerned with what other people are doing.

It would be incredibly rude to go up to an overweight person in a McDonald's and say, you really think you need that Big Mac?

And yet that's essentially what people are doing here when they offer unsolicited advice or criticism to another person about their eating habits.

If someone wants advice, they'll ask for it, otherwise, just let people be... my two cents.

Umm pretty sure people ARE asking for advice.......that is why this subject continues to come up time and time again.

I get lectured, chastised, even ridiculed fairly frequently, without asking for advice. I had to make my diary private actually.... Just made it public again yesterday and I've already gotten a nasty comment. So... yeah.

That sucks, but that's not what people were talking about here.....you just came in randomly babbling on about it.

That sucks, but that's not what people were talking about here.....you just came in randomly babbling on about it.

I commented because the OP wrote:

Ok they are entitled to their opinions but the site is MFP so why join and be apart of a site you don't agree with?

Me personally, 1200 a day without exercise calories works just fine for me, when I'm able to achieve it (normally I'm 1000 or less.) I'd love to hit 1200 regularly.

This line suggests that I shouldn't even have joined if I'm not gonna do things the MFP way.

That's why I came in here "babbling".

This topic is now about kittens.....go

aren't kittens cute? I like kittens.