Curious about everyone's journey with myfitnesspal

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brookemartell
brookemartell Posts: 17 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi everyone! Looking to get some feedback on how myfitnesspal has helped you in your weight loss journey. I've used it before and it really helped me in the past, but I'm trying to get back on it to help hold me accountable for what I eat. I'm getting back into an exercise routine, but it's always the food that gets me because of my cravings!
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Replies

  • Jolinia
    Jolinia Posts: 846 Member
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    It's been a fantastic tool for me. I was here years ago under a different name and it helped me get started when I was morbidly obese.

    I have issues with a few people and always have (the anti-abstinence sugarcult being the primary ones) but overall people are supportive, helpful, and friendly, and the food diary is great even if MFP is a bit generous sometimes when estimating calorie burn. But you can estimate your own and put your number in instead or create your own workout, so no problem.
  • cotewalter
    cotewalter Posts: 111 Member
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    I lost around 60 lbs but also my blood sugar was borderline diabetic. I was put on meds to try and control it. Have family history of diabetes. Since I have lost, I am off the meds and in good shape as far as that goes.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited February 2015
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    For the first time in my life I lost the weight eating what I wanted in moderation and have kept it off. No silly starving myself either!
    MFP and logging my foods has made me very aware of calorie content and thats a good thing, my motto is that knowledge is power :smile:
    I also learned that if I exercise that means I can eat more - win win :smiley:
  • aarar
    aarar Posts: 684 Member
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    I lost 100lbs and have kept it off for a year and a half so far (most of it, working on about 5-10 lbs of holiday weight right now). I've become more active and went from never running a day in my life to running marathons and ultramarathons.

    I've been logging 871 days consecutively. It's a great tool.
  • dbkle
    dbkle Posts: 44
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    I used to use it way back in middle school to just keep track of things. Now, it's practically my saviour when I need a little motivation.
  • whitneymryan
    whitneymryan Posts: 28 Member
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    I agree with a lot of the replies that have already been posted- it helps me be aware of what I am eating and helps keep me motivated! Recently, I've been moving into using the forums and reading others' blogs to see what kinds of healthy recipes, training regimes, exercises that other people love that I haven't tried yet!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    It helped me keep an accurate log of my intake...that's about it.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    It's helped me to lose weight and to regain weight, as well as helping me to make sure I eat appropriately if I exercise a lot.
    It helps me in maintenance because recording the treats or the higher calorie/lower nutrient stuff helps me to eat in a more balanced way. I'm more likely to be more conscious of the fried onion rings/chocolate cake/bottle of wine I put away the day before if I log it, so the day after I'm more likely to go for a baked potato/fruit salad/teetotal option instead. Equally if I can see my calories have been low for a few days, I know it's time for a snickers!
  • NisgaaNative
    NisgaaNative Posts: 2
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    I am a new first time user and once I was setup I like using it to track. I don't enter as I go but instead have a form I use. At the end of the day I enter it into program. The only thing I would change about it is how the water is entered. It does me no good entered as one item at the bottom. I like to see that I kept myself evenly hydrated throughout the day. I wish it could do this and keep the tally. I'm sure I have much more to learn about using this program though.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    brookemartell wrote: »
    Hi everyone! Looking to get some feedback on how myfitnesspal has helped you in your weight loss journey. I've used it before and it really helped me in the past, but I'm trying to get back on it to help hold me accountable for what I eat. I'm getting back into an exercise routine, but it's always the food that gets me because of my cravings!

    Made me realize how much food I was eating before. Taught me that there are no magic unicorn pills to help me lose weight. It's all about calories in and calories out.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    It's been an invaluable tool. It made it relatively easy for me to lose 70 lbs and learn a huge amount about the nutrients in my food and how to fuel my body. The forums are useful/entertaining/crazy. My friends are great - encouraging, honest and fun.
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
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    I really like MFP. Food tracking is very helpful and the support is a plus, too.

    I do think though that tracking food all the time leads to a limit-unhealthy relationship to food - instead of it being delicious and nutritive, its...a calorie number.
    Oh well- we can't have it all!
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    brookemartell wrote: »
    Hi everyone! Looking to get some feedback on how myfitnesspal has helped you in your weight loss journey. I've used it before and it really helped me in the past, but I'm trying to get back on it to help hold me accountable for what I eat. I'm getting back into an exercise routine, but it's always the food that gets me because of my cravings!

    MFP has truly been the key to my success of losing 38ish lbs and keeping it off for 18+ mos now. I can't say enough good things about it.

    Some people really sees logging everyday & weighing their foods as an incredible burden and stop using MFP the minute they reach goal to only return to start from scratch.

    I think it is an imperative that as a person goes through this journey to be 110% honest with themselves in what their strengths and limitations are.

    Some will be able to regain their internal food calculator and been wean off from using MFP. Some won't. The key to successful maintenance is knowing what will work for us individually.

    For those of us long term maintainers who will be using MFP for the long haul, weighing & logging food has become a seamless part of our routine - no different from automatically putting on the seat belt when we getting into the car.

    SO I guess the key to your journey is finding out what will work for you & take into consideration your strengths & limitations.

    Best of luck to you.
  • LifeInTheBikeLane
    LifeInTheBikeLane Posts: 345 Member
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    I enjoy MFP because it is a great place to record what you eat. I enjoy reading the forums as well. It's helped me with weight loss in the aspect of I have learned a lot from the forums because these people know weight loss better then some sploof attempting to make money.
    Some people may have a good experience with people on their friends list but so far it has done nothing for me (I am widely ignored by almost 99% of the people who are active on mine). I'm sure you can find good support if you tried but I don't put my money on it.
  • Treadmillmom1st
    Treadmillmom1st Posts: 579 Member
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    Through the forums I learnt how to bulk out my meals so I felt full and satisfied without bulking on the calories. I learnt to meal plan so at a glance of my diary I already knew where I'd be by the end of the day before deciding whether I would or would not have a biscuit with my cup of tea. I learnt if eating out to do a good workout earlier in the day keeping my calorie intake low until restuarant/party time thus avoiding going over my daily goal by too much.
  • goingforahundred
    goingforahundred Posts: 590 Member
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    What I have learned from MFP and many of the people who post here has changed my life. This is the first time I have lost weight and not been on a diet. I eat what I want, but make sure I am within my calorie goal. As I have lost weight and gained knowledge my tastes have changed and I find myself eating healthier and making wiser choices. This is a lifestyle change that I can live with from now on.
  • Devinpa
    Devinpa Posts: 20 Member
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    This site helped me lose the last 42 pounds of my 100lb weight loss. Kept me in check with my calorie and carb intake. Key to weight loss is SEEING what you are eating calorie wise...low cal foods are low cal if you eat the correct portion. That is my biggest problem, portion control...so I am back on this site because between Christmas and New Years gained some weight back. Need my motivation back!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    It keeps me mindful of my choices and gives me information to make better ones. That's how it really helped me when I got started - I had no idea of the big calorie sinks in my day and they were really easy to drop.

    Now it usually reminds me to eat more and gives me permission to eat without worrying when I'm hungry. After 3 years I always log my food but barely look at the calorie totals because I know I'll be under. On the days I go over, I just check to make sure I hit my weekly goals.
  • dontjinxit
    dontjinxit Posts: 82 Member
    edited February 2015
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    It's helped me because I'm a sucker for charts and seeing progress on a screen.
    Things like this make me positively giddy (and motivated). lol
    a64p6h9s9nps.jpg

    (Just for the record, I only chart weight when it's going down. If it goes up for a bit, I just ignore it until it hits the next lower number)
  • laurat2422
    laurat2422 Posts: 8 Member
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    I am loving this tool so far. Its just like the one weightwatchers has online but theirs is 19.99 a month! The barcode scanner is really good too.

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