New to MFP, what has helped you the most?

jenmwoodard
jenmwoodard Posts: 3
edited September 28 in Introduce Yourself
I'm the mom of a 4 year old and 11 month old, married, employed full time (with an hour commute), and trying to figure out how to loose weight. We've fallen into the fast-food habit, and don't have much time for exercise. So I'd like to find out what has been most helpful about MFP?

Replies

  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    Awareness of what I'm eating and the nutritional content. It's eye-opening once you start tracking. The support here has also been a great motivator!
  • dollipop
    dollipop Posts: 379 Member
    Awareness of what I'm eating and the nutritional content. It's eye-opening once you start tracking. The support here has also been a great motivator!
    Absolutely agree. Once you understand the breakdown of what you're putting into your mouth, you question whether you really want to eat it or not! Seeing other people here achieve their goals is also a great motivator, as is having a few friends to keep you honest. I am fortunate in that one of the girls I work with is also on here, so we keep each other motivated during the day!
  • charliebird
    charliebird Posts: 168 Member
    Freinds, Friends and more friends! I can only put my success on here to the support and motivation I get from the fantastic people on this site!

    Over the years I have gone to many weight loss classes and paid a premium for being talked at for an hour a week about food!

    On here I find that everyday there is someone helping me through my journey (and I hope I help some of my MFP friends too)

    Its that motivation that keeps me going.

    Please feel free to add me!!

    Good luck with your journey :happy:
  • LauraMarie37
    LauraMarie37 Posts: 283 Member
    Yes definitely learning some of the nutritional info - not only seeing it, but seeing it in context of my daily caloric goals.

    Accepting that it's good and healthy to eat back your exercise calories.

    Being motivated by other people's fitness milestones to reach some of my own - things I never thought my body could do.
  • sheets03
    sheets03 Posts: 18
    it makes you responsible and accountable for what you are putting into your body. You will totally see your bad habits right in front of you! If you are looking for healthy quick recipes... check out cookinglight.com
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    Reading all of the posts has definitely helped me - and I've only been around here properly for a few weeks (even though my thingy says since November... that's when I first signed up).

    Asking questions, or reading the newbie posts is essential.

    And keeping myself accountable for myself. I log absolutely everything I eat, as well as my exercise - I'm only cheating myself if I don't. I have made my diaries public, but only so that people can help me when I ask!

    And lastly, but most importantly, the sense of community. I think this is why MFP is so successful. It's the people that make it work - and knowing that every single person on here is here for the same reasons I am is amazing. Sure, there are some people who need to lose weight, there are others who've lost and want to maintain, there are others who are focussed on building muscle, there are others who are underweight. But they are all here because they want to be fit and healthy. Forever. Not just for 12 weeks of a program. Forever.
  • Genie30
    Genie30 Posts: 316 Member
    Totally agree with the above posters. I would like to add that seeing other peoples diarys and the recipes section in the forum have helped to give me more of idea how to balance my day, ways of making old favourites healthier and something new to try when things get boring or routine.
  • mandysue1980
    mandysue1980 Posts: 31 Member
    Yes definitely learning some of the nutritional info - not only seeing it, but seeing it in context of my daily caloric goals.

    Accepting that it's good and healthy to eat back your exercise calories.

    Being motivated by other people's fitness milestones to reach some of my own - things I never thought my body could do.

    Yes, knowing when you need to eat back those calories is a huge help! I found out I was under eating before joining this site and putting my body in to starvation mode.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    hello and welcome!

    being a full time working mum can be dificult at times! i have a 2.5yr old and work full time. i would say organisation and planning is the key. mfp is great for making sure that you start to eat healthier and that you get your exercise in too. it will help both yourself and your family!

    have you got a slowcooker? there are some fab recipes on here and online to help you get started. its great for coming back home and not having to worry about dinner and saves money too as u dont spend so much on takeaways! also taking a packed lunch/ snacks will help to curb any cravings!
  • beau8
    beau8 Posts: 20
    I find that reading the success stories helps me, when you see where people have come from and where they are now it is motivating. Filling in your diary even when you think that you have eaten badly is a good thing, you'll be surprised at what your calorie intake actually was and that a lot of the time its not that bad and logging the exercise also helps and eating the extra calories.
  • pinkydoodle
    pinkydoodle Posts: 3
    Hello i just joined friday june 10 trying to make and keep my goals
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