When will you be done with MFP?

2

Replies

  • Rabidrunner
    Rabidrunner Posts: 117 Member
    I plan to get down to my goal weight, then have a rule that I start logging if/when I ever get 5lbs over that. I'll weigh once a week at the same time to keep an eye on things.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Been here 4 years and maintaining for 3....no longer log food (that's a recent thing) but I enjoy the forums :smile:
  • starryphoenix
    starryphoenix Posts: 381 Member
    Hopefully never.
  • patesq
    patesq Posts: 111 Member
    At this point, 100 lbs down, 10ish to go, having logged for 204 days, I can't imagine not logging. I also can't imagine why you shouldn't. If it helps you lose or maintain, I just can't see the harm. How could logging you food be worse than gaining back what you lost? If I ever were to get to the point where I thought it wasn't helping, I'd set a scale limit and go back to logging if I gained more than that limit.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    Probably will stop regularly using it after a few months of maintenance, but I will continue weighing myself monthly and am going to come back if I ever see the weight creep up more than I'd like.
  • eileensofianmushinfine
    eileensofianmushinfine Posts: 303 Member
    i have no plans to ever stop logging.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I can see getting to my goal weight and logging for a year and then just logging on holidays or to check new foods. I don't think a person has to stop though. I've been logging for over a year and I still like doing it.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    I don't think I ever will because of my exercise. As a triathlete, I am constantly swim/bike/run. But a single day could be a 300 calorie burn or a 1200 calorie burn depending what my work out is, so I can't stick with the same portion sizes for a meal day to day.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Nevaaaaaaaah. MFP for life.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    There are some body builder/ fitness model types who have been here for years. I don't think that far ahead. I enjoy this. I'm thinner and fitter than I've been in years. Why would I put an arbitrary time limit on that?
    Now the forum... I will have to leave the forum soon... every time I see some new yahoo make a post like 'let's all share motivation to lose 40 lbs by May together' my teeth positively rattle in my head like a cadaver & I realize I am a crone in MFP time.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    @drmerc_oc That's the spirit chappy!
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    3 years into maintenance and dealing with some weight creep right now has made me realize the importance of tracking calories for the long run. I thought I could do maintenance without counting/tracking, but the further I get from the weight loss phase the easier it is to get off track. I doubt I'll use MFP forever, but I will continue to count /track for the rest of my life.
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    There are some body builder/ fitness model types who have been here for years. I don't think that far ahead. I enjoy this. I'm thinner and fitter than I've been in years. Why would I put an arbitrary time limit on that?
    Now the forum... I will have to leave the forum soon... every time I see some new yahoo make a post like 'let's all share motivation to lose 40 lbs by May together' my teeth positively rattle in my head like a cadaver & I realize I am a crone in MFP time.

    I took a hiatus from MFP because of those kinds of posts, the 'you must eat breakfast' ones drive me over the edge!
  • Jbell0213
    Jbell0213 Posts: 189 Member
    I love it. Its the only thing that has worked. I won't stop
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    MABMomma wrote: »
    I've read quite a few comments that say you aren't supposed use this app forever to log your food.

    What do y'all think? Is there a time limit on this tool? When would you feel comfortable not using MFP?

    I took a break from MFP while I was pregnant. Other than that though, I really don't have any plans to stop counting. I may stop sometime in the future and then again I may not.

    I don't think there is a time limit on it's use. Stop if/when you feel comfortable enough to do so. That is unless the act of counting calories is causing some mental distress/eating disorder. In those cases, I say ditch it.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
    When a better application comes along, maybe. :)
  • Carol_
    Carol_ Posts: 469 Member
    drmerc_oc wrote: »
    When I get banned

    That was funny!
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    The investors who own MFP will keep adding value beyond just logging that will keep people as users even if they stop logging I expect.
  • Hjaye7512
    Hjaye7512 Posts: 116 Member
    Years I hope or I'll probably go back to overeating
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Now the forum... I will have to leave the forum soon... every time I see some new yahoo make a post like 'let's all share motivation to lose 40 lbs by May together' my teeth positively rattle in my head like a cadaver & I realize I am a crone in MFP time.

    I avoid even opening most threads. Saves my sanity.

  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,743 Member
    I'll log as long as there is breath in my body and a handy computer/piece of paper and a pen.

    Even tho I pretty much eat the same things every day, I know myself well enough to know that, given a chance, I'll go crazy with the eating if I don't keep an account of how much I'm putting in my mouth.
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
    I see this like I see doing my monthly budget. I started budgeting when I was getting out of debt but I never stop because I want to stay out of debt and be in control of my money. Same with this. This will help me maintain my weight and stay fit.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Been on MFP a little over 4 years, over 2 years on maintenance. I will keep on logging as long as I am able. It keeps me aware. The statistics say that over 80% of the people that lose weight gain it back (sometimes even more) within 5 years. My short term goal is to make it past 5 years on maintenance, long term, keep it off for the rest of my life.
  • MelissaLimeKiwi
    MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
    I have lost weight so many times, and always gained it back. I'm determined not to gain it back this time- so I've already decided I will log most days for the rest of my life. Probably 4-6 days per week. I need to keep myself accountable.
  • dwaterfield
    dwaterfield Posts: 34 Member
    spcmartinm wrote: »
    I have lost weight so many times, and always gained it back. I'm determined not to gain it back this time- so I've already decided I will log most days for the rest of my life. Probably 4-6 days per week. I need to keep myself accountable.

    This is exactly how I feel. I have to track my calories - just the act of doing so makes me think about what I'm eating. If I don't I'll gain the weight back. Again.

    I am really curious why people would say you're not supposed to use MFP long term. The only reason I can come up with is that they believe you should be able to make the right choices without it eventually. That may work for some people but my experience has been that I will gain weight without some means of making sure I'm on track.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    I've been on here since 2009. I haven't logged that entire time. I can maintain without logging. I have been pregnant 3 times since 2009...so I've used it to get back to my regular weight. But I like reading the forums (for the good info...and for entertainment).
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited April 2016
    I'm currently in the middle of a month long break from tracking food. I continue to be 16 pounds below my goal weight and have now maintained successfully for 5 years so I no longer feel as though I need to track. If the first month goes well, and so far it has. I'll do another month of not tracking. However, I will always stay on MFP as I love reading all of the interesting threads here and all of the friends that I've made. :)
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »
    When a better application comes along, maybe. :)
    :'(

    That would be great
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I came here by accident and stayed 4 years...

    But I'm not married to it. If a tool that better suits my needs/lifestyle comes along, I'd take a long hard look at it.

    But if you want to successfully manipulate your bodyweight up and down deliberately over and over, you're going to need some sort of calorie counting tool if you want to make a decent job of it.

    Unless you eventually internalise the tool over time through skill-acquisition and can accurately guestimate calories of a serving by eye (which some people can)
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited April 2016
    I don't track anymore... Once I learned how many carbs were basically in what foods, I had a general idea of what to eat to keep my carbs below 50 g per day. I guess I don't have to track because my diet is more restrictive in other ways: low carb, no bad oils, no artificial sweeteners. Also, I feel so much more metabolically healthy. I'm not hungry often. I eat to satisfaction. Life is good in ketosis! If I was still eating a higher carb diet or a nutritionally deficient diet, I'd probably have to count in order to keep myself from over-eating.

    In fact, since I stopped counting many months ago, I've lost an additional 6 lbs. I don't think I could really lose any more weight at this point.

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