If You Want To Win-- You Need To Keep Score

I started a diet on May 18th of this year because I had put on 100 pounds since my daughter was born, 14 years ago.

I was too lazy to exercise so I figured I would just do it with diet (I ate WAY too much bread/rice/pasta/potatoes).

I got off to a quick start but when things started to slow someone told me about MFP and I am not exaggerating when I say that myfitnesspal.com TURNED OUT TO BE THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS.

Instead of just "trying to do better" (the way I *was* doing it) I started logging everything that went into my mouth. I love to cook and I prefer to cook from scratch-- so it wasn't too difficult to change up my recipes to be healthier once I saw how many calories were in them in my daily diary.

Here's the cool part:

Once I changed my eating habits and was eating well balanced, nutritious meals every day-- I wanted to make my "score" on MFP even BETTER.

So I started exercising and adding it into my daily diary-- and I got CREDIT for it!

I could eat MORE, if I wanted!

So I started exercising even more. And then the weight REALLY started coming off. Interestingly, I found that I wasn't as hungry when I exercised more-- so I ended up not eating my bonus "exercise calories" after all.

I LOVED keeping score and I loved seeing the feedback that I WAS WINNING!

For the first time in my life, *I* controlled food instead of the other way around.

My 30 minutes of exercise per day is now usually 1 hour-- or 2.

I go to 3 Zumba classes per week-- and love it! I ride my bicycle to the grocery store, the post office, the bank, my job-- and I ride my stationary bike when I get home.

I am proud to say that I've lost MORE of my weight from exercise than from reduced eating.

If I go over my calorie budget for the day I put my big ol' butt on the stationary bike until I earn enough calories to finish the day "in the green."

I almost *never* finish in the red, that way.

The phone app is wonderful-- although I wish it had the social networking piece integrated into it.

I've gotten my friends to start using MFP and I've met others, here-- and it's wonderful to be able to encourage each other.

It has now been 10 weeks and I have lost 41 pounds (80 to go). My cheekbones are back and (nice looking!) men have been approaching me on a regular basis. (I'm in a committed relationship-- but it's still nice to be pursued.)

As the title of this post says-- if you want to win, you need to keep score.

MFP is my scoreboard and it is my primary motivating force to stay true to what has now become a new lifestyle for me. I was once lazy-- and now love exercise. When I check into a hotel the first place I look for is the fitness center. When I was on vacation I did aerobics in the swimming pool for 30-60 minutes each day.

I now find that I *need* exercise in order for my day to feel complete.

And I love the fact that by eating the right foods I can eat whenever I'm hungry and not go over my calorie budget. I have not been hungry on this diet even ONCE! I have found filling, tasty foods that satisfy my taste buds without having lots of calories.

I even eat PIZZA, now that I've been using the cauliflower crust that has been written about extensively here on MFP.

The only thing I miss is fried chicken gizzards-- but I can live without them if I have to.

BOTTOM LINE: be faithful to your diary. Keep score. Be competitive with yourself and try to improve your score. The grand prize is-- a healthier you! You can win!