Switching from Weight Watchers to MFP

No tips about making the switch from me, because I've always been too much of a cheapskate to join WW, lol. But, I applaud you for saving the money. One of the best parts of MFP is, if you choose it, there's kind of the same accountability that I imagine comes from attending WW meetings, if you open yourself to it. (My mom did WW in the 80s, and I know it's changed since then. I'm not sure if they still have the weigh-in each week followed by the meeting.)

My tips for using MFP:

1. Make it a habit, just a part of your day to check in and record your food. I do really well with planning my food for the entire day at the beginning of the day and coming back in the evening to log any extras or changes that might have happened. (Like when you plan to eat something, but your husband got to it first!)

2. Take their calorie recommendations with a grain of salt. Their accuracy is pretty good, as long as you get everything you enter right. But we sometimes judge our activity level wrong, so you may need to make adjustments for that.

3. Be social! Make as many MFP friends as you can and keep checking for people you can support in this quest. Some people will fall off the wagon completely, some leave for a little bit of time and then come back (BTDT), and some people just seem very committed to changing their lifestyle, and they've been here for years. That's why I say keep checking for new people, because having a support network really helps. Peer pressure helps, too, lol. (You start to feel like you'll be letting your MFP friends down if you cheat, lol)

4. When you stumble (and we ALL do), just dust yourself off and go back to it. Everyone's human, no one can be 100% perfect every day. So, while that is what we should aim for, don't beat yourself up for a slip every so often.

5. Find an exercise that you will do -- jogging, walking, fitness classes, biking, whatever. It doesn't have to be anything more strenuous than walking (that's all I do currently). Some people who can't walk get creative and box, swim, adapt yoga or zumba to their abilities, whatever it takes. My cousin just goes for a "push" -- doing laps around her block in her chair.

I'll send you a friend invite. I hope you accept!