Who has used MFP only for weight loss?

1BlueAurora · September 2018

MFP logging got me from 173 to 140 in five or six months. I'm 5' 6". Frankly, I lost too fast and lost some muscle tone in my arms, despite some small bit of weight lifting. So don't necessarily set your daily intake at the bottom 1200 calories! I started the Couch to 5K program and worked up to being able to run a 5K last summer. I also took Zumba classes and walked a lot. The exercise was great because it earned me some more calories to eat. Yum! My hint is to include a "treat" most days. I would log in a cookie or piece of pie, or a square of Ritter Sport chocolate, so that I didn't feel deprived every day. Sometimes it was a choice between some avocado or a cookie, and I didn't beat myself up for choosing the cookie. The MFP approach was sustainable for me because I didn't feel like I had to suffer to be successful.

FrostysHouse · September 2018

dwbeaco1956 wrote: »

...it also encourages excercise as the additional calories can be regarded as an immediate 'reward' for the effort at the end of a day. ... Easier said than done but finding a sport or activity which burns calories and is really enjoyable is much more sustainable than simply controlling intake. (Which EVERYONE gets fed up with eventually!!)

These are good and useful points. I like that exercise reward, too!

sgriska · September 2018

My "aha!" moment was realizing my mistake in getting close to goal and thinking "Awesome! Now I can eat like normal people!" by which I mean the 2500 calories a day nutrition labels imply everybody ought to be eating, when in fact my caloric needs are way, way lower than that. And there's a part of me that does inwardly know that reality, but a much louder inner-rebellious-adolescent in me screaming "F your rules! I wanna be free!" And the trouble is, she's an idiot that's killing me. So, at 52 years old I just gotta be the grown-up in my own head and realize this is something I just have to diligently maintain for the rest of my life. Period.

dsboohead · September 2018

I've done WW and Atkins.....lost weight on both but didn't keep it off.
WW is an expense and Atkins meant limited carbs.I need accountability and connection to a site for questions as well as tracking and food search site.
MFP is perfect for me with my loss of 27 lbs.

dsboohead · September 2018

I am so glad a friend told me about MFP because I was way out of control and disgusted myself

BoterhamMetPindakaas · September 2018

Me. I saw myself on video with my oldest daughter (she's 5) and I saw a fat mom. That's not what I want to be, it's not what I want to teach my children. That was my aha moment. It was 5 months ago, I have lost 46 lbs since that day and went from a BMI of 28 to 21.5. Lost it all by tracking my calorie intake using MFP, and walking a little more often. And I am never going back.

aganey · September 2018

I only use mfp. I've lost 20 pounds since last October. At first I was eating 1200 cals a day because that's where it put me to lose 2 lbs/week. That made me get too restrictive so I changed it to lose 1.5 lbs/week and it gave me 1460 cals. I do great on that amount (when I'm not exercising). On the day's I was walking or doing body weight exercises at home, I became hungrier than even the extra cals I got from the exercise and have binge sessions. Then that made me feel bad about myself and I would quit for a week or two. So I finally said enough is enough, I would rather lose the weight slowly than keep getting off track. So I told myself even if it takes me twice as long as I want, I'm going to up my calories again to lose at a slower pace. You know what??? It's making all the difference!! I have 1650 calories a day now so I don't feel deprived like did at 1200, I exercise more because I have more energy being able to eat a bit more, I walk and do my body weight exercises when I can and sometimes I don't feel the need to eat back my exercise cals. I don't feel guilty eating the homemade pound cake I made from scratch because I have enough cals to fit it in. No binging = no quitting for me. That was always my quitting mark. I haven't felt the need to because I can fit in bacon, mac and cheese, chips, whatever. Moderation is key, follow the serving sizes. If one cup of Mac and cheese don't fit, I do a half cup. It's just that simple!

As for my AHA moment, I have a family history of diabetes. I developed gestational diabetes with my 2nd pregnancy. I don't want to end up having it despite my odds. I also was having alot of chest pains like someone was wrapping their arms around me and squeezing tight. Also I have elevated blood pressure in the morning sometimes waking up in a sweat with a migraine. I'm trying to get all of these health issues under control. I hate going to doctors and I don't want to be going to yearly checkups with 5 different ones before I'm 40. I refuse to let that be MY normal!

AnnPT77 · September 2018

I just calorie-counted with MFP. I spent a few months estimating calories before joining MFP, and loss was sort of leveling off, so I knew I needed to estimate more accurately via logging. That was when I joined MFP. My pre-MFP starting weight was 183 (at 5'5", age 59), just a bit into the obese BMI range (and I was obese, no question).

I can't say I changed my exercise routine in any significant way: I'd been quite active for around 12 years at that point (even competing as an athlete), but it was easy to out-eat my activity level and stay obese.

I can't say I changed what I ate in any major way: I stopped eating some things that didn't seem worth their calories, and changed the proportions or frequency of some things in my overall eating, but I was actually a pretty healthy eater while obese; I was a long-term vegetarian, eating lots of veggies and whole grains, etc. Mostly, I ate the same foods, just less of them.

I was fairly committed to weight loss , when I started this round, because I knew I needed to get my high chole wsterol/triglycerides under control, and reduce my high blood pressure . . . eating healthy foods (even some aimed at those maladies) and exercise had not been enough. My doctor was threatening that I should take a statin, and I didn't want to. I was and am interested in deferring a permanent move to assisted living facility for as long as possible, too.

What really sealed the deal, I think, was when midway through losing, I got the pathology report on my gallbladder, which had been removed because of adenomyomatosis (not stones/sludge). There was a hole in it (!), cholesterol-related plaque, swollen wall, etc.: A mess.

Finally, once I'd lost 50+ pounds, I found I felt so much better, in so many ways. Less joint pain, better flexibility, sense of physical liveliness, I was enjoying food more by being selective and attentive to eating, and I just generally had a higher feeling of physical and psychological well-being. Oh, yeah, and my cholesterol/triglycerides/blood pressure are just fine, now, too.

Weight loss was 2015. Most of the way through 2018, I'm still at a healthy weight in the 130s, and still active, at age 62. I wouldn't mind (re-) losing 5 or 10 pounds, and am working on doing that very slowly, but I'm pretty happy where I am now.

DefinitelyDoingThis · September 2018

Wow! All your journeys are amazing and inspirational. I just start on MFP 7 days ago and am loving it. I would be thrilled if you would add me to your circle and keep each other motivated. Blessings to you from the Pacific NW

randielizabethwatts · September 2018

Me! 🙋‍♀️ I just finished a small bag of chips and it’s 7am. No I can’t do that all the time and choose lower calorie/ nutrient dense food most of the time but when I really want something I make it work. And I don’t plan to go over my calories today

QPR1953 · September 2018

I have never been to any classes as don't want to pay just to get weighed (although I know it works for some people). I had pneumonia back in January and wanted to eat more healthily to get my strength back.
I spoke to someone who uses MFP so decided to try it. I have now lost 4 Stones 5 lbs.
Calorie counting has changed my relationship with food completely. I now also look at nutrients and try to plan a whole range of them into my diet. I have read more about what is in different foods and make new recipes with healthy options.
Obviously I slip up sometimes but log everything anyway and just get back to normal the following day. I have just started to log exercise as I am now walking more and starting to enjoy it. I am hoping to get back into running soon but at 65 want to be sure my joints can handle it.
I still have just over a stone to go but am relaxed about it as I know I have the right tools for long term success.

MelanieCN77 · September 2018

Calorie counting only here, it's the simplest and kindest to the self I think! I work out a lot and did mostly cardio to pad my cals when losing, but in maintenance for 18 months or so now and the fitness has become its own thing, for the fun/because I can and for the aesthetic benefits.

Psychgrrl · September 2018

Came for the weight loss (no special diet) and stayed for the company.

hroderick · September 2018

Calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight. All named and branded diets achieve a calorie deficit if they work.
Some aha's in my journey...
calories control weight, nutrition controls health, exercise controls strength.
learning mindful eating overcomes emotional eating
always planning ahead leads to self control and success, not doing so leads to the opposite.
i have eating triggers, like watching food network, that i can avoid
i can do it, but it takes a long term commitment and honest self assessment
small wins are encouraging
binges slows me down, but only giving up stops me
past attempts ended with diet fatigue because there's a breaking point to grilled chicken breast or soy disguised as food...this time I'm using platejoy.com to change how I eat

PokeyBug · September 2018

Having grown up with a morbidly obese mother, I've always been paranoid about my weight. I've been dieting on and off since college (Atkins, keto, paleo, going vegan), but it wasn't until I had a car accident with a head injury in my early 30s that things got out of control. It caused hypothyroidism, weight gain, and much angst, until my nurse MIL, listening to me complain about how I couldn't lose weight and I was always cold, told me to get my thyroid checked. I love that woman.

After my diagnosis, I discovered MFP. Between keeping my calories in check and taking my Armour, I went from 160# to 130#, but I still didn't get it. I started eating all the things as soon as my weight was down, and put myself almost right back to where I started within a year. Because I suck like that.

I came back to what I knew worked, but things are different for me. I can't say when or why things changed, but I don't care about the number on the scale anymore. I still watch my calories, don't get me wrong. But I've gotten into working out, and my goal has changed from being the weight I was when I graduated college (HA!) to being fitter than I've ever been. Or at least fitter than any other chick at my high school reunion, my bodybuilder friend excepted.

jennifer_417 · September 2018

Me.

mgalsf12 · September 2018

I only use MFP. I count my calories and log in my exercise, it helps me be accountable for what I put in my body and helps me drop the ten pounds or so that slowly creep up every couple of years. It helps get me back on track. Don't diet, change your habits and make it your life style. Eat healthy, exercise and live life!

Torxa · September 2018

I'm doing only MFP calorie counting, nothing else, and no exercise.

Today is my 77th day. I had originally set up to lose 0.5 lbs per week, and I've lost 5.2 lbs which is slightly behind the 6 lbs I should be had I stuck with the plan for the past 77 days. I didn't, I took a 10 day break on Day 62 (but still logged everything even though I ignored the calorie goal) and resumed 5 days ago on day 72.

The calorie deficit works. I've also been regularly consuming chocolate, cookies, and wine.

counting_kilojoules · September 2018

I'm only using MFP for calorie counting. In the past when I've wanted to lose weight I've just eaten a bit less/exercised a bit more. This time I was having more trouble and heard about MFP through someone on the internet. I'm really glad I did as it's made life a lot easier.

I didn't have an "aha" moment as such. I'd put on weight because of medication and illness and was feeling pretty helpless about it as I was having so much trouble taking it off. I didn't even think of other diets such as weight watcher and the rest. The thing that drew me to MFP and puts me off other diets is that with MFP you chose what you eat. You don't have to restrict anything or cut out food groups. I think that's much healthier (both mentally and physically [not that I'm always the healthiest eater around!])

Who has used MFP only for weight loss?

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