How has MFP benefited you?

omarpedroza96
omarpedroza96 Posts: 3 Member
edited December 23 in Introduce Yourself
Hi all. I just wanted to ask you how MFP has helped you in achieving your goals and develop strong relationships or a supportive community.

Replies

  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    I've found that tracking my food intake is really the only way I can effectively manage how much I eat and successfully lose weight. MFP allows me to do that.

    The social aspect helps motivate me to always strive to do better. I try to be accountable to my MFP friends, and having them encourages me to workout more and eat better than if I didn't have them. I know the social aspect isn't important to some people, but it really does help to push me to do better.

    And in the message boards I have learned a ton about diet, exercise, health, and whole bunch of other related things. It's also a good source of entertainment when I'm bored.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    edited November 2019
    Between the calorie logging and the community, I've learned what I needed in order to lose from obese to a healthy weight (about 50 pounds) in less than a year (after 3+ decades of obesity) at age 59-60 while hypothyroid; and maintain a healthy weight for 4 years since.

    Side benefits: Former high cholesterol/triglycerides (to the point where doctor was threatening statins) now solidly, consistently normal; high blood pressure now consistently normal to low normal; bad knees hurt less, and less often; improved flexibility because less fat in the way; better nutrition more consistently; and more items of clothing now fit in the same old suitcase.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    Wow, all you *losers* are amazing. :) And very inspiring!
    I feel overwhelmed by all the friend stuff going on and feel out of the loop. If I friended everybody that I'd like to, I'd be on here 24/7. :) But I do know the thing that has helped me is seeing my daily counts, how many cal. I burned and ate, places where I'm getting a little too much sugar/salt or not enough protein, all that jazz. It's held me more accountable than anything else. Plus it's a great community of intelligent wise experienced(!) people to ask for advice from!!

    And cool for you MichSmish, love it when those things happen!! Happily ever after stories. :)
  • SageJJ93
    SageJJ93 Posts: 96 Member
    I began my journey at the beginning of January this year at a whopping 315.1lbs (I'm 5'3" btw). Currently I am 86lbs down (229lbs). I track all my food correctly, I understand portion control, I can plan ahead if I know I will eat more calories on a certain day, I am inspired by my friends goals and apply them to my own, my mental health has improved since beginning, and overall I dont think my loss could have been possible without MFP. I still would like to lose a lot of weight, but even though it's almost been an entire year... this is still just the beginning for me!😁
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,885 Member
    It taught me CICO instead of believing my metabolism is cursed and hereditary. My mom is overweight too and has sworn for years that she can't lose weight, no matter what she does, and only needs to look at food to gain weight.

    MFP has taught me:
    - to count calories instead of just exercising and hoping for the best
    - that my metabolism is pretty much normal and I'm not doomed to be overweight
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    MFP has taught me:
    - to count calories instead of just exercising and hoping for the best
    This was me! My weight has slowly crept up over the years after having 4 children, auto immune/chronic pain kept me fairly sedentary, and I though that’s just how things were going to be. I had a health scare last year (almost colon cancer, so close the doctor told me I had an angel on my shoulder) - losing excess weight around the middle is one thing I kept reading about in terms of prevention. Where do I gain? Of course, around the middle! I started running, lost a couple of pounds after a few months, then had to have a hysterectomy, and another surgery weeks later. I was swollen, losing all the momentum I had gained, and incredibly irritable and frustrated. Went on a month long vacation this summer to visit family and came back at an all time high. The numbers were frustrating, but how I felt was even more so. I woke up one day and said enough! I didn’t want to sit around and watch life pass me by. 2 months later I am down 12 lbs, able to run more easily, and looking forward to a new chapter in life. Even kicked around a soccer ball with the kids yesterday for the first time in several years!

    CICO - I have never “dieted,” always discounted the obvious solution, looking to do it my way (cut out this, eliminate that). It really is that easy.

    And CICO is great exercise motivation! I literally do run for chocolate some days! Ha!
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    edited November 2019
    lost my first 50 lbs logging in a notebook (started April 6th), then got MFP acct and have dropped another 32 lbs since July 25th. MFP has been a great tool and much easier and more precise than writing it down! The community is inspiring and a bunch of great people.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
    Had it not been for MFP, I probably wouldn't have lost weight - at least not in a regular, sustainable, and painless way, like I have for the past year. :)
    MFP is an excellent tool to track calories (in and out) and to learn about macros. MFP's community is also an excellent place to learn about other aspects (nutrition, health, fitness) and to be inspired by other users.
  • CarbsAndCompounds
    CarbsAndCompounds Posts: 281 Member
    It taught me how simple it was to lose weight (obviously it will be different for everyone, but I'm a healthy female with no medical problems.) I always thought there was a secret to losing weight (that you can only eat this, you cant eat that, etc.) MFP taught me CICO works and is definitely sustainable for me. I've lost 40lbs on here!
  • AprilMLowe
    AprilMLowe Posts: 447 Member
    My MFP has taught me the CICO way of dieting and it works! I can eat anything in moderation. I have been on and off this site since 2011. I just got real serious the last 2 year's a n d lost 108 pounds threw proper eating and exercise. This website makes diary tracking and looking at my macros and nutrients easy. The community has great advice and have met many longtime and short term friends that have offered me great support and motivation on my journey. I am now 126 on a 5th body. I was 256 my highest. Thanks MFP!
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