How'd you find MFP?

ReenieHJ
ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
Did someone recommend it or did you stumble across it in your searching? Did you dive right in or dip your toes a bit first?

My dear sweet Nurse Practitioner suggested I give it a try so I joined 2 summers ago, but it took me awhile before I posted much or actually did the logging in of calories, etc. It also took me awhile to get 'a feel' for the mood of the place, the areas I wanted to be and to learn about some of the people's characteristics/expectations of a newcomer. :) Every forum has its own climate. There is so much wisdom, experience, and friendliness here. Don't ever give up if you hit a bump.

I'll be forever grateful to her for telling me about this place, for many reasons.
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Replies

  • boilerdawg2009
    boilerdawg2009 Posts: 979 Member
    I found it by just searching for 'calorie calculator'. I had successfully lost weight on another app although I didn't reach my target. It was really expensive so I didn't want to keep going after my first six months. But after two months of not tracking what I eat, I've gained 11 pounds. I'm refocusing my efforts this time and have set a lower target than originally by ten pounds so right now I have 26 to lose. I'd also like to put on some muscle as well. I'm hoping to make some connections with people here to help me stay on track!
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,885 Member
    I was on a trial subscription with Noom, but I didn't really like the coaching aspect of it. So I looked for an alternative food tracker and ended up here! Best thing to ever happen to me. For the tracking first of all (which after a few weeks disproved all my ideas about weight loss being impossible), but the forums are also very educational.
  • futuresylph
    futuresylph Posts: 2,178 Member
    I discovered MFP on my own several years ago when I was low-carbing for my diabetes. Didn't get into it because another site met my needs better then, but now (with different habits and goals) I'm finding it more than suitable.
  • IllustriousBee
    IllustriousBee Posts: 70 Member
    I heard about it ages ago. I am subscribed to several health and fitness related sub-Reddits, and MFP is talked about on there a lot. I joined MFP because my previous tracker website (SparkPeople) is shutting down next month. I actually like the trackers on here better than SP's trackers. There are also a lot more people on here, which has its positives and negatives I guess.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    It was pretty much the only online free calorie tool when I joined in 2007.

    I knew what I was seeking, and here it is/was.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    I joined a "Weight Loss challenge" through my local park district about 9 months after I had my daughter, back in 2012. The teacher had us use this to track our food. I lost a good amount of weight AND got the 3rd place cash prize in the contest!
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    I found MFP after running away from Noom 🤷🏿‍♀️ All I need is to log my calories, please 'n thanks...

    But then I'll stay here forever because of Acronym Game 😍
  • mshawski
    mshawski Posts: 1,054 Member
    I used Calorie King back in the day to lose a bunch of weight, but am cheap and didn't want to keep paying for it so I went to the internet for alternatives and this came up. I've been here a while, sometimes ignoring it for a year or 5 in between. I've tried Noom, WW, etc - this is the simplest, most cost effective, and most effective solution I've found.
  • TinaLeigh67
    TinaLeigh67 Posts: 669 Member
    I have been using MFP off and on since 2011. I came across it just searching the app store. I never used the forum portion of it until this time around. I'm finding it very useful. It's nice to read about others victories and struggles and to friend people in similar situations. I enjoy the support and encouragement.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Oh heck, I don't even remember. I might have Googled "free calorie calculator" sometime circa...2009? 2010? I started using it in college, that much I'm sure of. Fell off the wagon for a few years in 2013, came back end of 2019, then the world exploded and I fell back off the wagon again. Found my way back last November, sitting pretty at a 246-day streak and 32 lbs down as of today. :)
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    Through a work let "get fit" challenge. Users had to track their food and complete some challenges.

    Then I found the forums. Then friends... that was almost 10 years ago? maybe more? I'm at 3319 days login streak, and that didn't start until about 6-8 months after my very first login.
  • SilverJem77
    SilverJem77 Posts: 46 Member
    I don't even remember! I've been using it off and on since 2014.
  • kosseychick
    kosseychick Posts: 244 Member
    A cousin of mine recommended it to me a couple years ago and I find it has been so beneficial to my journey to health and wellness.🤗
  • moonbeams896
    moonbeams896 Posts: 191 Member
    My husband had been tracking his calories and hadn't told me he was trying to lose weight. Eventually, I told him he's looking good and he told me about mfp. Jeez, you would think he'd tell me sooner! Anyway, he stopped on here long ago and I'm only just (3 mos) coming back. But, I've lost 11 lbs so far - only 90ish to go ;) But, I do love mfp!
  • cowsanddogsarecute
    cowsanddogsarecute Posts: 156 Member
    I've been using it off and on since November 2011. I don't know how I came across it. I'm thinking a random google search 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    Google play store.. was looking through apps.. didn't like Fitbit food entries etc.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    Google. Looking for a way to track nutrients. Tried chronographer, MFP, spark people, and another one all at once.
    Chronographer was what I was looking for, but took so long and was so hard that I learned what I could from it and quit after a couple of weeks. MFP was second best for nutrients and easy.
  • AlphaHowls
    AlphaHowls Posts: 2,004 Member
    July 9, 2015
    My brother and sister had been visiting here and we all wanted to lose the weight together. My brother already had an account and my sister did to (just not used). I signed on once my brother sent me the link and have been here ever since.
    2202 days
  • Lady_ovthe_lakes
    Lady_ovthe_lakes Posts: 74 Member
    I was part of a meal plan I paid for.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    My wife recommended it to me.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,686 Member
    edited July 2021
    My dietician recommended MFP, during my first visit, about two or three months in to my weight loss. Single best piece of advice she gave me.

    The wierd thing is, I must have been here before, because my user name was taken, though I have no recollection of it at all. The only other time I tried to lose weight was 10 or 15 years ago when our health insurance carrier agreed to pay for a reduction if I got down to 180. I did, and they reneged. I was so mad at them, I put the weight back on as some kind of idiotic backhanded revenge.

    In retrospect it makes absolutely no sense now, but at the time I was so mad I was seeing fireworks. My husband ended up telling me we could afford it and to just do it if it meant that much to me.

    It was absolutely life changing to no longer feel like people saw something besides a giant pair of boobs.

    Anyway, I seldom run into anyone else using this oddball user name, although I know there’s one other person out there. So it always puzzles me: was that me?! or that “other” Springlering?

    And if it was me, OMG, if I’d seen the light that many years earlier…….
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
    I must have found MFP either through Google or through some article that mentioned it, back in 2011. I created an account but never used it and forgot all about it.
    In 2018, I decided to lose weight and, again through Google or some online article, I stumbled across MFP only to realize I had an old account already. I started using it faithfully, and I have not missed a day yet. :)
  • JMinJordan
    JMinJordan Posts: 5 Member
    MFP was recommended online. I joined a week ago. I’m tracking. I have no friends yet. I’m 2 lbs down, so it’s working so far! I need to keep it up!
  • Alinouveau2
    Alinouveau2 Posts: 6,467 Member
    Back in 2013 I was tired of being heavy so googled calorie counting website and got this
  • SpinforCals
    SpinforCals Posts: 115 Member
    Broke my ankle and after months non weight bearing I needed a change
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,997 Member
    I was active on SparkPeople, off and on, for many years. And right before they went away there was much discussion on the various forums there about which places we might choose to migrate to after they pulled the plug. I tried their new website, Spark America, but it wasn’t the same at all. MFP seemed like it was a popular destination for us SparkPeople refugees. And I love the barcode scanner, TBH.

    And so here I am!
  • florafaun
    florafaun Posts: 6 Member
    i had used it years ago.!!

    i heard about it from my friend group. recently i wanted to get back in shape and searched for a ♡calorie counter♡ in the app store and it popped up! immediately downloaded and it's helped me so much to stay on track even just for the 5 days ive used it Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ..
  • daniellgeyer
    daniellgeyer Posts: 2 Member
    I've used it for calorie / macro tracking off and on, but just discovered the community part of MFP.
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,911 Member
    I honestly don't remember how I found MFP. I had started an account years ago but wasn't serious about losing weight. Then in 2013 something finally clicked and I told myself enough is enough. Over the next 3 years I lost 90 pounds. Since then I've kept the weight off most of the time. If I find the scale is creeping up higher than my tolerance then I recommit and get it back down again.

    The community support on here helped me tremendously and I'm not sure I could have lost the weight without that aspect of the journey. Early on I joined a group which over the years has dwindled to about 6 core members. Sometimes we chat every day. Sometimes we go a few days between checking in. I needed that connection while I was losing the weight and now the people have become part of my every day life, even though we live thousands of miles apart :)
  • madeleinegarry
    madeleinegarry Posts: 2 Member
    Someone on Twitter reported losing 104 pounds. She said she had used both MFP and Noom and had found food journaling to be the most effective tool for consistently controlling her calorie intake. She recommended MFP for people who can't (or don't want to) pay for Noom and she praised the ease of MFP's food logging program.