Sad- the community here is not like Sparkpeople

I keep trying to like this site. I really do.
I use it, because I need to track everything, but it certainly lacks so much support, unlike spark.
The challenges are very lacking, I can't seem to meet people who have like-minded ideas or goals, and it is very plain.

I miss the abundance of information that SparkPeople offered, and there was always something to keep you motivated, like sparkpoints and fun and games. I also miss the recipes.

Can anyone offer me any different info? Am I missing something about this site?
Help me to love this place. I'm here because I need to be, since I've lost what I had for the past 13 years. 😔
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Replies

  • 1poundatax
    1poundatax Posts: 228 Member
    Hi and welcome. You are right, SparkPeople was very different than MFP. I joined SparkPeople years ago but didn't find it worked as well for me. I loved the recipes on SparkPeople, but I find lots of recipes on sites like Skinnytaste and Slender Kitchen. I enjoy the boards here though I don't participate a lot. I hope that you are able to find a way to make MFP work for you- it just goes to show we all need different things. Good luck!
  • SoulOfFire1514
    SoulOfFire1514 Posts: 29 Member
    Gold6767 wrote: »
    I never used SparkPeople so I cannot make a comparison, but I've found the more open I am the more I've been able to find supportive, like-minded people. It doesn't happen over night and you have to do some digging but its here. Check out groups and the chats and don't be scared to comment and talk to people. We all need support you can do it!

    I've been on the chats and searching for groups that may be of interest, but when most aren't active for years, it is hard.
    I'm very open to learning new things.
    And I'm here because I haven't been able to find anything else that is like Spark. It was an amazing site and I really wish they weren't shutting down. :(
  • SoulOfFire1514
    SoulOfFire1514 Posts: 29 Member
    robyn9833 wrote: »
    Well, SparkPeople is closing. So I guess you'll need to dig in and find some people! I'll be your friend if you like?

    I'm so sad that it is closing!
    But I'm always open to meeting new people!
  • SoulOfFire1514
    SoulOfFire1514 Posts: 29 Member
    autobahn66 wrote: »
    I'm new to the community section of MFP too. And I'll agree there have been some challenging discussions that I have waded into and not found them to be the most supportive or openminded.

    But I suppose a community is what we make of it. And I think there is support and positivity here too.

    I am going to continue reading the forum and posting from time to time to keep my engagement up, even if it's just to get me logging into the website. As Gold says, I think I'll get out more if I put in more. As the challenges are a community endeavour I suppose you can make your own if the others don't suit?

    I saw on another thread you used to have a studio and I was interested: what kind of things did you do there and do you still do them now?

    I've been trying to find a community to join here but nothing so far that I fit into.

    I did own my own studio for years, before moving across the country.
    I'm a tattoo artist, but I do a lot of things, painting, drawing, photography, sculpting, airbrushing, mixed media, etc. Anything to keep me creative!
    It is my profession, so yes, I still do all those things.
    Although I've been more focused on my health and weight loss journey as of late, so less time on my artwork, outside of tattooing.
  • SoulOfFire1514
    SoulOfFire1514 Posts: 29 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    Aside from the message boards, you might find the groups interesting to find like-minded people:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/groups

    There are a few groups for SparkPeople members specifically:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/140824-from-sparkpeople-to-myfitnesspal-the-journey-continues
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/140805-spark-people-friends

    I've been searching, but so far, have not found my niche, I guess.

    Thanks for the help, though!
  • SoulOfFire1514
    SoulOfFire1514 Posts: 29 Member
    1poundatax wrote: »
    Hi and welcome. You are right, SparkPeople was very different than MFP. I joined SparkPeople years ago but didn't find it worked as well for me. I loved the recipes on SparkPeople, but I find lots of recipes on sites like Skinnytaste and Slender Kitchen. I enjoy the boards here though I don't participate a lot. I hope that you are able to find a way to make MFP work for you- it just goes to show we all need different things. Good luck!

    It definitely is different. I found it much more motivating and inspiring, to be honest.
    MFP lacks a lot in that area.
    I was on it for 13+ years. I loved it. It helped me lose the weight after I had my son, and Ii kept it off, until a series of severe health issues that required many surgeries happened, and the weight was put back on.
    I lost 40lbs again, and then a nasty divorce hit. I gained some of it back, but am losing it, and almost back to the weight I was before the divorce- only a couple lbs away.
    Still 45 to go.

    I'm making it work for me, as best I can. I'm just saddened with the loss of what kept me motivated.
    And I wish the community side of things was easier to use- no notifications for replies, and no way for me to search on the topics/forums that I've posted in, to see any responses.
    I can find my own created topics, but I can't seem to find the ones I've tried to participate in.

    It lacks a lot and I wish it didn't.
    I want to like MFP. I really do.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,036 Member
    edited July 2021
    1poundatax wrote: »
    Hi and welcome. You are right, SparkPeople was very different than MFP. I joined SparkPeople years ago but didn't find it worked as well for me. I loved the recipes on SparkPeople, but I find lots of recipes on sites like Skinnytaste and Slender Kitchen. I enjoy the boards here though I don't participate a lot. I hope that you are able to find a way to make MFP work for you- it just goes to show we all need different things. Good luck!

    It definitely is different. I found it much more motivating and inspiring, to be honest.
    MFP lacks a lot in that area.
    I was on it for 13+ years. I loved it. It helped me lose the weight after I had my son, and Ii kept it off, until a series of severe health issues that required many surgeries happened, and the weight was put back on.
    I lost 40lbs again, and then a nasty divorce hit. I gained some of it back, but am losing it, and almost back to the weight I was before the divorce- only a couple lbs away.
    Still 45 to go.

    I'm making it work for me, as best I can. I'm just saddened with the loss of what kept me motivated.
    And I wish the community side of things was easier to use- no notifications for replies, and no way for me to search on the topics/forums that I've posted in, to see any responses.
    I can find my own created topics, but I can't seem to find the ones I've tried to participate in.

    It lacks a lot and I wish it didn't.
    I want to like MFP. I really do.

    You can change your notification settings to be notified when people answer your discussions or reply in topics that you have replied to.
    Tap the bell icon at the top and then 'notification preferences'.
  • forestfreek
    forestfreek Posts: 5,770 Member
    Awww, I’m sorry. I wasn’t at all meaning that you were throwing a “hissy fit”. My wording is a bit off🤗
    I totally get where you’re coming from. I was a LiveStrong fan for years and then they dramatically changed the format. I left because it was a totally different site at that point. I loved it and it was very disappointing to leave.
    HUGS.
    Jen
  • OnceAndFutureAthlete
    OnceAndFutureAthlete Posts: 192 Member
    edited July 2021
    And I wish the community side of things was easier to use- no notifications for replies, and no way for me to search on the topics/forums that I've posted in, to see any responses.
    I can find my own created topics, but I can't seem to find the ones I've tried to participate in.

    If you click on the star to the right of the thread name in the threads list, it turns yellow and is put on your favorites ("bookmarked") list.
    You should then get notifications when something is added to the thread - click/hover on the star in the upper right corner of this page, or I believe you can set your preferences to notify you by email, too. (I get enough emails! So I don't use that function :) )

    So that's at least 1 thing to make visiting MFP more productive. Hope it helps. :)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    @SoulOfFire1514 do you see a little bell on the web version? Did you click on it? When you've been tagged it shows a notification. It also exists on the android app.

    Next to the bell, do you see a star? You can click on it to highlight a discussion for you to watch or follow.

    When you check out a discussion group it is usually easy to tell which ones have been abandoned based on the last post dates... I don't know that I would bother with them.

    A lot of this sounds as if you're trying to find your way around a chaotic new site.

    Please note that MFP has these forums, of course; but you can also have a selection of MFP friends with whom you can share information based on the settings you configure.

    The forums, such as the one we're posting on here, are PUBLICLY INDEXED BY SEARCH ENGINES.

    The discussions with friends in your newsfeed, I believe there you would be able to have the expectation that the information would be only be accessible by MFP and by your circle of friends instead of being indexed for use in "perpetuity" by the totality of the internet.

    Each one of the main forums has a collection of "sticky" threads and posts. The information there is astounding, if it is information you seek.

    A motivation and support forum exists. A success forum exists. And friends and your "wall" may be closer to the social media experience you may be seeking. While I personally avoid the fun and games and chit chat sections; both seem to appeal to people based on the number of posts.

    Best of luck--
  • Gold6767
    Gold6767 Posts: 145 Member
    Gold6767 wrote: »
    I never used SparkPeople so I cannot make a comparison, but I've found the more open I am the more I've been able to find supportive, like-minded people. It doesn't happen over night and you have to do some digging but its here. Check out groups and the chats and don't be scared to comment and talk to people. We all need support you can do it!

    I've been on the chats and searching for groups that may be of interest, but when most aren't active for years, it is hard.
    I'm very open to learning new things.
    And I'm here because I haven't been able to find anything else that is like Spark. It was an amazing site and I really wish they weren't shutting down. :(

    When I first joined MFP I joined the Biggest Loser challenge. You're added to a team and each team has a chat, I found it motivated me and added some accountability with weekly weigh ins and I got to meet a few people. I also looked for people who were already what I consider to be "in the shape I want to be in" because it is motivating to me as well. Love when you said "I need to track, and nothing is going to make me give up on my goals." Hell yeah, that's the mindset that will keep you moving forward.
  • lisaaa_young
    lisaaa_young Posts: 23 Member
    MYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIOR MYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIORMYFITNESSPAL IS SUPERIOR

    Xx Lisa 😀
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,123 Member
    MFP takes a little while to get used to.
    But the Biggest Loser group is active, as are the SparkPeople groups linked earlier.

    I really miss SparkPeople. But we’re here now. Making the best of it.

    Seriously, check out those groups. They’re active and very supportive.
    And there are threads in the main forums that share recipes, and other good things.

    Stick around. We former SparkPeople people are here, and we definitely support each other.
    Send me a friend request if you wish. And hang in there. ❤️