What's the point of having "friends"?

In a word: Motivation.

If you're down, if you're up, if you're just truckin'... your MFP friends will be there to push you along and keep you motivated and you will do the same for them.

I was doing this on my own for awhile before I got into the community, too... the people you add as friends get your updates (i.e. so-and-so completed their diary for today and was under their calorie goal! so-and-so has lost x lbs since their last weigh in!) You can also p[ost statuses a la facebook, but about weight loss things that your broader network might not understand. This enables people to respond to each other and provide support and encouragement, which for me, at least, has kept me going when I felt like giving up. It's a personal choice though; obviously if you are motivated enough to lose weight on your own, you may not need the support system.

and yes, you can make it so your friends can see your diary, or the public, or nobody

If you want to date, young studs will hit you up.

Yes fantastic motivation and support! In some ways I feel accountable to my friends on MFP who have really been rooting for me and I for them. It's really helped keep me on track at times when I tend to stray because I think about how they're pullin for me so they deserve my best efforts!

It really IS good for motivation. I always see my friends updates about what kinds of exercise they're doing, and it makes me not want to be so lazy... LOL

I can see your point. However, I make my diary public. I do so because it kinda holds my feet to the fire............and the "strangers" I added seem to be a great support system. I enjoy them looking at my food diary. Sounds weird. But I like the friends I add; most of which I dont know....so nothing is personal on here. Its just a support system of all trying to reach the same goal.

Motivation and encouragement, and to get ideas from each other's diary. While I get a lot from the community forums, I only "friend" people who are also "in person" friends, so my home page doesn't get so many entries that I lose theirs and can't respond to their progress.

It's about support. It's about motivation. It's about knowing there is someone who can kick your *kitten* when you need it and who can help you up when you fall. Sometimes you just need someone who understands what you are going through.

Sometimes the RL people around you are not on the same page!
MFP provides a hub of like minded and motivated people that form friendships with similar aims and goals, understanding and empathy that can inspire you to do great things with your health and fitness.
This is a unique community of friends that I will support and who support me. That's the point of having "friends"!

Another one for support.

If im struggling and post about it on FB I might get some responses. But most don't understand. On here it's people who are going through the same thing and understand it. And I'll get a lot of good responses. Out of 100 friends I have maybe 20 I know. I need to cut down thogh as it gets hard to keep up.

I didn't add friends on here until a few months back and now I am so glad I did. It really makes all the difference when you open yourself up to this community. For the most part it's been really positive! Add me if you like.

If you want to date, young studs will hit you up.

buahahahahahaha!!!! it happens!!!! lol!!!!!

Having MFP friends keeps me motivated! And they give me great suggestions too. Most of my real friends don't get why I am trying to lose weight or to be more healthy. Here I found people that are going through the same experience right now.

Feel free to add me :flowerforyou: Once you will add friends, you won't go back :happy:

I figured I wasn't the first one to ask this particular question quietly in my head...

I joined MFP a few months ago as an alternative way to keep track of my meals and my exercise... plus tracking my progress, of course... and I've been quietly losing weight ever since. The dietician gave me a small book and a look-up chart but I found that tedious beyond... so when the dietician suggested using an online resource, I checked it out and signed up immediately.

For the first while, I wasn't aware of the message boards... but eventually, I explored and began reading... posting occasionally... but I haven't befriended anyone, nor have I been added/invited by anyone. That doesn't trouble me particularly. In fact, I was thinking that sending out 'friend requests' sounds kind of shallow and it diminishes the value of real friends... So I used the seach feature and found this thread.

As I was writing this up, I had an epiphany... nothing earth-shaking but worth sharing... Friends are invaluable so it's impossible to diminish them by having other friends. Friends share in your joys and they share their joys... whether that's over a cup of coffee or the interwebs is irrelevant...

So I suppose I will be sending out the occasional friend request when someone amuses me. I'm a bit of an introvert so I'm not likely to share many details... one step at a time... just like my journey of self-improvement...