'My fitness pal app' food police or a real 'pal'??

[runningwild]

Loaded it onto my phone today, suddenly can't be bothered to input a cracker or bit of toast. So it's working then, daren't eat anything that's not a proper meal!!!

[WepreRunner Graduate]

I've been using it for a week and am going to have my first 'weigh in' tomorrow. I find it good for really appreciating how many calories I eat without thinking - a small bar of chocolate, or a few boiled sweets and a can of coke. It has certainly made me cut down in fear of going over the dreaded line!

Mind you, I'm off out tomorrow, so the day will consist of fry up, beer and kebab, so I'm fully prepared to go ever so slightly over!

[wilmacgh Graduate]

I used it when I started to loose weight. I'd also recently got a new phone and was enjoying the novelty of using the scanner for barcodes and the link to the website. Found it good to get a feel for the balance between input (food) and output (exercise). That was partly why I took up C25k as I had plateaued on the diet and needed to get more exercise.

Worth giving it a try.

[sauble_girl in reply to wilmacgh]

Hi,

Was the scanner on your phone or on the MFP App?

Thanks

[runningwild Graduate in reply to sauble_girl]

Hi, on my phone sony xperia

[back_to_18 Graduate]

I've used it (mostly on my PC but also on my phone) since I started C25K as I also started a severe calorie controlled diet at the same time.

I agree that there's a certain degree of "food police" about it but that has really worked for me. I diet 6 days a week and have one "cheat day" where, within reason, I can eat what I like.

The fitnesspal web site has helped me monitor just what I'm eating and make me look at how many calories each thing has in it. (The joy of weighing up the calories in 2 chocolates or 3 ryvita!)

Anyway, it gets my recommendation. I'm now 90 pounds down on my original weight and, perhaps more importantly, I now feel I understand better the nutritional pros and cons of what I'm eating.

[Beads Graduate]

I use it, on the PC, don't have a flash phone for apps. I've logged in for 55 days in a row (so I signed up 55 days ago) aren't I a good girl!!. Now I'm at target size (target weight was 6lbs lower, but I can't keep buying new clothes) it's probably more important to me, not so much the limits but just to know how much I am eating, so I don't go mad (it's taken me 2 years to get the weight off, I don't want it all going back on). So I find it a pal rather than a pain.

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Beads]

Well done you! Yes only second day, but I am eating less already!

[didntrunthat Graduate]

I downloaded the app in October and have lost just over a stone since. If you are going to count calories you need to actually measure everything you take in to know you are getting the benefit of your diet. When I wasn't losing weight (or putting any in) I started keeping a food diary to help me figure out the problem but everything I was eating was healthy enough, I just was't cutting enough cals and my fitness pal has helped me do that.

[Cazvs Graduate]

I've been using the app to support my husband who is trying to lose weight- since I'm the chef of the household I've been trying to cook low calorie meals.

When I put my details into the app it told me that I would have to survive on 1200 calories a day! I'd pass out if I had to do that. I changed it to 1800 and now it says I will lose no weight at all. Suits me fine!

I do find that it makes me more mindful of what I'm eating because I don't just snack absent-mindedly any more. I've also got out of a bit of a meal rut and started cooking more interesting things.

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Cazvs]

Hi Cazvs, yes I've changed it to 1500 cals per day now, us runners need the carbs! It seems to be working so far, only second day tho! I didn't have usual fry up this morning, guilt was too much

[Cazvs Graduate in reply to runningwild]

I usually treat myself to a 'healthy fry-up' after a weekend run- toast, poached eggs, grilled tomatoes and grilled mushrooms. It's almost as good!

[Beads Graduate in reply to Cazvs]

Scramble those eggs and add a veggie sausage (quorn ones are 55 cals each or something silly) and I'll join you!

[Cazvs Graduate in reply to Beads]

Ooh, didn't think of a veggie sausage, thanks for the tip!

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Beads]

Yes there are some good ones around, I'm not a vegetarian, but like a change sometimes and without loads of fat.

[Malcy Graduate in reply to Cazvs]

Try the "Hairy Bikers" cooked breakfast ( bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pan-... )

264 cal all in and scrummy yummy. Their four part How to Love Food & Lose Weight startscagain on BBC 1st Jan. Absolutely brilliant mix of exercise & a fresh approach to low cal food

[runningwild Graduate]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer, thumbs up then.I've got a stone and half to lose...of course will pig out on Christmas day and probably boxing day but doing run on boxing day, it's all good

[sfb350 Graduate]

I found it really good and lost the best part of 2 stone but when I stopped losing weight I decided to have a break for a while in the hope that when I start again, I'll get better results. I've stayed pretty much the same for a few months now so I'll start using it again very soon

[Rollertoaster Graduate]

I think it's a real pal - it has helped me lose approx 1.5 stone. It doesn't stop me eating what I like, but it has made me appreciate that I need to make up for it the next day if I splurge! Combined with logging the exercise, I now know in a more informed way whether I have earnt that extra chocolate bar!

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Rollertoaster]

I think it may blow up on Christmas day!!

[Rollertoaster Graduate in reply to runningwild]

I fear that too, so have started giving it a few blow out days practice so that it doesn't get such a shock come Christmas Day! haha

[GoogleMe Graduate]

The difficulty I have found with any of these 'input what you eat' things is that they are geared around eating a lot of 'products' and if you are not someone who tends to eat a fairly predictable diet a lot of the time eg same breakfast it is very time consuming.

[runningwild Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

You're dead right, I've given up with it now. It was making me obsess over food and calories which is not good. It took the pleasure out of eating as well, knowing I'd have to 'report' what I'd just eaten. Am going to stick to willpower and being sensible instead! Although that will be after Xmas now I reckon...

[genevan Graduate]

After reading all these posts I signed up and entered my food/drink for yesterday and today. Quite interesting ... I reckon I will give it a month to see what patterns emerge. i suspect it will confirm what I already know: drink less alcohol, and reduce portions/skip second helpings. I am quite surprised already at some of the items it has in the database!