MyFitnessPal.com

I made a major change to include healthy eating and fitness into my lifestyle in July of 2011. Since then, I have lost twenty pounds, participated in my first 5K, and gained self-confidence.

The most important thing I’ve learned in my weight loss journey is that tracking eating and exercise is paramount. Yes, I used to read -- and disbelieve -- that tracking tip in magazines, but when I decided that I wanted to make a change that would stick, I knew I would have to track my progress diligently. I joined the free weight loss tracking site, myfitnesspal.com. And I have to say, that I would have given up MONTHS ago without MFP and the support system of my MFP friends.

MFP is an interesting website. I’ve never done Weight Watchers, so perhaps someone else can make a comparison, but MFP asks you to input your goals, your stats, and creates a personalized calorie, carb, protein, and fat limit for each day. Once you’re started, MFP allows you to personalize your profile, and connect with fellow MFP users over discussion boards and private messages. In addition, MFP has a database of foods to plug into your diary – including meals you consume in common chain restaurants.

To top it off, MFP not only posts your achievements – weight loss, calorie burns, and days logged – for everyone to see, but in addition the site’s platform makes it possible for other MFP users to congratulate you on your successes along the way.

Losing weight is hard. Very hard. Not only are bad eating habits hard to break, but it’s hard to lose weight even if a dieter is following a weight loss plan or doing everything he’s supposed to be doing. People progress discouragingly slowly, people binge and fall off the wagon, people gain on holidays, people get bored with restrictive diets, people give up, or people get swept up in fad diets that promise a 10 pound loss in three days. However, MFP has worked for me, and I'd love to hear any stories from anyone who's had experience, either with MFP or with another weight loss website.