Before we begin, there’s something you need to know.
Even though running is one of the best ways to burn calories, the simple reality is that improving your eating habits is the most effective way to lose weight.
More importantly, studies have shown that keeping a food journal is one of the best ways to increase your total weight loss, and maintain your new weight over the long term.
A study of nearly 1,700 participants found that keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss. The study found that the best predictors of weight loss were how frequently food diaries were kept and how many support sessions the participants attended. Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.
Just to be 100% up front about the stats above, you can read more about the Kaizer Permanent study here.
What does this have to do with MyFitnessPal?
The main reason I’ve included these mindblowing stats about food journals is because MyFitnessPal is essentially just a food journal. It’s simply packaged into a well-designed, super user-friendly app.
So, now we know that food tracking apps like MyFitnessPal can help people double their weight loss and maintain their new and improved physiques.
Now it’s time to dive into these amazing MyFitnessPal success stories.
122 lbs in 1 Year and 9 Months
"When I fall off my eating schedule I always remember to get back up and keep working hard. Fitness had become a major part of my life. I love working out ans knowing my body gets stronger."
You can read more about Avery’s success story here.
86 lbs in 12 Months
I’m not at my goal weight yet but I never thought I’d get here and I’m so proud to have done it this time once and for all! I still have 10-12lb to go, but I’m considering this a success so far! MyFitnessPal has been amazing and a huge factor in keeping me on track. Here’s to 2019 being even better 😁
You can find out more about Lauren’s amazing transformation here.
336 lbs Over 5 Years
"In 2010 I weighed 511 lbs. during a health crisis i flatlined. They brought me back. I resolved to get fit in my forties. I began watching what and how much I ate and began making exercise a priority and also present. I had a sustained weight loss of 1.5 lbs per week."
Mr Stratford has a truly amazing story. He was literally brought back from the dead after his heart stopped!
It’s safe to say that Less has turned his life around. 336 pounds is absolutely mindblowing.
You can find out more about his incredible weight loss journey here.
308 lbs Dropped
"Was 565lbs and now 275lbs. Aiming to lose another 55lbs this year so I can start skin removal surgeries. Surgeon estimates approximately 44lbs of excess skin to be removed."
Annabella quite literally halved her body weight.
To go from 565 pounds to 275 pounds is outstanding.
Admittedly she still has to go for skin removal surgery, but that will only help her lose weight and look even better!
You can learn more about Annabella here.
100 lbs in 10 Months
"Started at 310. Now 209 in a little over 10 months. My goal is 180 range."
Dropping 100 pounds in 10 months is ridiculously impressive.
What I like most about Eric’s transformation is how healthy he looks in the photo on the right (above).
Basically, he lost a ton of weight, and he looks happier and healthier as a result.
You can find out more about Eric here.
137 Pounds Dropped
"Started at 307, I think these photos are around 280 and 170. (Currently a little lower, but maintaining in a 10 lb range for 4.5 years so far)"
Here we have another MyFitnessPal success story.
Again, the after photo is amazing. She looks slim, trim and ready to conquer whatever challenge life throws at her.
You can read more about her journey here.
118 lbs Lost in 15 Months
"Just under 300 in first pic Nov. 2016. 180 in second pic Feb. 2019"
This MyFitnessPal user went all in, and the results are mindblowing.
In the after photo on the right, you can clearly see that Bison has uncovered his 6 pack!
It’s plain to see that Bison was using MyFitnessPal to track and control his food intake, and weight training to build muscle and burn fat.
Clearly this combination works. Better eating + more exercise = amazing results.
You can learn more about Bison here.
202 lbs Lost In 16 Months
After 16 months I have finally reach my original goal of weighing 13 stone (today I am 12 stone and 12 pounds). I did it all with MFP and I am #MFP4Life
Yet another super impressive MyFitnessPal succes story. In this case, MrJZTime lost a remarkable 202 pounds. The before and after photo says it all.
Al I can say is ‘what a champion’. You can see his full story here.
Maintaining 147 lbs Weight Loss for 4 Years
Jan 31st of this year I celebrated being at my goal weight for 4 years. I'm so proud of myself! It hasn't been easy but neither is life and we're living right. When I started this journey years ago I had no clue what I was doing, I just knew change was needed. I started with making small changes with my eating habits and eventually working out. Small changes brought big results and I continued on. In 2015 I got to my goal weight of 130 lbs, down from 277 lbs. Although maintenance hasn't been easy, I'm so glad to be done with the "losing" stage. My hard work has definitely paid off!
Apart from her super impressive weight-loss stats, what makes Tamiko’s story so interesting is that she has maintained her reduced weight for over 4 years.
It’s a sad truth that a lot of people go through yo-yo periods, fluctuating drastically from year to year.
Not so with Tamika. She stayed true to the cause, and her new default weight is super impressive (130 lbs).
All we can really say is ‘congratulations Tamika’. You can read more about her amazing journey here.
From Size 20 to Size 8 in One Year
"I'm 33 years old and 5'3". I started this difficult journey in Jan of 2014 at 205lbs and I had JUST hit a size 20!!! In Dec 2014, I got down to a size 8 and around 135lbs! I feel great and am loving who I am becoming now! I'm learning a TON and meeting a lot of great people in the process."
Elizabeth is the perfect example of someone who used a calorie deficit to achieve her weight loss goals.
By burning more calories than she consumed, Elizabeth was able to go from a size 20 to a size 8 over a period of 12 months.
In addition to her 500 per day calorie deficit, she also started lifting weights. This helped her burn even more fat than dieting alone.
She also did a bit of running, but her main focus was food tracking and strength training.
Ultimately, her consistency and personal resolve paid off. You can view all her pictures and find out her full story here.
Final Thoughts
It’s plain to see that MyFitnessPal is helping people all across the world lose ridiculous amounts of weight.
If your goal is to drop some pounds this year, there are three things you need to do, immediately.
- Accept that people who keep food journals tend to lose twice as much weight as those who don’t
- Download MyFitnessPal, and make it the most used app on your phone
- Find a form of exercise that you enjoy, and try do it at least 3 times a week.
