MFP vs. 21DF

I have been following the 21 day fix eating plan for 3 weeks now. Previously, I had been using My Fitness Pal for years. Now is the time to compare the two. Obviously, people should use what works for them, and this is completely my own opinion. I do not pretend to have any scientific information or expertise in the area of weightless, but I know what works for me.

Let's start with My Fitness Pal (MFP). On MFP, you can calculate your calorie needs based on your goal and activity level. From there, it is simply calories in must be less than calories burned. You track everything you eat, no matter what it is. You also input your exercise. I found that most food calories were low and exercise calories were high. I did have better luck when I wore a heart rate monitor for a more accurate calorie count. I didn't really change what I was eating. I just ate less and made sure my calories stayed within my goal. Most days, if I ate healthily, I had a hard time reaching my calorie goal. I stopped gaining weight when I was good about exercising and logging my food, but I didn't really lose any weight. I didn't learn what foods were better choices. I just learned to eat less. The exercise made me feel better, but I didn't notice any changes in my body. It really wasn't working for me.

About a month ago, I switched to 21 Day Fix. Now let me start by saying the name really doesn't fit the program. Yes, it works in 21 day cycles, but you will not have the perfect body in 21 days, especially when you have a large amount of weight to lose. With this program, you calculate your calorie bracket based on your current weight. After each cycle, you recalculate your bracket. Your calorie bracket tells you how much of each food group (container) you should be eating. For example, I am in the highest bracket so I should be eating 6 veggies (green), 6 protein (red), 4 fruit (purple), 4 carbs (yellow), 1 healthy fat (blue), 1 oil/seeds (orange), and 6 tsp. of oil to cook with. First lesson I learned, I was not eating nearly all the food groups and definitely not enough of anything. This program also comes with workout DVDs. There is a cycle of programs you use to cover all areas and give appropriate rest too. Second lesson I learned, I need more variety in my workout. So now, I think of my food based on color and plan ahead of time what I will be eating. I also exercise 6 times a week. I feel fantastic, have already seen a significant decrease on the scale, and can see improvements in my body shape as well. This is really working. This is becoming a life-style change, not a diet. Once I reach my goal, I will recalculate to maintain, and this will be how I eat normally.

My official decision (for all it counts for) is that 21 Day Fix will become my lifestyle approach to eating right and working out. My Fitness Pal would be a never ending frustrating yo-yo. So for me, 21 Day Fix is where it's at! I CAN DO THIS!