Check out this "expert" advise! "Counting calories is bad!"
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lemurcat12 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »I tried eating intuitively. Unfortunately my intuition is as greedy as me, and I got fat.
Same here. Recommending intuitive eating exclusively discounts the very real problem of the subset of people who have messed up their hunger signals with chronic overeating.
There's nothing wrong if intuitive eating WORKS for for someone, but then again, there's nothing wrong if calorie counting works either. As someone else said above, why can't we have both? Obviously, a different method might be a better for a different individual depending on their own issues and personality type.
Articles containing sweeping generalizations are just crap sensationalism.
Agreed, except I don't even think you have to have actively "messed up" your hunger signals to have a problem with intuitive eating. Even thinking back to before I ever had weight issues (until my mid 20s), I never had particularly good hunger signals. I ate a proper amount for me because I was really active and because I ate on a schedule and had general ideas about what meals should contain. I started gaining weight in my mid and late 20s because I got less active, but for off and on efforts, and started getting lots of work-paid-for restaurant meals that substituted for the fact I'd never really learned to cook regularly (and had tons of calories).
I lost that weight basically by getting active again and going back to schedule-based eating and mostly home-cooked. But I don't fool myself that I could ever just eat to hunger--I'd snack all day or over-indulge at restaurants or even by cooking indulgently for myself REALLY easily, since the number of calories I consume don't seem to be a huge driver in whether I need to stop eating.
Given how volume cues (smaller plates) and simply eating more volume tend to fill people up (more veggies) vs. just more calories (I understand some claim putting butter in their coffee makes them full, but adding butter to something has never made much difference in whether I wanted to eat or not later), I suspect my issues are not uncommon. Also, given human history with scarcity being common and cultural restrictions on eating being common (eating to schedule, cultural ideas of what meals should contain), I find those who think human beings should "naturally" eat intuitively puzzling. We mostly haven't, so that most or many people don't do it well is not remotely surprising.
(Not arguing--I suspect we mostly agree--I just think all this is interesting.)
Oh, and I agree with the person who said calorie counting isn't bad, just bad for the diet industry. I think it's great and not stressful at all. But if someone wants to do what is in essence a different form of calorie counting (eat balanced meals and be careful with serving size and eat a bit less of the higher calorie items if that doesn't work at first), that's great too.
I think understanding how to eat to lose weight if one wants to lose weight (which essentially is what calorie counting is) is basic human responsibility, and yes of course women are perfectly capable of doing that without it stressing us out.
Oh, I so agree with you! How many were raised as members of the "clean plate club"? You can't tell me that didn't mess with hunger signals.
This isn't to say that broken hunger signal issues can't be repaired. I know they can. I'm working on mine now and having some success, fortunately.
I just keep coming back to the silliness of the all or nothing mentality of one method over another, though. Obviously, if calorie counting is too stressful, it's not a good solution for you. However, implying that it will be that way for everyone is just silly, since it's quite a workable solution in many cases.
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SergeantSausage wrote: »littleaudrey85 wrote: »Maybe if you get stressed by counting/using simple maths you need to do something with your life so you can see what stress really is.
I hate this statement. I'm not an idiot. I work full-time in a busy office and I'm a full-time college student finishing up my last year of my bachelor's degree in marketing and I already have an associate's degree in financial services...so I've experienced stress. Please understand that people don't get stressed out by the MATH of counting calories, they get stressed out with the idea of staying within a certain calorie range. I count calories and it stresses me out. Why? Not because I can't do simple math (because I can) but because I have an obsessive/addictive personality and there is always a fine line for me between counting those calories and developing an eating disorder. Please don't assume that people are too lazy or too dumb to count calories. Understand that there is an emotional struggle going on. I try not to over think the whole process..but sometimes the idea of going over my calorie allotment makes me want to jump off a cliff (figuratively speaking). The stress is sometimes too much for those of us who teeter on the edge of developing an eating disorder and I believe that was the emphasis of the particular stress referenced which is induced by counting calories..not the math involved.
Q.E.D.
Just to clarify my addictions are NOT based solely on food..sex, people, certain habits..there are A LOT of things I become addicted to. I don't have an eating disorder, the point I was making is that it is easy for someone with that type of personality to develop an eating disorder. I am careful when counting calories because I don't want there to be an issue so sometimes I back off from counting calories altogether because my mind needs a break. If you aren't an over thinker or a highly anxious person then you probably don't understand what this feels like.0 -
jenncornelsen wrote: »i totally agree with kruggeri's post. ive counted calories before to lose weight and its the only time the weight loss stuck or lasted more than a month. i've recently gotten back into it though to lose the last 20 and the first couple weeks there is some anxiety as i realize how many calories were in certain things i was eating, and just how many i could eat in one sitting. its a wake up call. and ya that can be unpleasant, but also needed
An unpleasant but needed wake up call... Couldn't have said it any better! I totally agree.0 -
2snakeswoman wrote: »I believe that the women who get stressed from counting calories really don't want to know and don't want to change. I was one of them.
Exactly what I thought!christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I felt the same way! This is why I changed my calorie goal to my TDEE (which is 1800cals at this time, readjust agt every 5lbs lost). That way, whether I eat 1190cals or 1210cals, it's still a big juicy green number (and represents my calorie deficit for the day)!!!
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christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.0 -
christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
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yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
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yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
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yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Um, ok.0 -
pincushion14 wrote: »Well, *kitten*. I've been doing it wrong. Guess this 50 pounds was just a fluke.
*sigh*
Someone pass me a cleanse and a timed meal plan, please.
Oh Oh I'll bring the blender.
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yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Um, ok.
Like for example I went in red on calories by 700ish on Tuesday. Instead of becoming negative I just adjust yesterday and today intake with adjusting exercise to rid of the red day on Tuesday. Tomorrow I will adjust also and the red day will be balance out.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.
Exactly so why be mad about being in red? I don't get it still.
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I suppose one could argue that the quality of calories can affect success because if you're eating a lot of calories but not filling food, you'll likely be hungry, have cravings, and lose will power. Or not be up to a good workout. But the timing thing? I'm so over being told when to eat! My body knows when it's hungry!
I also think that calorie counting can tend toward neurosis in some people, and there are certainly other ways to lose weight. (Not other ways besides a deficit, just other ways people achieve the deficit.)
But like others said here, it's just a tool. Use it if it helps, find another method of it contributes to your specific brand of crazy.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.
THIS exactly. Also, when you complete your diary, you only get that nice "atta boy" message when you are under your calorie goal, and not in the red. That's why I set my goal to 2000 cal/day and then record my exercise calories on top of that. So if I eat 2050 calories, I'm still in the green, and that's still enough of a deficit for me to lose a pound a week.
I thought that I would be eating too much, but it's actually working much better than what I was doing before, and has helped me start losing again.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.
Exactly so why be mad about being in red? I don't get it still.
Maybe read the post I originally quoted. That's the only reason why I mentioned that a range would be nice. I never personally said that I get upset over being over by a couple of calories.0 -
I dislike the fact that the first article says there are "better ways of losing weight," but doesn't even mention what any of those might be. You would think they would want to at least share the options if they are superior.0
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I don't view it as saying you were "naughty". It is just to make it clear that you were over your budget for the day...just like in finance, you were "in the red". It's a good thing to point this out, IMHO.amusedmonkey wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.
Let's say you were over by what seems like a small amount...say 100 calories. Most people would look at that and say "I was very close...good enough. I'm basically on target and doing well." The problem is, if you do that every day, over the course of a week that is 700 calories. If you have a very small deficit...which many people strongly prefer...that could be the difference between losing and not losing.
And then at least some of these people will say they were sticking to their plan and not getting results. And they might give up because they think it doesn't work. I know it's not logical, but humans have a great capacity to not "notice" things they don't want to notice. The red just makes it impossible to ignore that you did actually eat more than your budget...so if becomes harder to forget that at the end of the week if you don't like your results.
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christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
It's pretty bad. I actually made a thread in the suggestions area about the ability to track without a particular goal so I can count calories without seeing the nice red numbers.
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I love how people with psychological problems around food are so eager to tell the rest of us we're doing it wrong OMG DANGER.
Counting calories works. Counting calories is not incompatible with good nutrition (the "quality" of what I eat). Counting calories does not inevitably lead to obsessive behavior. Counting calories does not have to control me.
Counting calories is just a tool for helping me stay mindful of the quantity of my energy intake and balance.
Look, I can have compassion for your issues, but please don't insist you don't have a disorder and that your anxieties are not only perfectly normal but inevitable.0 -
I love how people with psychological problems around food are so eager to tell the rest of us we're doing it wrong OMG DANGER.
Counting calories works. Counting calories is not incompatible with good nutrition (the "quality" of what I eat). Counting calories does not inevitably lead to obsessive behavior. Counting calories does not have to control me.
Counting calories is just a tool for helping me stay mindful of the quantity of my energy intake and balance.
Look, I can have compassion for your issues, but please don't insist you don't have a disorder and that your anxieties are not only perfectly normal but inevitable.
Are you addressing me? Shifting from an ad libitum approach to eating to calorie counting - or, actually, any kind of monitoring of eating - requires learning and adjustment. Stress experienced along with that in no way reflects or presupposes any kind of psychological disorder. Also, no one said such stress was inevitable; only common.
Suggesting that the many people who experience strain with adjustment to monitoring intake (of quantity or quality) are psychologically disordered is not only ignorant, it's a massive d!ck move.-1 -
Lol I don't have any psychological disorders. And yes I do get a tad anxious when I see those red numbers.....
However I need to see them so I can correct the issues and make up for it over the coming days.
My deficit is a whole whole 320 calories, so it's not very hard to go in the Red.0 -
MoiAussi93 wrote: »
I don't view it as saying you were "naughty". It is just to make it clear that you were over your budget for the day...just like in finance, you were "in the red". It's a good thing to point this out, IMHO.amusedmonkey wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »I agree with the stress and anxiety it can cause when I see those red numbers that tell you you've gone over for the day....
That is a feature I wish MFP would GET RID OF. I don't know how it makes everyone else feel, but for myself having experienced a poor relationship with food in the past... it can sometimes make me feel anxious. I bet it's way worse for those with EDs or ED history
I agree. It would be nice if they set up a range to stay in instead of an exact number.
Do you use all the features on your phone? If not then why use everything on MFP. Just disregard the red because its not like being in red one day will outdo the rest of the week.
Well it depends on how much in the red you are.
Either way I'm very well aware that being over by a couple of calories isn't a big deal. The thing of it is that not everyone is ok with seeing big red numbers on their home screen when they log in.
LOL so my answer would be don't go in red. Don't overeat which is how 90% people gain excess fat.
Red is not necessarily overeating. You could be in the red and still in a deficit. If you eat 1 calorie over your budget you're "naughty" according to MFP.
Let's say you were over by what seems like a small amount...say 100 calories. Most people would look at that and say "I was very close...good enough. I'm basically on target and doing well." The problem is, if you do that every day, over the course of a week that is 700 calories. If you have a very small deficit...which many people strongly prefer...that could be the difference between losing and not losing.
And then at least some of these people will say they were sticking to their plan and not getting results. And they might give up because they think it doesn't work. I know it's not logical, but humans have a great capacity to not "notice" things they don't want to notice. The red just makes it impossible to ignore that you did actually eat more than your budget...so if becomes harder to forget that at the end of the week if you don't like your results.
Oh I don't mind the red. I was replying to the person who said being in the red is overeating and would make you gain weight when it isn't always the case. Personally, if I had my way I would make the app calculate a weekly deficit and only go red when you go over that in total (with a handly little budget number for reference). I don't mind either way, I have my own spreadsheet for that.0 -
I'm saying that the people who insist that calorie counting is wrong for everyone and that a way around it must be found because NO ONE should count calories -- those are the people with psychological problems.
Calorie counting a problem for you? Fine. Lots of people do. That's on you though. It's not fundamental to the human condition.0 -
I dislike the fact that the first article says there are "better ways of losing weight," but doesn't even mention what any of those might be. You would think they would want to at least share the options if they are superior.
Go to the original article in Health.com, not the Foxnews.com reprint. In that article she links to other things she's written, including generic ways to lose that don't just focus on counting calories; stuff like eating less processed foods. Nothing really new, IMO.
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MoiAussi93 wrote: »Counting calories is just one method. It is very good for some people and terrible for others.
There are people who become obsessed and get stressed. I see it here all the time...people freak out if they go to a restaurant that doesn't list calories on the menu (which is basically all non-chain restaurants!). The spend time worrying about whether their zero calorie cooking spray is still zero calories if they spray for two seconds instead of one. This is not healthy behavior. However, just because some people are obsessive doesn't mean that the counting is to blame. People like this would just obsess over something else if they weren't counting calories.
I do think everyone should try to once in a while take a step back and assess whether they are getting close to the line where counting goes from being helpful to harmful.
Yes, but those people are likely going to take any method to unhealthy extremes.
My wife used to exercise until she literally passed out. Does that mean exercise is bad?
If they pick the flavor of the month low whatever diet, they will obsessively count whatever grams instead of calories.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »WalkingAlong wrote: »I read Cynthia Sass' book and liked it. I do think calorie counting is not ideal for long term weight maintenance, for many. You don't have to look far to see people all over this site with disordered relationships with food and the numbers.
What would you call a disordered relationship with food and the numbers and why is calorie counting long term not ideal?
Speaking from personal experience I got to a point where I started selecting foods strictly based on numbers and not based on other factors related to typical food selection processes (nutrient needs, palatability, etc). I started viewing foods as strings of numbers and not as food themselves. Furthermore, I disliked the amount of attention I needed to pay to energy values and I developed the feeling of severe restriction.
It's really not all that different from someone deciding to eliminate entire categories of foods and how, in SOME of those cases those people end up developing a less than ideal relationship with food (orthorexic type behaviors) because of their methods.
I've also had clients who have had issues with the relationships in their life because of their tracking behaviors.
I don't direct this at you (person I am quoting) but it baffles my mind how many people believe that since an issue or problem doesn't exist in their world, then it must not exist.
Ultimately, with any behavior you select you need to determine how that behavior effects the quality of your life. For SOME people, tracking intake is a net negative.
For many people it's perfectly fine, and for those who don't have issues with it, it's a powerful tool.
Oh, I don't question that it's problematic for some at all. I question that the site is rife with people with disordered relationships with food and numbers as the other poster asserted.
I also question the other poster's premise that for some people, long-term tracking is less than "ideal", whatever that is. "Ideal" maintenance is pretty much going to be an individual thing, who gets to do decide what works best for anyone? Why have a concept of what is and isn't ideal?
I see.
I agree that regardless of the prevalence of disordered eating on this site (I make no claims about it) you can't say that it was caused by tracking.
I do think that long term tracking probably isn't a great idea for many people. Most people are going to be better off using calorie tracking in the short term while they develop food habits that allow them to sustain a reasonable calorie intake so that the tracking piece can eventually (at some point) go away.
It baffles me how people believe that they will be 90 years old in a nursing home and logging the jello they eat through a straw.
Now, if someone enjoys calorie tracking then doing it long term is fine. I suspect most people aren't in this position.
Why would it baffle you to find numerous people on the MyFitnessPal calorie counting website that are willing to use calorie counting as a long term solution?
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mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »WalkingAlong wrote: »I read Cynthia Sass' book and liked it. I do think calorie counting is not ideal for long term weight maintenance, for many. You don't have to look far to see people all over this site with disordered relationships with food and the numbers.
What would you call a disordered relationship with food and the numbers and why is calorie counting long term not ideal?
Speaking from personal experience I got to a point where I started selecting foods strictly based on numbers and not based on other factors related to typical food selection processes (nutrient needs, palatability, etc). I started viewing foods as strings of numbers and not as food themselves. Furthermore, I disliked the amount of attention I needed to pay to energy values and I developed the feeling of severe restriction.
It's really not all that different from someone deciding to eliminate entire categories of foods and how, in SOME of those cases those people end up developing a less than ideal relationship with food (orthorexic type behaviors) because of their methods.
I've also had clients who have had issues with the relationships in their life because of their tracking behaviors.
I don't direct this at you (person I am quoting) but it baffles my mind how many people believe that since an issue or problem doesn't exist in their world, then it must not exist.
Ultimately, with any behavior you select you need to determine how that behavior effects the quality of your life. For SOME people, tracking intake is a net negative.
For many people it's perfectly fine, and for those who don't have issues with it, it's a powerful tool.
Oh, I don't question that it's problematic for some at all. I question that the site is rife with people with disordered relationships with food and numbers as the other poster asserted.
I also question the other poster's premise that for some people, long-term tracking is less than "ideal", whatever that is. "Ideal" maintenance is pretty much going to be an individual thing, who gets to do decide what works best for anyone? Why have a concept of what is and isn't ideal?
I see.
I agree that regardless of the prevalence of disordered eating on this site (I make no claims about it) you can't say that it was caused by tracking.
I do think that long term tracking probably isn't a great idea for many people. Most people are going to be better off using calorie tracking in the short term while they develop food habits that allow them to sustain a reasonable calorie intake so that the tracking piece can eventually (at some point) go away.
It baffles me how people believe that they will be 90 years old in a nursing home and logging the jello they eat through a straw.
Now, if someone enjoys calorie tracking then doing it long term is fine. I suspect most people aren't in this position.
Why would it baffle you to find numerous people on the MyFitnessPal calorie counting website that are willing to use calorie counting as a long term solution?
It's kind of like how some people stop exercising at some point in there life. I doubt everyone wants to keep logging foods forever and at that point did counting calories really change your eating lifestyle?0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »WalkingAlong wrote: »I read Cynthia Sass' book and liked it. I do think calorie counting is not ideal for long term weight maintenance, for many. You don't have to look far to see people all over this site with disordered relationships with food and the numbers.
What would you call a disordered relationship with food and the numbers and why is calorie counting long term not ideal?
Speaking from personal experience I got to a point where I started selecting foods strictly based on numbers and not based on other factors related to typical food selection processes (nutrient needs, palatability, etc). I started viewing foods as strings of numbers and not as food themselves. Furthermore, I disliked the amount of attention I needed to pay to energy values and I developed the feeling of severe restriction.
It's really not all that different from someone deciding to eliminate entire categories of foods and how, in SOME of those cases those people end up developing a less than ideal relationship with food (orthorexic type behaviors) because of their methods.
I've also had clients who have had issues with the relationships in their life because of their tracking behaviors.
I don't direct this at you (person I am quoting) but it baffles my mind how many people believe that since an issue or problem doesn't exist in their world, then it must not exist.
Ultimately, with any behavior you select you need to determine how that behavior effects the quality of your life. For SOME people, tracking intake is a net negative.
For many people it's perfectly fine, and for those who don't have issues with it, it's a powerful tool.
Oh, I don't question that it's problematic for some at all. I question that the site is rife with people with disordered relationships with food and numbers as the other poster asserted.
I also question the other poster's premise that for some people, long-term tracking is less than "ideal", whatever that is. "Ideal" maintenance is pretty much going to be an individual thing, who gets to do decide what works best for anyone? Why have a concept of what is and isn't ideal?
I see.
I agree that regardless of the prevalence of disordered eating on this site (I make no claims about it) you can't say that it was caused by tracking.
I do think that long term tracking probably isn't a great idea for many people. Most people are going to be better off using calorie tracking in the short term while they develop food habits that allow them to sustain a reasonable calorie intake so that the tracking piece can eventually (at some point) go away.
It baffles me how people believe that they will be 90 years old in a nursing home and logging the jello they eat through a straw.
Now, if someone enjoys calorie tracking then doing it long term is fine. I suspect most people aren't in this position.
Why would it baffle you to find numerous people on the MyFitnessPal calorie counting website that are willing to use calorie counting as a long term solution?
It's kind of like how some people stop exercising at some point in there life. I doubt everyone wants to keep logging foods forever and at that point did counting calories really change your eating lifestyle?
People that want to continue to use their bodies, never stop exercising. I haven't yet, and I don't ever plan to.
0
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