Discouraged by MFP

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  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    edited March 2015
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I would advise you to get a strong grip and stop making excuses

    It is just a website. A tool to aid you. It does not have an emotional power over you, only you have that power.

    It is designed to give you a calorie goal - some people choose to do 5:2 and will hit only 500 calories on 2 days - they may choose to monitor their calories over the week.



    +1

    Sounds like someone is looking to blame something for wanting to give up. It's just a website/app that acts as a generic guide rather than making intricate judgements about you. If it takes so little to make someone feel bad, then life must be a real struggle.
  • shemama1
    shemama1 Posts: 30 Member
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    I get mad when at the end of the day it tells me "if every day were like today, you'd be ______ in 5 weeks". Now that is bogus. It's been 8 and I'm still not at the weight from the 1st (5 weeks) day I logged my food...don't let it get you down. A computer generated message should not have control of your emotions.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Lighten up, Francis.
  • Phildog47
    Phildog47 Posts: 255 Member
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    They are just NUMBERS on a chart... it's the result that matters.
  • tlacox1
    tlacox1 Posts: 373 Member
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    The red warning is simply to make you aware so that you don't consistently eat super low. Too many people will eat way under because they believe that is the way to go, but in the long run, it's not. If you are always way under, then there is a chance (not always) that you will regain the weight. It is simply a tool to help you make it a lifestyle and not a crash diet. It is not there to discourage you, but to help you.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    Wow I guess I didn't know it yelled at you - I would rather say I ate a few calories under my budget rather going over my budget. It also depends was it a few calories under a lot of calories under???

    OP ate less than 1200 calories for the day and didn't know it would give her a warning about eating too little. It happens.

    ^
  • beenakhan2015
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    sjrutherf wrote: »
    This is my third day on MFP.

    I have officially been chastised, in red letters, by MFP. I didn't eat enough calories yesterday. I understand they want you to be healthy. I would understand if this was a common occurrence or something, but trust me this is rare for me! I wasn't hungry most of the day and I took advantage of it. Before starting this journey, I would probably eat a zillion calories a day. Ok, maybe not a zillion, but A LOT.

    Yesterday I made such healthy decisions! I found time to take three walks during my work day! I work at a desk, so this is often hard for me to fit in. I also joined my friends and went to a casual volleyball league that I had been avoiding. I didn't eat the cake or cookies that were laid out at work. I didn't go out with my friends for ice cream after volleyball. I was so proud of myself! I was excited to complete my entry for the day. And then all I saw was red text and MFP telling me to make additional entries. I almost went out and ate the entire kitchen.

    I was no longer proud.
    I was no longer excited.
    I just wanted to give up.

    I went from being all pumped up to finally try and change things to feeling like a failure 2 days in.

    That was great, good job!!! I don't usually pay attention to what it says, I only log so my trainer has access to it and can see what I eat. I don't bother to put in my water or exercise either. So don't be discouraged! !! Keep doing what ur doing, just make sure u do eat every 4 hours regardless of whether ur hungry or not cuz u need to keep ur metabolism going. I had to learn to do that, I would starve myself thinking if I dont eat I won't gain the weight but I was wrong about that.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Are you really letting a website control your feelings? How do you react when a real live person cricitizes you? smdh.

    This, exactly.

    It's an automated message, so that you don't think you can eat that little on a regular basis. It's MFP covering their *kitten*. The Weight Watchers online program does the same thing when you've had a few significant losses in a row.

    It's not directed at YOU, personally....so don't take it personally.

  • slovie64
    slovie64 Posts: 55 Member
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    I LOVE IT WHEN I GET THAT MESSAGE!!!!!
  • beenakhan2015
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    jenjay8045 wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    If this kind of thing is super annoying to you, you could try sparkpeople.com instead. MFP isn't the only free tracking site in existence. Personally I don't give a rip about their automatic nag statements, but all the same, you're not compelled to tolerate them. OR to tolerate people who bash on you, for that matter, just sayin.

    Thank goodness someone else said this. I have never seen a grumpier group of people in my life. This girl was just sharing her feelings, and people are just jumping all over her! Damn it man, some of these types of comments make me want to go binge! (not really, but kinda) I mean wow.

    It is ridiculous the bashing people are giving her!! She's on here for support and to vent not to hear criticism for how she's feeling. She probably gets that everyday from other sources she doesn't need to hear it here too. I thought this was a place of no judgement.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I think we should just be happy that when we go over our calorie goal, we don't get a message that says, "Knock it off, Lardass".

    We don't....do we?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    edited March 2015
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    jenjay8045 wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    If this kind of thing is super annoying to you, you could try sparkpeople.com instead. MFP isn't the only free tracking site in existence. Personally I don't give a rip about their automatic nag statements, but all the same, you're not compelled to tolerate them. OR to tolerate people who bash on you, for that matter, just sayin.

    Thank goodness someone else said this. I have never seen a grumpier group of people in my life. This girl was just sharing her feelings, and people are just jumping all over her! Damn it man, some of these types of comments make me want to go binge! (not really, but kinda) I mean wow.

    It is ridiculous the bashing people are giving her!! She's on here for support and to vent not to hear criticism for how she's feeling. She probably gets that everyday from other sources she doesn't need to hear it here too. I thought this was a place of no judgement.

    It's the internet, everyone judges.

    ETA: And they're not judging her. They're telling her the truth. She should not be discouraged by the app. She should keep going and aim to hit her calorie goal. And lots of people have given her useful advice (such as looking at a weekly average and not each day).
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    slovie64 wrote: »
    I LOVE IT WHEN I GET THAT MESSAGE!!!!!

    Huhh?? :o
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Oh honey.

    There, there.

    It's just a computer algorithm. Red is just a color. You are taking it too hard.

    Seriously.

    MFP is a tool. To help you monitor your food. To help you learn what works and what doesn't. That's it.

    It is not chastising you.

    It is not personal.

    If you want this to work, you need to take it for exactly what it is. An electronic food journal. nothing more, nothing less.

    Eat less, move more, and you will be successful.

    Good luck to you.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    jenjay8045 wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    If this kind of thing is super annoying to you, you could try sparkpeople.com instead. MFP isn't the only free tracking site in existence. Personally I don't give a rip about their automatic nag statements, but all the same, you're not compelled to tolerate them. OR to tolerate people who bash on you, for that matter, just sayin.

    Thank goodness someone else said this. I have never seen a grumpier group of people in my life. This girl was just sharing her feelings, and people are just jumping all over her! Damn it man, some of these types of comments make me want to go binge! (not really, but kinda) I mean wow.

    It is ridiculous the bashing people are giving her!! She's on here for support and to vent not to hear criticism for how she's feeling. She probably gets that everyday from other sources she doesn't need to hear it here too. I thought this was a place of no judgement.

    Why on earth would you think this was a place of no judgement?
  • suzeequu
    suzeequu Posts: 110 Member
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    Good job for all of your healthy choices. One misstep does not negate them. It would really be irresponsible if the site didn't have a system to warn people they were eating too few calories. Not everyone is as savvy as you about the proper way to go about this, and the built in warnings are just informational. I got that warning early on. Like you I had a good day and was proud that I had consumed so few calories without really being hungry. Then the warning came up and reminded me of what I already knew...oh right...right...that is not the way to go about it...Without the warning I may well have continued to under-consume, and so might you since you felt fine that first time. Good luck. Try not to let the red font get you down:-)

    agree.. you cant starve to obtain lifelong success and while you do know what you are doing, I work with someone who is lying and putting in things she didnt eat to avoid the red message. I believe it is a good thing MFP does to ensure that people who maybe dont know better understand the necessity to give your body fuel to expend energy. Only you can determine your self worth..something I still struggle with..dont let it stop your journey. good luck.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    habits, both good or bad, start with one action.

    congrats on eating less, congrats on avoiding the junk food, but you've still got to eat.

    and if you were so low that MFP told you that you need to eat more, you probably could've gone out for ice cream after vollyball.

    THIS EXACTLY!

    As you log your food, you can see your calories left... so the website response shouldn't surprise you. The odd day in red letters is understandable if it's an abberation, but it shouldn't be the rule.

    Also - be sure you're accurately logging. If you can log throughout the day - as you consume it - you're less likely to forget something and you can better track your calorie allowance - which will let you know that the ice cream was well within your budget.

    Can you imagine? Being so in control of your food that you are able to have a treat here and there, and STILL KEEP LOSING? It is possible - this process doesn't have to be a nightmare of food restriction. Take your time and find a lifestyle that is sustainable.


    oh... and some friendly tough love... don't give your power to a website, to a snarky friend, to a bad day... your health is your choice and you are worth fighting for. Don't allow any excuse to derail you. You deserve to be healthy!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,220 MFP Moderator
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    This thread has been cleaned up a little to remove posts that conflict with the following guidelines.

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  • GatesOfDelirium
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    I had a friend here who was beside herself for this reason....Calorie deficit CHECK, Protein CHECK, Fat CHECK, Carbs CHECK......Salt OVER...!! she was like she had been given 4 minutes to live....
    As many have rightly said MFP is a tool, a guide not the Calorie Police who will take your first born.
    Reminds me of the Stephen King story Quitters Inc. about quitting smoking.....
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    Wow I guess I didn't know it yelled at you - I would rather say I ate a few calories under my budget rather going over my budget. It also depends was it a few calories under a lot of calories under???

    OP ate less than 1200 calories for the day and didn't know it would give her a warning about eating too little. It happens.

    I think the warning only pops up if you're under 1,000 now.

    Anyway, if that happens again, OP, just have a snack to get you over. It's done so people don't under-eat, because under-eating often is unhealthy.

    Try to shake it off, and maybe don't invest so much emotion into those numbers next time. Sometimes you'll go over and sometimes you'll be under. It's okay.