Discouraged by MFP
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To the OP and any new MFP'ers just starting on their journey, keep in mind when you see that message, that most people are eating more than they think, and burning less. For example, the poster who complained that it keeps telling her what she will weigh in 5 weeks, but hasn't hit that weight after 8 weeks, if you're not losing at the rate you think you should be, based on your daily deficits, you need to analyze your logging.
Either you want this enough to deal with things like getting an automated message, or you don't. Take control of your journey, and seize the opportunity to learn.0 -
blankiefinder wrote: »To the OP and any new MFP'ers just starting on their journey, keep in mind when you see that message, that most people are eating more than they think, and burning less. For example, the poster who complained that it keeps telling her what she will weigh in 5 weeks, but hasn't hit that weight after 8 weeks, if you're not losing at the rate you think you should be, based on your daily deficits, you need to analyze your logging.
Either you want this enough to deal with things like getting an automated message, or you don't. Take control of your journey, and seize the opportunity to learn.
I like you
you and your little dog too
mwahahahahahahhhhhaaaa
(oh dear I seem to have come over all Wizard of Oz for a moment there
) 0 -
OP, I (like a poster on page 1) quit hitting the "complete this entry" button. I know people here will call it a weak excuse (or whatever "truth" they are "bluntly" writing), but even algorithmically programmed feedback is feedback to me. At the beginning, I was logging my exercise and MFP overstates calories burned like CRAZY. I didn't know that. Plus, I was restricting under the 1200 consistently or netting under it. I have bummer news for you: on the 1200 cal plan, you will see red either way on this site. You either see it at the top of the diary (-53 calories! You went over goal!) or you will see it when you click the "complete" button.
The other thing I did was up my cal goal to 1400 manually. That way, when I have a 1253 cal day, there is no red. (Eventually, I have "gotten over" red calories, so dropped it back to 1200, but I had to fix it in my mind that 1400 cals was -still- in deficit, so MFP could red me on cals all it wanted.)
I know many are saying that people like you and I are giving font color way too much power in our lives, and maybe they are right. In my mind, that color is chosen as a feedback color for negative markers on this site SPECIFICALLY because it has an emotional connection for many people. It means "BAD! STOP DOING THIS!" For the record, I -do- stop at red lights and red stop signs, because they mean STOP. I just go again when I have assessed the situation and can make a safe decision...or when things go green again.
Keep on with your plan and learn & reassess as you go.0 -
I think everyone seems to have this covered here...0
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If it bothers you, eat more0
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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.
If a bunch of red letters discourages you - what are you doing? Like really?
I'm a runner and I'm terrified of running my first outdoor race this year, like with all the people there watching me. I run at the gym. I push myself until I can't breathe anymore. After my long run last week my tendinitis was acting up so bad I was on a heating pad for about 18 hours to loosen it up. I was crying. I have had mornings at the gym where I couldn't get to my goal, I had to stop the treadmill because I couldn't breathe and I couldn't push any harder. I cried at the gym.
I have lost 90lbs on my journey so far. I have had people look at me weird in the New Balance store when I am talking to the sales person about what's best for my foot shape when I'm running - they look at me like, you're a runner? Yes, at 5'10 and 250lbs I am a runner. I wear compression pants and it sucks me all in and I run, and I love it.
I have been at this since late 2012. It's been 2.5 years. You have to want this. And a bunch of little red numbers shouldn't discourage you in any way. If I over eat (and it does happen!) MFP tells me if every day were like today in 5 weeks I'd gain like 5 lbs or something. Does that bother me? No. Do I feel like I'm quitting? No. Do I feel like it was all pointless? No. I feel like it was one day and damn I enjoyed that ice cream or cheeseburger or fries or whatever and I'll do it again another day. Not tomorrow, and probably not another day this week, but some day I will over eat again. And I will enjoy it.
Stop making excuses for why you feel like you're giving up because you were "yelled" at by a website. If you want it, you'll do it. If you don't, you'll find excuses. You have to want this for yourself. You have to want to do it, every single day. It's not like eat "good" for a bit, lose the weight and then everything goes back to how it was. If you think this is kind of something you maybe sort of thought you might want to do for the "future" then you're in this for the wrong reason.
Want it and do it, or don't. It's that simple.0 -
blankiefinder wrote: »To the OP and any new MFP'ers just starting on their journey, keep in mind when you see that message, that most people are eating more than they think, and burning less. For example, the poster who complained that it keeps telling her what she will weigh in 5 weeks, but hasn't hit that weight after 8 weeks, if you're not losing at the rate you think you should be, based on your daily deficits, you need to analyze your logging.
Either you want this enough to deal with things like getting an automated message, or you don't. Take control of your journey, and seize the opportunity to learn.
My "in 5 weeks" number has been off for the 3+ years I've been logging...because MFP doesn't accurately estimate my activity level. However, my own analysis of the data with an adjusted "without exercise TDEE" supports the accuracy of my logging, so it doesn't bother me at all.
TL;DR - a bad "in 5 weeks" number doesn't necessarily indicate an error in logging.0 -
jennifershoo wrote: »Jackie0Marie wrote: »This is only a color. MFP is only a tool. You only fail if you don't face your real issue and keep trying. Giving up so quickly because of something mundane is the problem, not MFP warning you about not eating enough. I would be thankful to see red letters - a reminder I should eat more, a reminder to look at my macros and see if I am lacking on a nutritional front. Change the prospective and not jump to blame.
Also, can all the mean-people-bandwagoners people read this post, please and thank you: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10105396/to-all-the-mfp-meanies-and-know-it-alls-this-is-for-you/p1
Dude, my eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Don't give up!0
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I never close my diary, so I decided to last night just to see, and it told me I'd gain two pounds...jofjltncb6 wrote: »blankiefinder wrote: »To the OP and any new MFP'ers just starting on their journey, keep in mind when you see that message, that most people are eating more than they think, and burning less. For example, the poster who complained that it keeps telling her what she will weigh in 5 weeks, but hasn't hit that weight after 8 weeks, if you're not losing at the rate you think you should be, based on your daily deficits, you need to analyze your logging.
Either you want this enough to deal with things like getting an automated message, or you don't. Take control of your journey, and seize the opportunity to learn.
My "in 5 weeks" number has been off for the 3+ years I've been logging...because MFP doesn't accurately estimate my activity level. However, my own analysis of the data with an adjusted "without exercise TDEE" supports the accuracy of my logging, so it doesn't bother me at all.
TL;DR - a bad "in 5 weeks" number doesn't necessarily indicate an error in logging.
And then 9000 people liked it and I got emails, and then I remembered why I never completed my diary.0 -
Me too, the red letters light up when I eat too much like yesterday when where I didn't get enough exercise.0
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I never close my diary, so I decided to last night just to see, and it told me I'd gain two pounds...jofjltncb6 wrote: »blankiefinder wrote: »To the OP and any new MFP'ers just starting on their journey, keep in mind when you see that message, that most people are eating more than they think, and burning less. For example, the poster who complained that it keeps telling her what she will weigh in 5 weeks, but hasn't hit that weight after 8 weeks, if you're not losing at the rate you think you should be, based on your daily deficits, you need to analyze your logging.
Either you want this enough to deal with things like getting an automated message, or you don't. Take control of your journey, and seize the opportunity to learn.
My "in 5 weeks" number has been off for the 3+ years I've been logging...because MFP doesn't accurately estimate my activity level. However, my own analysis of the data with an adjusted "without exercise TDEE" supports the accuracy of my logging, so it doesn't bother me at all.
TL;DR - a bad "in 5 weeks" number doesn't necessarily indicate an error in logging.
And then 9000 people liked it and I got emails, and then I remembered why I never completed my diary.
You go girl! Hang in there! You're doing great! Awesome work! You got this! *like* One day at a time! You can do this! Inspiring! Incredible! Great logging! Way to own your day! One step at a time!0 -
_FATNSASSY wrote: »I quit hitting "Complete this entry" because it get the red font almost every day...
This is pretty much it. Other than getting messages invalidating our work, it does nothing. As long as you track accurately, you do not have to press that button.0 -
I get chastised by red font every day. My solution is to throw some extra loops into my walk every night to make them green again. See, they do work.0
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booksandchocolate12 wrote: »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?
LOL you crack me up!0 -
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.
MFP is only a tool to keep in track with your goals. You should be excited for yourself because you made an effort! Being active and moving plays a part in being healthy and feeling good. Those healthy decisions are awesome! MFP just keeps you on track and not to make you feel bad about your good choices.
Everything takes practice. Everything takes time. Just be persistent and visualize your goal.
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I totally understand the frustration of starting out, and it is so easy to let insecurity push you back into your old habits. I have yo-yo dieted my entire life. I've struggled with anorexia and I've struggled with compulsive eating, but things have changed for me. I refused to be discouraged and I refused to go back! So no matter if you gain or if you lose weight, never stop trying. Every little improvement is an improvement and every mistake is a lesson you can use to improve.
The important thing is this: One day, food will not be your life's focus. Life will be your life's focus.
I have a calorie goal of 1200. Half the time I'm below that, and half the time I'm above that. On the warning itself, it says women should have a 1000-1200 calorie minimum to be healthy. Honestly, if I'm between 1100-1400 calories, I'm happy. If I go above 1400, I remember to keep a closer watch on myself the next day so it doesn't become a habit to overeat. If I go below 1100 (which is usually when I find myself stressed out and busy), I remember to eat at least 1200 calories the next day, also so that it doesn't become a habit to under eat!
Go to the MFP Reports link and take a look at your nutrition charts. Focus on eating the that that will satisfy your daily nutritional needs and let the calorie balance become secondary! Why? Because food is fuel, and your body needs NUTRITION. 1200 calories worth of chips, oreos, or chocolate cake is not the same as 1200 calories of kale, broccoli and quinoa.0 -
Just stop publishing your diary if you don't like it.0
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Sorry you are feeling deflated but 3 days... give it a chance! Also I think the MFP calculations on calories can be damaging - I personally could not survive on 1200 calories - I never could -
-- I would up the calorie limit personally but that's just me (30 pounds down from 5 years ago) - and accept that this is a process that does not happen overnight.
I know a lot of people feel differently though.
I think you would be surprised if you recalculated for 1 pound per week and eat tons of healthy food, exercise, over time what you would find - a pattern set up for a lifestyle change.
Don't lose heart! It's an automated calculation... and you can USE the system as you wish.
Let's say you achieve your goal because you starved or on 700 calories a day - are you planning on staying that way for the rest of your life? Your body will react and slow down metabolism if you don't eat enough...
Good luck and take care!
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OP if you are still reading this, and I seriously doubt it after reading some of the thread, I get it. You just started and you were excited. You exercised some willpower and self control and instead of encouragement, you got "you are still doing it wrong". Then you made a post to just vent a little and its turned into a six page "suck it up buttercup". I will say, most of the people here are well intentioned, some have just forgotten how they felt when they just started, some don't realize how the written word doesn't translate well sometimes and some really are just crabby people, but that's life, right? You will be fine, you will figure it out and you will be successful as long as you don't let it get you down and quit. Good luck OP!!0
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