Is myfitnesspal healthy longterm?
foreverblissful
Posts: 50 Member
I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
What do you all recommend?
4
Replies
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There is nothing intrinsically unhealthy about counting calories. Is it unhealthy or obsessive to balance your checking account for your entire life?
What is important is how it translates onto your day to day life. If it causes you worry or anxiety, that's obviously not healthy. But that's about what's happening in your head.
I have been logging for 4 years, maintaining for about 2 of them. It takes me maybe a minute a day. I never worry about it, even when I go over. I enjoy the *kitten* out of my food. I eat out and at other people's homes whenever the opportunity arises.
My relationship with food is a million times healthier than it was before logging. Knowing where I stand has removed my anxiety around food. Maybe I'll stop someday, but I see no reason to for now.
I'm sure there are people whose mindsets make focusing on the numbers problematic. If that's you, then counting indefinitely might not be the best decision.63 -
foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?6 -
I still have about 22lbs to lose so not in maintenance yet but I fully intend on continuing to use MFP after I reach my goal weight. I know I'm not good at intuitive eating or knowing appropriate portion sizes. MFP helps me make healthier choices and I imagine will make maintaining my weight easier.
I don't see how it's too restrictive. It's the same as it is now. I eat to my calorie goal but instead of being in a deficit, I eat at maintenance. I have to eat the same number of calories whether or not I use MFP so I figure I might as well be aware of the choices I making rather than just guessing and hoping I'm staying on track.13 -
MFP is just a tool. How the tool is used will depend on you as an individual. Some people are good with tools, some aren’t. Some don’t need tools all, some use them only occasionally, some people tend to injure themselves with certain tools, some need to learn how to use tools appropriately, some use tools to make things easier, some over-complicate things using the tools as they weren’t intended, etc. Everyone is different.30
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You have to remember losing weight shouldn’t just be about that goal your trying to get to... it should be a life style change. If it isn’t you’ll likely just go back to your old ways. Making sure what your eating is healthy and your not eating too many calories a day is the opposite of being unhealthy in my mind.6
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I'm still here years later, total of 5. I still log every day. It only takes a few minutes a day to keep up with my intake. It helps me do 2 things, make sure I eat enough for my training and also keep any weight creep at bay.
I've never considered this as restrictive, obsessive or anything negative other than helping me keep up my heath and wellness.13 -
This is nothing more than a version of cognitive restraint..... research shows people who use some form of restraint or tracking have far better long term success... I'll take my odds with this tool.21
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TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
I would like to know this as well. I find using MFP to be quite the opposite.2 -
The reason why so many people have trouble keeping off weight long term is in part because once they "hit their goal", they give up doing all the things that helped to get them there, thinking that they completed their journey and they don't need to do anymore. Then they gain the weight back because they think "oh I can eat more, I'll just pay attention to what I'm eating", and they don't realize that their body is still paying attention to calories in vs calories out, even if they aren't.
So MFP can be just as useful a tool to those who are in maintenance as those who are losing. All the same principals still apply, you can just eat more calories in maintenance. How restrictive you want to be with it is up to you. You may find that you don't need to log everyday or you are fine with just using your goal as a general target. Ultimately, you may find that you don't need it. But I still think it's a valuable tool.
I used MFP a number of years ago when I lost weight and successfully got to my goal weight. Then I moved on with my life and thought I didn't need it anymore. I slowly gained until I was higher than I had ever been. Now that I am back again, I plan to keep up with MFP in some form once I hit my goals.14 -
TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.7 -
psychod787 wrote: »This is nothing more than a version of cognitive restraint..... research shows people who use some form of restraint or tracking have far better long term success... I'll take my odds with this tool.
Can you link me to one of these studies? Now I'm curious.
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shanninmorgan wrote: »You have to remember losing weight shouldn’t just be about that goal your trying to get to... it should be a life style change. If it isn’t you’ll likely just go back to your old ways. Making sure what your eating is healthy and your not eating too many calories a day is the opposite of being unhealthy in my mind.
I know. One of my problems has been that I eat relatively healthy(for the most part) but I'm really bad with portions and judging how they fit in the grand scheme of things(especially if it isn't pre-planned). If I didn't have MFP I wouldn't realize how many calories and sugar was in an apple(I love apples)! And as someone who has blood sugar problems it helps keep that at bay while also reminding me that even eating too much healthy foods can set me back.6 -
foreverblissful wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.
I can't promise that I'll be using it for the rest of my life, but I'm still logging in year 3 of maintenance here, after the better part of a year of weight loss before that. I don't feel particuarly obsessed, it's just a useful tool that helps me balance my long-term goals (staying at a healthy weight) with my short term desires (eating all the yummy foods).
I agree that it's like balancing one's checkbook or keeping a financial budget . . . neither of which I do, despite being a woman of modest means. For some reason, I seem to be able to manage money intuitively, but not manage eating intuitively. Go figure.
In maintenance, I skip the odd day or few of logging sometimes, and don't feel stressed about it when I do it. That doesn't sound super obsessed, to me.
I suspect some health advocates may have false impressions of calorie counting. I'm betting people come to them for help when they've become obsessed, so they see relatively many obsessed calorie counters, and pretty much zero of those of us who are perking along contentedly, finding it useful, and a minimal time investment for the value it brings us.14 -
I can't add anything to what the above posters have said they said it all. I know for me it keeps me on track after years of yo yo dieting.2
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foreverblissful wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.
Personally, I think it would only become obsessive if anxiety meant you not eating any food without weighing it first. This would mean either taking scales out with you or not eating out at all. Obsessive would mean thinking about food and what you were going to eat for much of the day. For me, obsessive would be having anxiety because you went over your calories for the day or your macros weren't balanced for your liking. Obsessive would affect every aspect of your life. If calorie counting did all that then mentally you should not be calorie counting.
If you find that calorie counting can be quite freeing as stress is decreased with meal planning and eating, if calorie counting shows you that you do not have to restrict foods you enjoy to meet your calorie goals and nutritional needs, if calorie counting gives you less anxiety about eating out because you have learnt that a treat meal every now and then makes no difference to weight, if calorie counting gives you more freedom to eat out because you learn to portion control better, then calorie counting is great for your mental health and is a tool that is used very effectively.10 -
foreverblissful wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.
What “health advocates” and are they perhaps trying to sell you on their “super simple, no calorie counting needed” plan for lifelong success?
Take a look at the Maintaining Weight forum for examples of people that have lost the weight, kept it off, and still continue to use MFP in some capacity. I’ve been in maintenance for 3+ years after losing my weight with MFP. Although I’m less rigid than I used to be about my logging, I have no plans to stop using these tools overall.7 -
I have not been sick during my last 308 days in MFP. I eat a balanced diet according to my macro % - and I stick to the MFP calculated daily calories, I have started as much exercise as my body ( initially 170 kg, 375 pounds) can handle and so far I have lost nearly 30 kg - 65 pounds. I don't want to think about my other option without MFP and so many supportive members. I am still battling with portion control, and I know it's still a long way to go.6
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foreverblissful wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »foreverblissful wrote: »I’m currently still in the process of losing weight(I have 11 more pounds to go), but I’m curious what other members do after they reach their weight goal. Is it (mentally)healthy to continue to use myfitnesspal on a day-to-day basis? I’m sure using myfitnesspal would be easy and pretty accurate but I’m wondering if that’s too restrictive. On the flip side, I’m also worried if I ditch myfitnesspal that I will revert to gaining weight due to not being able to see my calories.
What do you all recommend?
In what way do you find it too restrictive?
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.
Without knowing what these 'health advocates' actually say it's difficult to comment.
But if you personally find MFP useful for weight loss then at the moment that's all you need to know.4 -
I wouldn't say it's unhealthy, as other members have pointed out. Being proactive in your health - even after you reach your goals - can be normal and healthy. Keeping tabs on your caloric intake isn't unhealthy. However, there is a potential for obsession and addiction to weight loss and THOSE things can be unhealthy.0
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Learning a healthy, sustainable life style regarding food >>>>obsessively dwelling on the growing spare tire around my waist.
I don't know who the "health advocates" are or exactly what they're saying, and roachrypt makes a good point, but I think to discount the actual results so many people are seeing with calorie counting due to some advocates opinion would be pointless.0 -
You can use it to keep on track.0
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I usually find that the “health advocates” who oppose calorie counting are often selling a book, diet plan or snake oil that nobody would need if they just counted calories.24
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foreverblissful wrote: »
Restrictive as in I've always heard health advocates say negative things about calorie counting tools(especially in reference to obsession), so I was wondering if continuing MFP was unheard of in the community. I know ultimately it depends on me, I just wasn't sure if that was something anyone even did.
Hmm. But if you view calorie counting as bad or obsessive, why would it only matter after you've reached your goal weight? Wouldn't it be bad or "obsessive" from the very beginning? I mean, you're still using the same program either way. So why do you see that it suddenly becomes bad just because you use it for maintenance rather than loss? The program doesn't just suddenly become "restrictive", it's still the same old thing.
A ton of people continue to use MFP after reaching their goal weight. After all, you need to work to keep your goal weight. It is a lifestyle change. Going back to your old lifestyle would just mean going back to your old weight.14 -
Well one thing I absolutely know for sure......if I don't keep using MFP and keeping a check on my calorie count when I reach goal I'll put back on ALL [+ some} of the weight I worked so hard and long to lose as I have done before....i.e. classic YO YO.
At long last my mindset has changed.....when I was reducing before I have mentally thought...oh well it's not forever then I can eat much more of the things I love. Now I think.....Yay! it is forever and when I reach goal I'll still be able to eat the great food I love....just a little bit more.13 -
Truth! I've blamed other things for my poor health at times in my life when the sad fact was that my own rationalizations were my worst enemy.suziecue25 wrote: »Well one thing I absolutely know for sure......if I don't keep using MFP and keeping a check on my calorie count when I reach goal I'll put back on ALL [+ some} of the weight I worked so hard and long to lose as I have done before....i.e. classic YO YO.
At long last my mindset has changed.....when I was reducing before I have mentally thought...oh well it's not forever then I can eat much more of the things I love. Now I think.....Yay! it is forever and when I reach goal I'll still be able to eat the great food I love....just a little bit more.
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Anyone can call themselves a "health advocate." There are no qualifications whatsoever to be one. If someone believes that they're working in the name of better health--even if they're 100% wrong--they can claim to be a health advocate. (That goes for any sort of "advocate," by the way, unless the word is part of someone's formal title.)
Whether or not tracking calories is a healthy long-term activity depends on your individual mental health. Tracking calories does not inherently lead to eating disorders or obsessive behavior. However, if an individual has those sorts of mental health concerns or develops symptoms of them, then tracking calories may not be a good option and that person should talk with their therapist about it.8 -
Now that I've lost all the weight I needed to and have been in maintenance for a few years, I don't weigh or measure my food 100% of the time. I have the experience to know what an appropriate portion size is now, as well as how much of it I can generally have in any given day.
I have a maintenance weight range, and I weigh myself several times a week. If I see that my weight is consistently trending up over a few weeks, I'll return to logging to get back on track and to make sure my 'portion size sense' hasn't gotten rusty.
I still like to play "Guess the weight," though. My kitchen scale has a permanent home on the counter and I will, occasionally, grab a handful of grapes, for example, guess how much they weigh and then pop them on the food scale to see how close I was.
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Appears as though I’m in the significant minority here, but I guess it depends on how you define “using” MFP. I used the tracking tool for over 2 years, but eventually realized I was becoming obsessive and making life choices based on calories rather than relationships.
Still on MFP almost daily, but haven’t used the tracking in over a year. Now I use it for the community support and recipe builder. I manage rough calorie counting in my head now.6 -
I think it really helps to teach us about food and therefore be able to make better choices. My problem is that I know fully well that eating x is a lot better for me nutrient and calorie wise, but i'll still eat y anyway because why not?
Then my weight creeps up, so I log food again to bring it back down.
I go for months without logging though, I can maintain for a while until I start getting too complacent and eating like an idiot.
I still am active with my friends though even if I'm not logging and that helps me too - to keep accountable I suppose!2 -
Appears as though I’m in the significant minority here, but I guess it depends on how you define “using” MFP. I used the tracking tool for over 2 years, but eventually realized I was becoming obsessive and making life choices based on calories rather than relationships.
Still on MFP almost daily, but haven’t used the tracking in over a year. Now I use it for the community support and recipe builder. I manage rough calorie counting in my head now.
I agree with you. I think some personality types get affected more than others. If you've got OCD, counting calories is all the excuse your brain needs to go overboard. Life is easier when you don't count calories, but are aware of what you can eat and what portion sizes are appropriate, but you'll always be at risk for your weight creeping back up.
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