If you eat like this daily, you'll weigh ## in 5 weeks!

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

Okay, question.

I think the only thing stressing me with MFP is the stinking "If you eat like this daily, you'll be ### in 5 weeks!" I will change my food around and take stuff off just to see that number go down!! But, doing that will make my protein/carbs/fat too high then I stress that!

What do you actually look at when you log your food? Do you pay attention to anything other than the calories? If so, please help me out. I'm really working hard on losing weight but I think I'm looking into too much?

Alluminati · August 2013

Curious at how many calories you eat per day.

I look at my macros like protein, carbs, fat and fiber in conjunction with cals. I don't pay attention at all to the "If you eat like this" part cause there are too many variables like type of food I eat day to day, activity levels, Aunt Flo, etc etc etc.

ladynocturne · August 2013

Just don't ever hit the complete your food diary button. 99.9% of users on MFP don't care about that message, it means nothing.

ks4e · August 2013

First off, ignore that feature that says you will weigh X pounds in X weeks. It's a computer. It's just doing math (minus life variables) to say that. It doesn't mean it'll happen.

When losing weight, you want to be at a deficit, but you want to be healthy as well. Be active!

A high protein diet is a good thing! Protein helps build muscles, muscles burn fat. See where I'm going with this? Fiber is also good for you too!

Focus on how you look and feel. Take progress pictures. Also take measurements. What the number on your scale says doesn't mean you aren't getting healthier if it doesn't budge.

seltzermint555 · August 2013

I do look at my macros. I try to make sure my sugar doesn't go over like mad (it's usually always over by a few grams) and my sodium doesn't go over (rare for it to be even close). I don't even track carbs at all, I don't eat a ton of carbs anyway. I try to get close to the goal on fiber and protein whenever possible. I usually don't have any trouble with the fat category.

That said, I primarily look at calories. But if I have several days when I go over (or close to goal) on sodium and/or sugar are usually the weeks when I am at plateau for a bit. So it does make a difference, for me anyway.

bound4beauty · August 2013

Just ignore that and pay attention to your total calories and macros.

malk2651 · August 2013

quit pressing that button.

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

1,260 calories per day according to mfp

megsi474 · August 2013

I aim to go over for protein and fat and to stay under carbs. I don't really watch sodium or sugar. Definitely want to stay under cals. I get a good chuckle over the little message at the end but don't take it seriously. It's been saying a varied number of weights for me for the last two months, none of them have happened.

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

Sounds good. lol I will quit pressing that button. Thanks

fineshrine · August 2013

its says "If every day were like today... You'd weigh xx lbs in 5 weeks"
meaning amount of combined calories/exercise
not 'if you eat this exact meal daily...'

anyway, yeah, just dont complete your food log. or take notice at the fact that the number changes day to day calorie to calorie. its just a computer calculating an equation and is by no means accurate.
if it was strapped to your body and **** then maybe youd consider its opinion validated, but otherwise, if i were you id just ignore it.

mags726 · August 2013

I don't pay too much attention to it, unless it is to motivate myself to keep eating healthy.

Heather_Rider · August 2013

Ignore it. You would literally have to eat exactly those portions of exactly those foods, exactly those measurements, etc etc... Even then, MFP would have to know how your body absorbs the food. Its just a guess! Dont sweat the little stuff!!!

deksgrl · August 2013

^^ This. It's just doing a number calculation.

Your actual weight loss might vary, based on many different factors.

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

Well, I didn't mean eat the exact food daily. I wasn't sure exactly how it was worded.

BrienJD · August 2013

I actually think it's a tad bit helpful, especially when I overindulge. It's a warning signal to pay attention.

4daluvof_candice · August 2013

But that calculation would be nice to be a reality sometimes, LOL!!!

juliegin · August 2013

I really wish it'd take your past 7 days into account and tell you, if you ate like this week, in 5 weeks from now you'd be XX. A week is a much better judge than one day.

Angimom · August 2013

Are you kidding me?!?!! I love that button! OR I hate that button!! LOL. I don't think it has ever been right, but hey, I think it is seriously fun to push and the great feeling I get if I really did weigh that in 5 weeks, or not. LMAO.

77tes · August 2013

I love the little motivational message!

But that's all it is - a motivational message based on your calories only. Enjoy the encouragement when it promises fair, and heed the warning when it threatens. I still record it in my food notes even though I'm on maintenance.

Good luck. :flowerforyou:

ReneeReiser · August 2013

You can go into your settings and change your goals to meet your needs. If you go over in protein, carbs or fat often, then raise that up. But leave the sodium and sugar alone, you want that number to be low. Its your preference how much you want to eat. I personally cannot eat less than 1500 and feel good.

As for the message that says you will weigh x if you eat y... It's always about 10lbs or so less than you weigh currently and in the last 5 weeks I did not lose 10 lbs. Would have been nice, but slow and steady wins the race right? So don't click it unless you want to feel discouraged. I only complete my diary so that other mfp friends can view what I've eaten to give me support and offer suggestions to where I should change.

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

This helps. Thanks

baba5013 · August 2013

I actually like that message. I know that I would never end up to the exact number when I get to the 5 weeks but I take it as a motivation message to get there. I pay attention to my calories in take, and not too much on others stuff as long as it is not too high.

chunkymonkey0223 · August 2013

Well, I use 35%/40%/25% carbs/protein/fat and 1500 calories. I am averaging 1400 calories daily, though and thats why 4 days a week working out for about 30 minutes (aerobics). I usually go over on carbs by about 20.

quiltlovinlisa · August 2013

I like it.

Especially after a loss and I get to see new lower number predictions. I may squeal out loud when it starts predicting numbers under 200. lol

navyrigger46 · August 2013

I track protein because I need to get a pretty good amount since I'm a guy and I lift. I track carbs so I can strike a balance with my protein. I track sodium so I know when I need a bit more water than normal. I track fiber because I really enjoy a healthy GI progress, and I throw another in there at my whim, right now it's calcium, just for giggles.

I don't stress over any of it as long as my cals are in check. If I blow my sodium out of the water, I drink more water, if my protein is in the red, I'm happy, if my carbs are in the red, I'll go for a run to expend some energy.

Don't stress yourself out, your body doesn't work in 24 hour periods, it just does it's thing, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year until you die.

Rigger

katarina236 · August 2013

It's a motivator for me and as long as the number it shows is less the the weight I am at now then I don't stress. It has helped me in the beginning when I was having cheat meals that turned into cheat days. I would log everything and seeing the predicted number being above what I was at was a great motivator to not cheat!

bcattoes · August 2013

I stopped hitting the 'diary completed' button so I never see that message anymore. I stopped logging exercise calories for the same reason. It's just numbers I feel the need to hit. I log my exercise but put everything in as 1 calorie burned.

I just try to stay under my calorie goal during the week and I don't even log food on the weekends anymore. I'm a very number oriented person and I'm get obessive about them too easily.

My focus is getting enough calcium, protein, fiber and servings of vegetables/fruit. And not too much fat or calories.

hazleyes81 · August 2013

I don't even pay attention to that. Actually, I don't even track my weight in MFP. I use an app called Libra because it charts it and makes a trend line, so you can see if your weight is truly going up or down or if it is fluctuating but averaging towards maintenance. I find that a lot more helpful and motivating. I have MFP set at my current weight for maintenance and just make sure at the end of the day I have a 300-500 calorie deficit.

hollymartin90 · September 2013

i dont really pay attention to the 5 week thing as it seems to seriously overestimate the weight I will lose.for example predicting I will lose over a stone when in reality will probably be around 5 pounds.I mostly look at the calories try to stay around the same amount each day.

Hildy_J · September 2013

Love the button. Especially on a 'free' day. Shocks the living daylights out of me and then I get focussed.

If you eat like this daily, you'll weigh ## in 5 weeks!

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