Are you going to track FOREVER?@!
jeffjeff85
Posts: 118 Member
Just got a.link to [yet another] site supposedly about weight loss. From my height and weight, it decided i am "obese". Wants.to sell me body fat percent caliper, food scale, body scale, fitbit, and supplements. I assume when I buy that it will also recommend fitness equipment and 'workout' apparel ROFL
Obese? Hardly. 5' 9 1/2 " and 204lbs. Visible abs and I can press a pair of those 80lb dumbbells all morning 😏
Seriously, how.much of this stuff is just a sales tactic?
Obese? Hardly. 5' 9 1/2 " and 204lbs. Visible abs and I can press a pair of those 80lb dumbbells all morning 😏
Seriously, how.much of this stuff is just a sales tactic?
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Replies
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Depends.
If you can attain your goals without any of that, then you don't need any of that.
According to the BMI scale, you are at 29.7, and 30 is considered obese, so be thankful for that extra 1/2 inch you're counting.
I have been logging food for 12 years, on and off. Might seem like "forever" but when I stop I have a hard time holding my weight (5'7.5-5'8" 140-145 BTW) so...up to you as to what you need.8 -
...and yeah, BMI is pretty useless for people with a lot of muscle, but you're being sales-targeted based on numbers, nothing more.4
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Well, 'a lot' of muscle is subjective opinion (Arnold doesnt even know who i am) but yeah, I have enough lean tissue that only way I'd ever weigh less than 190 or so would be to remove one limb 😂
That said, I'm going to aim at getting to 190 and.we'll see how that carries.0 -
To answer the title question (which has little to do with the post as far as I can see), yes, I expect I'll track (at least roughly) forever. I was obese for around 3 decades, the last decade-plus of which I was athletically quite active (even competing) while staying obese. Via tracking, I've been at a healthy weight for almost 5 years so far. That seems like a very fair trade to me, for the maybe 10 minutes a day it takes me to do.
Also unlike you, my best weight is down toward the bottom of the BMI range (currently 22-point-something, but would prefer to be a little lower and am working slowly at that), even though I'm not completely devoid of muscle (especially for a woman my age and size). Bodies vary.
Then, to answer the post: Yes, sales tactics are common. And if it's auto-served web ads, they're keying off your MFP use or terms you've used online to decide you're interested in weight loss, fitness, etc., then trying to exploit that to sell you stuff, not necessarily by telling you full and complete truth along the way. That's marketing.
I get lots of stuff trying to sell me plus-sized women's clothing, even though I haven't been plus sized in several years; and Spanish-language ads for a while after I watch Spanish-language but English-captioned videos (I don't speak Spanish
). Meh.
Not too sure what your main point was: If it's that you're much more muscular than the average guy your height, that's great - sincerely. Go, you!6 -
Not too sure what your main point was: If it's that you're much more muscular than the average guy your height, that's great - sincerely. Go, you!
Yeah, I'm a bit.more muscled than some, plus I wanted to take a shot at the marketing.people, if just for a minute 😎
Never really had much extra weight until illness required meds. The meds alone didnt make me gain weight - the diet you have to eat to make the meds WORK is not good though. So, I DID (and still do) have some to remove.
I wouldn't do it long term, but if tracking gives you a better result than not tracking, carry on!1 -
No. I stopped a while ago. I know what I need to eat at this point.1
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The weight guidlines are way off for shorter people. At 5'7 i was 211 at my highest weight ever in my life and while i would say i was above my optimal weight, i was hardly "obese". I have yoyo'd a lot over the years and at one point got down close to what these guidlines recommended i weigh, and everyone told me i looked sickly. As far as tracking forever, i assume you mean calories and weight, I probably should since everytime i stop tracking after i reach my goal weight, i end up putting it back on in 3-4 years.1
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Put it this way: the longer I stick with MFP, track everything with a healthier lifestyle, the greater are my chances to prolong my life and therefore I will be here FOREVER!7
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I think I will track forever but I won't weigh everything forever. Once I get to maintenance it will be more guess work than accuracy, obviously if the scales start to show I'm gaining I will log more accurately.2
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I love numbers and so don't feel oppressed by food tracking. People who find it aggravating might look to other ways to keep an eye on how they are eating. It's not the only way to lose weight and keep your weight steady.
Tracking can be helpful for other things beyond weight loss. It helps me see at a glance if I am eating enough variety and the kind of foods that make me feel best. Some foods I can only eat occasionally, and this helps me make sure I don't get into a rut of eating them too often (food allergies/intolerances), plus it lets me see how much protein and fiber I am getting over the course of a week. I also use the tracker for medications and supplements for me and the cats, creating a food called Timer to track the actual time food and supplements/meds are taken.
Sometimes I have to track to make sure I'm eating enough. That's why I started using a tracker in the first place. Pain issues and illness/medication and other stresses can kill my appetite. Also some conditions might be related to food or certain macros, so tracking can help me decide if there's a real correlation or not. I like to track my steps and certain tasks anyway, since some conditions definitely improve if I get enough exercise, and the tracker is always in my pocket (i.e., my phone).
I usually weigh things for convenience, especially small items in small amounts, but don't mind estimating sometimes for my purposes. What I am eating is more important to me than exactly how much. Databases and labels are only approximate anyway.
But if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you are eating fine and feeling fine and your weight isn't creeping upwards without tracking, then you don't need to do it.3 -
nytrifisoul wrote: »The weight guidlines are way off for shorter people. At 5'7 i was 211 at my highest weight ever in my life and while i would say i was above my optimal weight, i was hardly "obese". I have yoyo'd a lot over the years and at one point got down close to what these guidlines recommended i weigh, and everyone told me i looked sickly. As far as tracking forever, i assume you mean calories and weight, I probably should since everytime i stop tracking after i reach my goal weight, i end up putting it back on in 3-4 years.
What evidence do you have for this generalization? I’m under five feet tall and maintaining happily—and healthily—in the middle of my optimal BMI range after losing 100 pounds.10 -
Yes and weigh myself daily as well
It's the way I lost weight, the way I continue to maintain that wt loss and there's no reason to believe that I can become complacent and continue to do so w/o doing so.
It's no big deal to me. Been doing it about 4 yrs and it's a habit now that I would miss doing if I stopped.1 -
I've gone on and off for about 10 years. I've never been overweight but i will say this. Initially learning about calories was huge for me. In my late teens I would try to eat as little as possible during the day and then have a big dinner. After several years I started binging-duh lol. By learning about calories, I found that I can fuel myself properly during the day without gaining weight and not binge so much.
The one issue I have with counting is many calculators grossly underestimate calorie needs. I'm around 5'2, 115-118 lbs and lose weight eating 2000 calories. I spent several years trying to follow the guidelines telling me I should eat 1200-1500 to lose a couple vanity lbs which led to more binging, me being crabby and losing muscle.
So I will probably continue to go back and forth. I'm here now as I'm at the higher end of my maintenance range and would like to lose a few lbs post baby. I can't exercise as much as I used to pre baby so I need to pay more attention to my diet. But I imagine once I'm where I want to be and am able to workout more (which I thoroughly enjoy, when I have the time I like to exercise for at least an hour a day) I'll stop logging. I like having the option and think it's helpful when you don't have as much time to workout. I try to do a little something 20-30 mins a day but that's like nothing compared to what I used to do lol. And my baby isn't crawling yet so taking care of her involves a lot of sitting still. Totally worth it to soak up all the baby snuggles!
Whew that was long-winded lol1 -
I don't track calories or my weight at all anymore and I feel so good to get rid of those awful shackles!
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I track but not too religiously or with much consistency. I do keep track of my body weight and how the clothes fit. This is how I was able to stay in control for the last nine and half years of maintenance.
I take a break from logging and weighing when I am on vacation and sometimes during the weekends as well or when I am lazy or pissed off about the whole process
And restaurant food doesn't make it to the diary.
But we are all different and some people need, want or like to track and log due to different reasons. Some have no control, others like to binge, others like to eat everything so they need the accountability that seeing the numbers bring. We all do what we think is best for us and what gives us the best results as well.
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nytrifisoul wrote: »The weight guidlines are way off for shorter people. At 5'7 i was 211 at my highest weight ever in my life and while i would say i was above my optimal weight, i was hardly "obese". I have yoyo'd a lot over the years and at one point got down close to what these guidlines recommended i weigh, and everyone told me i looked sickly. As far as tracking forever, i assume you mean calories and weight, I probably should since everytime i stop tracking after i reach my goal weight, i end up putting it back on in 3-4 years.
What evidence do you have for this generalization? I’m under five feet tall and maintaining happily—and healthily—in the middle of my optimal BMI range after losing 100 pounds.
I beleive the BMI guidelines can be slightly off for very tall people.
However OP is 5 ft 9 or 10 - that is very average height for a man and so whether BMI guide is slightly off at either end of the height range is irelevant to him.
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At 5' 9" I weighed 225 pounds. I can tell you for sure the guidelines are not wrong. I was a fat *kitten*. Compare pictures from before to now. The difference is dramatic. I was so outta shape and I looked like hell. The thing is I didn't think I had an issue. Now it is obvious.1
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Re the original question - forever is a long time.
However I reached my goal weight nearly 6 years ago and I have been logging ever since.
admittedly loose approximate logging and I do take a break from it now and then - if I am away on holiday.
I dont know about forever - but I intend to keep doing this for the foreseeable future.
It works for me - and if it aint broke, I wont be fixing it.
Re sales items -I already owned a basic human scale and I bought a basic food scale, from my local supermarket, cost me under $20.
Didnt buy anything else.3 -
cuteangelkitten wrote: »I don't track calories or my weight at all anymore and I feel so good to get rid of those awful shackles!
So, I am curious; why are you here? This is a tool to track calories, food, exercise, and weight. You've joined in August. What are you seeking if you don't track calories or weight? Please forgive me if I'm dense. Just trying to understand why someone with no interest in tracking participates on a site devoted to it.12 -
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep the 80+ pounds I lost off.
For me that includes being aware of what and how much I'm eating, so I'm fine with continuing to keep doing what is working for me.
Tracking my meals only takes a few minutes a day, it allows me to fit whatever I want to eat in, it keeps me focused and on track and I've been very successful with it.11 -
rainbow198 wrote: »I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep the 80+ pounds I lost off.
For me that includes being aware of what and how much I'm eating, so I'm fine with continuing to keep doing what is working for me.
Tracking my meals only takes a few minutes a day, it allows me to fit whatever I want to eat in, it keeps me focused and on track and I've been very successful with it.
THIS^^ I thought it was a pain at the beginning but now it is like brushing my teeth. A very minor inconvenience to stay on track every day.8 -
cuteangelkitten wrote: »I don't track calories or my weight at all anymore and I feel so good to get rid of those awful shackles!
So, I am curious; why are you here? This is a tool to track calories, food, exercise, and weight. You've joined in August. What are you seeking if you don't track calories or weight? Please forgive me if I'm dense. Just trying to understand why someone with no interest in tracking participates on a site devoted to it.
The "F" in MFP is for Fitness, not for Fat or Food. Many people join this site not to keep track of their diet or daily calories for ever, but just to find a guidance and balance. MFP is a learning tool, not a devotion tool.
Some people that had eating disorder in the past, find that the daily tracking is counterproductive to their progress. It is not up to us to question people about their reasons to join this site, just because they don't use it as we/you do.
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cuteangelkitten wrote: »I don't track calories or my weight at all anymore and I feel so good to get rid of those awful shackles!
So, I am curious; why are you here? This is a tool to track calories, food, exercise, and weight. You've joined in August. What are you seeking if you don't track calories or weight? Please forgive me if I'm dense. Just trying to understand why someone with no interest in tracking participates on a site devoted to it.
The "F" in MFP is for Fitness, not for Fat or Food. Many people join this site not to keep track of their diet or daily calories for ever, but just to find a guidance and balance. MFP is a learning tool, not a devotion tool.
Some people that had eating disorder in the past, find that the daily tracking is counterproductive to their progress. It is not up to us to question people about their reasons to join this site, just because they don't use it as we/you do.
Thank you for that perspective. It does make sense. There is more here than calorie tracking, although I really think that's the primary objective.
I was hoping to hear from @cuteangelkitten what her objectives are for being here. I also am wondering why she advises AGAINST tracking calories, which is, in fact, questioning people's reasons for being here. In several discussions, she actively advises against it. It's a powerful tool for many people, so why advise against it?
I hope some day I'll be able to no longer actively log my food or activity and avoid going back to the lifestyle that got me where I was, but I really don't think it's too likely. I am awed by people who can do that. Maybe I'll be one. I have a friend who runs REALLY long distance races (hundred miles). He told me the ONLY thing he worries about as far as calories is getting enough to fuel himself.7 -
I am going to have to track even when I get to maintenance. When I got to my lowest weight, I thought I'd be fine so I stopped tracking. And gained 20lbs in under a year. So, back to tracking it is.5
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67 inches height since sprouting up to at 12-13 years old. From active kid who never had a weight problem to sedentary post grad student who ballooned due to uncapped student labor hours/stress/vending machines to fit enough to comfortably pass APFTs in the military to now - the BMI chart has always been 100% accurate.
When I was 200+ lbs, I was indeed clinically cat I obese. At the current low 160s, I am indeed still overweight. Once, when I dropped to 118 lbs. in undergrad because I never made dorm chow hours and had $12/week for shelf stable and microwaveable only groceries and smoked one of those $1.60-something packs of Marlboros a day to curb the hunger, I was indeed underweight. 135-145 lbs. is indeed my optimal weight since turning 30, up from the 120-123 lbs. when I was a teenager and hadn't matured secondary sex characteristic fat deposition-wise yet (aka, fully developed my "womanly curves").
And, yes, I am going to track forever if necessary if it means I stay at a healthy mid-range BMI after I reach it. I am done being overweight or obese. There's a lot of internal as well as external baggage attached to it I've carried along with it for the past 13 years I am so effing over at this age stage in life. So, Done. So, whatever it takes.
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cuteangelkitten wrote: »I don't track calories or my weight at all anymore and I feel so good to get rid of those awful shackles!
So, I am curious; why are you here? This is a tool to track calories, food, exercise, and weight. You've joined in August. What are you seeking if you don't track calories or weight? Please forgive me if I'm dense. Just trying to understand why someone with no interest in tracking participates on a site devoted to it.
The "F" in MFP is for Fitness, not for Fat or Food. Many people join this site not to keep track of their diet or daily calories for ever, but just to find a guidance and balance. MFP is a learning tool, not a devotion tool.
Some people that had eating disorder in the past, find that the daily tracking is counterproductive to their progress. It is not up to us to question people about their reasons to join this site, just because they don't use it as we/you do.
Correct; this community forum covers a broad range of topic subfolders besides weight loss. But weight loss specifically is roughly a little more than half of the community by the numbers and the modality of weight loss overwhelmingly, specifically, advocated on here is by adopting and following CICO. That is the draw. The Success Stories aren't full of OPs about personal bests at the gym/rack/track, they are about success when it comes to weight loss. For most, for the best success, this means tracking calories consumed in some fashion for a minimum of until their weight goals are achieved. Methods that do not, while absolutely present/voiced on the regular, are minority and not feature here.
Given the above, it means those who are not doing either/or (weight loss, tracking) are of course welcome in the weight loss subfolders, just like I am free to read and participate in the fitness or recipe or chit chat or debate folders. But then those who are not toeing the party weight loss via CICO line should refrain from inserting their counter-opinion into weight loss subfolder discussions when the discussion is clearly about weight loss, especially if the message is to discourage using calorie tracking for weight loss purposes. That should not only be common sense, but common courtesy.
It is also true this site supports those recovering from an ED(s), but it does not coddle them either. It is the recovering individuals responsibility to seek appropriate offline care if they find tracking to be a potential relapse "trigger" as far as their specific ED circumstances. Not foist their inability to use the tool of calorie tracking for weight loss in a healthy manner upon others as some other, superior, method.
I know if some poster, regardless of their personal situation/story, had told me when I first joined that I didn't/shouldn't track I would (A) be offended at the audacity of presuming to know *my* situation/story and, (B), likely be off-put enough to have decided this wasn't the website for me after all despite being directed here by Google when looking specifically for a CICO based weight loss community.
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In answer to the question of the posts title... yes, I will be tracking forever. If I don't, over time I begin to slip, and I also want to make sure I get enough fiber and calcium daily. It only takes a few minutes a day, my health is worth that to me. As for the post itself? I've been on my journey since 2012, and other than a year with online WW, I haven't spent a cent. Don't fall for all that hype, you don't have to blow money to take care of yourself, lose weight, exercise, etc. You just DO it.
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At 5' 9" I weighed 225 pounds. I can tell you for sure the guidelines are not wrong. I was a fat *kitten*. Compare pictures from before to now. The difference is dramatic. I was so outta shape and I looked like hell. The thing is I didn't think I had an issue. Now it is obvious.
Course, that raises the question ....
If you 'didnt think I had an issue', then WHY the change?0 -
I don't know if I will track forever. Technically in maintenance now and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I may taper off and not do it every day as I have a good grasp on calories but right now I am paying close attention to my sodium intake and trying to get that reduced.1
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Since I am going to eat and drink FOREVER, I am going to track FOREVER!8
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