Five Reasons Why This Dietitian Hates Calorie-Tracking Apps
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Five reasons why this calorie-tracking individual hates dietitians:
1. They think that just because their clients are morons, everyone else must be, as well.
2. They think that just because their clients are liars, everyone else must be, as well.
3. They don't understand that sugar from an Oreo is the same as sugar from a banana.
4. They demonize food instead of focusing on the real problem.
5. They play the "obsession" card in a poorly-disguised attempt to discredit people who are actually able to manage their weight successfully with free calorie-tracking apps and without paying for the services of a dietitian.
# of lbs I've lost using a calorie-tracking app: 113
# of years I've kept it off: 3 and counting
# of dietitians whose help I've required: 0
*fistbump*0 -
A good rule of thumb that I follow...
It it's on the Huffington Post, it's dumb.0 -
Five reasons why this calorie-tracking individual hates dietitians:
1. They think that just because their clients are morons, everyone else must be, as well.
2. They think that just because their clients are liars, everyone else must be, as well.
3. They don't understand that sugar from an Oreo is the same as sugar from a banana.
4. They demonize food instead of focusing on the real problem.
5. They play the "obsession" card in a poorly-disguised attempt to discredit people who are actually able to manage their weight successfully with free calorie-tracking apps and without paying for the services of a dietitian.
# of lbs I've lost using a calorie-tracking app: 113
# of years I've kept it off: 3 and counting
# of dietitians whose help I've required: 0
Bingo!0 -
I'm not going to debate it because this is an internet forum and any debate on it will digress into an argument about cats or whether Han Solo actually shot first.
So you post this on a calorie-counting website and expected no debate?1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories from Oreos and calories from chicken breast aren't metabolized the same way after you eat them, and therefore the calories absorbed differ between the two foods (and between all foods). Yes, the tracker does measure other things too, but its primary measurement is calories taken in. Technically, you can eat your 1400 calories a day in total crap, and the calorie tracker doesn't know any better because to it, a calorie is a calorie and it will still congratulate you for being within your calorie range. Too bad for you that your body knows better, and good luck trying to fool it. The whole thing is mostly a guessing game anyhow -- given that even the nutrition labels on foods are sometimes off up to 15 per cent in calories, how in the world does a person accurately record the calories of everything they eat - especially in restaurants, from unlabeled items, and dishes that other people make? A relaxing, fun meal with friends in a great restaurant can become riddled with angst because of the fear of going into the 'red' zone in the app. How fun is that?
Studies have proven that a diet filled with junk food, like Twinkies and Big Macs, can still lead to weight loss if a calorie deficit is created so this is just bogus. MFP has never promised you a way to track a healthy diet. Only that you can eat what you want and lose weight. Which is accurate.2. You can lose your hunger cues.
Some people, upon learning that they have used up their calorie allowance for the day, are instantly fake-hungry. As in, psychologically, not physiologically, hungry because they know that food is off limits. It's the same when the tracker shows a few calories left at the end of the day: some of us would feel compelled to consume them, even if we weren't hungry. Hunger cues were given to us by nature for a reason. Calorie tracker apps have a bad way of messing with them.
This doesn't even make sense. When you are hungry, you will feel hungry. There may be some psychological components to hunger cues, but I am under the impression that you would have to train yourself mentally to do this.3. Exercise doesn't erase a day of poor choices.
Some apps give you a 'net calories' figure, which are the calories left after the app subtracts the calories burned from all sorts of activities. These 'net calories' are the only ones that count towards your daily calorie total. I hate to say it, but that's the epitome of oversimplification. You can't eat a crap diet (or massive amounts of food in general) and then burn the calories off like that, it's just not the way things happen. If you don't believe me, look up 'gaining weight while training for a marathon'. At some point, you've got to stop eating so much, even if you're doing a crazy amount of activity.
No. It doesn't. But calorie-tracking apps, like MFP, do not promise you that exercise will erase poor choices so...4. Predictions made by calorie counting apps may cause you to want to chuck your phone at the wall.
How in the world does the app know what you're going to weigh in a month if you continue eating as you did that day? Does it know the inner workings of your metabolic rate? Does it have a crystal ball? Who knows, but some apps sure feel confident about predicting massive gain or loss of weight based on one day of eating, and those random predictions sure make some people feel anxious as hell. That's not healthy, that's totally faulty.
This statement here seems to specifically be targetting MFP as this is one of its features. I haven't used other apps so I'm not sure if it is relevant to most or all of them, but after using the app awhile, it doesn't take a genius to figure out the relative uselessness of that feature and to discontinue using it.5. Constantly measuring and recording everything you eat can easily slip into obsessive behavior.
Eating smart does include knowing what you're putting in your mouth and understanding that some foods are more calorie dense than others, so I'm not in any way suggesting that people don't educate themselves about the food they eat and the situations and times and reasons, if you will, that they eat it. I am, however, against the long-term tracking of calories because it can become obsessive, especially if you have an obsessive-type personality. Don't get caught.
This is true for some. But this is also the method that most doctors and nutritionists recommend for weight loss so... I'm at a loss again.0 -
1. whatever tiny differences in energy burn it takes to digest different foods is a) tiny and b) not enough to screw up your results and c) if the calorie estimate given by the counter is off by enough to mess with your results, then it's not because of the foods you eat, but because it's just a calculator that gives you an estimate based on averages and not everyone is average, and.... guess what!!!.... you can adjust your calorie goal based on real world results.... that's what I did because MFP and most calorie calculators underestimate my BMR because I have a high lean body mass for my height. No biggie... it's not difficult to do... if you're not losing at the desired rate then subtract a couple of hundred calories from your goal and see how that goes, if you're excessively hungry then add a couple of hundred calories to your goal and see how that goes. Adjust until you find the ideal number where you're losing fat slowly and steadily (the desired rate depends on how much you have to lose) and are not constantly hungry.
2. I didn't lose my hunger cues. In fact, quite the opposite. Pre calorie counting I was in a cycle of accidental undereating (i.e. not feeling hungry even though I hadn't eaten anywhere near enough food) followed by rebound overeating (when my appetite came back it came back with avengence and I'd eat too much and gain weight)... that's what got me obese. Calorie counting basically taught me what normal portion sizes are and got me in the habit of eating a certain amount of food daily, i.e. the right amount of food for me. These days, having reached my goal weight, so long as I pay attention to macros (i.e. enough protein and fat and not going OTT on carbs) I can maintain my weight *without tracking* and these days I only track when cutting... not when bulking or maintaining.
3.You can't eat a crap diet (or massive amounts of food in general) and then burn the calories off like that, it's just not the way things happen.
Oh but yes you can and yes that is just the way things happen. Because Homo erectus.... basically, we eat food to give us energy to be able to do stuff. That's how animals work. The whole entire animal kingdom. Not even just Homo erectus... Granted if you eat *too much* you store the excess energy as fat, but *newsflash*....... that's what the calorie counting app is for.... so we eat the right amount of calories.... and none of it gets stored as fat......... so yeah, you eat food, it gives you energy to do stuff, and as you do stuff the energy gets burned off (if we want to be technical, it isn't actually burned off, it's converted into other forms of energy such as kinetic energy and thermal energy, but none of these are fat so all is cool (well thermal energy is warm rather than cool but you get what I mean))...
4. yes this is true, the predictions are silly. Does anyone actually take them seriously though? Personally I like to laugh at just how wrong they are, like them telling me I'll gain weight when I'm actually steadily losing weight on that amount of calories. Really, people can't take this info with a pinch of salt? People won't get that it's just an estimate based on averages, like the calorie goal number, and put them into context?
5. It can indeed. As can the systematic avoidance of foods deemed to be "unclean" as evidenced by people who obsessively avoid huge numbers of different foods because they fear toxinz or whatever it is they fear in them.... so, I guess the human race is doomed then, because you have to do *something* to create a calorie deficit, and whatever method you use could be taken to ridiculous extremes by some people.0 -
1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories from Oreos and calories from chicken breast aren't metabolized the same way after you eat them, and therefore the calories absorbed differ between the two foods (and between all foods). Yes, the tracker does measure other things too, but its primary measurement is calories taken in. Technically, you can eat your 1400 calories a day in total crap, and the calorie tracker doesn't know any better because to it, a calorie is a calorie and it will still congratulate you for being within your calorie range. Too bad for you that your body knows better, and good luck trying to fool it. The whole thing is mostly a guessing game anyhow -- given that even the nutrition labels on foods are sometimes off up to 15 per cent in calories, how in the world does a person accurately record the calories of everything they eat - especially in restaurants, from unlabeled items, and dishes that other people make? A relaxing, fun meal with friends in a great restaurant can become riddled with angst because of the fear of going into the 'red' zone in the app. How fun is that?
Studies have proven that a diet filled with junk food, like Twinkies and Big Macs, can still lead to weight loss if a calorie deficit is created so this is just bogus. MFP has never promised you a way to track a healthy diet. Only that you can eat what you want and lose weight. Which is accurate.
To be honest, I check my micros all the time on MFP. It's one of the areas where I think they beat Weight Watchers cold - I've been driven to MUCH healthier options with the feedback MFP provides.0 -
From the Huffington Post. Interesting article and I have my own opinion but I just put this out for people to read and come to their own conclusion. I'm not going to debate it because this is an internet forum and any debate on it will digress into an argument about cats or whether Han Solo actually shot first.
1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories are calories and when I count them, I lose, when I don't, I don't lose. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether I'm counting Oreo calories or broccoli calories.
2. You can lose your hunger cues.
My hunger cues (or lack of them) got me into this mess. When I'm out of calories, I decide. Keep eating or stop for the day.
3. Exercise doesn't erase a day of poor choices.
Who said it did?
4. Predictions made by calorie counting apps may cause you to want to chuck your phone at the wall.
I think it's a stupid feature of MFP but I don't want to chuck my phone at the wall, nor do I feel like it's a crazy maker. I just say, "sure, sure, in 5 weeks I could lose 3 kilos, whatever" and move on.
5. Constantly measuring and recording everything you eat can easily slip into obsessive behavior.
I agree that it could, but that's disordered eating. Fortunately, it hasn't become a problem for me. I'm just glad I have a tool to help keep me on track.
6. I agree with the guy who said if it's on HuffPost, it's stupid. Just a bunch of other people's opinions, and everyone's got one!0 -
1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories from Oreos and calories from chicken breast aren't metabolized the same way after you eat them, and therefore the calories absorbed differ between the two foods (and between all foods). Yes, the tracker does measure other things too, but its primary measurement is calories taken in. Technically, you can eat your 1400 calories a day in total crap, and the calorie tracker doesn't know any better because to it, a calorie is a calorie and it will still congratulate you for being within your calorie range. Too bad for you that your body knows better, and good luck trying to fool it. The whole thing is mostly a guessing game anyhow -- given that even the nutrition labels on foods are sometimes off up to 15 per cent in calories, how in the world does a person accurately record the calories of everything they eat - especially in restaurants, from unlabeled items, and dishes that other people make? A relaxing, fun meal with friends in a great restaurant can become riddled with angst because of the fear of going into the 'red' zone in the app. How fun is that?
Studies have proven that a diet filled with junk food, like Twinkies and Big Macs, can still lead to weight loss if a calorie deficit is created so this is just bogus. MFP has never promised you a way to track a healthy diet. Only that you can eat what you want and lose weight. Which is accurate.
To be honest, I check my micros all the time on MFP. It's one of the areas where I think they beat Weight Watchers cold - I've been driven to MUCH healthier options with the feedback MFP provides.
Yeah, but I was pointing out that MFP can't be held accountable for your choices. No one really can. That doesn't mean that you can't lose weight eating whatever you want.0 -
Huffington Post strikes out again0
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1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories from Oreos and calories from chicken breast aren't metabolized the same way after you eat them, and therefore the calories absorbed differ between the two foods (and between all foods). Yes, the tracker does measure other things too, but its primary measurement is calories taken in. Technically, you can eat your 1400 calories a day in total crap, and the calorie tracker doesn't know any better because to it, a calorie is a calorie and it will still congratulate you for being within your calorie range. Too bad for you that your body knows better, and good luck trying to fool it. The whole thing is mostly a guessing game anyhow -- given that even the nutrition labels on foods are sometimes off up to 15 per cent in calories, how in the world does a person accurately record the calories of everything they eat - especially in restaurants, from unlabeled items, and dishes that other people make? A relaxing, fun meal with friends in a great restaurant can become riddled with angst because of the fear of going into the 'red' zone in the app. How fun is that?
Studies have proven that a diet filled with junk food, like Twinkies and Big Macs, can still lead to weight loss if a calorie deficit is created so this is just bogus. MFP has never promised you a way to track a healthy diet. Only that you can eat what you want and lose weight. Which is accurate.
To be honest, I check my micros all the time on MFP. It's one of the areas where I think they beat Weight Watchers cold - I've been driven to MUCH healthier options with the feedback MFP provides.
Yeah, but I was pointing out that MFP can't be held accountable for your choices. No one really can. That doesn't mean that you can't lose weight eating whatever you want.
Absolutely, but they do a pretty nice job of tracking a healthy diet if you use the tool the way it was intended. It does a phenomenal job at tracking macros and that means nothing in the face of my ability to choose my diet. Perhaps that's why I don't get obsessive: I treat MFP as a learning tool rather than some sort of limitation. If I'm really hungry and over my macros, I'll eat a snack to support my micros.0 -
Just wanted to get the cat argument going :laugh:0 -
1. Your body doesn't work like that.
Calories from Oreos and calories from chicken breast aren't metabolized the same way after you eat them, and therefore the calories absorbed differ between the two foods (and between all foods). Yes, the tracker does measure other things too, but its primary measurement is calories taken in. Technically, you can eat your 1400 calories a day in total crap, and the calorie tracker doesn't know any better because to it, a calorie is a calorie and it will still congratulate you for being within your calorie range. Too bad for you that your body knows better, and good luck trying to fool it.
So you magically won't lose weight despite a significant deficit? I agree that just not overeating is not sufficient for health, especially if you are one of these oh-so-common people (who I've never met) who are prone to eat only cake, but this assertion is either a serious misunderstanding of how one gains and loses weight or, more likely, an effort to claim that it's really super complicated to figure out one's diet and thus you need a dietician.2. You can lose your hunger cues.
Some people, upon learning that they have used up their calorie allowance for the day, are instantly fake-hungry. As in, psychologically, not physiologically, hungry because they know that food is off limits. It's the same when the tracker shows a few calories left at the end of the day: some of us would feel compelled to consume them, even if we weren't hungry.
Yeah, maybe, but there certainly also seem to be plenty of people on MFP who aren't hungry despite having lots of calories left. And more to the point, if you think you need to track your calories, perhaps your ability to eat based on hunger and only consume calories needed to maintain is not that great and you need to retrain it or find another method.
Also, humans generally seem not to be so good at this, since throughout our history it really wasn't an issue (scarcity being more common, as well as much higher levels of physical activity) and now that it is the rate of overweight and obseity is climbing.3. Exercise doesn't erase a day of poor choices.
Some apps give you a 'net calories' figure, which are the calories left after the app subtracts the calories burned from all sorts of activities. These 'net calories' are the only ones that count towards your daily calorie total. I hate to say it, but that's the epitome of oversimplification. You can't eat a crap diet (or massive amounts of food in general) and then burn the calories off like that, it's just not the way things happen. If you don't believe me, look up 'gaining weight while training for a marathon'. At some point, you've got to stop eating so much, even if you're doing a crazy amount of activity.
Sure you can, if you count calories in and calories burned correctly and have sufficient physical activity (which of course many people who try losing weight by exercising more do not). I personally did gain weight training for a marathon (about 5 lbs, from 125 to 130), but I wouldn't have it I'd been tracking calories or my diet at all, and that's more evidence that hunger cues are questionable, not that exercise calories are irrelevant. I've also lost weight by increasing exercise (and at the same time being careful that my eating did not increase), and gained by stopping exercise without decreasing my eating enough to compensate.4. Predictions made by calorie counting apps may cause you to want to chuck your phone at the wall.
Yeah, those are kind of stupid, but getting that wrapped up in them is more so.5. Constantly measuring and recording everything you eat can easily slip into obsessive behavior.
For some people there is this risk, but my guess is if not that then something else will trigger it. Like following all the advice your dietician gives you to the tee and being afraid to deviate, maybe! Personally, I think it's weird to want someone else to give you a diet plan, but everyone's mileage varies. I'm also generally skeptical about how good the advice from a dietician is going to be, and this piece did not alleviate that skepticism.0 -
Great. What would this dietician suggest we do, then?0
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Also want to add that we don't just track calories. We also track macros and other things.0
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Five reasons why this calorie-tracking individual hates dietitians:
1. They think that just because their clients are morons, everyone else must be, as well.
2. They think that just because their clients are liars, everyone else must be, as well.
3. They don't understand that sugar from an Oreo is the same as sugar from a banana.
4. They demonize food instead of focusing on the real problem.
5. They play the "obsession" card in a poorly-disguised attempt to discredit people who are actually able to manage their weight successfully with free calorie-tracking apps and without paying for the services of a dietitian.
# of lbs I've lost using a calorie-tracking app: 113
# of years I've kept it off: 3 and counting
# of dietitians whose help I've required: 0
FTW0 -
That article actually rings pretty true for me. I have had much better success by listen to my body's cues than with tracking.
Total opposite for me.
Back when I listened to my body I got to my heaviest weight (123 lb heavier than I am now)
I basically never feel hungry, and always feel hungry. I could always go for a donut or Twix or a beef and cheese burrito because it tastes good and gives me a fleeting yet pleasurable "high". I could go for seven different flavors of macaron right after dinner, always. I could also just sit at home messing about on the internet and reading and not eat anything for 16 hours and be like "oh yeah I should eat". Hunger cues aren't part of my makeup, apparently.
So for me...I am better off counting calories.
Completely agree. I did not mean to suggest that everyone's experience would be the same as mine.0 -
Five reasons why this calorie-tracking individual hates dietitians:
1. They think that just because their clients are morons, everyone else must be, as well.
2. They think that just because their clients are liars, everyone else must be, as well.
3. They don't understand that sugar from an Oreo is the same as sugar from a banana.
4. They demonize food instead of focusing on the real problem.
5. They play the "obsession" card in a poorly-disguised attempt to discredit people who are actually able to manage their weight successfully with free calorie-tracking apps and without paying for the services of a dietitian.
# of lbs I've lost using a calorie-tracking app: 113
# of years I've kept it off: 3 and counting
# of dietitians whose help I've required: 0
Because you lost weight without the help of a dietician seems a pretty lame excuse for hating dieticians.0 -
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Calorie counting doesn't work -- for people who already have intellectual or serious emotional problems.
There, fixed it for you.0 -
Even though everyone's different, I've heard enough bull**** coming from a few dieticians, who should actually know better than anyone how human body and nutrition work, when in fact they're just messing with the most basical knowledges I've learnt during my Biochemistry class at university...
Dieticians usually provide you a food plan that also includes a daily calorie amount, and you're also allowed to have a treat once a week or so. They usually also advice you to make some exercise. What's so different from what we're doing on here? Nothing much. But considering that I lost almost 20 kgs and didn't need to go to a dietician, maybe calorie counting apps are not that bad.0
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