Five Reasons Why This Dietitian Hates Calorie-Tracking Apps
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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 -
Thank you for sharing this. I'm inclined to partially agree with the angry dietician insofar that many people who use calorie counters do not know what they're doing. For everyone else who's eating responsibly and healthfully, the calorie counter is a very helpful tool. But I can see how many might abuse it...however...I think that if a person ate 1500 calories worth of pizza a day and nothing more, they'd eventually lose weight, even their food choices weren't exactly optimal
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Dietitians have many purposes but for many of us, we can learn enough about food that we can use that knowledge to help us lose weight or achieve our goals without a dietitian.
I do feel like a great portion of the population has NO sound knowledge about food and what they put into their bodies. Often a dietitian is the person who will help teach them about it.
I remember when I was younger and playing soccer. The team hired a dietitian to come speak to us and one of the items I will never forget is "|Iced Tea is just as bad as soda" Most of us here already know this but if you think about it I'm sure there are a TON of people that will order an Iced Tea (i'm talking lipton or Nestea crap) instead of soda thinking they are doing their bodies a favor....
Anyways, ultimately its what works for you. Some people can do it with out and some people have progress because of their dietitian.
Let's not bash people or methods because it didn't work for you.0 -
Interestingly, a few years ago my teenager was referred to a registered dietician by her pediatrician.
One of the first things the dietician did was talk about (and suggest!) calorie counting apps. MFP was on the list (even though it's for adults, not teens) as was sparkteens. Of course the dietician gave a recommended calorie level and some guidelines to eating a more healthful, rounded diet, but tracking calories was certainly part of the discussion!0 -
6. They see how many more clients and money they could have had....0
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wow, I've been buying shirts designed for Homo Sapiens all this time. Maybe that's why my clothes look so bad on me!0
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Great. What would this dietician suggest we do, then?
Go pay a dietician.0 -
I actually agree with most of the stuff the OP has said...
I love MFP, but agree you have to think about what you're putting into your body, not just how many calories it contains. I know from looking at others diaries, that there are A LOT of people who will skip breakfast and have a basically non existent lunch, just so they can consume 1,500 calories for dinner. That's not what your body wants!!0 -
The Huffington Post makes for expensive bird-cage lining.
And this article contradicts my experience and, I would bet, most other MFP members' experiences.
I imagine this dietician is bitter because (s)he cannot match the success of MFP (not to mention the cost.)
Look around this site, at all the members with success stories and then ask this dietician how many people members they, personally, helped. I'm sure the numbers are in MFP's favor.0 -
My thinking on this is it's like in math class when you're supposed to "show your work." I say if you can get the right answer (that is, weight loss) without showing your work (counting) then keep it up. If you find you're getting the wrong answer (gaining or not losing) then it might be time to show your work (start counting).
VERY well said!!! I agree completely. I have a good friend who is always trying different weight loss methods and workouts. He tried MFP for a couple of days and then said because he seemed to be doing ok, he wasn't going to mess with it anymore because he "doesn't need it". He's about 200 lb heavier than he ought to be, health wise. smh
(I am NOT out to say that every single person should calorie count or that it is the only way...but really!?)0 -
Dietitians have many purposes but for many of us, we can learn enough about food that we can use that knowledge to help us lose weight or achieve our goals without a dietitian.
I do feel like a great portion of the population has NO sound knowledge about food and what they put into their bodies. Often a dietitian is the person who will help teach them about it.
I remember when I was younger and playing soccer. The team hired a dietitian to come speak to us and one of the items I will never forget is "|Iced Tea is just as bad as soda" Most of us here already know this but if you think about it I'm sure there are a TON of people that will order an Iced Tea (i'm talking lipton or Nestea crap) instead of soda thinking they are doing their bodies a favor....
Anyways, ultimately its what works for you. Some people can do it with out and some people have progress because of their dietitian.
Let's not bash people or methods because it didn't work for you.
I'm not how iced tea is "as bad as" soda... I'm not sure where to even start with that.
However, I agree with the rest of your comment.0 -
I actually agree with most of the stuff the OP has said...
I love MFP, but agree you have to think about what you're putting into your body, not just how many calories it contains. I know from looking at others diaries, that there are A LOT of people who will skip breakfast and have a basically non existent lunch, just so they can consume 1,500 calories for dinner. That's not what your body wants!!
I know of at least three people who successfully do Intermittent Fasting, with incredible results and a more balanced diet than most of us. It's not magical, but neither is eating 3, 4, or 6 meals a day.0 -
this whole thing was enlightening to me b/c I had no idea people used tracking in this way -
I track what I eat \b/c I like to see the impact it has on my running/ race times and some of my health issues
I never viewed a calorie as a calorie and eat primarily veggies and fruit (with occasional nuts, whole grains and peanut butter ) - my junk food would be the occasional popcorn or a luna bar
Is it true that ppl actually do this - eat garbage and figure as long as they are within their goal they are ok? or force themselves to eat something if they are under goal?0 -
Dietitians have many purposes but for many of us, we can learn enough about food that we can use that knowledge to help us lose weight or achieve our goals without a dietitian.
I do feel like a great portion of the population has NO sound knowledge about food and what they put into their bodies. Often a dietitian is the person who will help teach them about it.
I remember when I was younger and playing soccer. The team hired a dietitian to come speak to us and one of the items I will never forget is "|Iced Tea is just as bad as soda" Most of us here already know this but if you think about it I'm sure there are a TON of people that will order an Iced Tea (i'm talking lipton or Nestea crap) instead of soda thinking they are doing their bodies a favor....
Anyways, ultimately its what works for you. Some people can do it with out and some people have progress because of their dietitian.
Let's not bash people or methods because it didn't work for you.
I'm not how iced tea is "as bad as" soda... I'm not sure where to even start with that.
However, I agree with the rest of your comment.
In terms of sugar..... that is all iced tea gives you. Maybe not as much as a can of coke or pepsi.... but really that is all you are getting out of it.
Now, brewed tea and poured over ice is a different story.0 -
this whole thing was enlightening to me b/c I had no idea people used tracking in this way -
I track what I eat \b/c I like to see the impact it has on my running/ race times and some of my health issues
I never viewed a calorie as a calorie and eat primarily veggies and fruit (with occasional nuts, whole grains and peanut butter ) - my junk food would be the occasional popcorn or a luna bar
Is it true that ppl actually do this - eat garbage and figure as long as they are within their goal they are ok? or force themselves to eat something if they are under goal?
Yes it is true.0 -
bump0
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Interesting read.0
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In my 50 years every single dietitian I've met and listened to has been wrong factually. They all seem to be skewed one way or the other. The sad thing is the science of food and nutrition is an ever changing thing and the more they are learning the more they know that the more there is that they do not know. My previous Dr. prescribed MFP to me. He'd still be my Dr. but he moved away. There are a number of diets (content) as opposed to dieting that work and for different people. A dietitian will not know just by looking or talking to you which is right for you. I can and have ridden thousands of miles a year and not lost weight. I add tracking with MFP while eating the same foods and I am losing weight. I'm fairly sure dietitians would not approve of my diet and would want me to eat less fat and protein and more carbs but what I do works for ME and my bloodwork proves it.0
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I actually kinda like the "If you ate this way every day you'd weigh this much in 5 weeks". I know it is just a guess and isn't real life, but it is nice when I'm under my goal by a smidge and see for instance a number for 5 weeks from now that is in the 150s instead of the 160s. It's motivational to me and makes me smile. 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.
I prefer to educate myself. Dietitians are ok when needed, but in my experience, sometimes wrong.0
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