MFP's most common user pitfall to avoid

SHBoss1673

I've been on MFP for a while. I'm what you'd call a success story. I not only lost the weight (all tolled about 65 lbs), but I gained lean mass, and I've kept the fat off for over 2 years now. I also became passionate about nutrition and health in the process and learned a thing or three over the years, I even went and got my ACE personal training certification and now train clients on the side.

So there are my credentials in a nutshell. Now what is that pitfall I mentioned?

You may think it's exercise calories, or types of food, or exercise, or even "falling off the wagon" but I don't think so.

the most common problem I see on MFP (2 parts, bear with me) is how people choose their goals.

There are 2 meanings to goals on MFP, 1st is your weekly goal (I.E. 2 lbs a week, 1 lb a week...etc.) and I see far to many people just blithely choosing 2 lbs a week even though they have no business trying for that much. 2 lbs a week is a goal designed for obese people, and people with large fat stores. The less fat you have to lose, the smaller your deficit should be.

The 2nd meaning of goals is what your final weight should be. This is nails on a chalk board to me for 2 reasons. 1st is that your goal should be a range, not a number. A fuzzy little circle where you should be "about" as in "I'm about 183 this week, I'm at my goal range." Instead of "I'm 183 today, my goal is 181 so I'm not at my goal yet." I usually give clients about a 10 to 20 lb range depending on their overall body size (I.E. a 6' tall man is closer to 20 lbs range and a 5'4" woman is closer to a 12 lb range). The second reason is that once you are close to that goal, it should no longer be about weight, weight is arbitrary, many things factor in besides fat, and fat is really all we should be looking to lose (for most of us at least). Once you get down into the healthy range for your height and age, body fat % and maybe size measurements should be goals, not weight.

That brings us to how someone chooses their end goal. your end goal shouldn't be "what I weighed in high school". Besides the fact that high school aged people are not finished growing, and people can put on between 10 and 40 lbs of lean mass between 17 and 25 years old, and that's NOT a bad thing. Plus, as the body ages, lean tissue density changes, NEEDS change in the body, and bone mass changes. Your weight should be age appropriate. I don't care if you're the most healthy 40 year old in the world, with the exact same measurements, you're still probably going to weigh more than you did in High School, just trust me on this one, I've done a lot of study into human anatomy and kinesiology, the body does not remain constant, it changes over the years. Trying to find your high school form is not only unrealistic, it's possibly unhealthy. it can lead to obsession and psychological issues (depression, OCD, eating disorders...etc.)

anyway, that's how I see it.

Do yourself a favor, sit down in a quiet place for about half an hour and think about how you came to your goals (both kinds), if you're working off old information, it might behoove you to change them. There are plenty of knowledgeable people on here willing to help you figure it out. All you need to do is ask someone.

regards all,

-Banks

FearAnLoathing

I actually want to weigh 15 pounds more than I did in highschool,I was a late bloomer so in highschool I had no shape to my body at all lol

Go_Lise

BUMP! I LOVE this post because it's SO TRUE.

LisaO2008

I enjoyed readying this thank you! it really makes you think!

erickirb

Bump

forestdancers

Thanks.

That was some good advice.

cccathyyy

Thanks for the post, really does make me think about my goals and put them in perspective. I'm going to keep mine the same but after reading what you posted I think I'm right at keeping them there for now, maybe down the line they will change.

Edestiny7

Very well said.

Splendidissimus

Thanks. I probably need to rethink my goal weight... Too bad that the end of your ticker can't just say "Not squishy".

kristiek7

thanks for this................just what i needed to hear, in a way that was easy to understand.......

CricketKate

Thank you for that! That is a huge pitfall to me, comparing myself to someone I used to be. I didn't have 4 children in High School. Though, truth be told, I was heavy in high school. But later, before children, I did lose weight. I tend to compare myself with who I was then and not who I should be now.

lashleyrivera

Omg this was soooo helpful!! Thank u for this! At first I did have my goal at 2 lbs a week but then I had to change it cause I was getting soo disappointed...and my goal is 3 pounds more then my highschool weight, until I see the jiggly stuff go away I won't be satisfied, personally idc wat the number is on the scale, I want to lose inches and tighten up..thanks again for this post! Very helpful:)

maz123

thanks for that its really informative

SHBoss1673

I actually want to weigh 15 pounds more than I did in highschool,I was a late bloomer so in highschool I had no shape to my body at all lol

My point simply being this, high school age is not a benchmark to use for any weight goals, not what you weighed, but your body chemistry. Some people may well be able to get back to their weight from high school. The point is, there are plenty of age adjusted, height adjusted, and frame type body weight tables on-line out there, I can post some of them if it's needed. In other words, don't just pick an arbitrary weight based on some weight you had in the past.

Hizzle85

thanks for this.

SHBoss1673

Thanks. I probably need to rethink my goal weight... Too bad that the end of your ticker can't just say "Not squishy".

LOL, I'll keep that thought in mind. I am definitely no longer as squishy as I used to be. Although I have my problem area's (don't we all?).

rebecky27

Thanks for that....goal setting is something I struggle with. I am obese, so will stick with the 2lbs/week. However, my overall goal I will have to rethink. I have stated that my goal was to be the size I was when I met my husband. I was 21, and pre-kids! Probably not the smartest goal I could come up with. I will ponder on it, however - at that weight when I was 21 - and feeling and thinking I looked good - still puts me at overweight according to BMI charts....I'm so confused!

sandrahover

Thank you so much!! This makes perfect sense! :happy:

Pineapples

Great post Banks, as always I enjoy reading.

SHBoss1673

Thank you for that! That is a huge pitfall to me, comparing myself to someone I used to be. I didn't have 4 children in High School. Though, truth be told, I was heavy in high school. But later, before children, I did lose weight. I tend to compare myself with who I was then and not who I should be now.

don't get me started on post-pregnancy women and goals. The female body changes massively after child birth. Don't believe it when some pop star has a baby and says "I got my pre-baby body back." they didn't, they have a DIFFERENT body now, it can still be sexy, and healthy, and beautiful, but it'll never be what it was pre-baby. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

JuliBiGoolee

Thanks for the post! I just started MFP about 3-4 weeks ago and lost 9 lbs rather quickly but now I have stalled out. Of course starting out new, I went for the 2lb/week goal. But I have been thinking that the pressure is actually making my weight loss stall out. I don't really have an end goal but I would be happy with a healthy BMI and somewhere closer to my suggested weight for my height and age. (5'7" and 31 yrs.) I'm currently at 174-5 and would be happy at 150.