MFP's most common user pitfall to avoid

lisa_lotte

GREAT post!!! Thank you!!!

atomdraco

True. I put down a number because MFP asking for. But I'm more targeted on body fat %, and being healthy. If I don't get to my "goal" number, but I build up all good muscle mass (lean, toned), I'll be very satisfied. Wish they have a choice for you to use fat % as a goal.

Rubie81

Bump. Awesome info. Thanks for taking the time to share.

CARNAT22

Great thread!

I don't have much to lose so lb a week (or half a lb a week as I get closer is fine with me!)

I picked my goal weight to be exactly in the middle of my happy range 112 - 122lbs is a good range for me so I picked 117lb which was the median average :-)

NotAllWhoWanderAreLost

unless you're 18.5 years old, you have no place trying to strive for being like you "were like in high school", IMO :noway:

secondly, i was just having a similar convo with my husband the other day (he recently joined MFP but is not fully committed to logging yet and is keeping everything private). He said he was way over on his calories and i asked him what his daily target (cals) was and he said it was 12__something and i was like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?! What do you have your weight loss goal set as?! And he said 2 pounds a week. Yep. Thats problem #1: don't set your goal to 2lbs a week for the first week or two. You want some time to learn accurate logging, measuring and weighing foods. You want to see how your numbers are working out at the end of the day. How many calories are you typically eating? How big is a serving size? Have you been faithfully reading labels? Are you waaaaay too high in sodium? Are your carbs/protein/fats ratios way out of skew? How are you doing on water consumption? With a goal set to MAINTAIN or LOSS of just 0.5lbs/wk initially, you can take the time to learn all these things without getting frustrated with an attempt to eat too little, be damned what it is, then going over on a 'to hell with it binge' or worse yet: falling off the wagon completely.

So if you are brand-spanking-new here, first of all, congratulations on taking an important first step. Second, take time to have patience with yourself and the process

thanks for the post!

adamstc88

Thanks for the post. I really started counting my calories and exercising in january and I am only down 3lbs but I know I have lost inches and I feel so much better. I am fitting in clothes that I have not worn in 2 years. My husband keeps telling me to stop looking at the scale.

get_it_gone2012

bump - thanks!


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SHBoss1673

Happy to see all the positive responses, glad I could help guys. Keep it coming, I love hearing the good stories.

erickirb

unless you're 18.5 years old, you have no place trying to strive for being like you "were like in high school", IMO :noway:

I am back to my high school weight and have been here for over 2 years now. Up and down within 10 pounds but at the high end is what I weighed in grade 12, and I turn 32 in march, graduated 14 years ago.

usmcpatience

Amen!

live2smyle

fyi, here's a simple height to weight ratio chart for most people (adults).

not for use with teens and children.

Please note, this is NOT age adjusted. This is super super super generic. But it's ok if you understand this going in. And know that this is just a suggestion, not a hard and fast law. Some people can be perfectly fine outside this chart!

Thank you so much for posting this! I am 5'5 but have always been curvy...HS I weighed 145, so like all others I figured I would shoot for that since it was in the "healthy" range. My husband just recently wigged out about it though, saying he thinks 150-155 is good and anything less I would be to skinny for my bone structure...Figuring all this out quite frankly is a bit of torture

TK266

My highest high school weight was 163 lbs. I would never want to be that weight again. I like my 190 lbs on my frame now.

Great post as usual!!

SHBoss1673

unless you're 18.5 years old, you have no place trying to strive for being like you "were like in high school", IMO :noway:

I am back to my high school weight and have been here for over 2 years now. Up and down within 10 pounds but at the high end is what I weighed in grade 12, and I turn 32 in march, graduated 14 years ago.

I think the point wasn't that someone CAN get to that weight, the point (and I'm making an educated guess here, correct me if I'm wrong) is that, for most people, that weight is probably not going to be the correct weight for them. Maybe you are the exception that proves the rule, or maybe you had more fat in high school but now have less fat but more lean tissue. Dunno. heck, we could all get down to that weight if we wanted and had the right set of conditions, the idea is to be the right weight for you now, not what your "happy weight" was as some far off distant past. In other words, base your goals off realistic, proven concepts, not unsubstantiated ideas and memories.

wynencheese

Thanks for the advise. Wrords of encouragement is what keeps us all going.

laurenk182004

I always enjoy your educated advice! Good readin'

SHBoss1673

Thank you so much for posting this! I am 5'5 but have always been curvy...HS I weighed 145, so like all others I figured I would shoot for that since it was in the "healthy" range. My husband just recently wigged out about it though, saying he thinks 150-155 is good and anything less I would be to skinny for my bone structure...Figuring all this out quite frankly is a bit of torture

this is why I like ranges. besides giving you some breathing room, it can avoid fights.

incidentally I think both of you are wrong, and right. I think you COULD be that weight if you really wanted to (probably, I'm guessing), then again, you could be 155 to. A lot of that depends on muscle mass. You could be 2 dress sizes smaller yet weight 10 lbs more than you do now (theoretically) because the same amount of muscle is about 1/5th the size as fat. In other words, drop 10 lbs of fat of your mid-section (randomly chosen amount) and add 10 lbs of muscle mass and you would probably lose at least a few inches off your waist, yet not lose a pound of body weight.

kludwig04

bump

autumn5gabby

Thank you for the information. I havent heard this on here. My main focus is being healthy and setting a better example for my kids. Its easy to get caught up in the numbers.

ErinBeth7

I picked my weight goal to be around 140 because that is the weight I needed to reach for healthy BMI given my height.

SHBoss1673

I picked my weight goal to be around 140 because that is the weight I needed to reach for healthy BMI given my height.

it's a better choice than many I see on here. I'm not a huge BMI fan as it's really not a great measure for individual weight, but as a top end for goals, I'm cool with that. As long as you're aware that it does not factor in muscle mass and once you get close you may need to adjust.

MyBeautyIsSkinDeep

This was so helpful!!! and Iam rethinking some things right now !! Thanks for sharing the truth!! Which it makes plenty of since !!:bigsmile:

live2smyle

Thank you so much for posting this! I am 5'5 but have always been curvy...HS I weighed 145, so like all others I figured I would shoot for that since it was in the "healthy" range. My husband just recently wigged out about it though, saying he thinks 150-155 is good and anything less I would be to skinny for my bone structure...Figuring all this out quite frankly is a bit of torture

this is why I like ranges. besides giving you some breathing room, it can avoid fights.

incidentally I think both of you are wrong, and right. I think you COULD be that weight if you really wanted to (probably, I'm guessing), then again, you could be 155 to. A lot of that depends on muscle mass. You could be 2 dress sizes smaller yet weight 10 lbs more than you do now (theoretically) because the same amount of muscle is about 1/5th the size as fat. In other words, drop 10 lbs of fat of your mid-section (randomly chosen amount) and add 10 lbs of muscle mass and you would probably lose at least a few inches off your waist, yet not lose a pound of body weight.

I dont want to shoot this off topic...however I am a bit confused about this topic of muscle mass vs fat mass. I would like to say first off that I have been lifting weights as I go arms, legs, & abs so that when I do lose the weight I am not flabby still...Should I be doing that? I have to admit I am starting to see the muscles and I havent since HS...I think its awesome :blushing: However...Since muscle takes up way less room I am finding it hard to wrap my head around the fact that I can weigh 155 and be all muscle, and not look like a dude. I hope I am stating that right. I have always thought myself to be one of those people with big muscles naturally, so I am worried seriously worried that my thighs will still be huge, just be all muscle make sense?

amandakay23

Very well said indeed..my husband asked me last night, "why are you beating yourself up when you have already met and exceeded your original goal?" It made me think and confirmed what I have been trying to process for the last few weeks. I am really trying hard not to focus on numbers, but on eating healthy, excersising, and developing muscle and endurance. I have never been felt healthy or felt like I liked my body, I am learning to love myself and how I feel. This post is so true...it is easy to get obsessive and crazy about it. I hope everyone reads this!

elvb

I'm actually going for a weight that's about 15 lbs over what I weighed when I got pregnant with my first child. I actually am at the weight I was happiest at about 10 years ago. But 10 years ago I was leaner and didn't have an extra two kids. Three kids later and I think if I can get to 130-135, even though it's still overweight in my BMI, I'll be extremely happy!
I've actually done a custom goal set for myself...up from 1200 to 1275 losing approximately .8 lbs a week and I'm perfectly fine with that. I work out every other day so I know I'm building muscle on top of losing the fat. I'll be happy even if I only get to 140 as long as I can fit into a size 8 jeans without muffin top!!

Just_Dot

Oh Banks...you rock!

mikeyml

Great post - thank you. I see a lot of people make the mistake of 2lbs a week because they want to take the fastest road to weight loss. That's my current weekly goal but, of course, I am obese with large amounts of fat deposits. Secondly I think you're right about the overall goal weight. I see a lot of women say they want to weigh 120 or 125 when that might not even be the best weight for them to end up at. It just sounds like a good number. My end goal weight at the moment is 195 which is 10 pounds overweight according to the BMI for my height. But really as soon as I can fit back into size 35-36 jeans I will be happy again. From there I will work on building lean muscle and strengthening my core and forget about reaching a specific weight.

*Edit - I wish I could reach the 18 minute 5k goal that you listed. That's insane! It will never happen for me lol. My all time best was averaging 7 minute miles (21 min 5k) and right now I'm stuck at 15 minute miles...I have a LONG way to go. And I disagree with the chart and the BMI ranges but that's nothing new.

cindy4mica

never really thought about it that way - thanks.

karsmith0513

love your post and do understand, unfortunately the world has us all too set on numbers, bmi, and model bodies. I have not grown since i was 12. except for wider. as i got older they keep raising the body weight at some point i was trying to figure when they would stop and consider one obese. In high school I was 95 after kids i was about 117 then hit the 120-125 and after back problems i went way up. Now healthy again at barely 5' I am trying to get back into the 120 something range. with more exercise come more appetite and i'm gaining and loosing the same 4lbs every week. i try not eating past 7pm and take my lunch and breakfast to work most days. I will try for the one pound or half a week and make march a better month. thank you for your post. frustrated, but still love working out, just wish I didn't like eating as much as working out. lol

charityateet

Awesome post. Thank you - I don't have a goal weight. I set a loss of 50lbs to start with (started @ 209) so I know that I could be completely comfortable at 160. The thing is, I weighed 147 in H.S. but was not in shape (I'm 5'6") went pretty skinny (for me) in 2000 @ 132 lbs (not toned at all, just sickly skinny). When I did the fitness challenge in '07 I was 174lbs and 22% body fat (measured w/calipers by a trained tech) 174 was great - I was feeling pretty good, but honestly it was a lot of work to lift weights so often. So, I'll stick with what I'm doing - slow and steady......and see how I feel along the way! Thanks again!

ebgbjo

Bump- Need to read this later