are we sometimes congratulating people for undereating? Loo

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  • bootlebop1979
    bootlebop1979 Posts: 42
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    I agree with ya! Btw- I am never under my goal. Since I joined, I have been over my goal every single day. However, I am still losing weight. I may need to cut out a few "extras" later if it becomes an issue. I don't always have to have my Starbucks!
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    From my profile page: "Note to folks requesting MFP "friendship", I will happily cheer you on, but don't hope for comments on your daily calorie posts unless I can see your diary. I'm a firm believer in meeting your Goal calories (eat your exercise calories, darn it!) "

    IOW - I totally agree!
  • SK24373
    SK24373 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks to all who took the time to read and respond. I also appreciate the suggestions about adding commentary to the exercise feeds. I meant what I said...that I respect and admire everyone on this site for making the effort to have a better life and body.

    I hope some of you will become MFP friends. Congratulations on your journeys. KICK SOME SERIOUS BOOTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • MelissaG36
    MelissaG36 Posts: 38
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    I hear ya, And I know alot of times Im under my calorie goal by 2- 5 calories, how am I supposed to eat that?? I rarely count my exercise cause truth is I dont have an exact work out regiment, but believe me I have 3 childern & in the middle of getting ready to transfer to another state. I dont count my cleaning, packing, picking my kids up,etc.. Trust me I dont get to sit much in fact Im standing here, eating lunch & commenting while chasing my son out of the recycle bin :O) I dont count that but use it as good for me when I have a day that Im not doing as much :O)
    I recently moved my food diary to public to help hold me accountable & maybe encourage some of my friends to see that they can eat healthy & get more than plenty to eat during the day. Im with you though when someone posts that they wasted 400 calories on 2 cokes & had Pretzels for dinner, WTH??? You cant eat like that your body needs actuall food to survive.
    Now I know Im not full blown health nut, I do like my ice cream & snacks, And I reserve calories for that . I eat 5 times a day, fully satisfied & notice the HUGE diffence in the way I feel when I eat crappy. I feel bad for those who starve themselves, I want to tell them HEY, You need to eat! But I dont know them personally or their lifestyles. But I hope your post keeps people from congradulating when its totally wrong to.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
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    The tricky thing is, we ARE all different so it's hard to make accurate comments sometimes. Personally, I'm testing things out with "starvation mode". Having had Roux-en-Y last summer I have to consider the possibility that my body now accepts that much of a deficit as "normal" so I'm aiming for a negative net for at least a couple of days a week.

    Why not every day? MS is beating the heck out of me and leaving me with pins and needles in at least half my body. Something I have no control over. But, I'm keeping it positive and trying to keep the stress hormones away. :-D

    Regardless, when someone gives you a congratulatory comment for something that you think is nothing it could possibly be because your actions are motivating to them. Looking at your avatar, I would imagine that even half a day of what you accomplish with your workouts would leave me in the dust. :-D
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    Personally, I think the "pat on the back" message should be more along the lines of "Sandy completed her food diary and was within her target range." I hate the fact that I can go over by one calorie and lose the good feedback, but I can go under by an unhealthy amount without losing that feedback. On the other hand, if your weight and goals are such that your target calories are at or near 1200, you almost can't win! If you are under your goal, you're going to get the "you aren't eating enough" message. Very frustrating! :huh:

    Great minds think alike! I didn't see this before I posted my note. :)
  • alesanafyi
    alesanafyi Posts: 7
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    Nothing wrong with 900 calories.
    You don't need 2000 calories. I mean if you eat that much, don't even complain about not losing weight because DUH.

    As for working out, how are you going to tone up if you don't?
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 244 Member
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    I understand were you are coming from, I actaully get somewhat comfused by the site at times. It's like they say YAY you were under your calorie goal GREAT JOB! Then in itty bitty letters it tells you, you are porbably starving yourself. I get confused on what I'm really suppost to be doing here...eat over my calories, hit exactly 1200 a day or ignore the little warning at the bottom once you've logged in for the day!

    I find that even if I'm only a few calories under -- 50 or less -- it still says that I may be eating too few calories. I try to eat all of my exercise calories; I'm a grazer, so it's not always hard for me to do so (lol) but it's impossible to hit the exact number of calories allotted and I'd rather be under a few than over.

    That being said, I agree with you about only eating a small portion of the calories. It's not healthy.
  • beatlemom
    beatlemom Posts: 250 Member
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    I congratulate people just for finishing their diary, whether over or under, logging is the important thing.

    I'm confused by your statement about telling people how you feel about your exercise. After I enter mine and it appears on my "wall", I can put a comment under it. You're right, it would be nice to be able to post a comment right in that area, but I still often will write something about my workout underneather in the comments area.




    Agreed
  • rob504
    rob504 Posts: 79
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    Whilst wanting to support and and give encouragement to others who in turn reciprocate, I think we manage to overlook that the site is myfitnesspal NOT my-half-starve-myself-in-the-pursuit-of-shedding-the-pounds-pal .
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 244 Member
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    Nothing wrong with 900 calories.
    You don't need 2000 calories. I mean if you eat that much, don't even complain about not losing weight because DUH.

    As for working out, how are you going to tone up if you don't?

    ...Is this a real post?
  • lemonadem
    lemonadem Posts: 398 Member
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    This is a very good post! I was just thinking about this yesterday, as I was thinking the point of a goal is to get to that goal.. I mean are we not all trying to actually reach our fitness goals?

    Same should be with calories.

    We should try to hit our target goal of calories everyday, not go over, and not try to under eat.

    Thanks for saying it.. I agree just logging and being aware is an accomplishment!
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Good post and an understandable concern. I sometimes, have under the 1200 recommended, usually because I'm planning for a free day the following day. For instance, yesterday I made sure to exercise and only ate about 700 calories, because today is a funeral and I *know* I'll be pigging out at the repass and will more than make up for yesterday, hehe. I also eat under when I know I screwed up the prior day. Like you said, when it's once in a blue moon (I usually do it once a week) it's fine. But when someone's eating less than 1000 on every entry, it does seem to be promoting unhealthy eating habits.

    I'm glad you brought this tough topic up. :)
  • greeneyed84
    greeneyed84 Posts: 427 Member
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    I agree. I have a few friends who eat 600-900 calories a day, plus workout. Not healthy. I've also said something but some really don't see anything wrong with it!
    I always look at the diary when soeone completes it & when they are close to their daily goal I will comment & tell them they did great!
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    I understand were you are coming from, I actaully get somewhat comfused by the site at times. It's like they say YAY you were under your calorie goal GREAT JOB! Then in itty bitty letters it tells you, you are porbably starving yourself. I get confused on what I'm really suppost to be doing here...eat over my calories, hit exactly 1200 a day or ignore the little warning at the bottom once you've logged in for the day!

    I agree 100% that the site sends mixed messages when you go below 1200 calories. I wish that "YOU'RE NOT EATING ENOUGH!" warning would be in bigger bolder letters. :)
  • mrb_9110
    mrb_9110 Posts: 189 Member
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    I very much agree. Some days all I do for exercise is walk to class, and yes I burn some calories doing this, but I don't consider this a workout and don't think I deserve a cheering section for this. (On a side note, I do really appreciate my friends who congratulate me on a great workout or dropping pounds.)

    I would really like to be able to choose which posts make it onto the feed instead of every little thing being on there.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
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    ...because today is a funeral and I *know* I'll be pigging out at the repass and will more than make up for yesterday, hehe.

    Is it wrong that you finishing a sentence about a funeral with "hehe" made me laugh? :-D
  • Sueboo31
    Sueboo31 Posts: 128
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    Personally, I think the "pat on the back" message should be more along the lines of "Sandy completed her food diary and was within her target range." I hate the fact that I can go over by one calorie and lose the good feedback, but I can go under by an unhealthy amount without losing that feedback. On the other hand, if your weight and goals are such that your target calories are at or near 1200, you almost can't win! If you are under your goal, you're going to get the "you aren't eating enough" message. Very frustrating! :huh:

    Great minds think alike! I didn't see this before I posted my note. :)
  • Sueboo31
    Sueboo31 Posts: 128
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    Personally, I think the "pat on the back" message should be more along the lines of "Sandy completed her food diary and was within her target range." I hate the fact that I can go over by one calorie and lose the good feedback, but I can go under by an unhealthy amount without losing that feedback. On the other hand, if your weight and goals are such that your target calories are at or near 1200, you almost can't win! If you are under your goal, you're going to get the "you aren't eating enough" message. Very frustrating! :huh:

    Great minds think alike! I didn't see this before I posted my note. :)

    I totally agree!
  • Raynamama
    Raynamama Posts: 480 Member
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    Such a great post that sparked great conversation :) I think it's really important to talk about this stuff for sure!
    I agree with SK24373's original post - I try not to comment on people's status of diary completion unless I can see their diary's for that reason :) and I have also removed friends in the past because they were openly not promoting a healthy lifestyle and trying to cut corners but cutting calories too low and posting status updates about just wanting to be "skinny" and have their "hip bones show" things like that should not be promoted! I love this site because it promotes the healthy and SAFE pursuit of weight loss!!

    Good luck to everyone in their journey's and thanks again for posting this! :flowerforyou:

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