How Badly Were You Eating Before MFP?

UpEarly

Has anyone ever entered all the food they would have eaten on a 'normal' day before they started using MFP to track food and exercise? It's such an eye-opening thing to see... if for no other reason than curiosity's sake!

Personally... all I can say is 'HOLY CRAP!' I mean, I knew I was not eating well, but seriously... I was consuming 3500-4000 calories every single day. That's just mind boggling to me! Even with eating like that, my weight had been stable for about four years, hovering near the upper end of the 'overweight' category (around a BMI of 28.5). It's a wonder I wasn't even heavier.

jrich1

Enough to be 314lbs :noway:

bassman2019

I've never tried entering it, but judging from the calorie numbers for most foods in the MFP data base I had to be easily in the 3000-5000 per day area.

libby328

Right there with you.... even though it seemed like i didnt eat a ton when i started logging what i ate i was like "Oh wow that explains it"

Furrytreats

I'm a binge eater and some days I'd be fine and other days I could eat an entire package of oreos. The oreo days were more often than not.

Ahzuri

No but I'm pretty sure it would have been damn close to what I did yesterday which was 3,400ish calories >_<

barefootbeauty

I was eating around 3200 calories per day -- and most of it was highly processed, high fat, carb loaded junk.

DrBorkBork

I was awful. Ate 3500 cals/day +, often at Taco Bell, took 10 shots of insulin a day, and then got put on an insulin pump. I didn't think I could ever change. Then I had a bad dream that if I didn't change, my husband would leave me, and I would lose everything. That was unacceptable. Not feeling worthy of love was no longer acceptable. That's when I found MFP. Been healing myself 1 pound at a time. I don't eat much processed food anymore. I'm off of both insulin and glucophage. Talk about a 180!

sophjakesmom

Honestly, I wouldn't know what to enter. I was eating so unconscientiously that I probably consumed 2x what I could even estimate. I think that is the single greatest part about MFP, the fact that I am not just eating without even recognizing that I am eating.

mammado11

I never typed in all my food I used to eat, but I know it would be ALOT!!! Like for example my husband and I get bagels from this place and they're so good! I would eat 2 of them in the morning. The last time he went I told him to only get me 1. I logged it in, 290 calories!!! That's alot especially when I would eat 2!!

Mateo1985

Me and my brother have had the same eating habbits for years before I started watching my weight... Unfortunately it's still not a priority for my brother.

Everytime we eat together I'm just stunned. I know we'd eat the same way. He's now consuming more than a 1000 cals a meal at least 3 times a day. Plus all the snacks and chips and sweets... It's crazy. About 4000-5000 cals a day. I used to eat the same way too.... I'm maintaning my weight with 2300 cals a day now. Feel so much better and healthier.

Ashley_Panda

I'm almost embarrassed to find out how bad. Enough to be 335lbs at 17 years old. Lol.

Shutterpillar

never actually calculated it, but i'm sure I would faint if I did.

eating out mexican, chinese, BBQ, fast food, etc etc at least 4 times a week. eating fattening things late at night, sitting on my butt on the computer all day, eating double and sometimes triple what i needed to eat and getting to the point that I felt sick because I was so full. And then theres all the emotional and comfort eating during the period where i struggled with depression. No wonder I put on nearly 20 pounds between Oct '10 and April '11.

Ree_Chatelain

Honestly, I wouldn't know what to enter. I was eating so unconscientiously that I probably consumed 2x what I could even estimate. I think that is the single greatest part about MFP, the fact that I am not just eating without even recognizing that I am eating.

I completely agree with you, it was so often that I would eat my food and finish off my what kids had left on their plates while i was picking up or just snacking on the run. Grab a hand full of this or that. It's amazing to realize how far we have all come.

spacecase76

Mine wasn't that bad. I ate fast food almost daily, but, was only eating once or twice a day. I have never consumed TOO much at a time. Typical day would be coffee for breakfast, Whopper Jr & small fries for lunch, and then, maybe whole-wheat spaghetti for dinner. Aside from 1 cup of coffee in the morning, I have only drank water for a very long time. I switched to whole wheat pasta and bread years ago. I also don't eat pork.

Inactivity is a killer for me. I work as Tech Support for a small software company and sit on my tush all day, then, I am also a full time online student, so I sat on the computer several hours a night as well. Add in about an hour commute in the car each day....kids, etc....well... getting moving and cutting out some of the fat / sodium has been key for me.

miriamtorason

Pre-MFP, I thought that my 2yo had a hollow leg - he ate more than I did! Once I started logging it, I realized I was eating, on average, 800-1000 calories, and had been for many years.

kateistoned

Honestly, I wouldn't know what to enter. I was eating so unconscientiously that I probably consumed 2x what I could even estimate. I think that is the single greatest part about MFP, the fact that I am not just eating without even recognizing that I am eating.

I feel you on that! I used to just sit and munch mindlessly when I was doing ANYTHING. I guesstimate I was consuming at least 3500+ per day, if not more. I used to have mcdonalds for breakfast every morning I worked (4 days/week) and a super high calorie breakfast burrito on the days I wasn't working. Not to mention, I never made food at my house unless it was a FAT sub stacked with salami, pepperoni, ham, roast beef, turkey, mayo, etc. Mind boggling I didn't weigh more than I got to. I love logging my food just because then it makes me accountable to me. I can't forget that bag of chips that I ate while I was doing homework.

Jeepinmom4

Damn! I so should have done that!!! My guess is that on a average day I was probably in the 3,000 range! On weekends probably 4,000! I know one o my favorite snacks was salsa with sour cream! And yes,I'd eat the whol thing in a day with the bag of chips!! I'm so glad I found mfp!!! 13 days in and I'm down almost 3 lbs and one inch off my waist allready!!! Woohoo!!!

suzumichan

Honestly I'm not surprise since the way i was eating was about 4000+ cal on some days and others it was like 200 cal. I know not eating right now has caused me to gain this weight. I was eating nothing but fast food or deep fried stuff. I still eat out but I dont get it in a Large and cut back on my soda.

alleyag

I'm a binge eater and some days I'd be fine and other days I could eat an entire package of oreos. The oreo days were more often than not.

Same problem as me on top of that mickey dees for dinner and usually a Bacon egg and cheese x 2 for breakfast. Ive entered it before and someday I was topping out over 10000 calories now I'm lucky to hit 2500 and I feel like I can't swallow another bite. It cruelly grosses me out to think I ever ate that much food.

teresaq1

Dairy Queen new me by name!

editara13

Before MFP I thought I was okay to not eat that much during the day and at the end of the day eat about 3000-5000 calories. Now that I think of it all I can say is just Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :-)


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

JCubbins

I was eating about 2,500 cals a day. I ate a very small breakfast or even skipped it and then at school I loaded up with chocolate. Dinner was pretty fine, but later I'd eat chips or cookies. My metabolism is pretty fast, so I didn't have problem with losing additional pounds, the change of eating habits was what counted.

jam3114

Oh I'd say it was over 3000 - 4000 I really had a bad diet
Just mindless eating for no reason - I easily consume 3 chocolate bars & 3 packs of crisps in one sitting & that would be 1 snack

It would be too scary to log an old day - thankfully they are far & few between at the moment

armywife121110

I actually calculated a typical "chinese Buffet" meal the other day that I "USED" to eat. It's was close to 3000 calaroies alone!! My weakness is honey chicken and for just 1/2 cup it's 900 calories!! I never knew that!! I love that I can log all my info and see it in front of me!!

DeBiKin

Same here. MFP has really helped me make sense of it all. Of course I knew a cup of sour cream with a cup of crumble blue cheese (and seasonings) couldn't be all that good for you but I didn't really know how much. Or my favorite eating out meal; Appelbee's Oriental Chicken Salad (the fried version tasted best to me) with LOTS of extra dressing... I learned that I can have one of those if I don't have anything else at all that day AND only if I exercise, otherwise I go over my calorie max for the day.
That's just two examples of careless (uninformed) eating, no wonder I was gaining so much excess weight!!!
Now, I save up to go for special occasions and have the salad with the grilled chicken version is good (if they use real grilled chicken and not the prefab frozen packaged one they did on one occasion).

pithole

6k to 7k daily.
And that was with a highly active (labor) job.
It was honeslty rediculous that I could maintain a 400lb body while unloading traincars.
*sigh* That's all behind me now though.

tkb1985

I just tried, and was only around 2250 / 2500 a day (only, yeah right).
My problem was what I was eating rather than how much. Microwave meals, lots of chocolate, high sugar drinks.
My Fat and Sat Fat were through the roof! :embarassed:

Good job i've got you lot keeping me on the straight and narrow now!

KierstyPants

I ate taco bell
ALL THE TIME.

MissAnjy

I ate taco bell
ALL THE TIME.

I absolutely LOVE taco bell. It's my fave.

Dtho5159

I ate taco bell
ALL THE TIME.

I absolutely LOVE taco bell. It's my fave.

Me too! We still have it every Friday night lol