MFP = life ruiner?

Hanna82

I'm beginning to feel like my fitness pal is micromanaging my life. Is there really a need to stick with this once your goal has been met? I'm determined and capable of keeping the weight off and know my boundaries as far as calorie intake for maintaining and losing. What I want to know is...when can we be done?

cramernh

Thats up to you to decide... if you dont want to use MFP, then dont use it.... Being a free program of usage enables you to continue having control

seeled

My husband tells me I rely on it to much to watch my caloric intake. If I dont' use it, I eat even more. Lately that hasn't been the issue. I have been using MFP and still gaining! It is like it has become an addiction to me.

hnsaunde

For me, I stopped logging my food for a little while, and I started to slip back into old habits astonishingly quickly. The site keeps me accountable, but having said that, it's not the same for everyone. Quite possibly, once healthy eating becomes second nature for me, I won't need to log my food everyday, and perhaps that's where you're at? In the end it's your choice.

trybefan

And continued support if you need it. I could mange without now and have not met my goals. I enjoy chatting with people and it is a good time killer at work.....

TheKitsune6

MFP is a tool. Would you use a hammer if you didn't need it? Would you want one around for when you do?

dmpizza

Its a tool.
I wouldn't walk around with a hammer after I finished building my house, but this is a little different.
If you are truly disciplined, then leave, if you think the logging in helps, then keep it up.

philOHIO

after losing your weight and meeting your goal, only you can answer that question. Congratulations, btw.

Shawn_Marie

I'm beginning to feel like my fitness pal is micromanaging my life. Is there really a need to stick with this once your goal has been met? I'm determined and capable of keeping the weight off and know my boundaries as far as calorie intake for maintaining and losing. What I want to know is...when can we be done?

THis something you need to decide, I plan on sticking with MFP, I enjoy logging my food and exercise and do not let it micromanage my life - it helps me manage my life style change.
Good luck with your choice.

ElizabethRoad

It's a tool. It isn't micromanaging your life. (Maybe you are.) If you think you can maintain without using the site then why are you here?

1FitBabe

I was watching Biggest Loser last night and they said it takes weeks to months to develop new good habits but only a week or so of bad eating to fall off track.

Personally, by watching my calories in with MFP and out with Fitbit, when I am at goal I feel pretty good that I will just keep it up without having to track. I made some easy changes that I can live with.

HolleeERL

I think once you get the hang of it, there is no need to track. I'm not there yet and keep coming back even though I've met my goals. I enjoy reading some of the topics and continue to get motivation from MFP participants. I've built some pretty good friendships here so I will be around whether or not I track my food.

p1xelate

What about starting to log at the end of each day? Make good choices and all and then enter all your food at the end of the day to see how well you did? It would allow you the freedom of living a 'normal' life but still checking in to see how you did at the end of the day. Maybe after awhile you would be able to see if you still need MFP to chose healthy sized portions etc.

BlJohnston77

I am sure if you have met your goal weight you may not need it relgiously anymore. But nice to see how how everyone else is doing and so your support to them that are still working towards there goals. Up to you though!!!!

alerica1

If something is ruining my life I certainly don't keep it around. However, MFP keeps me accountable, I don't abuse it, I'm not addicted to it. For myself, its saving my life.

ChitownFoodie

It's all up to you. I know plenty of people that left after they hit goal. I stay on, even after I lost all the weight just to gain it back and to track my calories and macros. Plus, I enjoy the social aspect of it.

mummyv811

I haven't met my goal yet but sometimes can't face logging on to MFP (sorry guys.... I love it the majority of the time). As you have met your goal, take a holiday from it. Sometimes it is needed. If you feel like you're slipping into old habits again then come back to us :happy:

eddie8131

For me, I need someone something to micromanage my life. I can't do it alone, I am too weak. If I was tomorrow at my goal weight, I would probably need even more support to maintain. I do admit to spending WAY too much time on here though so that's something I'm going to have to manage. Anyways, congrats on your progress!!!!

beach_chelle

I think it is really up to you. I took a break for a little while and stopped logging and was able to maintain my weight. I was no where at my goal, but it did show me when I get there I can maintain on my own. Currently I log infrequently, but that is because I am not exercising so I know how much food and what kinds of foods I can eat for my daily amount without need to count every little calorie.

good luck!

bry_all01

the title seems extreme, if you ask me. I've never "needed" MFP per say. I enjoy MFP and the functions it allows me to use for free. I enjoy my friends and tracking, etc., but its my decision to use it, as it is your decision. I can't imagine that a program could ruin ones life, but that is my opinion.

lambeas

if you have made a REAL lifestyle change then you may no longer need it once you have hit and have been maintaining your goals, but if you have lost the weight through a "diet" and cannot maintain the loss, then maybe you should continue.

I think some use mfp as a quick fix, without really looking at themselves to see what got them here and really finding manageable ways of maintaining the lifestyle.

skinnymeinaz

MFP is a tool. Would you use a hammer if you didn't need it? Would you want one around for when you do?

I agree!

Qarol

What I want to know is...when can we be done?

With what, exactly? Eating healthy? Staying active?

abrown4348

MFP is a tool. Would you use a hammer if you didn't need it? Would you want one around for when you do?

Love it!

FearAnLoathing

MFP is just a website if it is micromanaging your life its because you are using it to do so.

Terrymichelle

At some point I think you have to give up on MFP. I know for me it was ruining life. I did this for 6 months, it was tough because everytime you eat your on your phone or computer making sure its in your daily log. My husband was supportive with my decision to do this until it started to interfere with our happiness. When the days come that you have to eat out or are out with friends and you are trying to decide where to go and all I can say is I can't eat there because they don't post their calories or they don't have anything that will fit in the rest of my day it gets tough. I think once you have made your goal and feel confident in your ability to do it on your own you should give up on it. I know I haven't changed much about my eating habits or my exercise and still feel good about my weight but I think it does become more of an addiction than anything after awhile. Happiness comes first though.

tcrouser

Once I remember attending a weight watchers meeting and the speaker said that once you have met your goal it is OK to stop attending but if you gain back 5 lbs you should consider coming back and if you gain 10 lbs you need to run back as fast as you can. I think that holds true for MFP as well.

thor1god1of1awesome

Its a tool.
I wouldn't walk around with a hammer after I finished building my house, but this is a little different.
If you are truly disciplined, then leave, if you think the logging in helps, then keep it up.

^^^^^^this^^^^^^^

lor007

You aren't in prison. You can stop using the site whenever you choose.

ElizabethRoad

At some point I think you have to give up on MFP. I know for me it was ruining life. I did this for 6 months, it was tough because everytime you eat your on your phone or computer making sure its in your daily log. My husband was supportive with my decision to do this until it started to interfere with our happiness. When the days come that you have to eat out or are out with friends and you are trying to decide where to go and all I can say is I can't eat there because they don't post their calories or they don't have anything that will fit in the rest of my day it gets tough. I think once you have made your goal and feel confident in your ability to do it on your own you should give up on it. I know I haven't changed much about my eating habits or my exercise and still feel good about my weight but I think it does become more of an addiction than anything after awhile. Happiness comes first though.

I have never once refused to eat somewhere because they don't post their calories. If you are obsessing over it to that degree then it's a problem you need to deal with, but it's not the site that is causing it. It's just a calorie tracker. Wow.

LisaKyle11

only you can answer. if you find that you are feeling the least bit addicted to logging, checking MFP, etc... then stop or take a break. it shouldn't be something as extreme as a 'life ruiner'.

at times, in all honestly, i feel that i almost 'need' to check the site...but it's becoming more about the friends and support for me...and logging exercise (and staying accountable).

as it is now, i am not logging all my meals - it's become too tedious for my life. i don't want my kids/husband constantly seeing me on the computer logging everything, especially when i already know what the general calorie counts are for pretty much everything.

congrats on meeting your goal and good luck!