Am I to simple for the MFP system?

weeblex

So was it curiosity that made you log previous eating level before you made changes, or suggestion?

I'm a tech by nature, I wasn't going to put in new stuff till I figured out how it worked

direwolfprincess

I agree. I really do not want diet to consume my life, instead I want a conscientious and healthy lifestyle. Prior to MFP I was pretty absent minded about my intake. I now feel pretty confident it has helped me get into a mode of moderation. I started out low and also increased my daily calories as that just wasn't suited for me.

It is a great tool and the mobile app is really great for helping me make informed decisions (when eating out for example.)

pseagle1

I use MFP as a food journal. It helps me keep track of what I'm eating so that I have a clue how many calories are going in. As far as figuring out how many calories should go in, it's been an experiment for me to see what I can live with taking into consideration what has worked for me in the past, and I took MFP's recommendation into consideration but it is just that, a recommendation. It's based on an equation that doesn't take my personal life and lifestyle into consideration. You can get really complicated about things or you can just eat what you like and stop when it gets to a certain level.

I think you've got it right and people who make it more complicated than that maybe just like for it to be complicated. Someone else said it before, maybe it's so they have an excuse when it doesn't work out.

I have increased my activity level so much since I started this process that I'm constantly trying to figure out how much I should be eating in order to maintain my metabolism, eat enough to not feel deprived, and eating little enough to see pounds come off. I don't freak out if I go over one day because I know that in the end one day where I ate a couple hundred more calories isn't going to derail my entire lifestyle. Life happens, you have to be flexible enough to adjust to it.

Simple is always better in my book. My co-workers keep asking me what my secret is and they always look so discouraged when I say, the "secret" is to eat less food and burn more calories than you take in. They just can't wrap their brains around the idea that it's really that simple.

heybales

Simple is always better in my book. My co-workers keep asking me what my secret is and they always look so discouraged when I say, the "secret" is to eat less food and burn more calories than you take in. They just can't wrap their brains around the idea that it's really that simple.

You are so mean not to give them the secret pill!

You should bring in some vitamin C with fake label on the bottle that says "Take one daily after 45 min of exercise".

bluefox9er

I love this post and thought I'd respond before the idiots asking for peer reviewed clinical papers etc come and abuse the poor OP who has made a wonderful point.


I use MFP just as a tracker. I don't care about the Macros ( save for protein, being that I am vegetarian), I try and eat my BMR calories, run whenever I can and eat sensibly.

If im hungry, i'll eat more. if I want chips..I'll eat some.

if I think ive been too liberal with junk food, I'll be sure to make it up.

I am at the most comfortable weight I have been at in over 20 years and happy in my own skin.

I'll eat whatever I want, when i want, but I'll do it sensibly and manage my portions. I refuse to go hungry.

As long as I continue running 4-5 times a week and eating in moderation, i know I'll be fine when it comes to my weight.

shaynak112

I use MFP as a tracker for my calories. I care more about the calories than the other stuff, but I can see how others can care about that.

historygirldd

Nope, not simple at all.
Sometimes I feel like you need a science degree to figure out what people are talking about.

I am a believer of eating clean un-processed foods.
if I go over my calories on a given day I am not worried as long as I didn't put junk in my body.

Maybe people make it complicated so they have an excuse?
I mean if you haven't done the correct math to subtract your TDEE from your BMR and mulitply it by your BMI and divide by your body fat percentage then it's not your fault.

I use MFP as a journal and to connect with other people.

UMMM I really don't like math. It counts my calories and my carbs (kinda low carbing to be a good example for my diabetic husband)

aqm22

Nah, you're not the only one. I just use MFP to keep track of what I eat. It helps regulate my intake and see if I'm eating too much junk. Other than that, I don't trust a single number on MFP.

albayin

If it works and people see result, everything sounds "simple" just like how you feel now. But when it isn't working as expected or plateaued...that's when people start searching in the books and come up with all possible reasonings.

mcarter99

I wonder if it would help if people understood that a calorie isn't some incidental thing to weight loss, like a fat gram. It's kind of the answer to 'how would I measure how much food I should be eating to not gain (or to lose) weight?'

mamamc03

(I know this will get me flamed but...) Why do so many people treat the generic-ness of the MFP calorie count as gospel and force themselves to fit that mold?

Because some people don't have the will or self determination to do this without a tool. It is gospel to me & 'forcing' myself into that mold has worked for me. I.e. me

mscrumbyy

I just use this as a tracker too but I really think it depends on the goals of the person offering advice. I don't find it complicated at all until someone comes along who's main goal isn't just to lose weight and be healthy but is instead to be massive and muscular and lean, when there really are specialist dietary requirements and work outs.Then things start to get overwhelming.

Josie_lifting_cats

Straight up, the MFP system nearly made me give up completely.

I figured out my BMR. Figured out my TDEE. Use it as a range. Happy as a clam. In fact, now I'm just set to lose like half a pound a week, and I don't even care if I do because I'm so close to goal.

I would figure out your TDEE and manually set the numbers that way.

taso42

Or am I really just being too simple?

No, relative to the masses here, you are a genius.

tajmel

My calorie goal isn't set by MFP. It doesn't need to be crazy complicated, at all.

_Timmeh_

But a Dr. on a tv show told me I need to jump start my weight loss.

doubglass

Or am I really just being too simple?

[/quote

Nope, mfp is just a tool with a good shared database. The value is that it helps you make good decisions.

kmm7309

You are not too simple for MFP; you are using it to its original specifications. Don't worry about the others; they just haven't learned yet that everyone is different and it's not as hard as they want it to be

Moxie42

Nope, not too simple if it works for you! The way I see it- if someone wants to be count every gram of protein versus carbs versus whatever, and calculate their BMR/TDEE/WTFE, and it works for them- awesome! If someone wants to simply lower their calories and increase their activity and it works for them- awesome! The problem is there are so many people who think they found "THE key to weightloss" and that their way is the only way. Nothing wrong with offering tips and advice to help to people see changes they may want to make if they are not getting the results they want. But some people forget how they started and forget that learning what works for each person takes time, as well as trial and error. As one person put it, "I may only walk 10 minutes a day but that's a LOT better than the 0 minutes a day I was doing before."

dougii

[No, relative to the masses here, you are a genius.

This. Definately this!!! LOL..... I am amazed you have not been flamed at all - very unusual for this site.....