I think MFP is making me fatter

emily14046
emily14046 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Since I've joined MFP, all I've done is OBSESS about food. I've become more aware, yet more paranoid. All I think about is food and logging and I feel like it's making me hungrier than if I just didn't worry about it. Anyone else feel the same way??
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Replies

  • valmb2
    valmb2 Posts: 41 Member
    No, not at all actually. I am the other way, obsessing over it and not wanting to eat. Sometimes I have to force myself to get 1200 calories. A lot of that might have to do with stress though.
  • KelliW_runner
    KelliW_runner Posts: 150 Member
    I've been on for 7 months. I don't stress if my bust my calorie goal periodically. I feel like MFP has made me more aware and able to make better choices. And if I make the conscious decision to splurge - I log it but don't worry about it. Healthy eating needs to be a sustainable lifelong journey - not a temporary diet.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Since I've joined MFP, all I've done is OBSESS about food. I've become more aware, yet more paranoid. All I think about is food and logging and I feel like it's making me hungrier than if I just didn't worry about it. Anyone else feel the same way??

    How long have you been tracking food intake and have you taken any breaks in that time?
  • barbie_g1rl
    barbie_g1rl Posts: 43
    i love mfp fpr the support and seeing that number on the ticker go down :) dont obsess jus enjoy the support from ur friends and make it a lifestyle change. i hate the word 'diet' Xx
  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
    Total opposite here....I totally understand about the obsessing though, but it has passed. Good luck.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I am just moving beyond the obsessive logging part (though I still log every bite). But I've gotten less and less hungry all the time. I'm having a hard time being hungry enough to hit my calorie goals, never mind net.
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    I might be easier to comment if i could see your food diary... are you exercising? getting enough calories?

    for me MFP actually helped me. b4 joining i was trying to restrict myself way too much.
  • emily14046
    emily14046 Posts: 14
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Since I've joined MFP, all I've done is OBSESS about food. I've become more aware, yet more paranoid. All I think about is food and logging and I feel like it's making me hungrier than if I just didn't worry about it. Anyone else feel the same way??
    I use to obsess over it and then it got sunny. I found it kinda fun. I still log because I regularly check on a few friends. Itll get old eventually.

    If your feeling hungry chances are your hungry...which means you probably wore off your supply and should eat...or your not getting proper nutrients or enough water. Fix those things and it wont be a chore
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    Assuming you are not morbidly obese and that your weight is not a serious health issue, I would take a complete week off of tracking. At the very least, 3-4 days.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    I have been on MFP for a year and a half now, so that doesn't happen to me anymore. It did happen to me in the beginning though... until I had to give myself a little break then get back to logging.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    Assuming you are not morbidly obese and that your weight is not a serious health issue, I would take a complete week off of tracking. At the very least, 3-4 days.

    Agreed! A whole week will do you a lot of good!
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    i definitely find myself obsessing a bit over what I eat, wanting to make sure I log things. and checking all the details several times a day. BUT it's a WAY better obsession than my previous one: thinking about food all the time and being unable to deny the urge to eat it.

    If you think you spend too much time thinking about food because you constantly need to pay attention and log it perhaps you could plan ahead, prepare and log some of the easier things ahead of time. Then you can just head to the kitchen to grab your meal/snack without having to think about it.
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    If you are embarrassed about your food journal, make it private. It's for YOU, nobody else! :happy:
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    Assuming you are not morbidly obese and that your weight is not a serious health issue, I would take a complete week off of tracking. At the very least, 3-4 days.

    Agree!! I have been logging (both in hand written journals and since early last year on MFP) for 37 months now and really it is just second nature anymore... I know my calories for most meals, don't have to look alot of it up anymore just log it.. But if you are struggling take a break, I do every few months take a week off then get back to it... Best of Luck.......
  • allisonmrn
    allisonmrn Posts: 721 Member
    Tracking food keeps me accountable and it's a good way to look back at my choices and how they affect my wt loss and inches lost. Very helpful for me...
  • emily14046
    emily14046 Posts: 14
    I started at 167 (overweight/borderline obese range) and now I'm 146 (healthy) but I want to lose another 10 lbs. For some reason when I have my "bad days" I gain like 10 lbs..even though I don't go completely bonkers with it. I'm afraid that if I take a week off, I'll be back to where I started.
  • Markmac234
    Markmac234 Posts: 1
    Fot me, it's been the one thing that's kept me focussed and I have steadily lost 2 stone over several months. I'm still going to use it to maintain my current weight and keep me on the straight and narrow.
  • emily14046
    emily14046 Posts: 14
    I'm 5'7" by the way
  • emmclean
    emmclean Posts: 297 Member
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    Don't be embarrassed, no one is perfect :) However don't try and pretend that what you've eaten hasn't happened, that doesn't help anyone, you can't undo it! If you've eaten it then log it - i know it can be hard, I've felt the same way on bad days but you have to face your bad food decisions to move away from them except from when you've earned them.

    Taking a break for a week is good advice. MFP works for many, but not all.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I have been on MFP since January, and I find I have to take one or two days off from tracking to not go insane with all the numbers and counting. Also I would advise you to not weign in on your "bad days", when high water retention can give you temporary gains
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I started at 167 (overweight/borderline obese range) and now I'm 146 (healthy) but I want to lose another 10 lbs. For some reason when I have my "bad days" I gain like 10 lbs..

    You do not gain 10lbs of fat in a day or even a full week. Water weight.
    I'm afraid that if I take a week off, I'll be back to where I started.

    You're also obsessing over food intake and mental health is of far greater importance than a few lbs. Additionally, you're very unlikely to gain anything substantial in a few days.

    The only merit I can possibly see to not taking a break would be if you are morbidly obese AND you won't be able to start back up once you stop. Since you don't have both of these conditions I would shut off MFP and pick it back up middle of next week.
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
    I've only been tracking since March. Well, Weight Watchers March-May and then on here since then. Sometimes (not often) I don't log everything I eat because I'm embarassed, but I at least log most of it. I've never taken a complete "day off".

    Honestly, you should be logging everything, embarrassing or not. MFP can't tell if you're eating more than what you put into the system and therefore it's useless. And besides, being embarrassed about some of your food choices (being if they are junk food) Will HELP. It will make you not want to log, but since you have to log EVERYTHING you'll more than likely end up choosing to not eat it.
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
    I started at 167 (overweight/borderline obese range) and now I'm 146 (healthy) but I want to lose another 10 lbs. For some reason when I have my "bad days" I gain like 10 lbs..even though I don't go completely bonkers with it. I'm afraid that if I take a week off, I'll be back to where I started.

    that 10lbs you 'put back on' will be sodium induced water retention
    also the last 14-20lbs are hardest to lose as your body is clinging hold of them
    think of a child with LOADS of toys - its easy to take 1 or 2 coz they dont notice, but get down to their last 3 toys, and try taking 1 away, and its a MASSIVE struggle
    child = body, toys = fat sores

    also, dont weight too often, weigh fluctuates every time you pee or drink/eat

    also, quick question:
    Is success for you size or weight? because the two do not always directly correlate - those who weight train can weigh a lot more, but be a lot slimmer than someone who just goes by the scale alone without weight training

    for me, success is size, not weight
  • Amryfal
    Amryfal Posts: 225
    I have been on MFP for a year and a half now, so that doesn't happen to me anymore. It did happen to me in the beginning though... until I had to give myself a little break then get back to logging.

    heh...i took a "break" and didn't get back to it for three months and gained 12 pounds :/ i'm back down to 40 lost and i'm OCD about logging. i log EVERYTHING (ok, ok, with the exception of zero-calorie items like mustard or diet coke, sue me, lol) but i found that when i started and was just using the phone app for logging, i didn't care as much about going over, but now that i have friends and have increased my social activity here, i think twice about eating something because i know i'm going to have to log it. logging, support, and accountability have contributed to my success.

    it also gets less tedious to log when you get used to it. i do think about food a lot, but it's because i'm planning my day and trying to make healthy choices (if i have chicken for dinner, how much popcorn can i have for a snack? do i need to exercise so i can have a treat?). i'll be honest, it's taken a year (minus those three months in the middle - heh) to get to a point where it's just second nature. but it's totally worth it.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    I joined on 7/7 but only starting logging a week ago. The weeks prior to logging, I wasn't really trying to do anything but get my mind right lol to start making a change. I definitely obsessed this week, to the point of making myself a little crazy! But, I weighed in this morning, and I've lost the first 4 pounds. I believe I will feel less obsessive now. I think a lot of it was wondering if what I was doing was really going to work. Now that I've seen some evidence that it is, I expect to feel a bit more relaxed and positive about it all :)
  • odonogc
    odonogc Posts: 223 Member
    I had an MFP friend who went through this. She found a book on emotional eating that really helped her. She had to stop logging, it was making her upset. I think this site is great for some people (me!) but not everyone.
  • jillleanne
    jillleanne Posts: 72 Member
    I agree 100% with the people who are saying to step away from the logging for a few days. Even if it does mean you go a bit overboard.

    I started logging last summer, and it was the same for me. I was OBSESSED. And I would feel so guilty if I went over, and so guilty if I went under. And I'd feel so badly about myself if I didn't lose any weight in a week. I stepped away for about 6 months. Gained back 7lbs of the 14 I had lost, but now being back here is so much less stressful, and I can deal with it in a much more positive way.

    I started with almost the same stats as you. 5'8", starting weight of 148, and my weight at the end of last summer was 134. I'm now at 140. But I feel so much better about my body, and about this journey. Give yourself a few days to breathe. and Good Luck!
  • virichi08
    virichi08 Posts: 465 Member
    My first couple of weeks i didnt nothing but stress and obess and literally cry about food.
    BUUUUUUUT one day i realized that I was stressing myself by trying too lose too much weight at once... i just tend to obsess about these things. So i went back and adjust my weight loss goals and now i can hve a beautiful 1710 calories a day and be satisfied. you've got to find that happy medium, and be patient. its not a race. =)
  • gorjus154
    gorjus154 Posts: 1
    I obsess too...But when I do not track, I tend to not care and end up eating junk.

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