Mfp has cause more harm than good for me.

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Replies

  • LadyPakal
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
    Nope, not me. If I want a beer or an ice-cream I will go have one. Exercise is cycling to and from work not hours down the gym.
  • missability
    missability Posts: 223
    I think this may be an indication that there are other issues in your life that you need to take care of. Ultimately the website is a glorified calculator with a database- there really isn't anything that would cause this, except how you use the information presented.

    A lot of people think that eating disorders start and stop with anorexia and bulimia, but they don't. What you describe is an unhealthy attitude towards food and diet, and that may be the start of an undefined eating disorder. You might benefit from speaking to someone. I don't know where you are, but in the UK, we have this- http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

    Yes.

    WELL SAID! Address what is EATING YOU, and you will STRESS LESS about what YOU ARE EATING...Good luck!
  • Rhonda21km
    Rhonda21km Posts: 90 Member
    It sounds as though you have some other issues to work on in addition to the weight you want to lose.
    Perhaps seeking some counselling either in a group, or individually, may help you work on your anxiety and
    in turn, this may be what you need to look at the weight loss in a more healthy way without obsession.

    A weight loss program on it's own will not be successful if you are not able to resolve the other issues that may have
    been a part of the reason you neglected yourself in the first place.
    For some people it's something they not even be aware of , and for others they may be aware of it, but need additional help in
    dealing with it. There's a lot of help out there.

    I wish you all the best in sorting this out.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    I've been here for 534 days and haven't really changed much in my diet as such, definitely not a clean eater, rarely exercise, hasn't done my weight loss any harm at all, I eat a healthy amount of food and move a little bit more than I used to but I still can't even do a push up. I love it here, I've made lots of new friends and they keep me motivated. I think it definitely comes down to your frame of mind :flowerforyou:
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    I guess you've missed the pop tart ice cream sandwich threads.... :smile:

    I think if you're having trouble keeping things in perspective whilst being a member of MFP, then perhaps it's time to take a step back and get back to where you're feeling better.

    I definitely can understand how MFP could lead to one becoming obsessive with their diet/exercise, though I don't think the majority of MFP users have this issue with the site. Obsessive thoughts are a problem that has a much deeper root than something like an online forum. I think if you continue to have these sorts of thoughts about diet and exercise after spending some time away from MFP, you should probably see if you can get some professional help.

    My best to you, OP. Take care. :flowerforyou:
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I love MFP. It has changed my life. If it isn't working for you....then don't use it! :indifferent:
  • AnexRavensong
    AnexRavensong Posts: 262 Member
    I started that way, but that was because I was trying to stick to the 1200 calorie thing and convinced that only by eating "clean" and starving myself like everyone else who says "oh it is easy if you don't eat crap" that I was going to lose weight.

    You know it is possible to use MFP, actually eat, allow yourself some junk, lose weight and be happy. You just have to decide how you want to do things and avoid the crazies.

    I am thankful that I found the IPOARM group, it helped me a lot. I may not have lost a lot of weight, but I've fixed my metabolism, lost a lot of fat and inches and gained muscle. And you know what? I EAT MORE than I did before.

    You start to realize that weight is just a number that means squat when you see your weight go up, but the inches drop.

    So do yourself a favor, before you give up, come check out the IPOARM group, I guarantee you will be happier. Good for those who eat "clean" and all that stuff, but personally I like to have me a burger and chocolate and still lose fat.

    A lot of the posts in there got a recent overhaul to try to be more clear. I know they look daunting, but read it. Take the time, you will be grateful with the way you feel now.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    If you want a friend who likes eating food, wont give you crap for eating processed foods as long as you're doing good on your cals (and I don't mean 1200 or less) and macros, then feel free to add me.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    i've grown to despise the word "clean" since joining this site. it's utter nonsense. food is fuel. trying to label some foods "unhealthy" and others "healthy" is in my opinion, a mental illness. perhaps not a serious one by itself, but it can start some people down the path to much more serious mental and emotional issues relating to how they view food (i.e., full blown eating disorders).

    an orange isn't "healthy" or "unhealthy"... it's just an orange. it's no more or less than a collection of calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients that just happens to come in it's own spherical carrying case. the same goes for pizza, or ice cream, or bananas, or brown rice, or bread, or any other food you can name.
  • Johanne1957
    Johanne1957 Posts: 167 Member
    ...to read later...
  • GrannyGwen1
    GrannyGwen1 Posts: 213 Member
    BUMP
  • AhlaWahda
    AhlaWahda Posts: 189 Member
    This sounds like Orthorexia nervosa. "Orthorexia nervosa (also known as orthorexia) is not mentioned in the DSM, but was coined by Steven Bratman to characterize people who develop an obsession with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful. Orthorexia nervosa is believed to be a mental disorder. Bratman claims that in rare cases, this focus may turn into a fixation so extreme that it can lead to severe malnutrition or even death. Even in less severe cases, the attempt to follow a diet that cannot provide adequate nourishment is said to lower self-esteem as the orthorexics blame themselves rather than their diets for their constant hunger and the resulting cravings for forbidden foods."

    I think you need to talk to a professional. I actually have some of these problems myself. I go from periods of not caring what I eat to periods where I obsess with every little thing. Sometimes I even think that I don't care if I starve myself as long as I get where I want to be and this attitude has gotten a bit worse with the discovery of MFP. It hasn't developed into a real issue for me yet but it seems to be pretty serious for you so maybe you should consider seeking help before it gets any worse.
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    I used to journal on my own, try to stay active on my own, read blogs for advice.

    Now I find it all here is one very supportive package. I know I don't have to do the stuff everyone else is doing. It's all individual. But I have gotten some good ideas nd accountability.

    Take it in moderation.

    Jan
  • nessagrace22
    nessagrace22 Posts: 430 Member
    Bump
  • brit_ks_89
    brit_ks_89 Posts: 433 Member
    take one day at a time !!! one day at a time !
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    When I first joined here I too fell into the MUST EAT CLEAN all the time bull. I found out that it's too rigid for me to keep doing long term. We need to enjoy our lives eating some of the things that aren't perhaps thought so "clean" I felt much better knowing the odd treat isn't a sin but a good thing for me.

    SAME here!

    Honestly, don't over complicate anything! This is a biggg issue on here.

    Eat a VARIETY of foods, forget strictly eating clean! Eat at a balance, and at a slight defiict of your tdee.. work out.. even lift a couple times a week... trust the process!!!!! You will get there :flowerforyou:
  • Kathy_Noring
    Kathy_Noring Posts: 143 Member
    Nope, I have not had that experience. I am rarely on the forums and logging just keeps me aware of what I am eating (calories, macro-nutrients, sodium etc). I do try to eat healthful foods, but I am not obsessed with it. I eat convenience foods and treats, too.

    I agree with a PP who says it sounds like you may have a larger issue with food.

    Good luck with whatever path you decide to take.
  • jdhoward_101
    jdhoward_101 Posts: 234 Member
    I have found MFP invaluable for losing weight; not only because of the accuracy of the database and the way it helps me log, but because one of the things i have taken away from the forums, probably the most IMPORTANT thing i have taken away during this weight loss journey is that it doesn't really matter what you eat, as long as you stay at a calorie deficit. Before, i couldn't eat even a small slice of cake or a fun-sized chocolate bar without feeling stricken by guilt. However, now i eat cake, i eat biscuits, i will have a portion of fish and chips for dinner, so long as i don't go over my daily calorie allowance, it's all good. And i've been losing more weight than i have been able to all year. It's a shame that it's had the opposite effect on you but i hope you manage to find that good place again :)
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    You have to do what is right for you. If you don't like what this site has become for you, change it.
    Excesses are bad on either end of the spectrum, IMHO.
    Hopefully, for me, what I have learned, and am learning, through MFP, and my becoming healthier will be my new way of life. That is the main thing I have gotten from MFP, and for that, I am extremely grateful. I don't think it is exagerating to say that this site has helped me save my life. I am not competing with anyone else. I don't think I should be eating differently or exercising more because someone else does.
    Ultimately, this is about YOU. Do what is right for YOU.
  • OddballExtreme
    OddballExtreme Posts: 296 Member
    I agree with everyone here. I had already lost weight on my own before I joined MFP last June. With this, though, I can keep track of what I'm eating, and believe me, it's NOT always clean. Having Type 2 Diabetes AND high blood pressure, I really have to be careful. However, that doesn't mean I have to deprive myself. My only competition with myself...stay healthy but enjoy it! I haven't posted a lot lately because I've been busy enough in the past few months.

    I do have that competitive and perfectionist ideal at times, but definitely NOT here. I know I'm not gonna be perfect, and...I still have FOUR Gigi's cupcakes left to eat! It'll take me a week to finish those things. :wink:
  • SleeplessinBerlin
    SleeplessinBerlin Posts: 513 Member
    I think this may be an indication that there are other issues in your life that you need to take care of. Ultimately the website is a glorified calculator with a database- there really isn't anything that would cause this, except how you use the information presented.

    A lot of people think that eating disorders start and stop with anorexia and bulimia, but they don't. What you describe is an unhealthy attitude towards food and diet, and that may be the start of an undefined eating disorder. You might benefit from speaking to someone. I don't know where you are, but in the UK, we have this- http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

    A very wise advice.

    You sound so much like me years ago. Not on MFP but on an almost identical website (which isn't free anymore). Perfectionist, insecure, obsessive, constantly comparing myself with others, constantly feeling not good enough about the amount of exercise or my food choices.
    It took me years to relax about certain things and to educate myself to the point where I am no longer unhappy about not eating certain things simply by not really wanting them so much anymore. Sure, I still do have cravings, who doesn't. And I do give in once in a while. And it's okay, too. I eat clean most of the time and this is my goal: most of the time, not ALL the time. I use my obsession to educate myself and I use it in my kitchen whenever I cook or bake. I don't feel deprived anymore.
    You are not going to be happy without letting yourself be a little bit more flexible than you are now.

    I do not log every single calorie. I certainly do not burn 1000kcal during my workouts. And I do not work out every day. My friends don't either. And if I look at their diaries I don't see clean food only. Some of them eat white bread, some drink their coffee with sugar and some get a burger on the way home.

    This here is a tool. Use it, do not let it dictate you how you should feel. Take it easy on the forums. Educate yourself if you want to but make sure that the choices you make are truly yours.

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