Mfp has cause more harm than good for me.

BigDave1050

Hey,

fitplease

I see that you are on the autism spectrum. MFP might have triggered your perfectionism. As one poster said, it's almost like OCD when it gets out of hand.

It might be helpful to "detox" from FB for a little while and speak to a trusted friend or counselor to help you revert back to good habits.

EmilyOfTheSun

I can relate to your post in a lot of ways. Though I try not to blame MFP.

When I first started here, I became obsessed with burning 500+ calories every evening after work. Maybe one rest day per week, if that. I also became obsessed with my diary entries and not seeing those red numbers on any category in my diary. I thought that I should cut out certain foods, and I did for the most part, which just sucked because food is awesome. So I was kinda bummed out.

I’ll also admit that I sometimes have pretty terrible binges as well. This has always been somewhat of a problem for me but seemed to get worse when I was first starting on MFP. It became a lot easier for me when I realized a couple things.

As I mentioned above, seeing the red number on your diary because of going over on calories used to be somewhat of a trigger for me. I’d be over by a small amount, maybe 100-200 over, and I’d just be like, “Welp, you’re already over your calories, you screwed up. May as well eat like a total pig for the rest of the night.” Stupidest attitude ever. Just because you’re a couple hundred over doesn’t mean you’re going to gain weight. Try changing your settings to maintenance and you’d probably have even more. So that’s what I did…on days when dinner turned out to be a bit bigger than I’d planned, or if I just felt like eating something extra, I’d change my settings to maintenance for that day so that stupid red number wouldn’t get to me. After doing that for a short time, I didn’t need to anymore. I just know that if I’m a few hundred over, it doesn’t mean I’m going to gain weight. I’m still at a deficit, and there’s a bonus cuz you get extra nutrients, yay!

I don’t workout every single day of the week anymore, or obsess with getting at least a 500 calorie burn. I stopped cutting out “bad” foods and instead focused on hitting my target protein and fat numbers (or exceeding them).

It’s a lot less stressful now and I’m a lot happier.

lithezebra

What is your support system IRL like?

I have none.
I am on the autistic spectrum which can make getting a support system in real life a little more difficult.

There is the problem. I have a son who is autistic and he takes things literally and gets OCD about it. His gym teacher told the class to shower for good hygiene and suddenly he is showering several times a day and say well so and so said I need to shower. Just because someone says they do something or eating a certain way is better doesn't mean you have to follow it to the letter. Message or friend me if you like. I understand autism and can help you a little bit. If anything I can certainly support you. For people who are autistic things are either all black or all white. THey don't see the gray area in between. My son goes overboard on doing things and doesn't realize you don't have to go to such great lengths. You can adjust your diet to fit you... you don't adjust to fit others and what they do.

@Graelwyn - it's no wonder that you are so good at logging! Do you have parents and/or siblings who can help you IRL?

UsedToBeHusky

Well... honestly, that's your fault and not MFP's. You can read whatever crap you want on the internet. That doesn't mean that everything you read is true or that it's right for you. It sounds like you went at this far more strenuously than necessary. Perhaps you should look into seeing someone for this. This could be signs of OCD.

anewlife1980

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/

Totally agree with this, I think it actually has nothing to do with the site & has to do with you, your view on how to use the site etc. I don't deny myself treats, I just don't indulge every single craving that I have (which have become less & less as time goes by). If you deny yourself stuff you enjoy you will undoubtedly binge at some point. Its about moderation, eating in portions. Why do what everyone else is doing? Why not take bits & pieces of what you read & work into your routine & what works for you. I have had numerous people ask me what I am doing, am I following a plan & while I gladly pass along some suggestions, I always remind them that what works for me won't necessarily work for them.

andrederosier

MFP is just a tool and how you use it will be up to you. Just like a knife is a tool, you can use it to chop up some veggies and cut up some bacon. It does have that social element like FB and others that can draw people in. If you find yourself getting addicted to the social aspect maybe avoid the forums and stick with just the tracking.

Sunnyjb

What is your support system IRL like?

I have none.
I am on the autistic spectrum which can make getting a support system in real life a little more difficult.

There is the problem. I have a son who is autistic and he takes things literally and gets OCD about it. His gym teacher told the class to shower for good hygiene and suddenly he is showering several times a day and say well so and so said I need to shower. Just because someone says they do something or eating a certain way is better doesn't mean you have to follow it to the letter. Message or friend me if you like. I understand autism and can help you a little bit. If anything I can certainly support you. For people who are autistic things are either all black or all white. THey don't see the gray area in between. My son goes overboard on doing things and doesn't realize you don't have to go to such great lengths. You can adjust your diet to fit you... you don't adjust to fit others and what they do.

@Graelwyn - it's no wonder that you are so good at logging! Do you have parents and/or siblings who can help you IRL?

That explains so much. My daughter has Asperger's and she is an obsessive person as well. I don't think you should use MFP, find a real life group ... will help you so much more

GreenChile3

I stopped counting calories and logging my food about 2 months ago because I found I was getting too hung up on the numbers instead of just eating healthily. I've continued losing weight at about the same speed and I'm much happier. I still log exercise because that's where I sometimes lack motivation - having a weekly goal helps me make sure I'm getting it all in.

Do what works for you and ditch what doesn't. If logging and checking the forums aren't helpful, stop doing it.

This^^

AngelaPesta17

Take this site for what it is. I love it. It helps me, inspires me, motivates me. Some things work better for others, and if you feel this site is not helping you and actually hurting you then I would press the little "X" in the corner right and just be done with it. You will find something that works for you.

odusgolp

I know it works great for people who are endangering their lives with their weight issues.

WHA??? :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh:

RCottonRPh

Do what is best for you. This community is for people to get support and ideas. You are under no obligation to be like anyone else on here. What works for one may not work for another. There are a lot of purists and clean food Nazis on here, but they all started somewhere. They didn't come out of the womb eating kale, I'm guessing. I look at healthy eating as a spectrum and over time you should strive to eat healthier and healthier. A Lean Cuisine meal is a huge upgrade for someone who used to eat only fast food. But over time, you may want to upgrade to a healthier frozen meal, like Kashi, and eventually do away with frozen dinners all together. Focus on progress, not perfection. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself and set a few small, attainable goals.

yo_andi

What is your support system IRL like?

I have none.
I am on the autistic spectrum which can make getting a support system in real life a little more difficult.

Darling, you should most likely speak to a professional regarding the feelings MFP engenders in you. There is a very fine line between managing your healthy habits and your healthy habits managing you. I think you've crossed that line.

Best of luck to you!

reneepugh

Maybe you need to take weekends off and try not to do the forums.

Maris_Swan

Get a grip.

angelh1908

To be quite honest, it's been the exact opposite for me. It has made me more aware of what I put in my body. I pay attention not just to caloric intake, but overall nutritional value at this point. And I'm happy about that change. I can say that without MFP, I probably would've either started over on numerous occasions, or have given up altogether. I've had a couple of rough spots with life in general, and it has really helped knowing I have the support and encouragement of my MFP friends to cheer me along in this area, when other areas of life have gotten a tad bit crazy. So I'm super thankful that I found MFP.

As for you and what you get out of it, I agree with an earlier poster who said, there may be underlying issues that you haven't addressed as yet. I would look for clues as to what those issues could be. This should be a fun journey on some level, and if it absolutely is not, then perhaps you should try something else.

ChaseAlder

If you feel worse than you did before, just go back to what you were doing. I started eating paleo for a while because my husband is really into it. I ate mostly paleo for about two months but I just couldn't keep up and I hated the way it made me feel. So, I went back to eating the way I was before... clean, whole foods, oatmeal, eggs, berries, yogurt, berries, lean protein and some red meat, but much lighter portions and not as heavy on the oils and fats. I feel a lot better.

Summary: Stop. Do what you did before.

weloveourboys

Definitely a troll.

Get some proof before you start throwing accusations around. I've know her for quite a while. Don't be a biotch.