Fudging numbers

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Replies

  • sarahDickson501
    sarahDickson501 Posts: 87 Member
    yeah, I do but in the opposite direction...if I have have had a certain amount of something that im not sure about how to count it, I will count it higher than I think (like if I have 3/4th of a serving:75 Cals. I call it a whole serving: 100 Cals.... etc.)
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    your body keeps an accurate record of calories taken in, regardless of whether you do the same. Instead of fudging your numbers if you are over... go burn some more if it really bugs you that much. THAT should be your motivation.
  • katicasi82
    katicasi82 Posts: 121 Member
    I record my calories as accurately as possible. It helps me be mindful and accountable. Sometimes it's not pretty, but I own it and try to do better the next day.

    I feel the same way, like I owe that to myself!!! Also once you realise that this is not a sprint you can forgive yourself a bad 'un!
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    No offense intended, but I can't imagine why I would want to do that--it would seem pretty pointless. I have the problem of knowing that I have been accurate in measuring and recording my food and exercise and still my weight loss has been painfully slow for the last two months. At least if I knew I had fudged the data, then I wouldn't feel so disappointed when I stepped on the scale and saw that my weight was the same yet again. Even though my measurements continue to slowly decline (I can now fit comfortably into the too-tight jeans that I bought a month ago) it would be nice to see it reflected on the scale. :ohwell:
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Anyone else out there that "fudges" numbers?? For example, if at the end if the day I have a negative calorie count, in other words: I ate too much, I will go back and tweak my food/exercise amounts to achieve the daily goal. I know I'm basically lying to myself because I'm the only one who's looking, but I can't stand to see that I've had a bad day. How can I stop myself from over-eating so that I don't feel the compulsion to fudge my numbers??
    Start with not fudging the numbers. Try to change how you view food and eating. Stop telling yourself you've had a "bad day" if you've gone over your calorie goal. You're viewing things in very a extreme black/white way, something that's very common with dieters, but seriously counter-productive. If you're a little over your goal, it's ok. If you're a little under, it's ok. If you're seriously over or under, and on a regular basis, then you need to make changes, but how can you do that if you are pretending that everything's fine?
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    If it looks like I may go over I just try to fit in an extra walk otherwise it goes over and stays over. I do watch what TDEE-20% is though and aim to stay below that even if MFP says I am over for the day
  • Wizard87
    Wizard87 Posts: 21 Member
    I don't think you are alone in that, despite most posts here. What stopped me is that no matter what numbers were in MFP, my gut was going to react to what I really ate, not what I entered. The only thing fudging numbers does is make you wonder why you aren't losing weight.
    I suspect part of your problem may be that you see busting your limit as a failure that day. But you should stop making each day a contest. I mean yes, revel in the days you stick to your plan. But really, you didn't start this to lose an ounce yesterday, did you? You started to lose 20lbs (or whatever) over 3 or 4 months. A day up or down really isn't a big deal.
    It's the number on the scale that matters, not the number in MFP.
  • esme1983
    esme1983 Posts: 60
    Anyone else out there that "fudges" numbers?? For example, if at the end if the day I have a negative calorie count, in other words: I ate too much, I will go back and tweak my food/exercise amounts to achieve the daily goal. I know I'm basically lying to myself because I'm the only one who's looking, but I can't stand to see that I've had a bad day. How can I stop myself from over-eating so that I don't feel the compulsion to fudge my numbers??

    Could you go for a run round the block at the end of the day if you're over instead?
  • ellend17
    ellend17 Posts: 58
    Yepp i did this!
    But now if i've gone over on my calories, or if i just need to splurge a little bit by eating something extra (or if i do that and then regret it afterwards cause i didn't actually need to) I just add it to tomorrows calories so I know it evens it out.
    I did increase my calories from 1200 to 1400 too which I found really helped - not only kickstarting weight loss again, but i feel i have so much more room for those calories i couldn't squeeze in before.

    Good Luck, hope that helps!
  • otterish
    otterish Posts: 50 Member
    I will sometimes move a late snack over to the next day's diary. If it went into my face it goes into the diary. Why would anyone ever lie, especially to themselves and especially over something this important?
  • FakingFitness
    FakingFitness Posts: 325 Member
    why on earth would you lie to yourself like that? I don't see the point. At all.

    ^ This. Totally. Please tell me you're not one of the people posting about not losing weight...God.

    Actually, she posted this on another thread just today:
    I started about six weeks ago and started losing weight quickly but then stopped and now I am plateaued at this weight even though I'm still controlling my calorie intake and exercising almost every day. I know there's gonna be a breakthrough soon! The important thing is to change your lifestyle and your way of looking at food and exercise. If you change that, you will be healthy no matter what.

    This is why fudging your numbers is a bad idea. You're kidding yourself.

    HA! busted!

    " change your lifestyle" << perhaps you should take your own advice. ;)

    If you don't want to take your own advice, maybe you'd like to log someone else's calories everyday.
    You could pick someone who eats very clean... maybe you'll have that elusive six pack by summer. haha
  • jmmason89
    jmmason89 Posts: 9 Member
    I over count my calories when I'm unsure rather than put too few in. That way at the end of the day I'm still happy and proud of myself and I know I'm not cheating myself out of my weight goal, even if it says I'm a few calories over I know I'm not! :)

    I think of it like my money, I always used to round up in my checkbook with my purchases and all that change really adds up. Then one day you look back at your account and have all that extra cash!

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