feeling down

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monikaguenther
monikaguenther Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
i've been dieting/ watching my weight for a while now, but i only started using my fitness pal like a week ago and i'm not sure how to really work it. i'm eating healthy but it seems that i over do it alot on like one nutrient and not enough on the others. is this going to be bad in the long run? will i even lose weight?

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  • mkcmurphy
    mkcmurphy Posts: 437 Member
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    Hi! Welcome!

    Tracking the calories is a fantastic way to open eyes and get focused. Generally I don't worry about the specific nutrients, but I also don't have a deficiency or a concern about any of them. I default to protein and try to limit my carbs, so my numbers can skew that way and I have had no problem. If I do/did, then I switch off of it or limit it, and move on.

    You're going to like it here! Good luck!
  • Mpol2
    Mpol2 Posts: 442 Member
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    If you track food honestly then one of the most amazing thinggs about MFP is how much you will learn about what/not and how much/not to eat. Learn from what you see... Adjust your quantities and the kinds of food you eat as you learn, and it will start to work for you.
  • mellie_mellie
    mellie_mellie Posts: 20 Member
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    I agree with Mpol! The more that your track your intake, the more that you will learn. Learning what you are putting into your body is the easiest way to make informed decisions. Stick with it x x Friend me for support x x
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    It's kinda tough without seeing your diary so we can see exact numbers and what you're over (and how much) as well as if it's too low. I agree with Mpol2-if you track honestly MFP works wonders!
  • kellyyy1408
    kellyyy1408 Posts: 5 Member
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    As long as you track everything you eat and stay within your daily goal you should be fine! I use the suggested daily calorie goal MFP gives me. And remember losing weight is a slow process. One week I will gain a pound and get upset with myself and the next I will lose 2, just don't give up! Good luck :)

    11258407.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    Hello. The core utility of MyFitnessPal is its calorie counting / food journaling function.

    Basically, if you expend more energy (calories) than you consume, you will lose weight. I think Isaac Newton came up with the fundamentals.

    So, stop me if you've heard this one. Calories are a measure of energy. Your body uses them to live.

    When you brush your teeth, you use some; when you take a shower you use some; when you walk out to your car you use some. Just breathing and circulating blood uses a TON of calories.

    MFP is all about calories. They have an awesome database with every food ever made that enables you to track the calories you eat and compare them to goals you set.

    As far as nutrients (which are referred to as macronutrients - the big three - when you talk about fat/carbs/protein) go, it's sorta irrelevant. I mean, it's important to get a mix of all three. But otherwise, you will lose weight on a high fat diet if you are under your calories.

    Again - as long as you are under your calories, you will lose weight. Will you feel good on a very high fat diet? Probably not so much.

    Micronutrients, on the other hand, are chemicals which are necessary for proper functioning, but are not consumed in mass for survival - stuff like vitamins and minerals.

    I don't want to assume you don't know anything you already know, so does this answer your question? Do you know how many calories on average you burn in a day?
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    I agree with Mpol! The more that your track your intake, the more that you will learn. Learning what you are putting into your body is the easiest way to make informed decisions. Stick with it x x Friend me for support x x

    And just to echo this, the biggest thing I've gotten from MFP is the ability to make informed choices about what I eat. I finally know by looking what a serving is, or should be. I don't go to restaurants and just eat the six pounds they put in front of me because I have a frame of reference for what I'm about to put in me.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Just promise to be truthful for about two weeks, then go back and see where you could improve your diet. Don't feel bad about what you are seeing.
    Being truthful with myself in what I was eating was probably the most important thing i did to lose weight.

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