Mfp has cause more harm than good for me.

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  • stephaniemejia1671
    stephaniemejia1671 Posts: 482 Member
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    I haven't had a problem since logging on to this site. It has been very helpful to me. I have seemed to have found a balance of eating and working out that works for now. This site is meant to help you keep track of what you already eat, it doesn't tell you to change your diet to anything except portion control. If you feel you have become overwhelmed then try something else, log off and take a walk in the part or try diet program like Weight Watchers or something. This is supposed to help you not make you go nuts. Good luck.
  • healthyformeanMona
    healthyformeanMona Posts: 143 Member
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    what rarity2013 said.
  • MrsBozz1
    MrsBozz1 Posts: 248 Member
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    I have found since joining MFP I don't eat clean but I do eat cleaner. I don't eat some things because I've realized that it is worthless calories but I still eat things I like. Yesterday I had a bagel for breakfast, a fruit and veggie smoothie for lunch and then for dinner I had bacon and eggs and potatoes with cheese and a piece of cake. It was yummy and it all fit in my calories! (and I've lost 30 lbs since Jan 20, 2013 so its working for Me) I exercise because I want to because it makes me feel strong. Just because other people are doing something doesn't mean you have to! Just worry about you! If reading what everyone else is doing is pressure instead of motivating maybe you should step back. You have to find balance. Use MFP to watch your intake and maybe track your exercise and maybe that's it. If you can't find the balance you should prob walk away. I wish you the best! Good luck!:flowerforyou:
  • BhanGoes
    BhanGoes Posts: 75 Member
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    I have found that since finding mfp, I have spent every evening glued to the forums, obsessing on 'clean eating', have developed a fear of having any pre packaged meals, of allowing myself the treats I used to have regularly amidst my regular food, along with the fact I now feel impelled to workout everyday, regardless of anything else I might feel like doing, because everyone else seems to be working their *kitten* of obsessively on a daily basis, burning anything up to thousands of calories. Along with this, I have been having severe binges, only since joining the site. As soon as I started actively counting calories, obsession took over. Not to a point of starving myself or anything like that, but to a point of becoming totally consumed by analysing what might be the best diet for longevity, what might be the best diet for a lean body etc etc. It has removed whatever remnant of intuitive eating I had remaining. Sure, I did not have the best diet. I ate a lot of veggie microwave meals, alongside my fruit and veg, and mcflurries and chocolate were a fairly regular fixture in my life. I walked a lot, or swam, or rollerskated or cycled, and I was not overweight. Not 18% bodyfat lean, but not overweight either. I felt healthier. I felt happier. I was more relaxed and I was living my life and had space for other things. Now, every evening, all evening, is spent on mfp, reading more posts and feeling as if I am on some alien planet when I see people logging every bite, every calorie burnt. I go out for a long bike ride, and no longer feel able to stop off for a coffee and toast, or a slice of cake. No way jose, that is not clean, we are not meant to have treats more than once a week, once a month, once a year even, lol.

    Has anyone else hit this issue with mfp?
    I know it works great for people who are endangering their lives with their weight issues.
    But for me, sadly, it seems to have just kicked in my competitive, perfectionist streak, and made me feel compelled to have a perfect diet diary, to burn 600 calories + in exercise a day to not feel lazy compared to everyone else, to revolve my life around eating the best I can for a long life and health, which ironically, is making me feel less healthy. Yep, eating a pile of veggies everyday, and fruit, and greek yoghurt, eggs, fish, chicken, beans, almonds and sweet potatoes, has left me feeling more crap than when I had baked potatoes, microwave veggie meals, quorn(horribly processed), smaller amounts of veggies, ice cream, chocolate and some fish.

    Well log off then

    That sounds a little like telling a fat person to eat less.

    For many of us, we have very complicated relationships with food. I think of food not as the stuff I eat but as an entire spectrum. Weight loss involves the whole experience of thinking about, planning and shopping and paying for, preparing, consuming, cleaning up, etc. It's easy for those of us with such mindsets to transfer a previous obsession with bad-for-us food to the MFP lifestyle of counting calories, working out too much, compulsively reading discussion boards.

    It's never that simple. We are not simple people. I look forward to reading others' thoughts on this topic because I too lean toward the obsessive and that's unhealthy.
  • KirstenMarie18
    KirstenMarie18 Posts: 35 Member
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    Hell no, I agree that it's made me look more carefully at what I'm eating and at times not buy some items because of the calorie content, but if I've learnt anything in my 190 days here, it's that you are allowed to make mistakes - you are allowed to screw up once in a while without it majorly affecting your losses...and that sometimes it's a good thing to go over as it can give your metabolism a much needed boost.

    Just because you have all the information doesn't mean you need to obsess over it and strive for perfection - there is no such thing and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. There's no point in being healthy if you're not happy - find a balance & enjoy life.

    THIS!!
  • staceypunk
    staceypunk Posts: 921 Member
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    Sounds like you need to ease up a little on the expectations you set for yourself. No one is perfect. Maybe clean eating is not for you (it sure ain't for me, I try to make healthy choices and have cut out a lot of processed foods but I still have SOME PROCESSED YUMMINESS!). For me, seeing calorie burns and healthy food diaries is motivating, but you are feeling pressure in a negative way. Delete the friends that have lifestyles that are too different from you, since it's making you feel bad. (Send a nice note to them explaining why if you like). Take all the advice in the forums with a grain of salt, it's just people's opinions. Try to limit the amount of time you spend on MFP. Good luck.... and b-r-e-a-t-h-e!
  • Silvervixen79
    Silvervixen79 Posts: 116 Member
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    Some people (including myself) have a tendency to be this way, but this extreme control makes me feel empowered and I thrive on it. Embrace the crazy ;)
  • 12skipafew99100
    12skipafew99100 Posts: 1,669 Member
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    yes and I feel burned out
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Sounds like your activity on this site may have kicked in some obsessive part of your personality that may or may not have existed before...something to consider?
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    you have an issue. you need to address it. not much to do with MFP really.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
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    I didn't read the whole thing but if you are unhappy you can always leave. I am not saying that to be rude either, if something is seriously making you unhappy do not stay. If you feel that the mindset is not a healthy one change it, if you think you need help get that help.

    Put yourself first always.
  • jenf235
    jenf235 Posts: 157 Member
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    I don't spend too much time in the forums. I spend most of my time just logging my calories and exercise and trying to be a support to the friends I have made here. At the beginning I would read the forums and get worked up thinking I was doing something wrong. Maybe take a step back for a little while if it is getting too intense. You have to find a happy medium with this. You can't take away everything and still enjoy what you are doing. You need to find a balance. You can do this...don't give up!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Sounds like MFP doesn't work for you. You should probably leave, and maybe get a therapist if some of your obsession doesn't recede.

    Seriously, you need to decide what's good for you. Don't work out so much just to keep up with other people.
  • SlimSumday
    SlimSumday Posts: 379 Member
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    I guess if you are going to become obsessive compulsive about something, at least this one is actually good for you. :smile:
  • kookanddra
    kookanddra Posts: 92
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    I'm really sorry you feel that way. I know there is a lot of people out there that use this site that way but I do not. I will not let this or anything else control me. When I first started MFP i logged my calories for the first day and could not believe what I was eating. From that moment on I use this to make sure that I can still eat what I want & drink what I want , but still stay within my calorie limits. I do really good during the week and on weekends I take care of what I need to do and want to do but still watch what I eat. It seems like you chose this path and not one that was happy for you.
  • freebird777
    freebird777 Posts: 63
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    While it may well be issues that you personally need to deal with that's causing this, I'm going to <GASP> criticize MFP a little here and agree with you a bit. This site reallllyyyyyy helps me be accountable, and I appreciate that a lot. It helps me organize my new lifestyle, and I love that. But all of this chatter on these forums can get to me. "EAT BACK ALL YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES OR ELSE YOU WILL FAIL!" made me scared. But then I met with a dietician who taught me to listen more to my body and count calories less. It just makes no sense to me to eat extra food just for the sake of eating back exercise calories. So I'm learning more to follow my intuition and what my body is telling me instead of focusing on numbers. I eat whole, natural foods in appropriate portions...no more processed junk....water instead of diet drinks...3 meals and 2 snacks a day....daily exercise...and my weight is secondary to all of that. Use MFP for all of its awesome benefits, but trust your own intuition as well. Good luck!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    MFP is just a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. If you use it to simply eat at a sensible deficit, then it'll work.

    If you're going for "long bike rides" you should be burning enough calories to enjoy a simple slice of cake and a coffee. I think your incorrect preconceptions have caused you more harm than good.

    Remember, a hammer is a simple tool: you can use it to build a beautiful cabinet or brutally murder someone. At the end of the day it is just a hammer, you have to look to the person wielding it.

    "A bad workman always blames his tools" - don't be a bad workman/woman, be a good workman/woman.
  • luvmydog2
    luvmydog2 Posts: 243 Member
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    It is simply a tool to use to track your diet and fitness routine. You can be part of a supportive community or not. MFP doesn't push you to eat clean. Your issues will remain with you though whatever tool you choose to use.

    Totally agree ...
  • Absonthebrain
    Absonthebrain Posts: 587 Member
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    Honestly MFP has helped me to become more aware of what I was doing to my self. I do not spend all my time on here tho, I still have to take care of my kids and home and husband. I love working out so it makes me happy to see my friends doing it also. I find I make more sensible choices since MFP but I still find room for enjoyment. Maybe you just need to step back from it for a while, I am mainly on here during working hours and I may log in at night once Im done with my night activities to log in dinner and check on my friends on here and lend encouragement. Idon't beat myself up if I over eat or dont work out for the day I just start over the next day and so far that has really worked for me :) Good luck you!
  • daniellescsu
    daniellescsu Posts: 101 Member
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    I am similar...I think the obsessive calorie counting leads me to make unhealthy food choices. If a banana is 100 calories, but a bag of chips is 50 (just making this up) - I will choose the chips to try to be under my calories, even though the banana is the way healthier option.

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