"calorie crazies"
christannahoner
Posts: 8
Hello,
So I'm currently back on MFP trying to lose weight after a major regain. I lost 12 pounds in 5 months last year and got down to my ideal weight. I was relentlessly using myfitnesspal to log EVERYTHING---little snacks, a few bites of an appetizer, a taste of someone's cheesecake. This annoyed the hell out of my friends, who pointed out that I had become obsessive. Maybe that's true--I could not stand to eat something or order something off a menu without being able to at least kind of calculate the calories. I was doing 1200 cals/day so every one really did count! My best friend said I had a case of the "calorie crazies".
Eventually I started trying to be normal and just eating real, healthy foods, with the occasional treat, without logging calories. At first it was nearly impossible--how do people hold themselves accountable? I still don't know. What if I unknowingly eat a salad that's 1000 calories? What if I'm consistently going over my number--and don't realize it until I've tacked on 10 lbs?
Well, clearly that happened, and then some. But unlike some people, I know exactly why I gained weight. I was eating more, and binge eating pretty frequently, and eating greasy food late at night, and doing all the things I know I'm not supposed to do. I don't know if this all had to do with not counting calories, or feeling some sort of "freedom", but I think that the great thing about MFP and calorie logging is that it does give you a sense of accountability. It's like a little voice that reminds you not to mindlessly eat, or not to order dessert when you don't REALLY want it (I'm a server--we're great at making stuff sound delicious). And it's the only way that I really feel in control of my body.
Do I want to meticulously count calories for the rest of my life? Not particularly, but I feel like once you start, you really can't stop. Not sure how to find a balance. Has anyone else had a similar experience with getting on/off the MFP train?
-Christanna
So I'm currently back on MFP trying to lose weight after a major regain. I lost 12 pounds in 5 months last year and got down to my ideal weight. I was relentlessly using myfitnesspal to log EVERYTHING---little snacks, a few bites of an appetizer, a taste of someone's cheesecake. This annoyed the hell out of my friends, who pointed out that I had become obsessive. Maybe that's true--I could not stand to eat something or order something off a menu without being able to at least kind of calculate the calories. I was doing 1200 cals/day so every one really did count! My best friend said I had a case of the "calorie crazies".
Eventually I started trying to be normal and just eating real, healthy foods, with the occasional treat, without logging calories. At first it was nearly impossible--how do people hold themselves accountable? I still don't know. What if I unknowingly eat a salad that's 1000 calories? What if I'm consistently going over my number--and don't realize it until I've tacked on 10 lbs?
Well, clearly that happened, and then some. But unlike some people, I know exactly why I gained weight. I was eating more, and binge eating pretty frequently, and eating greasy food late at night, and doing all the things I know I'm not supposed to do. I don't know if this all had to do with not counting calories, or feeling some sort of "freedom", but I think that the great thing about MFP and calorie logging is that it does give you a sense of accountability. It's like a little voice that reminds you not to mindlessly eat, or not to order dessert when you don't REALLY want it (I'm a server--we're great at making stuff sound delicious). And it's the only way that I really feel in control of my body.
Do I want to meticulously count calories for the rest of my life? Not particularly, but I feel like once you start, you really can't stop. Not sure how to find a balance. Has anyone else had a similar experience with getting on/off the MFP train?
-Christanna
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Replies
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I decided that taking the time required to weigh and log my food is my gift to myself. I'm worth the effort. (I've lost over 60 pounds in total)
I have a few co-workers who give me 'the look' when they see how carefully I deal with my food intake but whatever. There's that saying: "What other people think about you is none of your business."
You're the only one in charge of your health. You know MFP logging works for you so go forth and conquer! :flowerforyou:0 -
:laugh:
You became the annoying friend. Why didn't you just log without them watching? I mostly use my phone anyway so there's hardly any way for people to know what I'm doing unless they're looking right at it. Otherwise I can just catch things up at home
I wonder with social media, do people ever ask, "do I want to obsessively check in with this for the rest of my life??" Compare that to MyFitnessPal which has got to be infinitely more useful... I think I will keep using it till there is a more evolved tool. But MFP won't be outdone - they keep making new partners and rolling out updates
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Yep, pretty much.
I haven't found the balance yet bug hopefully one day before becoming middle aged I will. I need to log meticulously.0 -
:laugh:
I wonder with social media, do people ever ask, "do I want to obsessively check in with this for the rest of my life??" Compare that to MyFitnessPal which has got to be infinitely more useful... I think I will keep using it till there is a more evolved tool. But MFP won't be outdone - they keep making new partners and rolling out updates
I LOVE this. I had a similar "epiphany" about the possibility of being a "lifer" when it comes to calorie logging. I "can't" go a day without checking my FB (and I enjoy this), and I treat MFP the same. I check in with friends to see how they're doing, let them know how I'm doing, etc. on both MFP and FB. Both useful for different aspects of my life.0 -
been tracking calories for a long time and now I am gradually going by eye, I am verifying once in a while to make sure that. im not way off or when it is something I have never eaten.
No point to wait to gain 5 pounds on the scale to adjust. Water fluctuation is part of life and for me it averages 2 pounds for about 24h if I see that they linger I act right away and reduce a little my food intake or increase my exercises.
In the past have lost 60 pounds counting calories, maintained for 2 years but menopause hit me an my calorie needs decreased and I got lazy and did not adjust and regained 30, back to 21 pounds down.0 -
I don't count calories. I used MFP to log my macros, etc. and my exercise. Now I haven't been counting and just eating good, nutrient-dense food, staying really active, and only eating when I am hungry or my workout calls for it. I am actually dropping weight again and eating less. I can maintain without counting. I go months at a time. I have been calorie counting since grade school though so there are no surprises for me in terms of calories. Plus, I don't eat a lot of fast food or processed food so it's hard to over do it on veggies and lean proteins!0
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I like counting the calories and love that I found this site.
But if you want to lose weight without counting, you can.
Buy fresh food and prepare it yourself. White meat, no red. No cheese, no mayo. Exercise.
If you eat fresh food, it will be difficult to gain. You're almost guaranteed to lose if you exercise. 0 -
Counting calories was such a pain, I never got into it. I did count calories of food that I bought, I tell you that it's far easier to get home from the supermarket and count up all of the food that I had just bought, and divide that over say 6 days as an estimate.
I have found "watching my weight" far easier. It's far easier to stand on a scale for 15 seconds and log it in your records than to be messing around with different amounts and stuff.0 -
I would suggest eating healthier foods when you have cravings. Easier said than done obviously, but once you do this for a while, your body starts craving the healthy foods. For example, if you're craving something sweet, try fruit instead of chocolatey whatever. You'd be amazed what raw foods can do to your metabolism0
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The social media comparison pretty much sums up why I was so willing to start on here. I already have a few sites I check pretty regularly, and I've been pretty devoted for a couple years now about tracking my reading progress on Goodreads, so as obsessive as it might seem to some, this really wasn't that big of a step for me at this point in my life. Not sure about getting back off after reaching my goal. For sure I'll stick around for a while at least on maintainence as well as find a long-term solution for my binge-snacking habits, but otherwise I'm hoping to figure something out when I get there. Regular weigh-ins would probably be one idea, or I could just stick around forever. We'll see.
I haven't had to do a lot of logging in public yet, and when I do, so far I've pretty much been able to quietly (or not since I keep forgetting to mute the app :P) zap the barcode on whatever I'm eating, or a lot of times just bring stuff from home I've pre-logged.0 -
OMG this was me when i first started using this app it drove my husband up the wall. Especially as i'm one of these people who would get really stressed out if i went over. What i do now is either just do it on my phone quickly while people are chatting or i write it down somewhere and then add it when i get home. If i'm going out for a meal somewhere and i know what i'm having i sometimes add it before i go as well. This stopped me being the annoying friend lol. It does still annoy my husband sometimes that i have to do it but he'll get used to it0
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my friends don't even know I use this app. Unless you make it super obvious, don't see why anyone would need to knowHello,
So I'm currently back on MFP trying to lose weight after a major regain. I lost 12 pounds in 5 months last year and got down to my ideal weight. I was relentlessly using myfitnesspal to log EVERYTHING---little snacks, a few bites of an appetizer, a taste of someone's cheesecake. This annoyed the hell out of my friends, who pointed out that I had become obsessive. Maybe that's true--I could not stand to eat something or order something off a menu without being able to at least kind of calculate the calories. I was doing 1200 cals/day so every one really did count! My best friend said I had a case of the "calorie crazies".
Eventually I started trying to be normal and just eating real, healthy foods, with the occasional treat, without logging calories. At first it was nearly impossible--how do people hold themselves accountable? I still don't know. What if I unknowingly eat a salad that's 1000 calories? What if I'm consistently going over my number--and don't realize it until I've tacked on 10 lbs?
Well, clearly that happened, and then some. But unlike some people, I know exactly why I gained weight. I was eating more, and binge eating pretty frequently, and eating greasy food late at night, and doing all the things I know I'm not supposed to do. I don't know if this all had to do with not counting calories, or feeling some sort of "freedom", but I think that the great thing about MFP and calorie logging is that it does give you a sense of accountability. It's like a little voice that reminds you not to mindlessly eat, or not to order dessert when you don't REALLY want it (I'm a server--we're great at making stuff sound delicious). And it's the only way that I really feel in control of my body.
Do I want to meticulously count calories for the rest of my life? Not particularly, but I feel like once you start, you really can't stop. Not sure how to find a balance. Has anyone else had a similar experience with getting on/off the MFP train?
-Christanna0 -
None of my friends know I use the site, but I would not hesitate to let them know if I thought they might be interested. I did tell my parents because I know they occasionally do diet fads. Personally, I would rather know my caloric intake than guess. Since when is knowledge a bad thing? So what if someone did call me a "calorie crazy"? Even if you were mother Teresa, someone is going to talk crap about you, or your choices. If they want to be narrow minded and judgemental, then sobeit. Just do what feels easy/right to you.0
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i think its important to decide whether your friends think having the "calorie crazies" is a big enough issue to not do what you know works? As someone else said....do it on the quiet...i track my food the night before...so most of my tracking is done privately...but I could care less what others say/think about it 0
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Hmmm. I didn't so much mean that I advertised my logging, or that I talked about it. But when I outright refused to eat things, freaked out about having dressing on my salad, and excused myself before dessert came out, close friends thought something was up.
The only way I can think to lose weight is to obsessively count my calories, with no excuses, but I don't know how to do this and still "be normal", is the problem.0 -
my friends don't even know I use this app. Unless you make it super obvious, don't see why anyone would need to knowHello,
So I'm currently back on MFP trying to lose weight after a major regain. I lost 12 pounds in 5 months last year and got down to my ideal weight. I was relentlessly using myfitnesspal to log EVERYTHING---little snacks, a few bites of an appetizer, a taste of someone's cheesecake. This annoyed the hell out of my friends, who pointed out that I had become obsessive. Maybe that's true--I could not stand to eat something or order something off a menu without being able to at least kind of calculate the calories. I was doing 1200 cals/day so every one really did count! My best friend said I had a case of the "calorie crazies".
Eventually I started trying to be normal and just eating real, healthy foods, with the occasional treat, without logging calories. At first it was nearly impossible--how do people hold themselves accountable? I still don't know. What if I unknowingly eat a salad that's 1000 calories? What if I'm consistently going over my number--and don't realize it until I've tacked on 10 lbs?
Well, clearly that happened, and then some. But unlike some people, I know exactly why I gained weight. I was eating more, and binge eating pretty frequently, and eating greasy food late at night, and doing all the things I know I'm not supposed to do. I don't know if this all had to do with not counting calories, or feeling some sort of "freedom", but I think that the great thing about MFP and calorie logging is that it does give you a sense of accountability. It's like a little voice that reminds you not to mindlessly eat, or not to order dessert when you don't REALLY want it (I'm a server--we're great at making stuff sound delicious). And it's the only way that I really feel in control of my body.
Do I want to meticulously count calories for the rest of my life? Not particularly, but I feel like once you start, you really can't stop. Not sure how to find a balance. Has anyone else had a similar experience with getting on/off the MFP train?
-Christanna
Well, some people thought I had an eating disorder because of the weight loss, types of foods I would eat/wouldn't eat, etc. And to be honest, I avoided eating dinner at certain places, going out on certain nights, if I wanted to avoid going over my calories, so people noticed. I know the benefits of MFP and how much it helped me before...but I've forgotten how to just enjoy life without stressing about calories, and I don't know that I'll ever get that back. That's kind of what I was getting at. Once your mind is tuned in to calorie counting, I don't think you can turn it off. However, as long as I lose weight, I guess I can deal with that.0 -
OMG this was me when i first started using this app it drove my husband up the wall. Especially as i'm one of these people who would get really stressed out if i went over. What i do now is either just do it on my phone quickly while people are chatting or i write it down somewhere and then add it when i get home. If i'm going out for a meal somewhere and i know what i'm having i sometimes add it before i go as well. This stopped me being the annoying friend lol. It does still annoy my husband sometimes that i have to do it but he'll get used to it
^^
This! My friends made so many comments about my logging that I've learned to either pre-log, to log whilst others are engaged in conversation with one another, and most often I jot down what I've eaten in a notepad for logging later.
One thing is certain; I don't plan on stopping logging anytime soon, and could easily be considered a "lifer"!0 -
i've been obsessive over tracking my food. i had dinner tonight at my friends house with his family and tracked it in front of them, they even helped with a bar code. if your friends give you a hard time about tracking your food and trying to be healthier then they arent that good of friends.0
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Logging the calories is one thing. Then LOOK at your diary, see what were good choices, what could be improved. That's how you educate yourself and learn what works and what doesn't.
Eating out, I'll go for fish and veg, and leave the potatoes/ rice/ bread. That's pretty simple to do. Many places have calorie counts on the menu, so again, it's not that difficult to make a suitable choice.
I guess 80% of the time I'm eating from a menu selection that I've developed while using MFP. I have a range of trusted breakfasts and lunches that I know fit well into my goal, and a bit of wriggle room for the odd meal out.0 -
my friends don't even know I use this app. Unless you make it super obvious, don't see why anyone would need to knowHello,
So I'm currently back on MFP trying to lose weight after a major regain. I lost 12 pounds in 5 months last year and got down to my ideal weight. I was relentlessly using myfitnesspal to log EVERYTHING---little snacks, a few bites of an appetizer, a taste of someone's cheesecake. This annoyed the hell out of my friends, who pointed out that I had become obsessive. Maybe that's true--I could not stand to eat something or order something off a menu without being able to at least kind of calculate the calories. I was doing 1200 cals/day so every one really did count! My best friend said I had a case of the "calorie crazies".
Eventually I started trying to be normal and just eating real, healthy foods, with the occasional treat, without logging calories. At first it was nearly impossible--how do people hold themselves accountable? I still don't know. What if I unknowingly eat a salad that's 1000 calories? What if I'm consistently going over my number--and don't realize it until I've tacked on 10 lbs?
Well, clearly that happened, and then some. But unlike some people, I know exactly why I gained weight. I was eating more, and binge eating pretty frequently, and eating greasy food late at night, and doing all the things I know I'm not supposed to do. I don't know if this all had to do with not counting calories, or feeling some sort of "freedom", but I think that the great thing about MFP and calorie logging is that it does give you a sense of accountability. It's like a little voice that reminds you not to mindlessly eat, or not to order dessert when you don't REALLY want it (I'm a server--we're great at making stuff sound delicious). And it's the only way that I really feel in control of my body.
Do I want to meticulously count calories for the rest of my life? Not particularly, but I feel like once you start, you really can't stop. Not sure how to find a balance. Has anyone else had a similar experience with getting on/off the MFP train?
-Christanna
Well, some people thought I had an eating disorder because of the weight loss, types of foods I would eat/wouldn't eat, etc. And to be honest, I avoided eating dinner at certain places, going out on certain nights, if I wanted to avoid going over my calories, so people noticed. I know the benefits of MFP and how much it helped me before...but I've forgotten how to just enjoy life without stressing about calories, and I don't know that I'll ever get that back. That's kind of what I was getting at. Once your mind is tuned in to calorie counting, I don't think you can turn it off. However, as long as I lose weight, I guess I can deal with that.
I suspect people started to think you had disordered eating because you were overly restricting by only eating 1200 cals, rather than just because you counted calories.
Try setting a more reasonable calorie goal, aiming to lose just 0.5 or 1 lb per week. You will not have to be so restrictive about what you can/can't eat and will be less likely to start binge eating and regain the weight.0 -
My friends are actually really shocked about my diligence in making sure I log everything. Like if I go to one of their houses and they are cooking something, they'll let me scan the bar codes. I tend to apologize because I feel like I'm wasting their time, and they responded with "No it's cool, like seriously, I wish I could do that every day I would give up." And it makes me feel better. And when I first started, my mom would get annoyed as I scanned everything as we cooked, but now before I even ask, she just hands me the stuff to scan now. So I really haven't felt any pressure of anything other that support for logging. And I log EVERYTHING. I seriously, cannot eat something without logging it.0
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It's easy for it to become obsessive, and you're right to try to find a balance. I am pretty diligent about weighing and logging everything, because it works for me. Well, to a point. It works in terms of managing my weight. Other people definitely think I'm obsessive, but I look at them, and the same people thinking I'm obsessive are the ones that are really struggling with their own weight.
On the other hand, I am a bit obsessive, and I'm still working hard to find the right balance for myself. Not every single bite of food needs to be tracked. It's ok to have meals, or days where you don't track. Tracking can become obsessive, and it can also become a crutch, especially for people who are prone to mindless eating, emotional eating, binge eating etc. I think it's important to try to learn to eat moderately even when you aren't tracking, and sometimes the only way to do that is to take breaks from it.
Calorie counting allows you to exert control over your appetite, and over your body. That control can feel wonderful, especially if you've felt out of control for so long. Unfortunately that control itself can be intoxicating and for some people, it spirals into restrictive eating disorders. Other people struggle with feeling too restricted and wanting the freedom that comes from letting go and not tracking - and may spiral into binge eating. Again, it's important to find a balance.
As for what people think - I'm not too bothered because I know that this is a vital tool in maintaining my weight, and maintaining my weight is important. On the other hand, I realise that most people find calorie counting a little bit weird, and it can be annoying. I don't log my food in front of other people, and I don't talk about calorie counting unless someone asks. Some people know I do it, but I don't go on about it. It's nothing I'm ashamed of, but then I'm not one of those people that feels the need to share every detail of my life on facebook either.0 -
learn to like it0
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I wouldn't give a crap about what my friends think.... take me or leave me... I will do what I need to do for myself and noone else and if that means I log in daily, then so be it.
I stopped once - won't do that again.0 -
i can be that way at times but, iv'e found that if i plan out my meals in the morning (at least breakfast, lunch and snacks) and log it all before I start the day and stick to exactly what I logged I do just fine. This also avoids people questioning what I'm doing.0
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