When the calorie numbers turn RED - anyone else freaked out

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run_way
run_way Posts: 220
in Food and Nutrition
So does anyone else get as freaked out as I do when you go over your calorie count by just a few calories and it turns from green to RED? It must be some psychological association with red that just messes me up about it :frown:

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  • sexygenius
    sexygenius Posts: 1,078 Member
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    i hate the red!!!! it makes me not want to log my naughtyness...i hate seeing the read, its scary...
  • Lacole216
    Lacole216 Posts: 97
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    Yes! I immediately want to pop in another zumba dvd or something! lol :blushing:
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
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    It just motivates me to get moving and turn it green again. I haven't gone over since a week after I started (over 4 months ago) and that is only because the red number makes me get my butt in gear. :)
  • LauraKB
    LauraKB Posts: 26 Member
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    I know how you feel... Just last night - after my husband's birthday dinner, I was in the red and actually was tossing in bed thinking I shouldn't have had the piece of chocolate cake! GGGRRR!!!!! and there are still more parties this weekend to be had! No more cake for me!
  • glasielady
    glasielady Posts: 34 Member
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    It really doesn't bother me because I know it's going to turn red before I list what I have eaten. I pretty much know when I've gone over. What it does for me is keep me honest and I know that I have to watch what I eat the next day.
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
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    Not if it is just by a few calories, like under 5% of my total. I figure that the whole calorie measurement thing isn't completely precise. A serving might be slightly bigger/smaller than the others, ingredients might not be evenly mixed, etc. Add in the additional variable of calories burned during the day (both staying alive and exercise calories) and you get even more imprecise.

    I do try to keep my total number of calories consumed at my goal each day, but I consider small variations at the end of the day to be normal and they don't impact my sense of success if I'm eating healthily. Now, if I go over and have eaten unhealthy food that day, then I get a little freaked out.
  • Kristina0202
    Kristina0202 Posts: 188 Member
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    I haven't gone red yet.... but I'm only on my second week, so I'm sure it will happen someday.
  • TakeOne
    TakeOne Posts: 345 Member
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    Yep..they sure have that figured out. No one really wants to see the red. I just try to focus on the weight listed at the end of the day once I have completed my entry. As long as I feel okay with that number then I am fine. I agree with the above though...I know when I am over (most of the time).
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
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    me!! i hate it :(
  • CSK1981
    CSK1981 Posts: 16 Member
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    I do, except i never really go over the calories, i'm usually a lil under my limit, it's the fat and carbs that i normally go over.
  • Fat2FitChick
    Fat2FitChick Posts: 451 Member
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    What about when the calories are still green but my protein, carbs, or sodium go over? That happens sometimes for me nut I don't go over calories. Should I worry about that? Thanks in advance!!
  • closermotion
    closermotion Posts: 65 Member
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    yes!
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
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    What about when the calories are still green but my protein, carbs, or sodium go over? That happens sometimes for me nut I don't go over calories. Should I worry about that? Thanks in advance!!

    No worries on the protein, MFP has very low settings for that.
  • SirJFK
    SirJFK Posts: 49 Member
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    Ya that happened to me last night i've only been logging for a week and was doing really good, looking at a big loss this week and the wife thought ice cream would be a nice treat so we went for the mcflurry. little did I know that frozen yogurt was that many calories. that and my body was aching from the night before's workout so I had decided to pass on my workout last night. anyways stepped on the scale this morning to find my great Gain was no more so i will have to work out today instead and try to get back on track. no biggie I guess :)
  • run_way
    run_way Posts: 220
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    Ya that happened to me last night i've only been logging for a week and was doing really good, looking at a big loss this week and the wife thought ice cream would be a nice treat so we went for the mcflurry. little did I know that frozen yogurt was that many calories. that and my body was aching from the night before's workout so I had decided to pass on my workout last night. anyways stepped on the scale this morning to find my great Gain was no more so i will have to work out today instead and try to get back on track. no biggie I guess :)

    Maybe try to make your rewards be non-food rewards like a game of golf or a new movie or workout gear, that way you start to get rid of the association with food being your main feel-good item.
    Also, I find things even more tempting when they're completely off-limits. I give myself a free meal once per week where I don't go overboard (or else you can easily undo an entire week's worth of good) but I usually pick a weekend day (or if I know a friend's birthday is coming up or something I'll pick that day) and I eat well for two meals, then have some smaller servings of "bad" food that I like for one meal and maybe a dessert, but I don't count my calories for the day. If you're just starting out you might want to count calories just so you get an idea of how much is too much. I like this way because then if I'm craving something, I can cool myself down and just say I can have that on my free day.

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