Reality check- oh crap

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1peanutandapumpkin
1peanutandapumpkin Posts: 35 Member
in Motivation and Support
So here I was thinking I had a pretty good week. I had some pizza a few days ago, but it wasn't the end of the world. Been eating good, healthy foods and such. Got some exercise in. Sounds pretty good, right? Yeah...so I just checked my reports and there was only 1 day out of the past 7 (not including today) that was under my calories. All other days, I was over. Not to mention I thought I had exercised a few times this week and it turns out I haven't. Oh crap reality check! How did that happen without even realizing it? Self esteem and positive energy takes a plummet. No wonder I can't lose anymore weight. What I think is good, isn't. I need a workout buddy...and a nanny :) How do you do better when you think you're doing good to begin with?

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  • Uselessly_Irrelevant
    Uselessly_Irrelevant Posts: 58 Member
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    You're just starting out, right? Don't be too hard on yourself, it takes time to make long term habit changes. You are logging your food and exercise every day, right? Just by doing that you are making yourself aware and more conscious about your choices. My first month was a reality check for me: how much I way over shot my estimated calorie consumption, the amount of booze I consumed, and how poor my nutrition was.

    Your reality-check you had today is a very good step. You're holding yourself accountable, you are realizing you didn't do as good as you thought. Sure, it's discouraging at times, but by not accepting reality you will only hinder your progress. Keep on keeping on, you're heading in the right direction :)

    And as far as thinking you exercised or ate nutritiously, what if you got a wall calendar and at the end of the day review your diary and give yourself a sticker if you exercised, and a sticker if you were right around your calorie goal. You'll have a nice visual reminder of what's going on, and you'll make a habit of checking up on yourself and holding yourself accountable daily.
  • 1peanutandapumpkin
    1peanutandapumpkin Posts: 35 Member
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    The chart may help with the exercise thing as a reminder, that's a good one. Not sure on the food though. Most of what I eat every day is fresh, non-packaged stuff. So it's hard to think "oh that's too many calories" when it's vegetables, fruit or protein. That's where it all goes downhill. Starting out here is new...but dieting isn't. I'm so frustrated and having a hard time not giving up like I always do.
  • smarieallen85
    smarieallen85 Posts: 535 Member
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    Try pre-logging or logging as you cook. You can make adjustments (add or subtract an oz of meat) as you go. I've never unknowingly gone over in calories. Do you just try to log everything at the end of the day?
  • doctorregenerated
    doctorregenerated Posts: 188 Member
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    The food scale has made a big difference for me. I had no idea how I was eating double the calories I thought I was. Also, if you are cooking with oil, that adds up quickly too. Check your portion size on rice and bread very carefully as well.
  • smarieallen85
    smarieallen85 Posts: 535 Member
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    The food scale has made a big difference for me. I had no idea how I was eating double the calories I thought I was. Also, if you are cooking with oil, that adds up quickly too. Check your portion size on rice and bread very carefully as well.

    Right. And the scale. Although, her problem is that MFP is showing she has eaten too much, not too little. So perhaps she is weighing.
  • SofaKingRad_II
    SofaKingRad_II Posts: 591
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    Make some MFP friends. They will hold you accountable each day. They've really helped me!
  • judy11351
    judy11351 Posts: 33 Member
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    I weigh and measure everything, it is a real eye opener, I also have a fitbit and that helps me be more active. It really does take a while to get everything figured out.
  • oksanatkachuk
    oksanatkachuk Posts: 149 Member
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    Same thing.
    Though my reality check showed that I don't count properly.
    It's been a week I m estimating a lot of food AND going over.
    Well,, let's leave it in the past and go on with better habits.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    As the other people have said and I have come to realise the first and most importnat part of your diet is making sure you create the calorie deficit. This is why my fitness pal is so helpful and effective.

    Log what you eat/ weigh it if need be and then you will have a more accurate record of what you eat.

    The first part of that and Im coming to think of as the biggest factor in starting to lose weight is portion control and cutting out all the junk. The more you understand how it works and the better you are of keeping track, then the less chance you have of getting a nasty shock.

    Use these forums if you need support and good luck.
  • 1peanutandapumpkin
    1peanutandapumpkin Posts: 35 Member
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    No, I'm not weighing or measuring. I eat mostly fruits, veggies and protein. I don't measure because fruits/veggies are to me a gimmie with calories, and protein I know what 4oz is. The problem is that I get hungry at night and I also log at night. So I think I've done good and haven't, but I eat anyway because I'm hungry. Drinking water doesn't work. I don't have a fancy phone so I can't log as I go. Still trying to figure it all out and it's so frustrating.
  • judy11351
    judy11351 Posts: 33 Member
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    Nothing is free, everything has calories and you are just kidding yourself and you don't need a fancy phone ... write it down for later if you can't log it right away.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    My saving grace is pre-logging. I do it each morning when I wake up so I'm ready for the day. It doesn't matter if its just fruits, veggies and proteins, the calories add up. You need to weigh and measure everything!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    thats what i like about MFP it shows what you are really doing (if one is accurately) in black and white. Look at what you are doing and adjust for next week. Give yourself a pat that you did record.
  • RedArizona5
    RedArizona5 Posts: 465 Member
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    The thing about my fitness pals I noticed is that the encouragement is there alright but so overwhelming that even when I post on my buddies for example if my buddy eats bad food all the time- no one ever says anything to point out whats happening….its not the lack of encouragement but mfp users do lack in holding people accountable….this goes the other way too where a few of my buddies will not praise someone who hasn't eaten enough. So thats a good thing, but, we do need to not be afraid of saying something to someone on here when their is a habit of simply completing a diary over and again rather than being under their goal...
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
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    My saving grace is pre-logging. I do it each morning when I wake up so I'm ready for the day. It doesn't matter if its just fruits, veggies and proteins, the calories add up. You need to weigh and measure everything!

    I pre-log too. It really works and helps me to not go over my calories. And everything (except water, black coffee and tea) gets weighed or measured so pre-logged amounts get updated to actuals by the end of the day.

    You can do this!

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