are we sometimes congratulating people for undereating? Loo

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  • Janworkingitout
    Janworkingitout Posts: 434 Member
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    I agree with you about congratulating people even when it's clear they're not eating enough. I've read diaries of people who eat so little it's clear they have developed eating disorders, and people are still teliing them great job! Truly that's my one pet peeve about MFP, If you really want to be a friend, tell me when I'm doing something that maybe harmful to my health. That's what supporting each other should be all about!

    My workout situation is a bit different from some, because I'm on beta blockers, which keep my heart rate low, it's very difficult for me to get a good burn. Therefore I really like the kudos even when I've not burned as many calories as I would have liked. Also, I have logged in over 200 days in a row, and you best belive that's an accomplishment! So whether you have 5 days or 300 days logged in, it's a sign of committment and it's nice to have it acknowledged.

    Thanks for bringing these topics up for discussion!
  • JillyCornwall
    JillyCornwall Posts: 376 Member
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    I do the same thing I dont eat on the weekends and every other weekday my calories are pretty low and no day do I go over 1000. Am I losing weight? YES! am I healthy? YES! Everyone in diff


    My comment to you made as a health professional is I'm afraid that if your food diary is correct is that you are not healthy..its just not possible for an active 22 yr old girl to eat as little as you are doing and not be losing lean muscle mass...and remember your heart is your most precious muscle. The pattern of underfeeding that you have set yourself is typical of an eating disorder & NOT a healthy lifestyle. You may feel OK now but believe me as you grow oldr if you keep this up you are storing up problems in later life. I know this also from personal experience as well as from seeing the health consequences.
  • pretentiouskate
    pretentiouskate Posts: 186
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    I do the same thing I dont eat on the weekends and every other weekday my calories are pretty low and no day do I go over 1000. Am I losing weight? YES! am I healthy? YES! Everyone in diff

    Given what you've logged for food on the days you do eat I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a nutritionist. Frankly, you're either starving yourself or eating absolute junk, depending on the day. I'm not going to discount the idea of occasional fasts however if you're going to do that you really need to look at what you eat when you do it and make sure that its healthy and nutritious.
  • Tzavush
    Tzavush Posts: 389 Member
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    I am usually under my calorie goals, I know there is room for improvement, but since I have changed what I eat to be healthier, some days I need to struggle to eat enough calories. If my diary tells me Im not eating enough, I go force myself to eat something, even if Im not hungry just because it says I need to.
    I may still end up under my goal and because I don't have an HRM I wont always eat the calories back from the workouts I do because Im not sure how accurate a calorie deficit I am looking at.

    I appreciate when people tell me I am doing well, more because I am here, logging everything and sticking to this.
    I welcome suggestions and CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms, thats why I am here.

    ....however, I have to say I do not appreciate the assumption of some that because I am under my goals that it is because I am intentionally trying to starve myself. Some days I try to eat more and I feel sick. (this is a huge contradiction for me as I used to eat a lot more before I decided to better my health, difference is, it was the fast food burgers and fries before, and now its not)

    While I agree that some people have an unhealthy attitude toward eating and weight loss, not all who do not eat their entire colorie goal are among that group.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Didnt read through, so if already said let me apologize in advance.

    I eat my exercise calories by 1/2-3/4 given I am small to begin with by weight loss standards

    Each day, if I play my cards right, I am below my cal goal, but have eaten 1500-1600 calories.

    So YES my friends congratulate me on eating below because they know me and well, are my friends here to encourage me.
  • vroyyoung
    vroyyoung Posts: 33
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    Sometimes after I workout, I'll comment on my workout to say more about it. Also I'll make notes most days about what's happening to motivate me or what I'm struggling with. Maybe try that to help others to motivate you in the manner that helps you best!
  • JillyCornwall
    JillyCornwall Posts: 376 Member
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    Didnt read through, so if already said let me apologize in advance.

    I eat my exercise calories by 1/2-3/4 given I am small to begin with by weight loss standards

    Each day, if I play my cards right, I am below my cal goal, but have eaten 1500-1600 calories.

    So YES my friends congratulate me on eating below because they know me and well, are my friends here to encourage me.

    There is nothing wrong with that..I do it myself..the sort of undereating we..and the OP are talking about are those who are netting 5-6-700 cals or in some cases even less a day on a regular basis..and working out...and people still say wtg excellent..well sorry its not..not on a site that promotes a healthy lifestyle..and a change for life.
  • pinklion721
    pinklion721 Posts: 226 Member
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    I am usually under my calorie goals, I know there is room for improvement, but since I have changed what I eat to be healthier, some days I need to struggle to eat enough calories. If my diary tells me Im not eating enough, I go force myself to eat something, even if Im not hungry just because it says I need to.
    I may still end up under my goal and because I don't have an HRM I wont always eat the calories back from the workouts I do because Im not sure how accurate a calorie deficit I am looking at.

    I appreciate when people tell me I am doing well, more because I am here, logging everything and sticking to this.
    I welcome suggestions and CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms, thats why I am here.

    ....however, I have to say I do not appreciate the assumption of some that because I am under my goals that it is because I am intentionally trying to starve myself. Some days I try to eat more and I feel sick. (this is a huge contradiction for me as I used to eat a lot more before I decided to better my health, difference is, it was the fast food burgers and fries before, and now its not)

    While I agree that some people have an unhealthy attitude toward eating and weight loss, not all who do not eat their entire colorie goal are among that group.
  • pinklion721
    pinklion721 Posts: 226 Member
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    Im in the same boat. Last night I wasn't hungry but bc I exercised so much I was way under. I grabbed some nuts and a glass of milk. I ate 1400 cals. But was still under. To me as long as I try to keep my food intake up im doing fine I can't eat and eat just bc I my numbers don't add up. I want to be. Healthy not thin. So im def. Not intentionally under eating.
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,086 Member
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    I agree with you wholeheartedly - people get upset when I comment on something, but isn't that the purpose of making your diary public? I comment on things like too few calories, not enough water, not enough veggies. I will rarely say to someone WHOA those were too many calories. Primarily because that can be mitigated over the course of a few days but it depends on peoples goals really.

    Are they there to lose weight or get healthy?
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
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    I am under my calorie goal everyday and I eat a well balanced day of food. I do not feel like I am starving. Now I may only bee 100 or less under the 1200 cal but my main concern is the exercise calories. If I eat the exercise calories I might as well go back to the way I used to eat. I burn around 1500-1800 calories a day in exercise. That comes out to 2700-3000 calories a day. I cant eat that unless I eat unhealthy foods and that seems counterproductive. No one seems to have the answer on whether we eat those calories or not. Some people eat them and lose others don't and also lose.
    I congratulate people for when the are logged in for a certain amount of days because that means they are still committed to their weight loss. If I had given up I certainly wouldn't be on here. I'd be back on facebook or playing games instead.
    I do comment on peoples diaries and questions I have about certain foods etc. Logging in for me is half the battle. Makes me accountable for what I eat. Sometimes I think the people that don't have their diaries public is because the default is private and they don't know how to do it. I know I saw others when I first got here that said...:view diary" and mine didn't so I went hunting to see how to change it.
    I like when people comment as it makes me feel like people really care about what I am doing. Not necessarily what I am eating.
    my 2 cents!
    Kat
  • LUV2CRUZ
    LUV2CRUZ Posts: 356 Member
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    Man, people really jump to conclusions! You should all know that she was talking about ridiculously low numbers of calories and not the 1200 to 1500 calorie range. Most of us also do the up and down thing with our calories but if you are exercising and trying to eat 700 or 800 calories a day....THAT COMMENT WAS INTENDED FOR YOU....out of concern and caring......:huh:
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
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    Man, people really jump to conclusions! You should all know that she was talking about ridiculously low numbers of calories and not the 1200 to 1500 calorie range. Most of us also do the up and down thing with our calories but if you are exercising and trying to eat 700 or 800 calories a day....THAT COMMENT WAS INTENDED FOR YOU....out of concern and caring......:huh:

    I don't think anyone said that it wasn't out of concern or caring. This, I thought was a discussion and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
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    If I notice someone is undereating and exercising like crazy, I usually simply de-friend them. I cant make myself give some advice and tell someone how they should live, its their thing only...specially if its a total stranger... but it makes me uncomfortable and thats why I am not friends with them.
  • GA_Gyrl
    GA_Gyrl Posts: 25 Member
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    True! However if someone MEETS their caloric intake but then workout that's the difference. If you meet your caloric intake, workout THEN take BACK in what you burned....wouldnt that defeat the purpose!?
  • allimac09
    allimac09 Posts: 33
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    How do you see what someone ate? Sorry, I'm new to this... I go to people's pages and I can't find that. I do agree. Although I have been under for most of this week and I'm just not hungry or I don't have much time while I work. Today is my day off, with lots of healthy stuff though!
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 244 Member
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    There's an option in your food and exercise diary for notes -- it's at the bottom of the page. Maybe you can log those things there if you want? That way when people look they'll see it too.

    I just really wanted to say that I really liked your signature. I love the idea that you set yourself little mini-goals and reward yourself! I will definitely have to do that to help keep myself motivated! Thanks for the great idea! :)

    Thanks! I actually got the idea from another MFP member. There are things I always want to buy and sometimes I feel guilty (I'm planning a wedding so money is kind of an issue as of late lol). But if I space out my rewards and buy things I really want when I reach a goal, I feel better about it and it gives me an incentive to keep up my tracking and exercise. :)
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 244 Member
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    How do you see what someone ate? Sorry, I'm new to this... I go to people's pages and I can't find that. I do agree. Although I have been under for most of this week and I'm just not hungry or I don't have much time while I work. Today is my day off, with lots of healthy stuff though!

    Some people have their food diaries set to private, so you won't be able to see them. When people on your friends list complete their daily diaries and they are open to view, there's usually a link next to "So-and-so completed their food diary for whatever date and they were under their goal" or whatever. You can click it and read. :)
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    I read this the other day on a blog post by Tom Venuto, so maybe it will put a few things in perspective. The article was about "starvation mode" - which I think is a much overused term. And it doesn't actually exist...the correct term is "adaptive thermogenesis," but that's another post entirely. Anyway from Tom's post....

    "The big doozy is the (mythical) girl who (claims) she’s eating “only 300 calories a day and not losing weight.” Funny how you put her in a metabolic ward on 1000-1200 calories a day (measured and enforced) and she starts losing weight like crazy. That wasn’t starvation mode caused by a 300 calorie per day “slow metabolism.” The damaging admission you’ll never hear from our physics-defying girl is, “I suck at counting calories and I underreport how much I eat…. Oh yeah, I overestimate how many calories I burn too.” [end sarcasm]"

    The reality is people's journals are a classic example of "garbage in, garbage out." They are only as good as the entries they actually make. And even then, can still be very inaccurate.
  • lcarr417
    lcarr417 Posts: 16
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    I had one of those bad days yesterday where I felt like I ate a good portion, especially a greasy lunch but when I logged everything in at 10 pm on my food/excercise diary, i still had 800 calories left. YIKES!
    i was curious if my status would read "under calorie goal" and it did, so i commented so everyone would know I was way under goal, and not to congratulate me.

    MFP should add criteria to their site that will change the status updates to mirror the same info you receive when you complete your calorie goal. "laurie completed her diary and was very low in calories to a point of being unhealthy" and similiar for over goal. only time it should be okay is a small percentage above/below your personal goal.

    thats my 2 cents...now off to lunch!

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