Discouraged by MFP

sjrutherf
sjrutherf Posts: 27 Member
edited November 14 in Getting Started
This is my third day on MFP.

I have officially been chastised, in red letters, by MFP. I didn't eat enough calories yesterday. I understand they want you to be healthy. I would understand if this was a common occurrence or something, but trust me this is rare for me! I wasn't hungry most of the day and I took advantage of it. Before starting this journey, I would probably eat a zillion calories a day. Ok, maybe not a zillion, but A LOT.

Yesterday I made such healthy decisions! I found time to take three walks during my work day! I work at a desk, so this is often hard for me to fit in. I also joined my friends and went to a casual volleyball league that I had been avoiding. I didn't eat the cake or cookies that were laid out at work. I didn't go out with my friends for ice cream after volleyball. I was so proud of myself! I was excited to complete my entry for the day. And then all I saw was red text and MFP telling me to make additional entries. I almost went out and ate the entire kitchen.

I was no longer proud.
I was no longer excited.
I just wanted to give up.

I went from being all pumped up to finally try and change things to feeling like a failure 2 days in.
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Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I would advise you to get a strong grip and stop making excuses

    It is just a website. A tool to aid you. It does not have an emotional power over you, only you have that power.

    It is designed to give you a calorie goal - some people choose to do 5:2 and will hit only 500 calories on 2 days - they may choose to monitor their calories over the week.



  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    Meanwhile, I've seen MFP calculate <1200 calorie goals for some people in the last few weeks. *kitten* algorithms; how do they work?

    OP, great job for walking, playing volleyball, and making food choices you were comfortable with. Yes, you shouldn't eat that low as a rule, but you're just starting out, so don't be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes. I know you're not a failue because here you are, back the next day.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    habits, both good or bad, start with one action.

    congrats on eating less, congrats on avoiding the junk food, but you've still got to eat.

    and if you were so low that MFP told you that you need to eat more, you probably could've gone out for ice cream after vollyball.
  • BCUONZO
    BCUONZO Posts: 27 Member
    Don't let it get you down. Every day is different and everyone is on different plans. It is hard to hit your numbers perfect as MFP suggests. Some days you will be slightly over on carbs or fats, but its just one day! Like Rabbit mentions its a tool to help YOU reach YOUR goals. So if you feel good and have energy to do the things you love than that's all that matters. If you ever need help and motivation we are here. Feel free to reach out to me anytime.
  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
    You got upset that you got the automated red warning? I've had that too. I had it the second and third days I was using the app when I had the flu and was never awake long enough to eat or drink. On the fourth day, I got up and 5am to let the dogs out, felt very odd, very woozy and unstable, and I fainted and hit the floor for a few seconds. It was terrifying. My husband wasn't awake, only the dogs were, and they don't know how to dial 911.

    Eat more. Eat better. Nourish yourself. You do not need to add foods you would binge on. Believe me, I GET THAT. You sound like you are doing so well. Keep going!
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    It's just a computer program. It's just a different color font. It's not the calorie police coming to get you. Eating too low in calories over an extended time is not healthy. One day is not a big deal. The site is set up to discourage unhealthy long-term habits and promote achieving the goals you have set. If you don't like seeing the red, just roll your eyes at those letters and click away from that screen.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    Don't let a web site dictate how you feel about yourself! You were right to be proud of yesteday because you did a bang up job. I am sure we all get the "red" message now and again when we have a really low calorie day. For months and months when I started this journey my Wii Fit yeld at me "that's obese"!!!! I grant you that I got very tired of this but it just spurred me to work harder to get it to say "that's over weight"! Stand tall and stay proud of your accomplishments!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    :huh:
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    edited March 2015
    If you're letting an automatic message from a machine discourage you to the point of giving up then you're not ready.

    You'll encounter multiple challenges and set backs during your weight loss. If you give up at each one, well...
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Are you really letting a website control your feelings? How do you react when a real live person cricitizes you? smdh.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    If a computer-generated, generic message from a website is enough to make you give up, maybe you aren't really ready to do this yet.

    You know what works for me when I see that? I ignore it and get on with my life. If the MFP staff show up at my house to yell at me, I'll worry about it.
  • mskinner1091
    mskinner1091 Posts: 180 Member
    MFP yells at me almost everyday that I complete my entry. Try yelling back. Helps me. I say "WHY DONT YOU STOP BEING FAT?!" :smile:
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited March 2015
    Op, sorry the program upset you.
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
    Good job for all of your healthy choices. One misstep does not negate them. It would really be irresponsible if the site didn't have a system to warn people they were eating too few calories. Not everyone is as savvy as you about the proper way to go about this, and the built in warnings are just informational. I got that warning early on. Like you I had a good day and was proud that I had consumed so few calories without really being hungry. Then the warning came up and reminded me of what I already knew...oh right...right...that is not the way to go about it...Without the warning I may well have continued to under-consume, and so might you since you felt fine that first time. Good luck. Try not to let the red font get you down:-)
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    OP, don't start a mean people thread. There is solid, if blunt, advice here.
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    edited March 2015
    sjrutherf wrote: »
    This is my third day on MFP.

    I have officially been chastised, in red letters, by MFP. I didn't eat enough calories yesterday. I understand they want you to be healthy. I would understand if this was a common occurrence or something, but trust me this is rare for me! I wasn't hungry most of the day and I took advantage of it. Before starting this journey, I would probably eat a zillion calories a day. Ok, maybe not a zillion, but A LOT.

    Yesterday I made such healthy decisions! I found time to take three walks during my work day! I work at a desk, so this is often hard for me to fit in. I also joined my friends and went to a casual volleyball league that I had been avoiding. I didn't eat the cake or cookies that were laid out at work. I didn't go out with my friends for ice cream after volleyball. I was so proud of myself! I was excited to complete my entry for the day. And then all I saw was red text and MFP telling me to make additional entries. I almost went out and ate the entire kitchen.

    I was no longer proud.
    I was no longer excited.
    I just wanted to give up.

    I went from being all pumped up to finally try and change things to feeling like a failure 2 days in.

    Do you also get upset when you are driving and hit a red light, and then decide to give up driving because the red lights make you feel like a failure?
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    Oh, honey, you need to get a grip.

    Have you been perfect, the first week, of anything you've tried? I doubt it.

    MFP teaches you many things, but it's not there to make you feel like a failure. It helps define what is good to eat, how many calories you should be be eating, and helps you plan ahead to avoid pitfalls. Warnings it gives you are only for you to know you might want to try something different.
  • csteuter
    csteuter Posts: 87 Member
    You did a great job -- really, just consider that it shows up in red because it is useful advice. I'd rather see it in red when I undereat, than a big red blast when I've gone over. Now that would be discouraging!
  • punkuate
    punkuate Posts: 127 Member
    Way to encourage her, folks!
  • Unknown
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  • csteuter
    csteuter Posts: 87 Member
    Hey, tough love isn't warranted. If someone is reaching out because they're frustrated and new to MFP, how about a little compassion?
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    If this kind of thing is super annoying to you, you could try sparkpeople.com instead. MFP isn't the only free tracking site in existence. Personally I don't give a rip about their automatic nag statements, but all the same, you're not compelled to tolerate them. OR to tolerate people who bash on you, for that matter, just sayin.
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
    When you complete your diary at the end of the day the only thing it does is post it to your news feed so your friends can see it. I log all all my food, good and bad, but I stopped completing my diary at the end of the day because of the stupid message that said "If every day were like today you would weight XXX in 5 weeks". That was irritating me so I quit completing it. My friends can still see my diary if they want to look at it.

    Keep logging, keep being active, keep making good choices, stay strong, accept there will be setbacks and failures, and you will succeed. You can do this.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    csteuter wrote: »
    Hey, tough love isn't warranted. If someone is reaching out because they're frustrated and new to MFP, how about a little compassion?

    There's been plenty of compassion and great responses. If all someone can do is take a few of the more blunt responses as being negative then that is their own issue to deal with.

    OP, like everyone has said, you're new to this, you've already made some great changes, and you may come to find that in order to keep up with your physical activities, you'll need to eat a little bit more. It's a process, you'll find what works best for you and is sustainable. It just takes a little bit of time.

  • PearlAng
    PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
    I'm sorry, but this is just a website.

    If you're going to let a message from a website -an automated, generic message that we all get when eating too few calories- discourage you, then I'm not sure this is the website for you.

    The message is to ensure the safety of MFP users. It doesn't mean they're on your tail. Eat however you damn well please. You could get the message everyday if you eat under a certain amount of calories. It's not like a PERSON is actually chastising you. It's your body, it's your life and you should eat how you want, despite what a machine tells you*

    *With that being said, I do not recommend going below the baseline MFP provides because then you're in store for other health problems, but a few days won't kill you. If you feel good about what you did and how you ate, you shouldn't let a website tell you that you did poorly. Maybe keep up the good work, but add an additional snack to help you reach your caloric goal?
  • pinkiezoom
    pinkiezoom Posts: 409 Member
    on the days it does that to me, and i am really not hungry i just pretend i had some cheese! Not that it happens that often, i love my food and believe the winners are the ones that can eat as much as poss, still lose weight and not feel deprived :)
    Try a protein shake or something if you are falling short in future, but it doesnt make you a failure hun. Just stay focused on what really matters. And thats your health. x
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
    NaomiJFoster wrote: »
    It's just a computer program. It's just a different color font. It's not the calorie police coming to get you. Eating too low in calories over an extended time is not healthy. One day is not a big deal. The site is set up to discourage unhealthy long-term habits and promote achieving the goals you have set. If you don't like seeing the red, just roll your eyes at those letters and click away from that screen.

    Also if you don't like seeing the messages, don't click "Complete this Entry" at the end of the day. It's just a computer program that automatically generates messages based on the calorie count. it's not the food police. Don't get so emotionally attached to it and you'll be much more successful.

    Also, don't make a habit of eating too few calories. It will make you feel like crap and will increase your chances of binging at a later time. Eat enough to adequately fuel your body. Once in a while below your minimum will obviously not be a problem, but a pattern of it will.
  • Italianma7
    Italianma7 Posts: 83 Member
    First of all congratulations on starting your journey on "becoming a better you"
    Don't let red lettering change your attitude towards your day or your fitness goals. What is important is how you feel after you exercise or skip that extra snack that you once would have indulged in (you get my point). You will come across a lot of disappointment throughout your journey. Just remember why you started in the first place. Good luck to you.
  • Mikolinz
    Mikolinz Posts: 23 Member
    Listen, MFP does not want you to become unhealthy/anorexic in the name of dieting. you might think eating below your recommended calories is good, but it's not. MFP is about lifestyle change, not crash diets. hence the warnings in red letters. its not going to applaud you for undereating, because thats not a healthy lifestyle choice. you said you dont do it everyday, good. move on to to the next day with a better idea on how much you need to eat to lose weight, but still be healthy and nourished. it takes time, but you'll get the hang of it
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    i feel like a failure pretty often. I still lost 60 despite the fact that I am human and mess up, alot. And my red letters always involve too much food, not too little.
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