So...MFP spanked me!

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And I deserved it. I have my calorie goal set pretty low, 1200 calories. Yesterday I ate 1159 and when I hit "complete my entry" I got a warning about not eating enough to get the proper nutrition and that MFP would not be posting this days results for me. Pretty smart, and I should know better than to be trying to shave even a few more calories off of an already low goal in an attempt to speed things up. Thanks MFP. Keep me on track....but the smart way.
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Replies

  • Losing2Fast2Furious
    Losing2Fast2Furious Posts: 45 Member
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    Just eat a teaspoon of Peanut Butter and then watch it hit over 1200. :)
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Sounds like bs to me. I get that mfp wants to "do it the right way". But this is bs .Everybody is not the same trying to lose 2 pounds a week etc. Maybe there is a good reason for somebody to eat less than 1200 cals one day. Why do they even offer 1200 calories if you even go one calorie shy they wont post your stats. But yea, keep regulating telling me how to do things.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Sounds like bs to me. I get that mfp wants to "do it the right way". But this is bs .

    Really? You think it is BS for the makers of this app to care about whether their users are using it responsibly and safely?

    Do you think it is BS to be held accountable for decisions that may harm you?

    I personally really appreciate that the people who created this FREE app and made it available for FREE to anyone who wants to use it, actually care about how it is used. Sometimes caring means telling people things they might not want to hear and then hoping they will at least think about it before continuing on a course of self harm.


  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Sounds like bs to me. I get that mfp wants to "do it the right way". But this is bs .

    As a general rule?

    Please explain why you think it is ok to go below 1200 regularly (unless you mean IF)
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Is this on the phone app? Because I'm at 1210, don't always hit it exactly, and at that small of a margin off? Never get a warning. In fact I just logged my food for today... not feeling well, I'm at 1113 for the day. No warning.

    I had a spell where I had the flu and logged 600 calorie days. I got the warning then for sure.
  • SophiaSerrao
    SophiaSerrao Posts: 234 Member
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    Huh. I only get warnings when it's below a thou. Never for 1000-1199 and I'm set on 1200 too.
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
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    Well..what if somebody just don't get to 1200 calories one day for some reason. We don't know why. Not all situations are the same. So you eat 1159 one day and that means you are suddenly starving yourself?

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited May 2015
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    The warning covers that.

    Getting upset about the warning as it's worded makes no sense.

    OP has the right idea!

    When I started I got 1200 (it was supposed to equate to a loss of 1.8 lbs--I'd asked for 2 lbs because I had a lot to lose) and shortly after changed it to 1250 because at the time you got the message at 1199, and I didn't want to be in a situation where no matter what I did I'd be told I was wrong--in the red or the message. Now I believe it only comes at under 1000, but maybe that's net? Or maybe it varies based on what update you are on?
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
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    Like the first poster said..Just eat a teaspoon of peanut butter and you are safe again.lol
  • tinab190
    tinab190 Posts: 110 Member
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    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Well..what if somebody just don't get to 1200 calories one day for some reason. We don't know why. Not all situations are the same. So you eat 1159 one day and that means you are suddenly starving yourself?

    So what? Then you get over it and remember to possible eat a little more each time. The app is not set up for ONE user, it's set up for thousands and thousands of people to use. Maybe someone DOES need that reminder.
  • SophiaSerrao
    SophiaSerrao Posts: 234 Member
    edited May 2015
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    tinab190 wrote: »
    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

    Perhaps! But if it's just one day it doesn't matter. Imagine people who cal cycle.

    Edited to correct cal not carb, hehe. Darn, what IS that?

    I wouldn't eat them if I'm nor particularly hungry, op. You can save them for the weekend or any day when you want to go a little over. Or, as someone else pointed... peanut butter! Or a square of dark chocolate. Do whatever leaves you satisfied and unstressed = )
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    tinab190 wrote: »
    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

    If you know this, you don't feel the urge to change your calorie goal?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    tinab190 wrote: »
    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

    I doubt it--I don't think it's that specific.

    Out of curiosity, were you on the website or the app and were you under 1000 net?
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    tinab190 wrote: »
    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

    Speaking as a 52 year old...

    If you're at an aggressive deficit, don't be in a hurry to lose weight. You're 49 years old. Do you know what happens with aging? You're already losing lean body mass. Do you know what happens when you lose weight too fast? You lose more. You're not doing your maintenance prospects any favors by doing that.

    Preserving lean body mass is REALLY important. For your bones, for your joints, for your metabolism. You can help minimize the loss of it by losing weight at a slow steady rate, eating enough protein, and resistance training.



  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I think the threshold is gender specific, not size specific. 1000 for females, 1200 for males?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    I think the threshold is gender specific, not size specific. 1000 for females, 1200 for males?

    But OP is female.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    Huh. I only get warnings when it's below a thou. Never for 1000-1199 and I'm set on 1200 too.

    Me, too - 999=warning; 1000=ok. Goal set at 1200...
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited May 2015
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    tinab190 wrote: »
    I wonder if I got the warning because of my weight. 1200 is prob pretty low given my height and weight. Maybe for someone smaller than me its a different threshold?

    Speaking as a 52 year old...

    If you're at an aggressive deficit, don't be in a hurry to lose weight. You're 49 years old. Do you know what happens with aging? You're already losing lean body mass. Do you know what happens when you lose weight too fast? You lose more. You're not doing your maintenance prospects any favors by doing that.

    Preserving lean body mass is REALLY important. For your bones, for your joints, for your metabolism. You can help minimize the loss of it by losing weight at a slow steady rate, eating enough protein, and resistance training.

    ^^^ this. Listen to this lady. First time I lost weight I was really stupid about it: 1200ish calories, running every day - probably lost crazy amounts of lean muscle. Incidentally, it’s also when I started having back pain problems. So yeah, hold on to LBM for dear life. Going under 1200 consistently, unless it’s actually what it takes to have any sort of deficit (i.e. sedentary, not very tall), is probably not a good idea.
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
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    It would be wonderful if they could build some sophistication into the warning. (But I'm sure that the following is asking way to much, as far as programming for a free app goes.)

    Perhaps the first time you go below 1200 in a 7-day period, it lets you close your day without issue. The second time it happens in the 7-day period, it throws up the warning the OP said she got and the then the third time it happens in the same 7-day period there could be an even more concerned warning with a reference to an article about the dangers of eating too little. This would allow people who go below 1200 on a one-off basis to go about their merry way, but it would provide an elevated deterrence for people who do it on a regular basis or who are actually using MFP to enable their eating disorder.

    However, by the same token, I'd like to see a similar warning process in effect for a person who goes 2000-3000 calories over their goal once in a 7-day period (a one-off occurrence gets no message), but receive a message a "hey, this isn't a good idea" message if they do it again in a 7-day period, and an even more stern message with a reference to the dangers of extreme overeating if they do it a third time in a 7-day period. This would catch the binge-eating crowd.

    None of the above takes into consideration various special populations: intermittent fasters, people on bulking cycles, people on special very low calorie diets authorized by their doctors, etc.

    Or, maybe MFP should just keep their nose out of it and let adults make their own decisions.