Burnt Out on MFP??

starboardzor
starboardzor Posts: 312
edited September 27 in Motivation and Support
It seems like this website sort of backfired for me. I was doing great at first (as in losing weight), although I admit I was so obsessive initially that I now feel burnt out on calorie counting. Now I only count calories half the time. I have to say my view on food has forever changed and I almost always pick healthier options, but not ALWAYS like before. Now if I want onion rings for a side instead of fruit, I get onion rings.

Then again there are a couple outrageously high calorie meals I used to love that I just never eat anymore, not even for a cheat day (certain pasta dishes, the majority of fast food) and honestly I can say I don't miss that stuff at all.

But I'm not dropping the weight anymore and I feel bummed about everything and want to just find a happy/healthy balance where I'm not feeling guilty all the time for eating food =(

I just miss that initial thrill of weight loss, and I want to meet my goal, but thinking about going back to how I was when I first started this thing just sounds mentally exhausting to me right now.

Does this website ever get into your head in a negative way? I don't want to sound overly dramatic, but the first couple months on MFP my boyfriend thought I had developed an eating disorder I got so crazy with it.

Replies

  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
    Feeling the same right now,

    I want a day where i can order/eat what i want without the guilt or the voices in my head saying "Well thats not a healthy option"
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    I've been on MFP for 510 days and logged in every day since...of course it gets to your head. All the analyzing and overanalyzing your choices can really get to you. I take recovery weeks from running, and I take MFP recovery weeks in the same regard. I take a few days off logging or sometimes a week and let myself have something if I want it...it works for me as I don't go completely crazy. It might not work for you, but it's probably worth a try!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    Sounds like you just have to change how you use it. I still talk about and use MFP obsessively but I feel great about it. Maybe a perspective shift? Also, I don't know from personal experience (yet) but it sounds like the closer people get to goal, the harder it is to lose weight. You might need to log better or plan your meals in advance or hydrate more or work out more or workout less or eat more or eat less or...and so on. It can be any number of things but the first thing I recommend is the perspective shift. If you're not happy about it, it's a waste of your time.

    Find ways to get excited about it again. :flowerforyou:
  • liquidjem
    liquidjem Posts: 138 Member
    I understand how you feel and what you are saying. I think a lot of people experience something similar.
  • debieanne
    debieanne Posts: 85
    hi my name is debi and i know what you mean, but its not that i don't want to do this i have meet some wonderful friends who are going through this same weight battle and it is so nice to be able to talk with someone who truely understands, i come on for awhile and stop over and over , but its because i don't give me the time i derserve. hubby children home work take what i call me time outs away. will i'm back and this time i am coming on everday it helps so much. hope this helps a little debi
  • Bethany28
    Bethany28 Posts: 263
    I took a long break because I was tired of counting. Let me just tell you that you HAVE to push through because the outcome for me was gaining all the weight back. I decided to start over and I started a walk at home challenge. I have decided to make exercise goals to push me instead of being driven by weight goals. Don't get me wrong, I have goals for weight loss, but they are not set for a certain date. I just plan to complete my exercise goals and I know I will lose weight along the way.

    You can do this! Just do it :)
  • MonicaBenavidez
    MonicaBenavidez Posts: 92 Member
    Yes. I feel that same way right now. I've been off plan for about a month and have gained back a few (about 3) pounds. I am treating today as may day 1 and trying to go about it more sensibly than I did before. Obsession can only be maintained for so long (as you and I both know), so just take a break if you have to and come back to it with a different mindset. Lifestyle change...not having a life with no style/balance. You can do this!
  • Riotactor10
    Riotactor10 Posts: 37
    I've seen in the past my initial spark fade a bit once I've joined a new website or tried a new workout plan and I've struggled to break through that wall. This time I'm trying to keep it fresher by really making MFP as a part of my day - I use it on my phone to keep track of meals, track my workouts, and also use the main page to write down how I'm feeling so I can go back and read about successes/failures.

    I found that adding a few friends every now and then is motivating so you can see their workouts/eating successes as well. Have you tried getting involved with any of the group challenges or stuff like that to have some goals on here?

    Stick with it - maybe make a goal to log on 2 or 3 times a week as opposed to every day and just track calories on those days to keep yourself honest. If you're doing well than maybe you can go less, if you start going the other way then maybe you can log on a bit more for help and tracking.

    Hope this helps!
  • mzenzer
    mzenzer Posts: 503 Member
    I'm really at a point I'm not logging all the time either. I mostly do it during the week but I am around computers constantly so it's convenient to do, but I don't do it as much if at all on weekends. I've gotten so good anyway I know I'm under my calorie goals, and again especially on weekends because I am so much more active. I don't really have any substantial weight to lose but it's nice to just be reminded what my eating looks like throughout the day, that's become a good mental tool for what I am doing.
  • TayJoMama
    TayJoMama Posts: 348 Member
    For me after a few months of "analyzing" and paying attention to what I was logging, I got to the point where I got it. I learned portion control and replaced my terrible food with healthier options. Not that I gave up the bad food completely, but I am aware now of what it was doing to my body and have it in moderation. I think once you get to that point, you find the balance and don't need to rely on MFP so much. On the other hand, I'm not at my goal weight yet, so I still log everyday, because I've discovered that the more I workout out or the more intense my workout is, I need to eat more. So now I log to make sure I'm hitting my goal cals, not so much to monitor what I'm eating. Hope this helps.
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    I look at it this way. I can dilly dally, or I can get there sooner and then maintain. Like Yoda said: There is no try, there is only do.

    Of course I have messed, up, slacked, or consciously took time off. But I always log in. Even when I had dental surgery. Even at Christmas, even on outings where I had no chance to eat well. Because I get the truth on here so I can't rationalize away my lack of effort. No, I can't do something 100% for months on end. But I can keep trying, so I get there sooner. Why do this for twice as long because you keep taking a break? Heres the secret: if you really really want a doughnut or something EAT IT! Work around it! Exercise more. But never guilt over it. Good = guilt is a bad train of thought. Enjoy your food. But keep to goal. Get the craving over with and move on!

    I think logging no matter what, good or bad, keeps my perspective. Lets me know when I'm truely not getting progress, or if it's what I've done to stall myself. The things I think ought to be good are not always. There is no gray area then. The "reports" section shows steady progress even in a stall--overall. Yesterday we went out to get a pastry. My husband picked a huge brownie, I got a pecan roll. His was 400 calories mine was 780 and I had told him mine was the better choice. For another example I look at my charts and say I'm at a plateau, but I look at food over goal and I see that it takes 4 days of "green" bars to lose any. I can't rationalize it away. But I can work the system by doing it right and seeing results.

    Do you want to yo-yo, and say you tried? Or do you want to really do it and get it done? If you really want it, it doesn't matter what other people say about your obcession. My husband got onboard and has got fit and lost weight 6 months after I started. That was a shocker for me! I pushed past the pizza they all ate without me, and him saying my exercises were not effective, etc... You might be a good influence to people you didn't expect, but do it for YOU.
  • nezeray
    nezeray Posts: 34
    I've never been a good eater when it comes to healthy foods. I hate salad, seafood, cold meats and anything with mayo. I've been able to use MFP to adjust how much of the things that I LIKE to levels where I lose weight instead of gaining.

    I always weight at the same time each day, with no clothes on after I've gone to the bathroom in the morning. Even if my weight goes up 4 pounds in one day, I log it here. The satisfaction comes when you look at the report over the LONG term. Short term it looks like nothing's going on. Long term though you can see where you were and where you are now.

    I went from 282 when I started on here, (I was 295 at my heaviest) to today's weight of 232.4. I lost about a pound or two each week. Baby steps. It took my 40 years to get this big, so I'm not expecting results overnight. The doctor never told me that i HAD to lose the weight. I just felt like a blimp and had to change for myself. I started P90x and this at the same time, had to stop because of the holidays. :)

    This has been the best tool for me.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    The website itself doesn't get to me. And it helps that I've kept up with with the same people for the last few months now, so sometimes when I'm burnt out on counting calories I still log on just to check up with everyone.
  • starboardzor
    starboardzor Posts: 312
    Thanks everyone!! I actually feel a little more motivated now =)

    I think what I'm going to do is, just keep logging as much as I can even when I don't wanna. And I've never logged my water intake, so I'm going to actually DO that now and aim for the 8 cups a day and see what that changes. Also, I definitley need a new fitness goal to get me motivated again!
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    Thanks everyone!! I actually feel a little more motivated now =)

    I think what I'm going to do is, just keep logging as much as I can even when I don't wanna. And I've never logged my water intake, so I'm going to actually DO that now and aim for the 8 cups a day and see what that changes. Also, I definitley need a new fitness goal to get me motivated again!

    I didn't want to admit it, but water, fiber, and logging in works wonders. Go for it, then you have no excuses! Excuses just get in the way of progress.

    I'm down to one pound a month! I'm older, plus i'm near goal, and toning. This slows weight on the scale. Also take measurements, because even though my weight wouldn't go down, my inches did. Now near my goal I haven't lost inches since January and March! But my pants sizes have dropped and I lost cellulite and got some nice form going. I'm going to be 50 next year and my drivers licence will be my true weight, plus I'll look good in spandex. This didn't happen with a yo-yo diet and half hearted exercise at my age! It takes twice as much effort to get half as far! My husband loses weight at the drop of a hat! I'm older middle aged, and a woman, so don't wait until my age. Do it now while it's easier!!
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
    Do you give yourself a time when you're allowed to splurge on something not so healthy? I find that helps me stay on track.

    I have Fun Food Friday with my roomie, where we have something unhealthy for dinner that we've been craving (but don't stuff ourselves or anything). Then it feels like if I make healthy choices during the week, I've earned the right to pig out a little on that one meal.

    And I don't log so carefully to the point it becomes fussy, either. I would totally quit if I did, so I compromise. I know some spices have calories and such, but I don't log them because it stresses me out thinking if I think something needs more garlic powder, I can't add it (as an example).

    It sounds like being nit-picky about it is what's burned you out, so maybe try to find some balance that makes it fun again? I hope you figure it out :)
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