It "Doesn't Work"

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Replies

  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    You don't need to be able to count perfectly for it to work. You just need to be consistent and learn to adjust.

    +1
  • laurelh8
    laurelh8 Posts: 38 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.


    Same thing with my English muffin. It weighs less after I toast it; I'm assuming from moisture lost. I still use the precooked weight.
  • jen_bush
    jen_bush Posts: 679 Member
    edited April 2016
    It doesn't work, that's why it's worked for millions of people. It doesn't work if you lie to yourself about what you actually eat and blindly log lowest calories in the log and highest one for the burning. The delusions are what don't work, not calories.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    It's saying that it increases the number of calories absorbed.
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    You don't need to be able to count perfectly for it to work. You just need to be consistent and learn to adjust.

    I'm with you on this one. Measure best you can and adjust up or down based on results. If you are consistent overtime, your number may be off, but the result is still the same.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    besaro wrote: »
    they left out a key component, weighing food.

    This. Seriously... and using accurate entries for 'raw' or 'cooked'.

    Dumb article.
  • jen_bush
    jen_bush Posts: 679 Member
    + Never trust a bold article that ends with a product they're selling - 95% it's BS
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    laurelh8 wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.


    Same thing with my English muffin. It weighs less after I toast it; I'm assuming from moisture lost. I still use the precooked weight.

    Oooohhhh I didn't know that! Another "fun fact" thanks for sharing!
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Yes individual foods may be higher or lower than the average, but if you eat enough aren't you going to get closer to the average.

    If an apple average is 50 calories but some are as low as 30 or as high as 70 calories, after eating a few apples, are you not going to get close to the average.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    edited April 2016
    The article in question isn't saying calorie counting doesn't work, it's saying that there are sizable inaccuracies for the reasons listed. Which I agree with 100%. As I've said a number of times, what I've learned in the process of losing nearly 80 lbs is that consistency and honesty are what matter, not getting scientific accuracy in the numbers. Besides, your bathroom scale is probably as inaccurate as the database numbers for food.

    I think a lot of people sweat too much over the small stuff here. If you always count an apple as 50 calories and that's too low by 50 calories, your weight loss will be 50 calories lower per apple eaten than the numbers suggest. As Merkavar says, it all averages out in the end.

    So yes, some of the inaccuracies they're pointing out are real ... but in my opinion, it doesn't matter. MFP isn't a scientific laboratory, it's a classroom for learners.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    I see how they're trying to hate on calorie counting in order to sell their product, but I think it backfires.

    It's really a great advertisement for why you need a FOOD SCALE!
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    That image is imprecise and push people away from successful true calorie counting. It mentions 'medium apple' and stupid 'measurements' like that.. Of course calorie counting won't work that way! Jeez. It doesn't mention weighing food, so it is total BS. Of course, they're trying to sell something and that is why they are trying to steer people away from calorie counting which is a tool that actually works if it is used correctly, and it is.... Free.
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
    It works great for me and that's all I care about.
    But where the heck did they find a 705 kcal sweet potato, that's 800g! I don't think I have ever seen one that big.
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
    cityruss wrote: »
    Although, in a roundabout way that's a good example of why we should be weighing in grams.

    That was my takeaway too, since I've seen success with counting calories. This is just a reminder that imprecise estimates are imprecise.
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.

    That would have to be moisture cooking out, right? It can't be more than a few grams.
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
    I do think the "available calories" thing is interesting, though. Cooking food was a major innovation for humans. It does some of the work that would have been done in digestion, so you gain back energy that would have been lost breaking the food down. I don't think it's a reason to buy their product, just an interesting note.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    besaro wrote: »
    they left out a key component, weighing food.
    THIS.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    kirstenb13 wrote: »
    It works great for me and that's all I care about.
    But where the heck did they find a 705 kcal sweet potato, that's 800g! I don't think I have ever seen one that big.

    Texas, probably.

    That's not even a joke - sweet potatoes grow like gangbusters here. I have to search for ones small enough to be 2 servings or less. I don't like the bigger ones, they tend to be fibrous and take forever to bake.
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    keithcw_the_first wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.

    That would have to be moisture cooking out, right? It can't be more than a few grams.

    Well yeah... that's why I called it a "fun fact" and said that I still log the pre-cooked weight... :|
    I wasn't suggesting anything otherwise so not sure why you would say what you said...but whatevs
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    keithcw_the_first wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.

    That would have to be moisture cooking out, right? It can't be more than a few grams.

    Well yeah... that's why I called it a "fun fact" and said that I still log the pre-cooked weight... :|
    I wasn't suggesting anything otherwise so not sure why you would say what you said...but whatevs

    I... think you're misreading my tone. I wasn't being antagonistic.
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    keithcw_the_first wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    keithcw_the_first wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    chnphillips wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Boiling an egg adds calories? Color me skeptical.

    Right? Since when do cooking utensils add calories? These fattening pots, pans, knives, and blenders gotta go.

    Fun fact: I notice that when I heat up my corn tortillas, they shrink...
    I've weighed before and after, and they weigh less after...

    But I still log the before weight.

    That would have to be moisture cooking out, right? It can't be more than a few grams.

    Well yeah... that's why I called it a "fun fact" and said that I still log the pre-cooked weight... :|
    I wasn't suggesting anything otherwise so not sure why you would say what you said...but whatevs

    I... think you're misreading my tone. I wasn't being antagonistic.

    okay... sorry
  • robdowns1300
    robdowns1300 Posts: 152 Member
    Clearly, the "Diet Industry" is getting scared of MFP & its obvious successes.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Every time I see this thread bumped I think they've finally accurately renamed the "ItWorks" products.

    Now I'm just sad.
  • shinycrazy
    shinycrazy Posts: 1,081 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    I've lost over 28 pounds counting calories... I guess that makes me a "special snowflake"... :p

    Ditto here, only 109lbs gone. Must be a fluke! Lol!

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