You folks scare me...

mbminx · January 2018

Everyone here seems so gung-ho about everything. Weighing and measuring down to the last crumb of food, working out for hours - it's all too much!

Yes, I want to make changes. Yes, I want to lose weight. Yes, I (eventually) want to start exercising. But I don't want to lose my mind over it all!

I'm prone to obsession, and a few times have found myself on the edge of an eating disorder. I really have concerns that if I start weighing every single drop of everything, I am going to tip over into something really unhealthy. I'm happy to work with my measuring cups and spoons, but taking everything to the gram is just a bit much to me.

Is there any hope for me? I'm keeping the food diary, and I am measuring ingredients and portions. Some days succeeding better than others, but holding a decent average. I'm more interested in healthy balanced eating than in micromanaging down to the last calorie. Any improvement is a big change.

But seriously - is anyone here NOT viciously rigid, but still having success? I've just been lurking, but I don't see a lot of people who take a more relaxed view - there's a lot of pressure to be all in.

I know that community can be helpful when making huge lifestyle changes... I just can't decide if I should try to fit in here.

Any advice, suggestions, similar experiences?
Thank you.

weightforme8134 · January 2018

For me personally (and I have lost weight in the past but sadly fell off the wagon bigtime and am back on) I do the best I possibly can. I cannot obsess over every single thing so I don't. I plan to weigh in weekly and if I stop losing then I can get a bit more picky. I estimate some calories when I struggle to find the exact. I walk everyday for at least 30 minutes and am going to build myself up to do more. I remind myself ANYTHING is better than me eating whatever the heck I want and not writing it down OR exercising.

cathipa · January 2018

When wasn't "gung-ho" I may lose or I may gain. Depends on how bad I wanted to lose. Why is weighing on a scale any different than doing something like Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig? They all require measurements of some sort. If you have an eating disorder or think weighing food on a scale it isn't for you then you do what is best.

JaydedMiss · January 2018

I mean, You are on a calorie counting website. Its a tool thats here thats kind of the main point of the site. SO yes most of us track. There is however varying degrees, Some go all in measure every last bite or piece of gum, Some like me loosely track and leave out spices or lower calorie sauces, Some use the tracking to learn and then get off it.

Point being, The tool is yours to use how you wish, But ya, This is a calorie counting website. And there is definatly a reason calorie counting and weighing food has been what has finally worked for many of us. I find it empowering to know what i eat and have control of my health and weight i dont find it negative or obsessive in the slightest.

edit to add: Weighing food on a scale for me is actually even easier thn measuring cups and spoons not sure why people complain about it lol. cups and spoons can be WAY off

aeloine · January 2018

I'm pretty loose with it. I mean, I do log EVERYTHING but I don't always stick to my calories. I have maintenance days. I even have binge days (3,800 calories last Friday!) Last month I went to the gym 4 times. I'm still on track to lose 52 lbs in 52 weeks (over 40 lbs down now).

pinuplove · January 2018

Follow your results. If your goal is to lose 1lb/week and you are averaging that, then you know your rough measuring is fine. If you're not losing at the rate you expect, you know something is off and can make adjustments from there.

Precise measuring and weighing is commonly suggested as a checkpoint for someone claiming they eat within their calorie allowance religiously and are still not losing weight. It can be an eye-opener. If what you are doing is working, by all means keep doing it! I can see how a former unhealthy obsession bordering on eating disorder would make you a bit hesitant to go down that path again.

JeromeBarry1 · January 2018

Hi, I'm not 'viciously' or even 'rigid'. I don't have a gym membership. I do have a variety of cheap exercise machines and I do use them occasionally. I'm mostly retired now, but when I was working last year I'd use a standing desk and log my time standing as exercise. It really was burning about .75 calories per minute above that which would have been burned sitting. That was, often, my only logged exercise during the work week.
I don't know what you think 'relaxed' is. I have found that I really do need to log every crumb, but do so knowing that I am easily within a wide range of inaccuracy for exercise and nutrition logging. By simply choosing not to get medical grade VO2-Max measuring devices for my exercises, by simply choosing not to put food samples from each meal into a bomb calorimeter to measure precise calories, I'm choosing a level of relaxation which works for me.

MichelleSilverleaf · January 2018

The reason weighing is so pushed is because it's far more accurate for most things than measuring. Cups and grams can be vastly different with many solids, and when you get closer to your goal there's no room for error to keep losing. The plus side to that though is that some people can begin to get a good eye for portions, and the goal for long-term success is having a good idea of what you're eating and how much it costs. Prepping ahead can help a lot if you worry you may obsess too much. Weigh and portion planned meals ahead of time, then you don't have to worry about them later and you'll know exactly what you're eating. It can seem daunting, but when you start to get the hang of it it's not so bad, and some people find taking diet breaks every once in awhile helpful also. So there are many ways to go about it.

Not everyone works out for hours, some do and the ones that stick to it are the ones that enjoy it. Exercise is good to preserve the muscle you have, following a lifting program somewhere down the line can help you shape your body if that's what you prefer to do.

lancenuovo · January 2018

mbminx wrote: »

Everyone here seems so gung-ho about everything. Weighing and measuring down to the last crumb of food, working out for hours - it's all too much!

Yes, I want to make changes. Yes, I want to lose weight. Yes, I (eventually) want to start exercising. But I don't want to lose my mind over it all!

I'm prone to obsession, and a few times have found myself on the edge of an eating disorder. I really have concerns that if I start weighing every single drop of everything, I am going to tip over into something really unhealthy. I'm happy to work with my measuring cups and spoons, but taking everything to the gram is just a bit much to me.

Is there any hope for me? I'm keeping the food diary, and I am measuring ingredients and portions. Some days succeeding better than others, but holding a decent average. I'm more interested in healthy balanced eating than in micromanaging down to the last calorie. Any improvement is a big change.

But seriously - is anyone here NOT viciously rigid, but still having success? I've just been lurking, but I don't see a lot of people who take a more relaxed view - there's a lot of pressure to be all in.

I know that community can be helpful when making huge lifestyle changes... I just can't decide if I should try to fit in here.

Any advice, suggestions, similar experiences?
Thank you.

oh my hell. me exactly....

Go_Deskercise · January 2018

Hey there! Let me tell you a little bit about myself....

I'm 5' 5" and I work an 8-5 desk job. I log my food, but I do not and will not weight and obsess about it.
I entered my stats on MFP and it put me at 1360 calories. I try and stay as close to that number as I can. Most days I do well, but other days I eat too much. Despite overeating some days, I am still losing weight just fine.

I did not restrict myself to some strict diet or cut out meat/carbs/sugar....etc.
All I have done is I try and move a lot more at work and at home.
I eat what I want, but I eat smaller portions.

kommodevaran · January 2018

I haven't lost my mind (I think - lol), but I do think weighing is more accurate as well as easier (fewer things to wash) than cups and spoons. I don't think having a balanced diet is in any way in conflict with being accurate. I don't exercise, I think I actually stopped doing that after I found MFP and learned that it isn't necessary. I maintain a healthy weight just by normal daily activity (walking, dancing, playing) and not eating too much. Oh, and I'm not tracking calories anymore, but I plan my meals, so I still weigh many items, for a varity of reasons - some because they are uncountable (milk, rice, pasta), to avoid stomach issues (raw vegetables), to get decent portions and schedule shopping (fresh foods), to get the right proportions (potato/milk in mash).

diannethegeek · January 2018

I lost the majority of my weight before I ever purchased a food scale, so I know that it can be done. I only bought one when I got close to goal and found I wasn't having much luck losing those last pounds. In my experience, weighing portions wasn't taking anything any further than trying to use measuring cups was. I'm going to either weigh or measure things and, personally, I found the food scale easier, less mess, and more freeing than having to cram things into cups & spoons. But if your method works well for you then stick with it. There's no reason to change something if it's working.

Need2Exerc1se · January 2018

I stopped weighing food after about 1 month (maybe less). Too much work for me. I lost weight simply by using common sense, eating less and moving more.

GOT_Obsessed · January 2018

I don't log my food or exercise. But I am very aware of what foods are higher and lower calories. The awareness is all I need. (down 21 lbs so far)

I just came here for the forums and friends. Best of luck to you.

BishopWankapin · January 2018

JaydedMiss wrote: »

I mean, You are on a calorie counting website. Its a tool thats here thats kind of the main point of the site. SO yes most of us track. There is however varying degrees, Some go all in measure every last bite or piece of gum, Some like me loosely track and leave out spices or lower calorie sauces, Some use the tracking to learn and then get off it.

Point being, The tool is yours to use how you wish, But ya, This is a calorie counting website. And there is definatly a reason calorie counting and weighing food has been what has finally worked for many of us. I find it empowering to know what i eat and have control of my health and weight i dont find it negative or obsessive in the slightest.

edit to add: Weighing food on a scale for me is actually even easier thn measuring cups and spoons not sure why people complain about it lol. cups and spoons can be WAY off

Stephahoney86 · January 2018

Right now, for me personally my intent is to gain awareness around what I eat. I don't weigh my food or stress about if it's exactly right. I just know that if I am consistent with logging my food, then I'll know the "snack" I ate that thought was pretty healthy was actually close to 400 calories. Or I will resist mindlessly cramming food in my mouth because I don't want to log it. It's worked for me in the past. If I get down to a comfortable weight and want to get more technical about it, I will re-evaluate then.

Tacklewasher · January 2018

You could have a look at this thread

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10498878/looking-for-friends-who-dont-eat-clean-and-healthy

I think you will find lots of people who can lose weight without being obsessive about it.

cmriverside · January 2018

The good thing is, we really don't care how you use the tool, if you log food, if you weigh to the gram, if you exercise or any of the other stuff fitness or nutrition related. Nobody knows unless you tell them, right?

Do you, boo.

If it stops working, you know the stuff we're gonna suggest - so that's all there is. Good luck, whatever you decide.

I've been logging food for ten years. It's what works for me.

Mike1804 · January 2018

you mean I might be obsessive because I created a spreadsheet to graph my caloric input/output?

Christine_72 · January 2018

If you can lose weight without weighing your food or exercising, then more power to you

Weighing your food and exercising for hours is most definitely not a prerequisite for weight loss.

Exercise is not needed to lose weight, and weighing every morsel only comes into play if someone is not losing weight and needs to get tight rein on their calorie intake.

FTR, my sister recently lost 10kgs (22lbs), without weighing or measuring a single crumb and not doing a dot of exercise. She has a desk job and sits on her bum for 10 hours a day. So don't worry about the particulars until you have to

wizzybeth · January 2018

Mike1804 wrote: »

you mean I might be obsessive because I created a spreadsheet to graph my caloric input/output?

I did too - not just that but it tracks my weight, measurements, and activity too - all on one sheet. lol

You folks scare me...

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