If You Eat Cookies, Cakes, Ice Cream Daily Do You Consider Yourself Dieting?
Replies
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lantana411 wrote: »Just want to remind you that I started this to better understand the reason why people log dessert or refined carb/sugar foods - were they trying to lose weight or track intake or what. It wasn't a thinly veiled hateful statement - it was a question to better understand. I didn't pass judgement on others and even stated that while I eat mostly lean protein and produce I'm not adverse to eating desserts, etc. as long as it doesn't start a binge for me. Thanks to those who shared their logic/goals in logging food. And for those who think I'm judgmental I feel for you - not my intention - I hope that whatever is causing you to make that assumption passes.
1. Why does logging desserts mean you are choosing between trying to lose weight and keep track of intake? You don’t seem to realize that keeping track of intake is what ensures the best chance for weight loss.
2. When you do indulge, do you not log the foods you eat? Again, seems like you’re dabbling in some disordered thinking, secret eating type of stuff. Log it, eat it, enjoy it and move on. Data is power. Logging treats, even when someone goes overboard, maybe especially when they go overboard, helps provide perspective. Even at thanksgiving I log every bit of my 3,000 calorie or so feast. Eating it and logging it has never once derailed my progress.
3. You didn’t start this to better understand what people do. You started it to passively aggressively pass judgement on a person on your friends list and now by extension, anyone else who might engage in similar. She now feels the need to justify her actions which are, in my opinion, far more healthy than only eating desserts in secret and never owning it on your diary.
Don’t feel badly for me - I’m enjoying a glass of wine, pork tenderloin, roasted sweet potatoes from my garden, rainbow carrots... and I still have 450 cals for the day. I think in honor of this thread I’m going to have an ice cream sundae.46 -
Weight loss is difficult enough without purists turning food choices into a moral issue. As long as you're getting enough nutrition and are staying within your calorie goals, eat what you want.26
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I eat "dessert" for dinner pretty often - Greek yogurt with almond butter, strawberries, dark chocolate shavings, and toasted coconut. It's a satisfying, balanced, and healthy meal which has formed part of my 125 lb weight loss and currently 4.5 A1c.8
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During my first 365 days of logging on MFP I fell well short of logging an ice cream cone each day.
I only managed to log 1 Waffle, 2 Dairy Queen, and 2 Burger King Cones. In addition to 67 McDonald's Vanilla Cones. Thus 72 Ice Cream cones in total.
Coincidently I dropped 72.5lbs
Thus the inevitable conclusion is that each ice cream cone is worth a lb of weight loss!
This insight would have been impossible to achieve had I not logged my cones!
Hold on.
Oh my, this is so confusing.
See, I just checked and on my third set of 365 days on MFP, I logged 73 cones in total. But my weight drop was only 1.7lbs.
Crap... whew. Well for a second I was concerned, but no, my second 365 days was not a metronomic 72.5 cones! In fact it was way more cones than the 133 "cones entries" Excel finds because I was in my skinny cow phase and some of the entries are for like 3 skinny cow cones at a time!
And since I dropped 11lbs that year... obviously the one cone per lb thing didn't quite work out for me!!!
The idea of a food log is that you log what you actually ingest. This allows you to evaluate whether what you ingested was--as far as YOU are concerned--worth the Calories you spent on it.
You can also use your logs to track your protein, your fiber, the servings of vegetables and fruits that you have each day... whatever tickles your fancy!15 -
lantana411 wrote: »I'm surprised at how many people eat cookies, croissants, ice cream, cake, chips, etc. on a daily or near-daily basis BUT LOG THEIR FOOD! I want to know - is it because they consider themselves dieting or getting ready to diet? Is this why people who diet are considered 'eating cleanly'? What do you do and what do you consider it? If you stay within your calories but drink/snack them away instead of eating meals is it dieting?
That wouldn't be very healthy in the long run. I hope that's not what most people are doing.
I got a small pack of sour candies because I've been craving that crap lately. Veggie burgers for dinner, but 200 kcal of yummy junk for dessert. As long as I hit my nutrient and calorie goals, I'm happy. Now I've had to learn to be satisfied with less junk food because it's dense in calories and light in nutrients. But moderation is healthy.7 -
collectingblues wrote: »lantana411 wrote: »Just want to remind you that I started this to better understand the reason why people log dessert or refined carb/sugar foods - were they trying to lose weight or track intake or what. It wasn't a thinly veiled hateful statement - it was a question to better understand. I didn't pass judgement on others and even stated that while I eat mostly lean protein and produce I'm not adverse to eating desserts, etc. as long as it doesn't start a binge for me. Thanks to those who shared their logic/goals in logging food. And for those who think I'm judgmental I feel for you - not my intention - I hope that whatever is causing you to make that assumption passes.
Why *wouldn't* people log them? If they eat them, they log them.
Trust me. The aggression wasn't "thinly veiled" at all. You were quite obvious about it.
Sometimes I'm working towards a goal where I need to enter breakfast, lunch, and snacks to see how many calories I have left for dinner, so I can decide what to have. Don't really need to enter it because the tool has dinner its job, I got the information I'm after. This is when I'm in maintenance, for the most part.1 -
I log desserts/refined carbs because they have calories.
I eat dessert/refined carbs for a few reasons:
1. White bread fills me up better than whole grain so I make the conscious decision to have it almost daily.
2. Sometimes dessert is what would complement my missing macros, in my case that's usually needing more fat
3. Sometimes I feel like having dessert for lunch. It's a completely valid thing to do and is not really that different from having anything else for lunch because nutrition is measured over time, not by single instances.
4. Sometimes having a dessert is exactly what I need to stick to my diet, so that's a good thing
5. Sugar doesn't scare me
6. My past experiences have taught me that having desserts/refined carbs doesn't impede my weight loss, it enhances it, in fact. It tends to put a stop to compensatory overeating.
7. It tastes good, which is a perfectly valid reason to eat something.
8. I refuse to modify my eating in a way that wouldn't carry to maintenance.
9. I don't put my goals in a blender. I understand what is needed for weight loss - a calorie deficit, and what is needed for proper nutrition - eating a variety of nutrients. Most of the time my goals meet, but there are times when they collide and I have to make a choice.
10. Did I mention they taste good?
ETA: I would like to elaborate on point 9 because I think it's important. When people decide to do something, goals often come in clusters. Lose weight, get fit, drink more water, adequate nutrition...etc. It doesn't mean in any way that none of these goals is achievable without the others.
My cluster, for example, doesn't contain drinking more water but it does contain stress reduction and a healthy social life, both of which are not in some people's clusters. By mixing goals you risk one goal done inadequately dragging other goals down. For example, "I ate horribly today, I won't exercise because what's the point, my day is ruined" is something that happens when you mix goals. Haven't you seen posts where someone thought they "ruined" their nutrition by eating cookies so decided to throw their day and go over calories dragging the weight loss goal down too? Take it from experience, keep your goals distinct and don't blend them into one big mass and call it dieting.17 -
lantana411 wrote: »Just want to remind you that I started this to better understand the reason why people log dessert or refined carb/sugar foods - were they trying to lose weight or track intake or what. It wasn't a thinly veiled hateful statement - it was a question to better understand. I didn't pass judgement on others and even stated that while I eat mostly lean protein and produce I'm not adverse to eating desserts, etc. as long as it doesn't start a binge for me. Thanks to those who shared their logic/goals in logging food. And for those who think I'm judgmental I feel for you - not my intention - I hope that whatever is causing you to make that assumption passes.
Why would we not log them? Should we hide in shame? Of course people will be defensive of their food choices when they're being called into question. If you think your post wasn't judgement, or you didn't mean it to be, read it back in the tone in which you wrote it. Caps, interrobangs, "clean eating," etc. Don't "feel for people" for thinking you were judging. Look at what you wrote and how you wrote it.20 -
lantana411 wrote: »Some of them seem defensive of their food choices, almost like they want to lose weight but not if they have to back away from sweets.
Just wanted to respond to this bit.
Firstly: I'm not defensive of my food choices, because they are MY choices and no one else's. I don't care what other people think of them. I make those choices with the knowledge of how they'll affect my goals (e.g. putting me over my calorie limit), and for the most part I don't feel guilty about them.
Secondly: if I'd had to "back away from sweets" then I would not have lost weight. I would have felt deprived and miserable, and I would have given up. I wouldn't have learned moderation in most things (there are still some I can't be trusted with), and I wouldn't have been successful in losing and keeping off 70+lbs.Last I checked, misery doesn't burn any extra calories. I'm in a deficit and losing steadily. I'd still pick a moderate serving of something delicious over a pile of kale and boiled chicken just to look virtuous in my food log.
Exactly! My diary is anything but virtuous most days. 18 -
I went out and had my favorite breakfast yesterday... Cinnamon roll french toast!! I took my dog for a little longer walk and I rode my bike for 15 minutes more than I usually do. A treat every once in a while is OK - just log everything!9
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lantana411 wrote: »I used the term 'diet' to identify the goal of losing weight. I spend my calories on mostly lean protein and produce but have no issue with eating whatever I want on occasion. I've lost and gained a lot of weight in my life - currently I'm enjoying an 80 pound weight loss (I started 'this time' on 1/2/16). I became curious about how people view MFP and the point of tracking their daily food when I started reading 'meals' of ice cream sundaes - which I did today, it was someone's 600+ calorie lunch - no food just the sundae. I wondered what the point was in tracking the food - was it with the goal of losing weight or just keeping track of food intake.
Everyone picks their food plan and food they enjoy. But some people seem to eat dessert every day. They may not have any produce but they are certain to eat refined sugar/carbs. Some of them seem defensive of their food choices, almost like they want to lose weight but not if they have to back away from sweets. To me, it's a balance. I don't want dessert daily but I would eat it every once in a while IF I believe I can have it once and be done with it. NOT if I think it'll start me in a spiral of binge eating. That's why I was so curious about the mindset of others on MFP. And I'm glad for your answers - truly!
Sooo....losing and regaining weight over and over eating mostly produce and lean protein > learning how to incorporate delicious foods into your diet every day in order to develop lifelong habits to keep the weight off?25 -
Okay now I need ice cream. Has anyone tried Cado dark chocolate ice cream? It’s sooooo good!3
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rainykatie wrote: »Some people have ice cream sundaes occasionally for lunch. Tracking our food is a mechanism that can help us be aware of our choices. Not everyone logging their food is subscribing to some kind of "clean eating" plan.
For me, I am really focused on trying to be more mindful about what I eat. I'm also trying to work on incorporating those kind of foods into my life in a healthy way. I'm more focused on my way of eating being healthy and sustainable over time, not just for a quick weight loss, and this means not eating in a black and white way.
Maybe the person eating a sundae for lunch used to eat two sundaes for lunch. You never know where someone has been or what they are doing on their journey. Maybe for you it triggers binge eating, maybe for them they wanted to have a sundae for lunch and that's the end of it.
This whole discussion is making me want to have a sundae for lunch sometime.
gee thanks now iwant an ice cream sundae for lunch lololol
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I've read this entire thread. I still don't understand the original question.
Why on earth would what you choose to eat determine whether or not you log it? Seriously. I'm baffled.21 -
I'm a carb girl. If I was not logging refined carbs then my diary would be rather empty and it would look like I tried to lose weight by a lot (I'm maintaining, btw, but ate the same while losing weight). Every now and then I feel like having a bag of crisps (Haggis and Black Pepper FTW!) but it means I won't be having dinner as it won't fit into my calorie allowance. Oh well.. if I really want to have them then I won't have dinner and will possibly go to bed hungry. But it's all accounted for. Why is this bad?
TO, I think what you need to understand is that it doesn't matter what you eat for weight loss or maintenance. All calories are equal for weight. Sure, there are differences for satiety, but this again is different for every person. Just eat what you want to eat and how you want to eat for the rest of your life. Learn how many calories are in your favourite foods, and eat smaller amounts for weight loss. Or leave out other food. There's no need to follow any diet. Just a calorie deficit is all you need.8 -
Put me in the baffled camp. I'm going to try to be as nice as possible about this and keep it brief. OP, you sound...silly, to put it kindly and I don't think your diary reflects your reality.20
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The goal of logging isn't to display an ideal diet, it's to know what we're eating. If I eat a pint of Halo Top with some cookies sprinkled on, what's the logic in that food being absent from my log?12
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Note to self: Don't send friend request to OP because if she could see my diary she would be SO confused as to my goals
OP, if you aren't currently like 4'11 and 95 lbs, I hope you are eating treats and not logging them, or not using a food scale and actually eating more than you think. Otherwise you are aren't eating enough, and I don't understand why you would bother logging if you are going to be unhealthy and under-eat like that.20 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »The goal of logging isn't to display an ideal diet, it's to know what we're eating. If I eat a pint of Halo Top with some cookies sprinkled on, what's the logic in that food being absent from my log?
Agreed... but I suppose maybe some people stalk other people's diary for opportunities to criticize and to feel superior about their own pristine eating style. If that's the case, they would want to make sure that their own diary is ready for viewing, and may be more concerned about how it looks to others than in an honest accounting of their own intake.
That's the only thing I can consider as a possibility from reading this thread.
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lantana411 wrote: »Just want to remind you that I started this to better understand the reason why people log dessert or refined carb/sugar foods - were they trying to lose weight or track intake or what. It wasn't a thinly veiled hateful statement - it was a question to better understand. I didn't pass judgement on others and even stated that while I eat mostly lean protein and produce I'm not adverse to eating desserts, etc. as long as it doesn't start a binge for me. Thanks to those who shared their logic/goals in logging food. And for those who think I'm judgmental I feel for you - not my intention - I hope that whatever is causing you to make that assumption passes.
This is by and large a calorie counting site...why wouldn't they log that stuff? If you eat it, you log it when you're counting calories.19 -
WinoGelato wrote: »MelanieCN77 wrote: »The goal of logging isn't to display an ideal diet, it's to know what we're eating. If I eat a pint of Halo Top with some cookies sprinkled on, what's the logic in that food being absent from my log?
Agreed... but I suppose maybe some people stalk other people's diary for opportunities to criticize and to feel superior about their own pristine eating style. If that's the case, they would want to make sure that their own diary is ready for viewing, and may be more concerned about how it looks to others than in an honest accounting of their own intake.
That's the only thing I can consider as a possibility from reading this thread.
I'd also be curious if OP is a serial dieter, because if so I may have a few clues as to why.16 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »rainykatie wrote: »Some people have ice cream sundaes occasionally for lunch. Tracking our food is a mechanism that can help us be aware of our choices. Not everyone logging their food is subscribing to some kind of "clean eating" plan.
For me, I am really focused on trying to be more mindful about what I eat. I'm also trying to work on incorporating those kind of foods into my life in a healthy way. I'm more focused on my way of eating being healthy and sustainable over time, not just for a quick weight loss, and this means not eating in a black and white way.
Maybe the person eating a sundae for lunch used to eat two sundaes for lunch. You never know where someone has been or what they are doing on their journey. Maybe for you it triggers binge eating, maybe for them they wanted to have a sundae for lunch and that's the end of it.
This whole discussion is making me want to have a sundae for lunch sometime.
gee thanks now iwant an ice cream sundae for lunch lololol
I'm *totally* getting a sundae cup for lunch. At only 270 calories, it's totally lunch-worthy.11 -
Note to self: Don't send friend request to OP because if she could see my diary she would be SO confused as to my goals
OP, if you aren't currently like 4'11 and 95 lbs, I hope you are eating treats and not logging them, or not using a food scale and actually eating more than you think. Otherwise you are aren't eating enough, and I don't understand why you would bother logging if you are going to be unhealthy and under-eat like that.
Can you explain this comment to me (I am new). Or is it sarcasm? Because my log is similar to hers as I am only supposed to eat 1200 calories a day (based on the automatic calculation when I joined). I am 5' 10" and 198 lbs and looking to lose 50+ lbs.
Based on what I am seeing in the forums most people are eating way more calories than me and still losing weight?10 -
OP, I hope you've apologized to your friend for this. It was very unkind of you.26
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gailjankovski wrote: »Note to self: Don't send friend request to OP because if she could see my diary she would be SO confused as to my goals
OP, if you aren't currently like 4'11 and 95 lbs, I hope you are eating treats and not logging them, or not using a food scale and actually eating more than you think. Otherwise you are aren't eating enough, and I don't understand why you would bother logging if you are going to be unhealthy and under-eat like that.
Can you explain this comment to me (I am new). Or is it sarcasm? Because my log is similar to hers as I am only supposed to eat 1200 calories a day (based on the automatic calculation when I joined). I am 5' 10" and 198 lbs and looking to lose 50+ lbs.
Based on what I am seeing in the forums most people are eating way more calories than me and still losing weight?
Unless you are very sedentary, you can probably eat more than that and still lose weight. I'm guessing when you signed up, you picked MyFitnessPal's most aggressive weightloss option (losing 2 pounds/week). I know it feels like you've got a lot to lose, but you can spare your mental health a great deal by losing weight more gradually.
I would recommend reading the first post on this thread thoroughly. It will open your eyes and get you started on a sustainable path--at least it did that for me!
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p116 -
gailjankovski wrote: »Note to self: Don't send friend request to OP because if she could see my diary she would be SO confused as to my goals
OP, if you aren't currently like 4'11 and 95 lbs, I hope you are eating treats and not logging them, or not using a food scale and actually eating more than you think. Otherwise you are aren't eating enough, and I don't understand why you would bother logging if you are going to be unhealthy and under-eat like that.
Can you explain this comment to me (I am new). Or is it sarcasm? Because my log is similar to hers as I am only supposed to eat 1200 calories a day (based on the automatic calculation when I joined). I am 5' 10" and 198 lbs and looking to lose 50+ lbs.
Based on what I am seeing in the forums most people are eating way more calories than me and still losing weight?
I'm 5'3 and losing on... roughly 1700/day. 1360 as my base before exercise and then half the exercise calories MFP tells me I burn (keeping the other half as a cushion against improper logging). I'm trying to lose my last 8-18. Eight will get me into the healthy BMI range. Eighteen is pretty much as a hedge so water weight fluctuations won't take me out of it. If I decide, or if my doctor tells me at my next physical, that I don't need to/probably shouldn't lose that extra ten, then I won't.6 -
gailjankovski wrote: »Note to self: Don't send friend request to OP because if she could see my diary she would be SO confused as to my goals
OP, if you aren't currently like 4'11 and 95 lbs, I hope you are eating treats and not logging them, or not using a food scale and actually eating more than you think. Otherwise you are aren't eating enough, and I don't understand why you would bother logging if you are going to be unhealthy and under-eat like that.
Can you explain this comment to me (I am new). Or is it sarcasm? Because my log is similar to hers as I am only supposed to eat 1200 calories a day (based on the automatic calculation when I joined). I am 5' 10" and 198 lbs and looking to lose 50+ lbs.
Based on what I am seeing in the forums most people are eating way more calories than me and still losing weight?
1200 is the absolute minimum number of calories an adult woman should be eating unless she is very short and thin. Plus, MFP expects you to log your exercise and eat back some of those calories.
Also, the vast majority of people who eyeball portions, use measuring cups for solids, or completely trust the number of servings listed on a package are eating more than they think. Food scale for the win!
If you chose a goal of 2 lbs per week, that is very aggressive for anyone who isn't obese. Faster isn't always better, sometimes a more reasonable pace is easier to stick to, spares more muscle, and easier to transition into maintenance from.
I mean, I was being sarcastic but it was rooted in truth! 9 -
lantana411 wrote: »Just want to remind you that I started this to better understand the reason why people log dessert or refined carb/sugar foods - were they trying to lose weight or track intake or what. It wasn't a thinly veiled hateful statement - it was a question to better understand. I didn't pass judgement on others and even stated that while I eat mostly lean protein and produce I'm not adverse to eating desserts, etc. as long as it doesn't start a binge for me. Thanks to those who shared their logic/goals in logging food. And for those who think I'm judgmental I feel for you - not my intention - I hope that whatever is causing you to make that assumption passes.
You basically are saying, "People with diaries full of sweets can't possibly be serious about weight loss." That's fine if you feel like people eat too many sweets and not enough nutritionally-dense food- personally, I agree with you, particularly about my own diet- but the only purpose I can see in posting about it the way you did was to publicly shame others (and contrary to your assertion, I don't think your issue is about "logging" certain foods- which doesn't make any sense- but "eating" those foods ). 16 -
Thank you everyone for your help. Yes I went for the maximum weight loss because I have gained 40 lbs since I turned 50 three years ago and wanted to lose it as fast as possible. And I don't bother with "exercise" calories because walking the dogs and kayaking isn't really what I would consider a "work out".
But perhaps I will have to revisit that because I am finding it hard to stick to under 1200 calories even without the occasional treat or glass of wine.15 -
It seems like OP is either taking a judgemental look at a food diary of someone who has learned to incorporate everyday treats, or is taking a judgemental look at a diary of someone who eats mostly everyday treats and very few to no nutritionally dense foods.
If it's the first, that's a jerk move which people have already gone over with a fine tooth comb. If it's the second, it's a double jerk move. Logging can be one of the fundamental habits in helping you lose weight because it lets you track CICO and it helps you figure out what works and what doesn't. There are people who grew up in household where "junk" food was the norm and there wasn't exposure to a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. These people grew up to be adults that needed to feed themselves and ate what they knew. Those same people may be on a journey to make a change. What's the best way to make a big, lasting change? With smaller and more manageable habits. Those diaries that OP may be judging are people who are simply getting in the habit of logging there food. Or, they are in the habit of logging and are simply working towards eating less. Either way, it's they're journey and they're choice as to what to eat. If someone wants to eat they're days calories in pizza, that's their choice. If you looked at someone's log and they were eating only beans and rice would you judge then as harshly? It's "healthy" foods. it can be considered eating clean, but it's not nutritionally diverse.
No matter how you slice it, judging other people's food choices is a dick move. Unless you come to someone with genuine concern about their health or they asked for your advice, then you don't get to have a voiced opinion about what they eat.24
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