Goodbye, Myfitnesspal: The dangers of calorie counting (personally)
Replies
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Honestly, and not trying to be a *kitten*, but this is an issue between you and your therapist. People can become obsessive or anxiety ridden over anything. But it has nothing to do with mfp.20
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Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »I have a very clinical approach to it - I log my food, try to adhere reasonably close to my daily net calories limit, and get a minimal amount of protein. My fitness tracker calculates the calories and loads it into MFP. I have a digital scale that loads my weight into MFP. I have it all set up so I can do my fitness accounting in 15 minutes a day and then go about my life without worrying about it.
To me, the less social and emotional you can be about eating and fitness the more sustainable it is - I know others will disagree and that if you do happen to agree, it easier said than done. I hope you find a system that works for you and makes you happy
I agree and this is how I view it as well. However, it took me a while to figure it out. Somewhere in my early to mid-teens emotions became attached to food and body image. Guess I was just being a normal teenage girl, but I didn't like how it affected me so I tried to use the same approach I had as a child when it came to food: eat when I'm hungry, stop when I've had enough. Done. Go outside and play. Move on with my day. Sounds simplistic but it works for me.5 -
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You have to do what’s right for you. If this tool is leading you into unhealthy habits, then sure- refrain from using this resource. But the mindsets you speak of on your post are not the values of MyFitnessPal. In fact, it’s this same group that pushed me to INCREASE my calories to slow down my weight loss process to be healthier! I was trying to loose two pounds a week at 1,200 calories but was encouraged to go to 1,350 calories to lose 1 pound per week. I only have about 15 left to lose. Good luck on your journey. I’ve dealt with a minor eating disorder and needed to seek help.5
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Honestly, and not trying to be a *kitten*, but this is an issue between you and your therapist. People can become obsessive or anxiety ridden over anything. But it has nothing to do with mfp.
Curious on how many financial advisors and debt specialists recommend throwing out checkbook balance sheets to clients with debt issues.
Beginning to understand why we have an obesity problem with "professionals" doling out such advice.20 -
Honestly, and not trying to be a *kitten*, but this is an issue between you and your therapist. People can become obsessive or anxiety ridden over anything. But it has nothing to do with mfp.
Curious on how many financial advisors and debt specialists recommend throwing out checkbook balance sheets to clients with debt issues.
Beginning to understand why we have an obesity problem with "professionals" doling out such advice.
Not the same thing.
There are other ways to manage one's weight besides using MFP. For people with eating disorders, obsessing over calories and counting them can be a big part of their issues.
To the OP... I hope you seek professional help. The thing that most concerned me in your original post was seeing how low your calorie intake often was while you were caught in this whole spiral. There are obviously some issues you have with food and body image that you need to have sorted out, and right now restricting food and any tools like MFP for doing that aren't in your best interest. Go see your doctor and tell them everything that's happened and get yourself some help. Best to you.12 -
I think you should do whatever you feel is necessary for your own mental health. My (unprofessional) opinion is that your relationship with food goes far beyond the issue with calorie counting, but if you feel that MFP is a catalyst, I definitely support taking a break from it. I hope you are able to seek help from a therapist who can guide you through this.
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It's good that you've acknowledged the problem and it sounds like calorie counting may not be for you. I do think it's interesting that you noted how others in these forums tried to point out your disordered thinking to no avail. It shows that there is good guidance and advice to be found here if a person is open to it.
I'm hoping the fact that there's no mention of an appt. with an ED specialist is just an oversight.
Wish you the best with your recovery, OP.
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Honestly, and not trying to be a *kitten*, but this is an issue between you and your therapist. People can become obsessive or anxiety ridden over anything. But it has nothing to do with mfp.
Curious on how many financial advisors and debt specialists recommend throwing out checkbook balance sheets to clients with debt issues.
Beginning to understand why we have an obesity problem with "professionals" doling out such advice.
Someone needs an education on how EDs work.
OP- I agree it's time to step away from MFP. I also agree with everyone who suggested seeing a counselor, specifically an ED specialist. I've been there, and I've counseled others who have been there. You can and will get past this- you've already taken the first step by recognizing the issue. Kudos and best wishes to you!10 -
Honestly I dont think Myfitnesspal is actually the cause of the problems you describe and putting all the blame on it then discarding it like some sort of voodoo doll to exorcise your problems isnt actually going to do anything. Sounds like your issues are deeper than that and you might benefit from some counseling. I hope you find a way out of these self-destructive cycles.10
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https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/treatment
This is the National Eating Disorders helpline's website. They can put you in touch with a mental health provider specializing in eating disorders in your area.8 -
I was just reading on the Internet about why most people regain weight. The articles are over all pretty depressing. One mentioned that it really doesn't matter what diet you choose they all have pretty much the same results.. and in the end....it is hard to keep the weight off. They even mention that calorie counting slows the metabolism so much that your body works through hunger hormones to regain the weight.
I too don't count calories... restrictive nature diets are not for me. I do much better just trying to eat healthy, clean, and move more. It works for me...and hopefully will for the long term. I hope I'm one of the lucky ones.21 -
I only wish you all the best and I hope you find peace and a way that works for you and helps you find balance in your life 2
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AshleyWallace3 wrote: »Counting calories will help you lose weight. And if that's what you need, you go for that. I lost 3 stone off SW and then another stone and a half using MyFitnessPal. It does work.
And then I became obsessed. I even put up a post here berating myself for - gasp - eating a McDonalds after I had spent the week before on around 900/1000 calories, stating I felt so disappointed and guilty with myself, addressing it as a 'major' set back... Maybe some of you guys who commented remember me, haha! I think every single person that commented pointed out how bizarre and how unhealthy that was. And sadly, those posts hit against a brick wall. For anyone reading, they're probably shrugging and thinking 'So? You're trying to lose weight, aren't you?'
I feel like I can't convey it. Weighing myself twice a day - I was so desperate to see how the day before had impacted me that I shot up out of bed, went to the bathroom so that it didn't affect the numbers, and sped to those scales before anything else. I could lose 5/6 pound in a week. If I lost a pound, I was reinforced, and hooked all over again. If I gained, I immediately made a mental plan to punish myself with my diet.
I declined social nights out because I was scared about gaining weight.
I missed out entire meals so I could finally have some chocolate and still lose a pound. How bloody unhealthy is that?
A few times, I felt so bad about eating big portions on social events that I forced myself to vomit in the bathroom. There were also the unsuccessful attempts.
I didn't exercise excessively, but I did exercise for the sole reason of burning off one of my very limited meals. So I made matters a bit worse that way.
I examined/examine myself twice or three times a day in the mirror, trying to figure out if I'm fat or not.
A few friends and family said to me that I was going too far with things.
It was a very beloved friend of mine who sat me down very recently and told me that I'm on the way towards developing an eating disorder. And he had warned me about this before, but I have this wall up - he worked in a mental ward, has three family members fighting against anorexia and has at least two female friends who are suffering it.
If I do have an eating disorder... You'd never guess by looking at me. I'm 5'5" and 148-ish pounds. This... is fat to me. But only when I think about myself. I'm not saying I definitely an eating disorder have one, but whatever is going on...
I'm ready to change my lifestyle. Today, I felt immense guilt because I had a packet of crisps. This was the only thing I had for lunch, with a slice of toast and banana for breakfast. This should NOT spark guilt!? I read articles on how to stop feeling guilty about food, and while I didn't eat anything else, I managed to overcome the shame. I felt SO happy that I had managed. For the first time in two years, I didn't feel guilty about having an 'off-limit' food and it felt so, so so wonderful!
I don't want to lose weight now. I want to become HEALTHY, in both body and mind.
*I've stopped weighing myself, but the constant want to do so is still there.
*I'm doing half an hour of hot yoga in the morning, and at least 20 minutes of cardio per day. Not for the calorie burning, just for treating my body right. I'm trying to work on increasing what I eat to compensate for this, but it usually ends up just being a banana. So, big work in progress here!
*If I'm hungry, I'm going to eat. This is another work in progress that I haven't conquered yet.
*NO MORE CALORIE COUNTING! LISTEN TO MY BODY! If I feel a sugar craving, have some fruit. If I want a chocolate bar every once in a while? Hey. That's fine.
*THREE MEALS A DAY, and try to have either fruit/vegetable, protein, healthy fat, and complex carbs with them! Again, this is something I'm working on. It's part of the reason I felt so guilty about my lunch today. I don't look at them in calories anymore, I look at them and think positively. Whereas before, a baked potato with tuna (and full-fat mayo) would have made me dread the calories in them, I'm now going to think about the goodness in them.
I've deleted MyFitnessPal from my shortcuts and favorite list. However... The fact I haven't deleted my account tells me something important. I still want it there. The voice that's fat-shaming me, and obsessing about calories and making me feel bad about food... She's not ready to let this go yet. But it'll come.
I think, guys, if you had to choose between them:
Be happy and healthy and a few pounds overweight,
Rather than the 'ideal' weight and a prisoner to calories.
Hey, just wanted to say I found your post so relatable. The same thing happened to me. It just gradually spiralled to the point where it became my whole focus. The calorie goal became stricter and stricter, and anything over it would make me feel so much guilt and shame. It was exhausting.
This time I’m setting myself much more reasonable goals. I’m in no rush, and my focus now is on getting fitter and healthier.
I recently read a book called Body Positive Power by Megan Crabbe. Would highly recommend. It explains all of this so well. So so so so so relatable and completely changed my perspective on things.8 -
Some kind of eating disorder?0
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Hi guys, I appreciate everything that's said, SO so so so so so much - and there hasn't been a single poster who has been wrong. A lot of you are saying to seek professional help. To be honest, I'm a little scared to do so. One of my reasons is that I've had friends approach GP's, who range around 5'4" and 21 stone, and suffer from suffer binge eating... Their GP's response?
"Learn some self-restraint."
I'm not sure how to approach this. However, I -will- find a way around it to get help, or just man up and take a risk of being rejected by my GP.
HOWEVER: There's a point here I want to underline.
I'm not here to attack MyFitnessPal. I hate to sound aggressive, but it made me roll my eyes that there was a post exclusively saying 'It's not MFP's fault.'
In my post, I'm sorry if it sounded like I blame MFP. The way I use MFP is a symptom, not the cause. The community s beyond fantastic, and counting calories is a safe way to do things - in fact, a post earlier pointed out the way you are MEANT to use calories which made me go 'ooooooh....!'. So for every one of you using it as a healthy means to lose weight, you're doing a fantastic job..
But for the post saying that this has 'nothing' to do with MFP. That's just so incorrect. Again, MFP is wonderful - the hammer analogy used is perfect. A hammer can't be harmful by itself. But if someone's repeatedly smashing their thumb with the hammer, then until they can use it correctly, THEY HAVE TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN.
Hope that clears things up! I don't want to discourage anyone from using MFP; I just want people who read this and maybe don't realize that something is wrong to be aware.
Cheers guys, I appreciate what I'm reading so much.
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MostlyWater wrote: »I've been here for years and that has not been my experience.
Oh, thanks for letting us know. I was wondering about you.
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AshleyWallace3 wrote: »Hi guys, I appreciate everything that's said, SO so so so so so much - and there hasn't been a single poster who has been wrong. A lot of you are saying to seek professional help. To be honest, I'm a little scared to do so. One of my reasons is that I've had friends approach GP's, who range around 5'4" and 21 stone, and suffer from suffer binge eating... Their GP's response?
"Learn some self-restraint."
I'm not sure how to approach this. However, I -will- find a way around it to get help, or just man up and take a risk of being rejected by my GP.
HOWEVER: There's a point here I want to underline.
I'm not here to attack MyFitnessPal. I hate to sound aggressive, but it made me roll my eyes that there was a post exclusively saying 'It's not MFP's fault.'
In my post, I'm sorry if it sounded like I blame MFP. The way I use MFP is a symptom, not the cause. The community s beyond fantastic, and counting calories is a safe way to do things - in fact, a post earlier pointed out the way you are MEANT to use calories which made me go 'ooooooh....!'. So for every one of you using it as a healthy means to lose weight, you're doing a fantastic job..
But for the post saying that this has 'nothing' to do with MFP. That's just so incorrect. Again, MFP is wonderful - the hammer analogy used is perfect. A hammer can't be harmful by itself. But if someone's repeatedly smashing their thumb with the hammer, then until they can use it correctly, THEY HAVE TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN.
Hope that clears things up! I don't want to discourage anyone from using MFP; I just want people who read this and maybe don't realize that something is wrong to be aware.
Cheers guys, I appreciate what I'm reading so much.
I love your honesty!
The way you recognise that there's an issue and the way you're searching for answers means you'll find what you're looking for and I wish you all the best.
Keep being open to answers 4 -
I didn't read it as blaming MFP. I think it's a good reminder for us all to be aware of our mental health. Despite mental health "days" and more people being open about it than they used to be, it's still something that's largely in the dark, that we (people in the western world, at least) put behind our physical health, when both are important.
Sometimes people have to pick their battles, even if you're morbidly obese an eating disorder is unlikely to improve your physical health, so I'd always recommend focusing on mental health as a priority, so you can lose weight slowly, safely and permanently.
I hope you recover well, do take care of yourself in every way possible. 1
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