Why??

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JulieSD
JulieSD Posts: 567
in Food and Nutrition
Why do we congratulate people when it posts that they are under their calorie goal and they haven't eaten enough food to keep a toddler running? I'm all about the support and positive reinforcement but this site to help encourage our friends to be healthy, not anorexic. I'm usually under my calorie goal by less than 50ish (not always true), but sometimes I see people with hundreds under - I shudder. I think about all the things that I have to do in a day, all the running around that has to be done and I think if that were me....I would feel like a pile of crap crazy person running up a hill of molasses. Wouldn't a person feel absolutely rotten eating hardly anything?
I'm honestly not trying to be rude, I'm just really concerned.

Replies

  • FifiLea
    FifiLea Posts: 80 Member
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    Well, I do it for some people because sometimes eating what you or I would think of as a ridiculously small amount of food is a real achievement for someone who is used to eating even less than that.

    I don't congratulate anyone unless I know the story behind the food diary and the calories they've consumed - and then I'm as encouraging as I can be! :smile:
  • JulieSD
    JulieSD Posts: 567
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    Well, I do it for some people because sometimes eating what you or I would think of as a ridiculously small amount of food is a real achievement for someone who is used to eating even less than that.

    I don't congratulate anyone unless I know the story behind the food diary and the calories they've consumed - and then I'm as encouraging as I can be! :smile:
    Same with me, I really try to be helpful but honest. Sometimes its best to say nothing...lol. I dont want to offend anyone, I'm just really honestly concerned.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
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    i dont..........gotta feed the machine!
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    It's just politeness. Why do we wish our opponent's in sports good luck? We certainly dont mean it! We don't want them to get a lucky winning shot! But, its just politeness!
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    If someone is under by a lot, I say nothing. If they are close, I congratulate them for logging it.
  • NikitaBlue
    NikitaBlue Posts: 6
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    I agree... and there's definite danger to calorie counting; if you're not properly self-monitoring, it could easily lead to severe undereating.
  • MizzDoc
    MizzDoc Posts: 493 Member
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    If someone is under by a lot, I say nothing. If they are close, I congratulate them for logging it.

    Ditto!
  • ajk828
    ajk828 Posts: 335
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    Sometimes people are congratulating from their phones and cannot view the diary. They have no clue how much under it is.
  • bglitterbug
    bglitterbug Posts: 12 Member
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    Whenever I am under calorie goal it is the extra calories from exercise that I haven't eaten, I guess I assume that is the case, It is very unhealthy not to eat your regular calories for the day, when I am under I get a message that warns against not eating atleast the regular amount. Does it hurt not to eat the extra calories earned from exercise?
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
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    Same here, I'm pretty much always under BUT that's because I only eat about 1/2 of 3/4 of my exercise calories back. Sadly MFP doesn't distinguish between being under by 5 calories or by 500 cals.
  • bglitterbug
    bglitterbug Posts: 12 Member
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    YES!
  • fionat29
    fionat29 Posts: 717 Member
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    If I see a diary I don't think is healthy, I just don't comment. I work on the basis that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
    Sometimes people have good reasons for bad food decisions and I don't want to judge those bad choices, I just want to encourage good ones.
  • jts10
    jts10 Posts: 37
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    What's annoying to me is that I want to eat a certain caloric amount, get close to that, and then exercise. Once I put my exercise in the log it then adds that amount to the calories I have remaining. If you want to lose weight you should be eating less AND exercising. Is there anyway to fix that?
  • mrsvatitagain
    mrsvatitagain Posts: 275 Member
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    Well I am one of those people who are usually under, only because most days I do not eat my exercise calories, however I do eat ALL my calories allotted outdside of that. My diary is open to my friends and I am not eating anywhere close to anorexic, I love food...BELIEVE THAT! LOL

    By the time I get to exercise in the evening it is simply to late to eat and eat 400-800 calories and go to bed on them, not a good idea, but thats just me, so I dont mind the congrats. Doesnt bother me one way or the other. I think each person is different while some may be under eating, I surely do not think that is the case with everyone.
  • JulieSD
    JulieSD Posts: 567
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    Whenever I am under calorie goal it is the extra calories from exercise that I haven't eaten, I guess I assume that is the case, It is very unhealthy not to eat your regular calories for the day, when I am under I get a message that warns against not eating atleast the regular amount. Does it hurt not to eat the extra calories earned from exercise?

    This is the exact same with me..I'm usually under after I log and then exercise at night. I eat mine back if I'm hungry. I can't force myself to eat..just like the people who are under their goal, i assume. But I try to break even-ish...I think about how my body is still pumping after I exercise at night and I try to have some protein to make sure that my mussels are getting the nutrients they need to heal and get me strong lol!
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    Sometimes people have good reasons for bad food decisions and I don't want to judge those bad choices, I just want to encourage good ones.

    Depends what you mean by "bad" choices. I'd like to think that most of us on here know what is full of calories, fat, etc, and what isn't. The choice isn't "Hmm, which is bad for me? Ill pick....THAT one!" its more a case of "I've planned for this takeaway tonight, its within my calorie budget, and it's a nice change from my normal healthy food". Nothing wrong with that at all :)
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    Yea I only congratulate if they are eating little, but aleast more then they used to! People in recovery :]

    I have seen people go 1000+ over frequently and everyone say its alright too. IMO that is just as bad if done frequently

    SO i just keep my opinions to myself most of the time ^-^
  • RocketsGirl75
    RocketsGirl75 Posts: 648
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    I congratulate my friends because every person is different. Now if they aren't eating 1200 calories that is one thing. But my calories are still really high some I am usually hundreds under. I feel like my place is to encourage not judge them by what I deem healthy!
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    What's annoying to me is that I want to eat a certain caloric amount, get close to that, and then exercise. Once I put my exercise in the log it then adds that amount to the calories I have remaining. If you want to lose weight you should be eating less AND exercising. Is there anyway to fix that?

    You honestly DO NOT have to. It can be done through diet, exercise, or a combination of the two

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