Do you feel too restricted?

purpleipod
purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! My name's Natalie and I just had a question for you guys that use MFP. Do you ever feel like you're too restricted on this plan considering you have a certain calorie range to stay within? I currently do Weight Watchers which allows for a bit of splurging, and I'm just worried that I'd have a hard time adjusting to using this instead. Any thoughts are appreciated :)

Replies

  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
    It's much the same as weight watchers, except that instead of having a certain number of points to work with, you have a certain number of calories. It doesn't restrict what you eat or when you eat it, just your overall intake (though it makes sense to keep half an eye on what you're eating as well). You get extra calories if you do more exercise, and can choose whether to stick to a strict limit every day or whether to let it average out over the week, so there's room for a little splurge here and there if you want to.
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    No, in fact, I have to work at eating enough.
  • Katbaran
    Katbaran Posts: 605 Member
    I usually don't feel restricted on MFP. I think there's a break in period so to speak, where you have to adjust to eating fewer calories and making wiser choices for using your calories. I don't carry over calories or save them up like you are able to on WW but I do splurge once in a while and that seems to satisfy me until the next scheduled splurge. I think we are allowed a decent calorie range and if you make wise choices and eat well for most of the time you can afford to splurge occasionally.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Nope.
    In fact I was surprised when I got started at having to eat some snacks each day to reach my calorie goal!
    I guess it depends how you have set up your goals, I would certainly feel restricted at 1200 cals/day, but then I've never eaten that low.
    MFP has room for splurging too - for me it is usually on a Saturday when i do a long run so I have lots of extra cals to eat, but it if we are going out to dinner on another day I will still enjoy it, but just plan my other meals around that.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Essentially with this, the harder you work, the more you can eat. When you burn calories from exercising, those calories are added to your daily allotment. So if I'm allotted 1270 calories a day (which is my current), and I burn 500 from, say, walking, I'm now allowed 1770 calories for the day. That still keeps you at a caloric deficit, and also encourages you to work harder. It takes some time to adjust, but you'll get used to it if you're diligent and pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth.

    Good luck :smile:
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
    I never feel restricted or deprived. I've now learned to eat in moderation, instead of cleaning my plate. The only restriction that I feel, is when we're eating out. Since I now measure my rice, noodles and tortilla chips, we don't go out for Mexican, Italian or Chinese food anymore (okay.... the only decent Chinese place around is carry-out only, so no loss there). We only get those foods on a take-out/carry in basis, so I can measure my portions. Then I enjoy without any qualms or feelings of deprivation. In fact, tonight we had Chinese.... orange beef... ymmmmmm. Hubby gets my leftovers though, since I don't like to use that many calories for lunches.
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
    Soz... double posted.
  • LJGmom
    LJGmom Posts: 249 Member
    I have never been ablevto stick to a diet for more than 4 days. I have a hard time eating enough calories with MFP. I think that it's been fairly, dare I say, easy!
  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
    I only feel restricted on days I'm having major cravings and am too lazy to get off my butt and workout to be able to give into those cravings. Otherwise, no. I feel much better not eating until my stomach explodes.
  • complete_tease
    complete_tease Posts: 214 Member
    Counting calories and counting points aren't much different. I truly do not feel restricted in anyway.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    That's a little more reassuring then :). I know myself, and when I feel deprived or restricted I start to stray too much and I know that's not good, but I accept that it happens.
  • hockeymom180
    hockeymom180 Posts: 35 Member
    I don't feel restricted at all. I've had cheeseburgers, beer, chocolate, cookies, doughnuts and bottles of wine since I've started MFP. I've also had a lot of salads, lean meat, and lowfat milk. I just make sure that when I have a pizza-and-beer supper coming, I run in the morning and have a salad for lunch so I have room in my calorie count to eat what I want.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    All. The. Time. I usually reach my calories by 4-6 PM, and I don't go to bed until around 11 or 12, so I usually start to get hungry before bed, so I try to get to bed earlier before the stomach starts growling to avoid overeating.
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    Work hard, Eat big.
  • jskaggs1971
    jskaggs1971 Posts: 371 Member
    Work hard, Eat big.

    ^^^^^^^
    This.

    Always nice to see another bike guy out there. Nice definition on the Gastrocnemius / Soleus / Plantaris muscles. Mine aren't that cut (yet).
  • NostalgicDruid
    NostalgicDruid Posts: 41
    No, in fact, I have to work at eating enough.

    Ditto on this. I have to sneak in calories in meals and snacks to meet my goal most of the time.
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