I can't decide if this site is right for me...

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xdaysbingefree
xdaysbingefree Posts: 98 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I really love the idea of having friends to help keep me motivated here online, but I feel like tracking calories like this is too stressful. Everytime I go over, I feel bad, and I feel like it is making me obsessive over every little bit of food that I eat. Does anyone else feel this way? I can't figure out if this site is actually not for me, or if I'm just being a baby because staying under my calories is too difficult, and it would be easier not to bother.

I also love reading the message boards on here and looking through my newsfeed thing, but I feel like this just makes me spend a large block of time thinking about weight loss, and it stresses me out

I was thinking of just keeping an actual journal of my daily food intake, but not tracking the calories alongside it. Any thoughts on this idea?
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Replies

  • theyeta
    theyeta Posts: 1
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    I wasn't sure about it either, but it turned out to be the best thing for me! I now watch my portion sizes and I really didn't before and I think that is really important as well as watching your calories. This site is also nice for recording your exercise as well. I'm able to update from my phone and everything. This is my first real serious try at weight loss and keeping it off and a few of my friends are on it as well and we try to motivate each other too. I hope this helps...

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  • toasterlisa
    toasterlisa Posts: 100 Member
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    Journaling your food without tracking the calories just won't work.

    So, you write in your journal that you ate a Large Banana Cream Pie Blizzard, but you don't remind yourself that it's 1,090 calories, almost your entire day's worth of food?

    You need to stay here and buck up! Tracking the calories is what will help you lose weight. You need to be accountable to yourself and only to yourself, but keep at it.

    Best wishes on your health and wellness journey,
  • kbw414
    kbw414 Posts: 194
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    I kept a handwritten journal when I first began losing weight. It worked for me, but I lost weight more slowly. I lost maybe 12 lbs over a summer, with daily exercise. I didn't know about this site then, though. Now that you've used this site and have an idea how of many calories are in serving sizes, you will probably be able to get rough estimates even if you're not using MFP.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    I don't really see how you can keep track of your food consumption with the intent of losing weight if you're ignoring the calories.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I'm not a calorie counter. I did it for several weeks and then decided that it was exhausting. I do log in to MFP daily and chat, but if that is too much for you, then there is nothing wrong with keeping a pen and paper food journal.

    If you want some info on learning to eat reasonable portions without calorie counting, "Intuitive Eating" and "Mindful Eating" are good books to read.
  • nicki_1004
    nicki_1004 Posts: 36
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    No one "diet" plan is for everyone. I personally love this site. It helps me to keep track of what I am eating and it keeps me motivated. I have tried just writing everything down before and it didn't work. If you're not keeping track of the calories eating and making sure you are within your range it is harder to lose weight. I have struggled with my weight basically all my life. I have tried everything short of having surgery. MFP is perfect for me because it is free, it tells me what I should be eating and calculates everything for me so I don't have to figure it out, and there are awesome people on here willing to give advise, who are going through the same things or have gone through the same things.
    You need to do what works for you. Don't stress over going over. Look at what you did and see if there is something you could have done that would be better. I see you have lost 3 pounds so you are headed in the right direction. This can be overwhelming, my personal situation I was only eating 1 meal a day. So for me I was (and still am) under my calorie intake. I try to do the best I can to eat as much as I am supposed to. Logging my food on here helps to hold me accountable. Once you start getting used to it it is easier to stay within your goal. None of us knew exactly what to do when we started all of us have/had to learn what to do. Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another.
  • kwahom03
    kwahom03 Posts: 10
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    it's really stressful at first to count calories like this especially if you've never done it before. i give myself 50-100 calories to play with everyday to go over. its not the end of the world if you go 200 over at first. i think you'll find that over time, you'll begin to almost enjoy counting calories and you'll feel good about what you're putting in your body and you'll rely on this site to keep yourself honest.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    ...I'm just being a baby because staying under my calories is too difficult, and it would be easier not to bother.

    Without wanting to sound rude, yes. You can keep a food journal all you like but if you don't know the calorie content and nutritional breakdown of the foods (and drinks) you are consuming, it will be a lot more difficult to succeed.

    My advice would be to stick at it for a little while - once you build up lists of your commonly eaten foods, recipes etc, logging really is a snap! Once you are educated about what you are eating enough to go it alone then great, but this is a great tool to help you learn.
  • xdaysbingefree
    xdaysbingefree Posts: 98 Member
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    thanks for the honesty guys. how long did it take you to get used to counting calories like this?
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    You know this place is great yet can be a bit overwhelming at the same time. I know how you feel. I've found myself under eating because I don't want to go over my calorie goal. I tend to not be eating enough. Maybe take a few days off from logging but honestly if you want to keep your goals this is the best place to be. I've reached my ultimate weight goal by being here.
  • jaks97
    jaks97 Posts: 179 Member
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    start logging your meals, if you have the app on your phone scan the barcode it puts everything on your food. The data base is full of 1000's of food. If you are serious about losing weight you will find a way to add your foods. Log your exercise too.

    Good luck
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
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    No one likes the harsh reality check that happens when you realize you're most loved foods are preventing you from reaching your goals.

    You don't have to be obsessive over your calorie count to understand the important role they play in weight loss and maintaining. I would stick around for awhile.
  • Gargwin82
    Gargwin82 Posts: 152 Member
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    There are days I go over too, I look at what went wrong and try and tweak it. Somedays I knowingly go over, hey you only live life once. Yes I want to lose weight, but I don't want to lose it by sacrificing my happiness. Days you go over a bit it shows you will still lose weight, just not as fast. I read the community boards too, keeping well in mind that what works for one person may not work for me and that's just the way humans work.

    In a sense this is a food journal, you get to see what you're eating and look back on it. However it also helps you see sneaky things that appear healthy that actually aren't. Peanut butter being so high in calories blew my mind! I didn't stop eating it but instead of slathering it on I use my tablespoon a slice now. It's still just as good.

    Take it easy on yourself, the weight didn't jump onto you in a week, it's definately not going to go away in a week. The easiest way to guaruntee failure is by being too hard on yourself or making the experience an unhappy one. We're all on here to learn and support eachother :)
  • Lucinda1013
    Lucinda1013 Posts: 27 Member
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    i just started and discovered the phone scan. Wow! it is so much easier. I am also a newbie and still getting used to it. By what I have seen already, the people here and the site is great.

    Give yourself time to get used to it
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    For me, it's the only way to lose weight. I tend to overeat in portion size, and MFP keeps me honest. It took me a few weeks to get in the swing of things when I first started but, for me, it was the only thing that would work. Good luck to you.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    I don't really see how you can keep track of your food consumption with the intent of losing weight if you're ignoring the calories.

    THIS
  • wish21
    wish21 Posts: 602 Member
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    I think thats what I like about it. I am a lot more careful in planning food now. I don't scarf down 5 pizzas at the pizza place in town w/o thinking twice. I love the accountability. Plus reading and learning about nutrition has become a like hobby! I hope you change your mind about this site. But either direction you go I wish you the best of luck :flowerforyou:
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
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    I never thought I would be a daily calorie tracker, but here I am, happily tracking away. :heart:
  • katie1171
    katie1171 Posts: 1
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    Mfp has been such a life saver for me. If you keep it up, you will see results. We all have good days and bad days, just don't let the bad days get you down!!
  • STurbs33
    STurbs33 Posts: 134 Member
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    I understand where you're coming from. I started counting calories last year (not on this website, but on an app I found on my phone) and after two months I decided it was too tedious and stopped. I gained back half of the weight I lost when I was counting.

    It takes a little while to get used to, but there are shortcuts that make it a lot easier. For example, if you eat a lot of the same meals, you can save them as meals and the next time you eat that meal, you'll only have to check it off under the meal section rather than spending time looking up each individual food item all over again. It's the same with recipes too. The first couple weeks are a bit annoying (at least in my opinion) because you'll have to spend time determining those meals and recipes. But once they're saved, it's so much quicker.

    I think you should stick it out for a little while longer. If you truly don't like it after a few more weeks, that's fine, but at least you'll have tried it long enough to determine if it is right for you.

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