SerenaKitty

Of course it's not healthy.

Every restaurant has low calorie options.

When I lost weight the first time, some family members thought it was okay to tell me what I looked like when I was fat. My aunt said I looked like the Michelin Man and also said that I looked waxy like a fat porcelain doll. It is pretty hard for me to go to family events now that I'm fat again, because now I know what…

Using food to calm my anxiety or avoid certain emotions. I like everything about weight loss - eating the right amount and exercising, but it is difficult when you use food as medicine.

Because I'm fat. That's about it. :wink: Being overweight, for me personally, has meant being less able to do the things I enjoy. It is hard when you are carrying an extra 50 pounds on your body. I don't like the heart palpitations, the increased heart rate when I walk up a few steps, or the joint/foot pain. It is no fun!

Pour nutrition. I'm onto you! That has to be a clever juice fast pun. :wink:

Yes, there are some genuinely unpleasant people here. Just ignore them, or respond directly to them if they bother you. Keep in mind that, for a lot of people here, MFP is their preferred online community. Expect to get caught in the crossfire every now and then. It is easier to just roll your eyes and stay out of their…

Wow! Talk about a miserable way to lose weight. Not too safe, either. Congratulations! It sounds like you have a handle on your health now and that you are doing what is right for you. :smile:

Thank you! Very helpful. I think structure would help me a lot. And a bit of patience wouldn't hurt. :wink:

Lol. I do understand why many people (especially women) think this way. They were raised to believe that 1200 is the magic number for weight loss. Just the other day, a girl asked a question about weight loss and an older lady said that no woman should need more than 1200 calories per day...even when maintaining their…

Thank you! I agree that there are many options out there and finding a personal balance is all any of us can do. I think a few folks misunderstood my initial post. Like you, I enjoy exercise because it makes me feel great! But exercising in order to earn a certain amount of food does not work for some of us. I also…

Please read all posts.

Thank you! You understand perfectly what I mean. Exercise should not be a chore - I actually enjoy exercise, but MFP's way just doesn't mesh with my personality and eating issues.

Moderately active, 1.5-2/week. I know that I could get a higher amount of calories from MFP if I lowered my weight loss per week goals. I'm still finding MFP's method bad for me. I think I'm going to go with my gut and follow the advice to go back to TDEE -20% and start enjoying exercise again.

I don't think of exercise as punishment. I think of exercising as a way to eat a normal amount of food as punishment. It is just my personal experience. Being active isn't the issue, I'm just struggling with MFP's "burn so you can eat a normal amount of food". It works for lots of people, I don't doubt that. :)

Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or the amount of calories you burn per day based on your age, height, weight, and activity level.

Of, for sure! I do think 1800 is normal. I should have specified that MFP set me up with 1200 net, which to me is not a normal amount of food. I agree with you. Thanks! :)

Thanks, guys. Very helpful. :)

Yeah, and I think it works for a lot of people. I really enjoy exercise, but some crazy stuff happens when I start to think of exercise as a way to eat a normal amount of food.

Thanks so much for sharing, you guys! :smile:

QFT. I experienced this after I lost weight the first time. I was always around 125 pounds during my teen years, but when I gained weight and worked hard to get back to 125, everyone began to make these comments. After a while, I just started to say, "Hey...you know that I've weighed this much before, right? Why wasn't it…

Aw, I'm sorry. It is hard to know what to say and when. I'm sure you weren't the first to make that mistake. It is such a touchy thing!

Be careful, honey, you might reach a healthy weight! I've experienced that as well, and it is so funny. It doesn't even make me mad...it's just so unexpected and odd. Like, what are these people thinking when they say it? :laugh:

Ouch! Yeah, people often mean well, but some of us really don't think it through before commenting on appearance.

Very true. I've received both positive and negative comments, and I have to say that (in the workplace especially) most of them are pretty awkward and uncalled for! :wink:

Exactly. That is the whole point of "if you ate this way everyday". It's not "if you ate this way today and a different way tomorrow..." ;)

If you are following MFP's instructions, your net and goal should be the same number (or close) at the end of the day.

Your body needs more than -500 calories to fuel itself. You should be netting at least 1200. If you follow MFP's instructions, your home page should say that you have at least 1200 calories per day. It should never, ever be a negative number.

I don't think eating whatever you want is a good idea for anyone with a past of disordered eating. To me, that would mean eating far past the point of fullness. Restricting and binging should NOT be an option for those of us recovering. Please reconsider - I recommend upping your daily calories. That way, you can fit in…

Does dinner have to be your family time? Feed your kids and yourself when you get hungry - just save him a portion. Why does eating need to be family time? Maybe try something else that can be done with you, husband, and kids before their bedtime.