LoraDayton:
2. Numbers don't really mean anything in the imagination when describing body changes or food volume. Unless there is a plot element specific to it, you don't need numbers. It will free you, I promise.
Letters And Numbers:
I agree with this completely, but I will also say that numbers are *extremely* popular. I get more positive feedback from weighing segments than from almost anything else.
So while I don’t just write to please the reader (anyone who has read my current story can attest to that), sometimes it’s nice to give people what they want, too! But all things in proper moderation.
My take on the numbers is that they can be used effectively, but most people in the community do not know how. To be clear, this issue isn't FF-specific. I see it in a lot of fetish spaces.
It's essentially a case of "show, don't tell." It's the difference between saying, "It's 32 F/0 C outside," versus "The biting cold froze the puddle of water." One tells you what's happening, while the other immerses you in the experience.
That said, I believe there is a time and place for numbers. For example, maybe you're writing a fit-to-fat story where the protagonist is coming to terms with their weight. Since her weight is integral to the plot, you could include that when it moves the plot forward.