Under Calories Over Macros Confusion

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neldabg
neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
edited July 2016 in Food and Nutrition
We know that:
Carbs = 4 calories per gram
Protein = 4 calories per gram
Fat = 9 calories per gram

However, there are many days that I am under my calories and over my macros. I am super careful in cross referencing what I log, double checking labels and using entries that match what's on the USDA website. Here's one of my logs that are under calories and over macros:
3mzcc6v1moif.jpg

According to the facts above, this log should actually be (168*4)+(96*4)+(9*57)=1569 calories instead of 1473, almost a 100 calorie difference!
I've been consistently logging for almost a year now, and I've not had trouble gaining or losing weight, so I likely won't change how I've been logging thus far, but I am curious. Where in my entries might I have erred?

Replies

  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    Usually it's rounding. You've got 18 entries, if each one is off by 5 calories because of rounding, that's 90 calories total.

    It can also be an error on the part of whoever entered the food item into the database. When possible, try to use a verified entry (green checkmark).
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    Rounding errors on labels account for a lot of this. For example, "zero" calorie drinks almost never actually have zero. It's usually more like 2-4, but they are allowed by law to round that to zero. You ever noticed how most things have a kcal per serving count that ends in either a 5 or a 0?
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
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    kwtilbury wrote: »
    Usually it's rounding. You've got 18 entries, if each one is off by 5 calories because of rounding, that's 90 calories total.

    It can also be an error on the part of whoever entered the food item into the database. When possible, try to use a verified entry (green checkmark).
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    Rounding errors on labels account for a lot of this. For example, "zero" calorie drinks almost never actually have zero. It's usually more like 2-4, but they are allowed by law to round that to zero. You ever noticed how most things have a kcal per serving count that ends in either a 5 or a 0?

    Ah yes. Rounding explains some of it. Still, I wonder about other foods, like protein bars. They're sometimes more off than the standard 5 calorie rounding error on any one product. Off to zee Googles!
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    I struggle with this. My macros differ from my calories by about 100. Just concentrate on hitting your macros
  • alyssa_rest
    alyssa_rest Posts: 276 Member
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    rounding errors, I would assume!
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Look at your dinner. The macros don't add to the calories listed. The combat crunch for example the macros add to 299, but the entry has it at 233. So either the macros are wrong or the calories are off on that one.
    After that it looks like just rounding errors.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
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    Could be the difference in calories vs net calories that some of the fiber heavy products could have. The calories per fat, protein, & carb aren't exact either. The good news is that your calories & macros over time will average out and take care of the apparent imbalance as your body will average this stuff out too. I'd point the finger too at that combat crunch bar, something's off with that one. Extremely high protein and fiber for that amount of calories.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    edited July 2016
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    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Look at your dinner. The macros don't add to the calories listed. The combat crunch for example the macros add to 299, but the entry has it at 233. So either the macros are wrong or the calories are off on that one.
    After that it looks like just rounding errors.
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    Could be the difference in calories vs net calories that some of the fiber heavy products could have. The calories per fat, protein, & carb aren't exact either. The good news is that your calories & macros over time will average out and take care of the apparent imbalance as your body will average this stuff out too. I'd point the finger too at that combat crunch bar, something's off with that one. Extremely high protein and fiber for that amount of calories.

    That is true indeed.

    Here's what the product label on the bar says:
    mxhqvtiou3av.jpg

    Though not specifically related to the Combat Crunch bar, I found old threads on MFP and BB.com that give some possible explanations:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10201991/quest-bar-conundrum
    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=162978491

    Interesting, isn't it?

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