Following MFP´s food diary.

maria90lg
maria90lg Posts: 10 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I´m super new here, just started this Monday, and I´m trying to figure out how this calorie counting works. I´m kind of trying to follow the food diary in here but I´m not sure I´m doing it the right way.

Can anyone give me some advice or their experience using this tool? Am I suposed to follow all the goals on the bottom of the diary? For example, the amount of sodium for each day.

Thanks!

Replies

  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
    I started in April just tracking my calories. After a week or so I began paying more attention to the nutrients... Things like fat, sodium, sugar, carbs, and calories are maximums, and things like calcium, iron, fiber, etc. are minimums. You will get the hang of it quickly, I'm sure. I use the numbers to help me see what I am lacking/don't need throughout my day. For example, if I eat out for breakfast, my sodium will be high in the morning, so it helps me make better low-sodium choices the rest of the day. It's a good tool, and you can also change what you track in the settings, but don't drive yourself crazy trying to track it all right away. Calories are the most important number to meet. Once you start seeing weight loss, then you can tweak your diet to reduce fat, sodium, and sugar if you'd like. Best of luck in meeting your goals.
  • Sarah0866
    Sarah0866 Posts: 291 Member
    You could, but I just focus on my macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs), fiber and sugar intake so as to not get overwhelmed with too many numbers to track. You are correct though, the numbers at the bottom of your diary are to serve as your guidelines...

    I also did a custom fat/protein/carb ratio for myself...I find MFP's protein content to be too low and carbs too high.
  • Goalsat47
    Goalsat47 Posts: 74 Member
    I just started back with MFP yesterday so I am new too. I think to start just the actual act of logging my food will help. Seeing exactly what I am eating and trying to stay within the calorie limit. Then after that tweaking it as I go along and hopefully seeing what works for me.

    Today I am making an effort to try to make it a better day than yesterday. Making the effort for most of my calories to have a nutritional value, adding water etc.
  • Amitysk
    Amitysk Posts: 705 Member
    When I started, I just focused on getting into the habit of logging food. The was before I even paid attention to the number of calories. After a few weeks I looked at calories overall and then shortly after that paid attention to macros.

    Good luck!
  • maria90lg
    maria90lg Posts: 10 Member
    Thankyou for all of your replies :). I guess i tend to overthink things so I come online anytime I can and go back to my food diary and check what ive been eating. I´ve read so many posts here, i just dont want to do the over eating or not eating enough which apparently also has bad consequences.

    My concerns on the tracking are mostly on the protein and sugar. The calories, i try to get to them, i have left like 200 not taken for the past couple of days but I´ve also read thats ok since the calories from excercising might not be exact. The proteins and sugars whoever, i always take too many of those, even if i try to not eat sugar and I only take 1 protein at lunch and 1 at dinner.

    I know im just starting and i need to take it slow, i just forget sometimes. It´s nice to get that reminder from other people who started the same as I did, not knowing everyting about calories and nutrients.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    You want to be close to your goal for calories, the rest doesn't matter that much. MFP's default protein macro is way too low, when losing weight you want to try and aim for 0.8g per lb really, a lot of people (me included) change the macros to 40% carb, 30% fat, 30% protein for that reason.

    Sugar I don't even track anymore, I eat fruit, so yeah, it's always way above. Unless you're diabetic it really doesn't matter... Sodium you want to try to stay under if possible, but it's easy to go over too, personally I don't care because I don't have high blood pressure, and I know that if I buy premade soup or any restaurant food I'll be way over anyway. Fat and carb I try to stay under, but I don't sweat it if I'm over (a lot of people don't care at all about fat, I have reflux though so I'm more careful).

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