This is so darn hard ..

I'm having extreme troubles keeping to the levels..
I find this to be honest it's getting in the way of my motivation.
I am wondering if this is the thing for me, before I may not have done so "perfect" but I ate healthy as I could and lost weight and now..these levels drive me nuts.
Like for today..I've made my decision on what I eat and I come up with 7 over sugar (I can live with that), 746 under sodium which can only be good as I have high blood pressure, but 14 over protein..and..19 under fat, 81 undr carbs and 225 under my calories :o
How can I add the needed carbs and calories but without adding more protein and sugar?
There's those in almost everything..
To get the levels right it's sooo much searching and trying out adding and loosing food to get them right..I'm exhausted just from doing this :-/
HELP? :(
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Replies

  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Not sure what you have your macros set to, but if you have them with the general setting then they are low to begin with so don't worry about protein. As for the sugar, unless you have some medical reason that you need to track it then don't worry about that either.

    As for the calories...just eat more.
  • jfl5
    jfl5 Posts: 37
    To lose weight, all I've really worried about is calories. Sugar is near impossible to clear, especially with the amounts in any kind of packaged or processed foods.
  • What do you mean by Macro's? (Sorry feel dumb to ask but I'm new at all this :) )
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
    I will probably be shouted at but to be honest just look at the calories and satuarated fat. I don't worry about overdoing protein or carbs, my body needs energy that it gets from calorific value of food. As long as I am eating at my calorie deficit level it and I are happy - and as you can see it has worked for me just fine.

    If its not for you to get too involved in cracking the macro numbers, then don't. Take from this site the parts of it that will help you not hinder you.

    Keep going!!
  • cathyg321
    cathyg321 Posts: 155 Member
    I'm having extreme troubles keeping to the levels..
    I find this to be honest it's getting in the way of my motivation.
    I am wondering if this is the thing for me, before I may not have done so "perfect" but I ate healthy as I could and lost weight and now..these levels drive me nuts.
    Like for today..I've made my decision on what I eat and I come up with 7 over sugar (I can live with that), 746 under sodium which can only be good as I have high blood pressure, but 14 over protein..and..19 under fat, 81 undr carbs and 225 under my calories :o
    How can I add the needed carbs and calories but without adding more protein and sugar?
    There's those in almost everything..
    To get the levels right it's sooo much searching and trying out adding and loosing food to get them right..I'm exhausted just from doing this :-/
    HELP? :(

    Relax.
    It was only a few days ago when "I" was stressing over the same issue! I read the ONLY important macros (macronutrients, IE: calories, carbs, fats, proteins sugar and sodium).. the ONLY ones that are important are CALORIES first and foremost. THEN: proteins, fats and carbs. In that order.

    Like the poster above said, no worries about sugar unless you have medical issues and need to watch out for it. I would say the same for sodium. Though I don't usually go over I'm usually way under.

    Keep it simple: calories in vs calories out. Add exercise to it. I would try to eat more proteins than carbs. And would limit my fats. But for now.. calories in vs calories out with exercise should be a good formula for weight loss! Hope this helps! :smile:

    PS: you can log all sorts of macros - not just the ones MFP sets up. you can track cholesterol, saturated fats, vitamin C, fiber, and a host of others. To change your macros, click: settings, then the drop down box will display the 5 that MFP has picked for you. Look around and see what you might want to track.. oh and there's calcium.. etc. Take a look !
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    What do you mean by Macro's? (Sorry feel dumb to ask but I'm new at all this :) )

    This explains everything.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Thanks guys :)
    I ám seeing a diabetis nurse regularly but when I was overeating my sugar levels withóut taking any medicines were always around 7.5 or lower so now I'm eating healthy and slim most of the time that's not an issue.
    I do have high blood pressure but take medicines and they're usually good now but I know I still need to check that so I'll try keep that in check.
    I'll relax a little..I was getting really nervous about it LOL.
    Thanks again :D
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I would not worry so much about carbs, fat, and sugar, unless you have some underlying medical reason too..

    You said you were in a 225 calorie deficit, that is what you need to be worried about. Keep eating in a calorie deficit - 500 per day - and you will lose the weight.

    Macros are the content of carbs/fat/protein that are making up your daily calorie intake. If you are using MFP original settings they are going to be set up with carbs hight and protein and fats lower....If you want you can go in and change them in "custom" setting to like 40 protein/30 carbs/30 fat - that is a more standard breakdown. But as you are just trying to lose weight, you do not need to worry about macro breakdown as that is more important for building muscle, body fat loss, body recomp, etc...
  • cathyg321
    cathyg321 Posts: 155 Member
    Oh right! And that sugar, OMGosh!
    When I first started here a few months ago, I realized there is sugar in EVERYTHING. Same as salt.
    It seemed IMPOSSIBLE to stay within the guidelines for my sugar. I know we need to eat fruits and veggies but
    they were putting me way over! Then I read *and i KNOW this is debatable** that you only count the ADDED sugar, not the
    natural sugars from fruits and veggies. That made it so much easier for me!

    You're doing fine... if you weren't, you wouldn't be concerned. We're all here. Just a keystroke away :happy:
  • I do have a lot of bodyfat to loose so that would make it important then I guess but, I see I got something wrong.
    I thought in order to loose weight with my level of weight/excersize a day etc I needed to stay under what it says I need a day which is set at 1200 (as normally I think for a grown woman it's 1500 or more with low excerzise and about 2000 with more excersize) but if I understand you, you are telling me to stay 500 under this or do I get you wrong?
    I must be, because that would make it extremely low :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I do have a lot of bodyfat to loose so that would make it important then I guess but, I see I got something wrong.
    I thought in order to loose weight with my level of weight/excersize a day etc I needed to stay under what it says I need a day which is set at 1200 (as normally I think for a grown woman it's 1500 or more with low excerzise and about 2000 with more excersize) but if I understand you, you are telling me to stay 500 under this or do I get you wrong?
    I must be, because that would make it extremely low :)

    I am just saying that make sure you are in a 500 calorie deficit per day and you will lose weight....

    If you are using MFP method then it already has a deficit built into it. So just make sure you are hitting the number that MFP has given you based on activity levels...

    IF MFP is telling you to eat 1200, then you need to make sure you are eating 1200 as 1200 has your calorie deficit built into it...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Oh right! And that sugar, OMGosh!
    When I first started here a few months ago, I realized there is sugar in EVERYTHING. Same as salt.
    It seemed IMPOSSIBLE to stay within the guidelines for my sugar. I know we need to eat fruits and veggies but
    they were putting me way over! Then I read *and i KNOW this is debatable** that you only count the ADDED sugar, not the
    natural sugars from fruits and veggies. That made it so much easier for me!

    You're doing fine... if you weren't, you wouldn't be concerned. We're all here. Just a keystroke away :happy:
    sighs....please explain the difference between fruit sugar and added sugar...as your body does not know the difference...
  • cathyg321
    cathyg321 Posts: 155 Member
    From my experience in a previous adventure (lol), I was told if I did 60minutes of cardio per day, 5 days a week =300 minutes per week... I would lose 2 lbs per week. And I tried and found that was pretty accurate. But let's see what ndj has to say. I'm not entirely certain myself what a calorie deficit is, I thought MFP had that figured in for us?
  • cathyg321
    cathyg321 Posts: 155 Member
    Fruit sugar vs ADDED sugar.

    Fruit sugar is natural, added sugar contains chemicals.

    Like I said, I knew posting that would be debatable!

    Just out of curiosity.. if I was allowed 24 grams of sugar per day.. how would you work that out without going over?? Remember, fruits and veggies are GOOD for our bodies... I am curious to hear your answer :happy:
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Fruit sugar vs ADDED sugar.

    Fruit sugar is natural, added sugar contains chemicals.

    Like I said, I knew posting that would be debatable!

    Just out of curiosity.. if I was allowed 24 grams of sugar per day.. how would you work that out without going over?? Remember, fruits and veggies are GOOD for our bodies... I am curious to hear your answer :happy:

    Added sugar contains chemicals? Really? Other than sugar, what chemicals does sugar contain?

    Unless you are a diabetic there really isn't a specific need to count sugar at all if you are meeting macro targets otherwise.
  • I get it, and on the sugar..all sugar is bad if it's too much but I wonder if one overeats with tons of added (read bad as in chocolate and cookies.and cruesly etc etc etc) and then eats practically none of that but only lean skimmed and healthy foods (no more white meals etc but all whole meal too) it's the end of the world to be a little over the level that's set here.
    I will follow all your advice and try keep the calories and fat always below and if possible sugar but not be too stressed out if I don't make that all the time :)
    I'm off to eat a healthy lunch (which I'm late with due to all this LOL).
    Have a nice day all and success!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    I get it, and on the sugar..all sugar is bad if it's too much but I wonder if one overeats with tons of added (read bad as in chocolate and cookies.and cruesly etc etc etc) and then eats practically none of that but only lean skimmed and healthy foods (no more white meals etc but all whole meal too) it's the end of the world to be a little over the level that's set here.
    I will follow all your advice and try keep the calories and fat always below and if possible sugar but not be too stressed out if I don't make that all the time :)
    I'm off to eat a healthy lunch (which I'm late with due to all this LOL).
    Have a nice day all and success!

    I eat chocolate every day. Not an issue. Please take a look at the link I posted up thread.
  • cathyg321
    cathyg321 Posts: 155 Member
    ADDED sugar as in ARTIFICIAL sweeteners.
    What I was thinking but did not explain clearly is ADDING artificial sweeteners, is not the same as something that is naturally sweetened, like for example Honeydew, or Watermelon...
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    ADDED sugar as in ARTIFICIAL sweeteners.
    What I was thinking but did not explain clearly is ADDING artificial sweeteners, is not the same as something that is naturally sweetened, like for example Honeydew, or Watermelon...

    you cannot make a distinction between natural sugar and added sugar. they are the same thing. sugar is sugar- you're body doesn't give a woot where it comes from really. That being said- if I want sugar- I want the real thing- I have never bought into artificial sweeteners- I think they are rubbish- only because they taste like crap.

    also Macronutrients- for people reading this.

    FAT.
    PROTEIN
    CARBS.

    not sodium
    not sugar
    not potassium.

    none of that.

    fat. protein. carbs those are macros.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    ADDED sugar as in ARTIFICIAL sweeteners.
    What I was thinking but did not explain clearly is ADDING artificial sweeteners, is not the same as something that is naturally sweetened, like for example Honeydew, or Watermelon...

    Artificial sweeteners are not tracked as added sugars on nutritional labels. I really don't know what you are going on about.