How often are you in the green?

NeuroticVirgo

Not sure what everyone else has on their food diary, but mine is Calories, Carbs, Fiber, Sugar, Fat and Sodium. Right now my focus is mostly just on being under my calories...even if it means killing out those other ones, but I was just wondering about everyone else.

Do you stay in the green on everything often AND eat all your calories?

If I have a slow day, and eat under calorie, I'm in the green on everything usually, but I'm also ending the day at like 1000-1200 calories instead of 1500 (doesn't happen often), just saying though.

Right now, what I'm over the most is usually Sodium & Sugar. And I'm starting to worry about how much that's going to affect everything. If it really is just about calories in and calories out...and a deficit, then I feel like it shouldn't really affect my weight loss very much if I stay under my calories for the day.

So what about everyone else?

peanut352

Bump

I'd like to know too.

kaymd

That is a very good question because I am always under my calorie goal but never under on sodium and sugar. ALWAYS over. I've been losing weight nicely but how is it affecting me in the long run? I try to eat some of my exercise calories but not all of them.

WalkingGirl1985

I guess if your watching your sugar, you can have like 1-2 fruits a day and then load up on the veggies. I'm always over on my sugars too..calories I'm always under..especially with exercise. That helps..my carbs goes up when i exercise..I guess the more you do it the more everything goes up and the more safe you are.

Rynatat

I'm almost always over on my cals, protein and fiber: I like to eat, but I work out. I'm being realistic about my weight loss - 5 years from now I want to still be able to keep this up, so if I "starve" myself now or really keep my calories & other counts "perfect", there is NO WAY I can keep that up 4-Life. So if I'm over, it's all good: I'm seeing results & it's long term because my focus is exercise (toning, strengthening, firming).
I would keep an eye on sodium & sugar since those are the "killers" - that's what your body hold onto so when you go into starvation mode (pretty much anything under 1200 calories a day) it stores all those extra sugars & salts your body can't use so it's got something to "feed" on. The only thing is, your body doesn't let it go (which is why a continuous balanced nutrition and exercise program has been proven to be the best bet long term).
Find your balance - it may take a while, a lot of trial and error, though you'll get there :flowerforyou:

meagalayne

My diet tends to be very low-fat (from years of dieting and not knowing how to eat low-cal, feel full, and still enjoy fats in my meals) and high fiber. I am ALWAYS over on fiber, every day. Usually under on fat (around 25-30g), and about even on proteins and carbs, assuming I'm meeting my cals or slightly under. Sodium I try to keep around 2000, but don't stress too much about typically because most of what I eat is homemade and not processed.

They are guidelines. Try to stick with them, in reason, according to your own lifestyle and food preferences.

Tasha1476

To the best of my knowledge, it is relatively important to be normal on sodium, the best way to do that is to cut back on processed foods and when you buy veggies and all that look for low sodium or no salt added.

As far as sugar goes, if its naturally occurring sugar, like in fruits and milk, don't worry about it too much. If you are going over every day because of refined sugar then that might be something to take a look at. Try to get more sources of natural sugar which always helps to curb my sugar cravings. I read that you should have no more then 40g of refined sugar in your diet.

Hope that helps some.

alark

Well I've only been doing this a few days but I know for me, I'm always under in calories (but always eat at least 1000! My limit is 1200). Today I only went over in saturated fat (by 1, darndit!), a tiny bit over cholesterol, a half a gram above in sodium, above in fiber, slightly above in sugar, waaaaay over in protein (I had chicken, egg whites, and a turkey brat... I won't apologize for my protein intake!!!), and doubled in Vitamin A. Not the worst things to go over in I suppose but generally I've steadily gone over in total fat and sodium but never by much. I don't like the red numbers, it makes me feel I've done something bad when I don't even know where to begin to hit all the numbers perfectly! Good luck

NeuroticVirgo

Ever since I had gallbladder issues, my fats gone down a bit, I switched over to skim milk etc, which has helped. *most* of my sugars are usually from fruits, but sometimes, they are refined. I know my weight loss stalled when I started exercising and everyone said it was my sodium, but it feels like no matter what I do, I can't keep my sodium at 2500. Its retarded how much salt is in everything.

dieselveins

I'm never over on my cals but I do go over on sugar and sodium aswell .. but it really makes you wonder why our food had all this added sugars and salt to our foods they make it really hard on somethings..

hopeC12

Excess sugar can cause a lot of health problems, and actually impede weight loss even if you are under your calories. It's really not just a simple matter of calories in vs out. High amounts of simple sugars (like in sweets, white wheat products, and white rice - remember that sugar is a form of carbohydrate) will mess up your insulin balance and promote fat storage, but also these sugars are linked to many nasty diseases. Sugar in fruit isn't so bad because it is packed with fiber, which slows how quickly it is absorbed (thus reducing how much of an insulin spike you get).

Excerpt below from http://www.biohealthinfo.com/html/resources/4pillars/diet_nutrition.html :

"Clinically speaking, blood sugar control occurs when insulin and glucagon (two hormones) are in balance. The pancreas produces both of these hormones in response to the foods you eat:

* Carbohydrate consumption produces insulin, the hormone responsible for storing fat (or producing energy).
* Protein consumption produces glucagon, the hormone that promotes the mobilization and utilization of fat for energy.
* Glucagon works to counter balance insulin.
* High insulin is associated with virtually every disease known to mankind, including cancer.

Eating more of one type of food over the other can create a hormonal imbalance, which can cause illness. For example, when excess carbohydrates are consumed, the body produces excess insulin and little glucagon. As a result, more fat is formed and stored, and your blood sugar level drops. In an attempt to normalize the blood sugar level, the body initiates a counter-regulatory process during which the adrenal glands are stimulated to secrete increased levels of cortisol (the primary hormone that regulates the immune system). Remember that if the adrenal glands are stimulated over a prolonged period of time-say, because you continue to eat too much carbohydrates over protein-the ability of the glands to produce cortisol will wane, eventually leading to cortisol depletion and adrenal exhaustion/fatigue."

ReneeMarie

I haven't been looking at my sugars or sodium...maybe I should.
I'm usually always under my calories but I don't eat my exercise calories.
I'm also usually severely over in my protein and severely under in my fat.
I did the Body for Life program a couple of years ago and I know that that's why my protein intake is so high
I don't think my sugars would be over but sodium probably is because you are right...it is in everything :-(

toots99

Ever since I had gallbladder issues, my fats gone down a bit, I switched over to skim milk etc, which has helped. *most* of my sugars are usually from fruits, but sometimes, they are refined. I know my weight loss stalled when I started exercising and everyone said it was my sodium, but it feels like no matter what I do, I can't keep my sodium at 2500. Its retarded how much salt is in everything.

I am the same way! I have the same things listed (fat, calories, fiber, sugar and sodium) and I also am almost always over on sugar and sodium. It kills me that even skim milk has a lot of sugar in it!

KeriA

Hi, I am often over in protein and under carbs. I don't worry about sugar from fruit but I try to keep refined sugar down. I am under in calories and vary how much of my exercise calories I eat which I think is good to vary some. I try to keep fat down and don't notice going over on sodium too often. Sometimes I have alot of calories left over but not the same amount of anything else.Usually I have some carbs left but not as many of the calories when this happens. Not really sure what you can eat then.