using the tracking on FP and protein

swest222

so I noticed after tracking today's food (first day on here) .. I am right at my protein intake ... any suggestions on how to lower this?
also ... how accurate is the site for tracking food .. for example I had a taco salad but it actually calculated the full salad for me ...

callipygianchronicle

Why would you want to lower your protein intake?

PureAndHealthy

You wouldn't want to lower your protein. It's set at a very low limit as is. Just try to make sure you're getting enough protein... it's fine to go over.

Your calculations will be more accurate if you break the food up into specific things, unless it's a standard packaged meal or from a restaurant. For example, if you got your taco salad from Taco Bell, searching for "Taco Bell Taco Salad" should be pretty accurate. But if you made it at home, search for lettuce, the chips you used, whether you used 70/30 beef or maybe extra lean 93/7 beef, etc.

thomaslh83

You can manually do that in "change goals". Go to "custom settings", and in this mode you can set your own calorie goal and set the percentages for fat, protein and carbs yourself. Personally, I wouldn't lower your protein intake - it's a vital part of building muscle and suppressing cravings.

swest222

thanks, there's no reason why I'd want to lower it .. it was just set for me and I wasnt sure how it was set (what parameters were used) ... the taco salad was homemade so I guess I should go in and do it all separate ..

krystleRD

thanks, there's no reason why I'd want to lower it .. it was just set for me and I wasnt sure how it was set (what parameters were used) ... the taco salad was homemade so I guess I should go in and do it all separate ..

yes if its homemade.. calculate each food..

WifeMomDVM

My kids are watching a Berenstein Bears DVD as I type this...

Anyway - MFP's default setting (in my opinion) is too low for protein. I recommend a macronutrient profile of 40% carbs, 30% fat or 30% protein, or aim for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. As you lose weight, you will lose both fat and muscle, so you want to do some weight training and eat adequate protein to minimize muscle loss.

And as always - eat CLEAN!