which to watch

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feel_the_love
feel_the_love Posts: 56
in Food and Nutrition
Hello Everyone :wink:

When trying to lose weight what "subject" meaning calories, sugars,carbs, sat. fats should be watched the most?

Ive been using calories as the most important for the day, but a friend of mine said " Calories dont matter. You should be watching your sugar intake!"

What is the thing that you watch the most from your food intake?

Replies

  • skywalker
    skywalker Posts: 1,533
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    I mainly watch calories. I don't pay that much attention to my sugar. I joined in June and I've lost 15 lbs so far by doing that. Other times that I've lost weight was also done by making sure I burned more calories than I consumed. For me that seems to work best. :smile:
  • shalinik78
    shalinik78 Posts: 82
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    Hey there !


    I watch for
    CALORIES
    SUGAR
    CARBS
    Hello Everyone :wink:

    When trying to lose weight what "subject" meaning calories, sugars,carbs, sat. fats should be watched the most?

    Ive been using calories as the most important for the day, but a friend of mine said " Calories dont matter. You should be watching your sugar intake!"

    What is the thing that you watch the most from your food intake?
  • msh0530
    msh0530 Posts: 1,675 Member
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    If you are trying to lose weight, it is all about calories. If you want to be healthy, you should watch a lot of other things, like saturated and trans fats, carbs, sodium, and making sure you get enough of the right things.
    But like I said, as far as weight loss goes, as a calorie doesn't care if it comes from a fat or a protein, it adds up the same!
    Here's to smart choices!
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    I watch calories of course, but Protein is almost equally as important in my opinon because your muscles have to have it to rebuild and grow. And Fiber keeps you full longer. The other nutrients are important too, but I don't watch them nearly as closely as I watch Calories-Protein-and Fiber.


    You will find what works for you may not be exactly the same as anyone else. Listen to your own body and do what makes you feel healthiest.
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    Calories #1. It doesn't matter what these calories are, just make sure you're not over.

    You might want to start watching a few things, until you get it under control, I started with cals, carbs, fat and added protein and fiber as time went on, recently added sodium. I've been doing this since Jan, in the beginning, it was all I could do to stay under cals and carbs, and I know I'm insulin resistant so the carbs were important for me to keep in control.

    These are things you should watch to make sure you meet the minimum or higher:
    - protein (usually a bit higher than what MFP suggests is better). Your muscles need protein to repair.
    - fiber (may also better higher than what MFP suggests). If you don't eat enough fiber, you'll get constipated.

    These are things to watch that are bad for you too eat too much:
    - carbs - these turn into sugar, depending on the type of carb, but you need some carbs to live. So make sure you're eating the right kinds of carbs.
    - sodium - it makes you retain water, so you may have a lot of water weight. Drinking enough water should flush this out. But I always notice I gain 3-4 pounds the day after a high sodium meal, and it rinses out with water throughout the day and the next day I'm back down again.
    - sugar (MFP doesn't differentiate between processed sugar and natural sugar, but I would watch the processed sugar, should be no more than 40 g/day). If you go over because most of it is natural sugar, unless you're like triple than that, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you have or develop health issues. Too much processed sugar (even the fake sugars) can cause insulin overproduction which over time can lead to insulin resistance and then diabetes.
    - fat - you need "good" fats, not bad fats, for your body, so make sure you're eating enough of the good stuff and not going over. Avocado, virgin olive oil, these are good fats. Processed stuff is crap.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
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    Calories- it's all about the math.

    Watch your sodium intake, too. People tend to underestimate the amount of sodium they take in.
  • skywalker
    skywalker Posts: 1,533
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    Calories- it's all about the math.

    Watch your sodium intake, too. People tend to underestimate the amount of sodium they take in.
    I also watch my sodium. Luckily I don't crave salty foods, so I'm usually well within my limits.
  • conmonja
    conmonja Posts: 28
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    `I had lap band surgery done in May of 09, I have lost 46 pds. since.then. I count cal. and also protien, I have been warned that maybe your hair will fall out if you don'get enough protien. This is not a fast process,I hit a stand still for 3 weeks and then lost 5 at once.I don't pay any attention to sugar because it is all fruit sugar. I drink protien drinks also. I try to get 60 of protien. and 1000 cals
  • Demetria
    Demetria Posts: 178
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    I watch everything.
    Total calories,
    no more than 30% of them from fat,
    added sugar (does not include natural sugar like in fruits, veggies, milk)
    at least 25g a day of dietary fiber
    amount of sodium
    get enough carbs & protein

    Read the labels & ingredients lists. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, high sodium, msg and artificial sweeteners. It takes a while at first to find what you want that meets all of your criteria but you will. I never realized that some pasta/spaghetti sauces had high fructose corn syrup! I am still trying to find some good soup that is not high in sodium and has a decent amount of fiber.

    hth,
    Demetria
  • Demetria
    Demetria Posts: 178
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    `I had lap band surgery done in May of 09, I have lost 46 pds. since.then. I count cal. and also protien, I have been warned that maybe your hair will fall out if you don'get enough protien. This is not a fast process,I hit a stand still for 3 weeks and then lost 5 at once.I don't pay any attention to sugar because it is all fruit sugar. I drink protien drinks also. I try to get 60 of protien. and 1000 cals

    Have you looked at your labels to see if there is any added sugar or too much sodium?

    Demetria
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Everything counts. 1200 calories of M & M's may result a caloric deficit, but they won't be nutritious calories. I monitor calories, keep my macronutrients in the correct ranges for my activity level, and monitor fiber and sodium. I buy only no-sugar/HFCS-added yogurt and bread, and I don't eat packaged things with the exception of Nature Valley bars. What you put in your body is just as important as how much you put in.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Everything counts. 1200 calories of M & M's may result a caloric deficit, but they won't be nutritious calories. I monitor calories, keep my macronutrients in the correct ranges for my activity level, and monitor fiber and sodium. I buy only no-sugar/HFCS-added yogurt and bread, and I don't eat packaged things with the exception of Nature Valley bars. What you put in your body is just as important as how much you put in.

    Yeah, you really have to be aware of the total picture. While it is true that calories are the #1 consideration, everything else comes into play as well.

    As someone who was dealing with some blood sugar concerns as well as weight loss, I started off testing my sugars after every meal, and became very aware of the detrimental effects of simple sugars.

    Another thing to consider is that if you are going low in calories (most people are going to be in the 1200-1500 Kcal/day range for weight loss), from a nutrition standpoint, you need to make every calorie count. There is just no room for empty sugar calories.

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