Always over on sodium & sugar

musiche
musiche Posts: 214 Member
in Food and Nutrition
A few trends I've noticed with MFP (and I'm certain I'm not the first one to comment on this) regarding the dietary guidelines they suggest on here are:

Sodium: I am always over
Sugar: I am always over
Potassium: I am almost always under

The rest of the categories tend to fluctuate appropriately where they should be. I sometimes reach my potassium goal. But I am always, ALWAYS over with sodium and sugar, for over a year since I started using MFP.

Now, I barely ever eat sugar. I don't even like candy. The majority of my sugar comes from fruit, which I know is the 'right' kind of sugar that's loaded with finer and nutrients, so that doesn't bother me. I don't eat white, processed carbs, and the carbs I do eat are complex, whole grain carbs or veggies/fruit. On a RARE occasion, I might have a small piece of cake (like, sushi style, 1" by 1" piece of tiny cake), or some frozen yogurt or something. But that's a rare indulgence, maybe not even weekly.

With sodium - I am a very active person, and I work outside in the scorching sun (or freezing cold, depending on the season) and I perspire a lot, which I know means I need more sodium than the average person. I burn over 3000 calories per day usually, so I don't think there's a problem with my sodium intake necessarily. But at the same time, I NEVER add salt to anything. All of my salt comes from the food I eat. So, for the average person who doesn't perspire as much as me and didn't add salt to their diet, wouldn't they be chronically overdoing their salt intake?

My sugar and salt intakes are permanently high according to MFP, yet I don't eat sweets, processed, white carbs or candy of any kind, nor do I add salt to anything or eat fast food. I'm a very clean eater. I don't think MFP makes it even POSSIBLE for me to ever be under those values, so why are the guidelines so seemingly unrealistic?

Is this the same for anyone else?

Replies

  • flslp87
    flslp87 Posts: 175 Member
    I am always over on sugar, fiber, and vitamin C Don't really care about the last 2 and sadly I don't think there is even a possibility of staying under on sugar....
  • photojunkie28
    photojunkie28 Posts: 292
    Since I started traking sugar and sodium I have been pretty consistantly over as well. I try to balance the sodium out with a little more water and activity, but it's hard. Most of my sugars come from healthy versions as well so I unless I have a bad day I try not to think too much of that.

    The one thing I have noticed is that I am able to control the sodium if I avoid more processed meats and cheeses. For example, tonight I had nothing left for protein other than my boyfriends cheddar brats so I had one. Nearly 4 times or more sodium than If i made myself a turkey burger or chicken breast. The sodium is possible for me...but very difficult without extreme planning/clean eating.

    All we can really do is our best and live with that.
  • musiche
    musiche Posts: 214 Member
    :) Thanks for your input! Glad I'm not the only one that has noticed this trend.
  • SimplyMakesYouStronger
    SimplyMakesYouStronger Posts: 1
    I face the same problem! Especially with my sugar intake.. and it's usually from the fruit I eat. It frustrates me that sometimes it's already negative just after eating breakfast. Maybe there's someway to alter the sugar limit, since it seems impossible to stay within the limit they have set.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    I'm mostly always under my sodium, and for sugar I'm either under, just at, or slightly over. I don't really care about the sugars because 75% of my sugar comes from fruits, so it's technically not "bad" sugar.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    The people who are over sugar and sodium all the time are nearly always people who eat far too much pre packaged food and ready meals.


    There isn't much sodium in steak and sweet potato..................
  • Kgjohn
    Kgjohn Posts: 1
    Do you have any other suggestions to lower the Sodium & sugar with approriate food choices?
  • healthyhawaii
    healthyhawaii Posts: 11
    The people who are over sugar and sodium all the time are nearly always people who eat far too much pre packaged food and ready meals.


    There isn't much sodium in steak and sweet potato..................

    Nearly always ... because I'm almost always over each morning, just with my morning smoothie. And that has about 140 grams of various frozen fruits. Trace sugars in the other ingredients at best ... processed ingredients are limited to the Greek yogurt, the almond milk, and Vegan protein powder (sugar-free). (Well, seeds come in a bag, too. lol) Then comes the rest of the day ...

    I usually eat under 80g total for the day with breakfast smoothie and post-workout meal included in that. I'd like to get that even lower by replacing more of the fruit with veg as I get accustomed to less sugar in my diet.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    The sugar limits on MFP are way too low (I think they took the recommended limit for added sugar and made that the target, but then count all sugars). Also, MFP will always underestimate your potassium because many countries do not require potassium on food labels, so user-input will often not include potassium.

    As for sodium, where is all this sodium coming from? As someone already said, it is usually only possibly to go way over from processed foods.
  • flslp87
    flslp87 Posts: 175 Member
    Actually I have the book that is a 'Belly Fat' diet and it says you shouldn't have more then 25g of sugar a day for a flat belly...it also has a lot of recipes in it that take sugar out of meals....however when the sugar is taken out often fat or calories are added.....Kind of a catch 22

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