Calorie Goal vs Nutrient Details

a7percentsolution
a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This has been an issue ever since I started using MFP last month and I figure I could get some insight on it from you guys.

As you know, we're given a goal to hit for calories each day but we can also monitor the goals for individual things like sodium, fat, sugars, and so on. The problem I ran into early on is that hitting my calorie goal (or fairly close to it) would often tend to make the other stuff go over. In these moments it really opened my eyes to how much sodium is used in so many things!

With this in mind I began to carefully choose what I would eat (even more careful than before with just looking at calories) and as a result I would eat less calories than my goal allowed. In fact I even figured out, roughly, what to eat each day that would hit just over 1,200 and keep most of the other stuff below the goal, particularly sodium.

So I'm just curious, is it that big a deal that my daily allowance is 1,580 calories but I stick to just over 1,200? Or is it more important, for whatever reason, to make sure I hit closer to 1,580?

For the record, I've been steadily losing weight and the 1.200 calories I've been eating per day are plenty satisfying for me. It's not like I'm starving myself. Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
    I don't believe you are eating enough! Look at my diary- it's public. I'm eating more primal so my #'s are lower carb, higher protein, lower sugar...
    (I'm 5 2 110lbs)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    If you're happy and you're losing weight I can't see an argument to add calories for the hell of it.
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    If you're getting too much sodium, just increase your water. If you're still losing you're probably fine, but if you hit a plateau you might want to increase to MFP recommendations.
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Oh I always keep my sodium under, that's not a problem now. I do go over on sugars though because I eat fruit. But the stupid thing is I only have like one apple, one cup of grapes, and one banana a day. Maybe some yogurt as well. I don't see how MFP considers that bad as the first three are natural. The apple alone eats up most of my daily allotment. But I just ignore that now and it hasn't hurt anything. I also switch up what I eat on occasion (still within the limits) so my body isn't taking in exactly the same thing every day and I avoid hitting a plateau. Works great! :)
  • savageman69
    savageman69 Posts: 339 Member
    I really dont get how your a male and full at 1200 calories....unless your under 4 feet tall.....Im a 27yr old male 5-11 and i eat 2300-2500 a day and still losing to much weight to fast, i dont watch sugars, salt or anything other then protein and fat and i only watch them to make sure i get enough of both
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Ha, I don't know either man. I used to eat so much before, it was ridiculous. But since I started dieting I've just held back and eventually I guess my stomach shrunk and I just don't need as much. That's all I can figure.
  • msstuard
    msstuard Posts: 131 Member
    I can't believe your recording your calories correctly. I'm a male 5'10 active and at around 2000 a day and loosing weight. Are you sure your listing correctly and if not who cares as long as your full, energetic and loosing weight.
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    I'm able to scan everything I eat (or easily look it up) with the iPhone. It's all correct, and I am energetic and loosing weight, so I suppose that just confirms what I thought to begin with :)
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    My husband was the same when we first started, he's 6 feet tall and was eating the same amount of calories as I was. In a couple of weeks he was hungry and started eating more. The same thing happens to a lot of people just starting out. Enjoy the faster weight loss, there's nothing to worry about. :smile:
  • msstuard
    msstuard Posts: 131 Member
    I'm able to scan everything I eat (or easily look it up) with the iPhone. It's all correct, and I am energetic and loosing weight, so I suppose that just confirms what I thought to begin with :)

    It sounds like you found your groove. Hope you can keep it going for a long run. I wouldn't mess with things too much, it can get tough to get back in your groove when you loose it. best of luck.
  • Saezimmerman
    Saezimmerman Posts: 93 Member
    I'm still working on balancing my micro-nutrients also. One thing that helps with the sodium for me is pre-cooking my lunches. (Canned soups and sandwich meat at lunch were my sodium downfall.)
    All in all, so long as you're loosing weight and still have plenty of energy, you should be fine. Just be willing to up your calories with a healthy snack or two if you start feeling hungry.

    Best of luck!
  • owyn999
    owyn999 Posts: 12 Member
    I'm able to scan everything I eat (or easily look it up) with the iPhone. It's all correct, and I am energetic and loosing weight, so I suppose that just confirms what I thought to begin with :)

    What I would guess is that your body is doing a good job of tapping into your fat reserves and your getting enough vitamins and minerals to not cause hunger from any deficit. If thats the case just keep listening to your body I would say, it will eventually want more food (wouldn't want to keep losing weight forever).
  • newmooon56
    newmooon56 Posts: 347 Member
    I havent gone back and dug deep- I know we can stop tracking sugar in our face if we want- can we change what our goal per day is?

    I got sugar out of my face since going over due to very few of added and the rest coming from fruit and yogurt was disheartening.

    Since Im shedding body fat ( 15 lbs or so ) maybe its ok for me to have "all that" sugar, however once at goal and I have that flabby-fat-skinny thing going on- and/or I want to tone up- maybe Id want to track sugar extremely closely and even cut back a bit on foods that bring me to goal that MFP sets? (I am working out with weights as well as cardio- just making an example)

    So different adjustments for different goals? Body builder/toners - ppl at goal weight and healthy BMI- they need to watch carbs, specifically sugars when trying to reach their goals, where as someone needing to lose weight to get to a healthy BMI- can "indulge" more in fruits and other natural sources of sugar?

    The 'science' of eating well is fascinating to me!
  • TyFit08
    TyFit08 Posts: 799 Member
    Good job for paying attention to your micronutrients. I read so much about calories here, but the quality of the calories aren't always addressed. Sodium isn't much of a problem for me since I don't eat a lot of prepared foods, but I do try to meet my carbs, protein and fiber goals daily. To me that is more important than hitting my calorie goal.
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 773 Member
    I limit my carbs to <50 g per day because of T2 diabetes, and found that I can only have one piece of fruit a day, which I have after my morning exercise. I count carbs, not sugar.
  • runzalot81
    runzalot81 Posts: 782 Member
    Oh I always keep my sodium under, that's not a problem now. I do go over on sugars though because I eat fruit. But the stupid thing is I only have like one apple, one cup of grapes, and one banana a day. Maybe some yogurt as well. I don't see how MFP considers that bad as the first three are natural. The apple alone eats up most of my daily allotment. But I just ignore that now and it hasn't hurt anything. I also switch up what I eat on occasion (still within the limits) so my body isn't taking in exactly the same thing every day and I avoid hitting a plateau. Works great! :)
    I know what you mean. I eat LOTS of fruit. I also worry about my sugar intake. However, MFP doesn't distinguish between good sugar and crap sugar by my body sure does! The good sugars don't bother me so if I'm in the red and it's mostly good sugar, who cares. If I'm in the red, it's bad sugar and I'm noticing symptoms then I take note of it. I've been doing really well, limiting myself to good sugar. However, I know the crap sugar is a problem for me and it helps to see a number and be held accountable. It makes me think and consider my day.
  • runzalot81
    runzalot81 Posts: 782 Member
    I havent gone back and dug deep- I know we can stop tracking sugar in our face if we want- can we change what our goal per day is?

    I got sugar out of my face since going over due to very few of added and the rest coming from fruit and yogurt was disheartening.

    Since Im shedding body fat ( 15 lbs or so ) maybe its ok for me to have "all that" sugar, however once at goal and I have that flabby-fat-skinny thing going on- and/or I want to tone up- maybe Id want to track sugar extremely closely and even cut back a bit on foods that bring me to goal that MFP sets? (I am working out with weights as well as cardio- just making an example)

    So different adjustments for different goals? Body builder/toners - ppl at goal weight and healthy BMI- they need to watch carbs, specifically sugars when trying to reach their goals, where as someone needing to lose weight to get to a healthy BMI- can "indulge" more in fruits and other natural sources of sugar?

    The 'science' of eating well is fascinating to me!
    This is exactly my problem. I've been an athlete for almost 10 years but I'm not toned. There's a layer of fat over my muscles and I really think it's because I've been so wreckless with the sugar over the years.
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Exactly! MFP should really look into separating the raw and artificial sugars. Otherwise it's just something to shrug off with fruit. At the same time I know you shouldn't over-indulge in fruit either. The fruit I have per day is probably what we should all limit ourselves too. Probably. I'm glad MFP keep me in check with everything :)
  • kas_chat
    kas_chat Posts: 13 Member
    Exactly! MFP should really look into separating the raw and artificial sugars. Otherwise it's just something to shrug off with fruit. At the same time I know you shouldn't over-indulge in fruit either. The fruit I have per day is probably what we should all limit ourselves too. Probably. I'm glad MFP keep me in check with everything :)

    Just following on from a reply I put on your post about belly fat retention... I am now going to research visceral adiposity, lipid dysregulation and decreased insulin sensitivity as related to the excessive consumption of fructose. My husband barely eats any fruit (ever), but has started to on this new weight loss journey we are both on. I eat a small variety of fruit, but do tend to prefer tinned fruit over the more labourious fresh fruit. One of my boys (9 year old) rarely eats any fruit... has rejected it from age 9 months... the other(5 year old) loves fruit and can't get enough preferring fruit over other anythings, he doesn't like jelly, much vegetables or much meat... so we have the pendulum swing in my house... managing and encouraging healthy food intake choices.....
    So belly fat is a question I have... when does too much fructose, or not enough fructose become a issue.... is it really only when the metabolic rate starts to slow, around age 30 or will my children who need to be encouraged to get away from the couch, TV, screen watching, game playing on I-pad, ps3 etc have this issue earlier if I don't get the fructose delemia managed. We are a low sugar consumption family otherwise... chocolate and processed wheat, dairy especially cheese is my families big drama to control.

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