Daily goals

Lovestoscrapbook
Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When you are evaluating your food diary and choices for the day, do you focus mainly on calories or the individual other goals (calcium, carbs, fat, sodium, etc.)? If you do the individual categories, do you evaluate on a daily basis or weekly basis?

i've been on MFP for 7 months and up until now haven't been focused on anything but calories because I've been trying to lose weight. But as I have begun reviewing my past log entries (because I've plateaued for about a month), I noticed that I am typically short on calcium. Curious what others do in evaluating their food diaries...

Replies

  • Strength2Succeed
    Strength2Succeed Posts: 126 Member
    Bump....wondering the same for myself.
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    Slow night on MFP I guess. Just you, me, and Winston... =)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    For weight loss, calories is what matters. But macro nutrition can help with recomposition. If you work to maintain lean body mass, you should utilize more protein. But as you get closer to a normal weight, then you should decrease your caloric deficit. So a person who has 20 lbs to lose, should be aiming for 1/2 lb per week.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    I've just been looking a calories mainly and I make sure I'm getting enough protein but other then that I'm not paying attention to the other things. I may change that when the time comes if I want to do more muscle definition work with weights but for now I'm to early on in the game to be concerned about individual macros.
  • corrinadavis
    corrinadavis Posts: 34 Member
    Whenever I finish my daily log, I want for all of the categories to be in green. If they are in red I do more excercise the next day, but I am told that it is the calories that really matter.
  • xoxosweetheart
    xoxosweetheart Posts: 6
    I focus on iron, calcium, protein, and fiber. Those affect my general health and how I feel the most. I was surprised that I almost never get the recommended daily amount of iron in my diet, so I've started supplementing because I know that low iron intake can cause anemia which can make you tired. Calcium is huge for preventing osteoporosis and also a recent study found a link between taking calcium supplements and better daily moods, so why not? I usually barely get enough of that too. Getting enough protein keeps my cravings a little lower and helps with energy. Fiber helps me feel full and helps prevent colon cancer, as well as helps me to eat less carbs.
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    I focus on iron, calcium, protein, and fiber. Those affect my general health and how I feel the most. I was surprised that I almost never get the recommended daily amount of iron in my diet, so I've started supplementing because I know that low iron intake can cause anemia which can make you tired. Calcium is huge for preventing osteoporosis and also a recent study found a link between taking calcium supplements and better daily moods, so why not? I usually barely get enough of that too. Getting enough protein keeps my cravings a little lower and helps with energy. Fiber helps me feel full and helps prevent colon cancer, as well as helps me to eat less carbs.

    So if you don't make any of these individual goals on a specific day, do you alter your food the next day to "catch up"? That approach makes sense to focus on these 4.
  • initforlife_clc
    initforlife_clc Posts: 54
    I always try and include the recommended servings of each food group every day, and the things I focus on the most once I put my meals in is my sugar and sodium intake since I know I am eating pretty healthy and clean (and know that I am getting enough protein, calcium etc…) But definately keeping your calories where they need to be is just as important when you're trying to lose weight.
  • mfoy94
    mfoy94 Posts: 228 Member
    I focus on a few things, calories as the most important. I have never really got enough calcium so I try to meet that goal. I also pay attention to protein, on the days that I am going over I make sure I do STRENGTH workouts :)

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