Confused on Daily Totals

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rjsaks
rjsaks Posts: 2,031 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I must be doing something wrong or I'm just confused.

So far today, I've eaten the following:

Breakfast
2 hard-boiled eggs
8 oz. skim milk
Lunch
2 cups iceberg lettuce
2 Tbsp. fat-free western dressing
4 oz. chicken breast
Snack
1 medium apple

The daily totals tell me that I'm -6 for sugar already. Can someone please give me suggestions on how to keep within my daily sugar levels?

I'm well within my calorie goals for the day, but it seems my protein, sodium and sugar are in the "red."

Since this is only my second day keeping track, I am just a bit confused.

I am assuming it just a guideline, and that keeping within calories is more important. But, I'm no expert.

Replies

  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
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    Do you have it manually adjusted or MFP recommended?
    The dressing is probably your biggest offender.
  • rjsaks
    rjsaks Posts: 2,031 Member
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    MFP recommended.
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
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    I wouldn't worry too much about the sugar, especially if it's naturally occurring sugars, like in the apple. Also, check the label on milk, you'd be surprised how much sugar is in there, and I believe it's even more when it's skim.

    Next, the majority of the people on here (myself included) feel mfp's protein setting is too low. I believe the standard recommendation is around .8-1g of protein per pound of lbm (lean body mass)

    I will not speak to sodium, I am ALWAYS over, I'm a salt monster!

    Most important things to worry about are hitting your calorie and macro (fat, protein, carbs) goals
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    MFP's protein recommendations are really low. For that, at least, it should be considered a minimum rather than a maximum, imo.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
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    Actually, MFP just has it set really low. I get 2200 calories a day but 45 grams of sugar.

    2 cups of blueberries is 22 grams of sugar. I love blueberries too much to give them up. So I don't pay attention to that.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
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    Protein is a minimum, so over is fine (unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit protein). You can change your carb/fat/protein percentages in the "goals" section of the "My Home" tab if you want to adjust them to be more reasonable.

    Ignore the sugar thing, unless you are a diabetic and then do whatever your doctor says, not what MFP's cracked-out sugar counter says. You shouldn't be *adding* that much sugar to your food, but an apple and a glass of milk will put you over for the day, so unless you want to eat nothing but chicken breast and broccoli it's going to be red.

    I'm not sure how your sodium is over, unless you have your calorie goal set really extremely low or your dressing is entirely made of salt.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    i wouldnt worry about the sugar and sodium unless you have medical reasons to do so. i dont even track sugar, and only watch my sodium along with potassium to try and balance it out.
    as far as the protein goes, MFPs default for it is really low so i would look at it as a minimum. you can change it so that you are allowed more (i like to try and hit 30% of my calories from protein)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,124 Member
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    You can change what is tracked on your Food Diary here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    I don't look at sugars. I eat very little in the way of processed stuff (mostly milk, cheese, occasional bread, salsa) so I don't even look at sugar anymore.


    It is tracked by default on the second page (the "Printable version") so I don't want or need to see it on the first page.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    If you eat fruit then you will go over recommended daily totals on here. I take that number to mean.. added sugar.. not natural sugar.. and since I eat almost 0 added sugar.. i'm good, even though i'm always over on sugar from natural sources. Same thing with sodium, it's the added sodium that's the issue, not that which is naturally occurring in real unprocessed foods.
    Unless of course you have medical issues surrounded sugar/salt.. otherwise you should be good to go.

    Protein.. eh.. i'll let others hash that out. I think protein needs vary from person to person. I can't eat my lean body mass in protein. I am overly full on what i eat now. Maybe one day but that day is not today. Plus if I don't eat enough carbs.. my body tells me so.
  • quiet1storm
    quiet1storm Posts: 4
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    GOOD ANSWER!!!
    If you eat fruit then you will go over recommended daily totals on here. I take that number to mean.. added sugar.. not natural sugar.. and since I eat almost 0 added sugar.. i'm good, even though i'm always over on sugar from natural sources. Same thing with sodium, it's the added sodium that's the issue, not that which is naturally occurring in real unprocessed foods.
    Unless of course you have medical issues surrounded sugar/salt.. otherwise you should be good to go.

    Protein.. eh.. i'll let others hash that out. I think protein needs vary from person to person. I can't eat my lean body mass in protein. I am overly full on what i eat now. Maybe one day but that day is not today. Plus if I don't eat enough carbs.. my body tells me so.
  • rjsaks
    rjsaks Posts: 2,031 Member
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    Thank you all!!!!

    I never even thought about those totals being a minimum rather than a maximum. That makes more sense.

    Just to clarify that today the only total I am "over" is the sugar.

    Yesterday it was sugar, sodium, and protein.

    That makes me feel much better.

    So, once again THANK YOU!

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