over sugar and sodium, but ALWAYS within calorie limit

Adah_m
Adah_m Posts: 216 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This doesn't happen to me often, but it's always my struggle. I'm always maxed out or slightly over on sugar, and quite often sodium, before I'm even near my calorie goal (1220). Now I know this clearly means I could be getting better bang for my buck with what foods I'm eating, if I were to eat cleaner I would stay away from those problems- but I'm living on the road for business again, which means hotel breakfasts and restaurants for all of my food. It's not hard to stay within my calories, it's harder actually to stay away from dairy when I eat out, being lactose intolerant.

Basic question is, how bad can it really be for me if I'm going over on sugar and sodium, as long as I'm within calorie range and drinking all of my water and then some? Could it actually slow down my weight loss or is it just ambiguously "bad"?

Guidance?

Replies

  • dramallamaduck
    dramallamaduck Posts: 97 Member
    Bump.. I have the same problem..
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,253 Member
    I am not an expert, but personally I would concentrate on calories & forget the rest, assuming you are eating generally healthy foods and not burgers & doughnuts all day
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
    haha I go over sugar every day at breakfast. Ignore it. Unless you have an actual medical issue, sugar is meaningless--just make sure you are getting the sugar from natural sources, like fruit, NOT processed food (cookies, yogurt, etc).

    Same thing for sodium--it can be an issue IF you have high blood pressure. If you don't, ignore it.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    Sugar - If you eat fruit you are pretty much always going to go over the limit, which I think is set too low by MFP.

    Sodium - The less processed you eat, the lower your sodium will be. The reason you would keep sodium low is for blood pressure and less bloating.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    I had this same problem for weeks, and it drove me crazy, until I cut out the sugar and sodium trackers entirely. Now I concentrate more on just staying under calories and getting enough protein.
  • KateRunsColorado
    KateRunsColorado Posts: 407 Member
    I've always wondered this too!

    When I first lost my initial 30 lbs, 2 years ago, the ONLY thing I focused on was calories - it was just easier that way, and it seemed to work fine for me.

    Lately, I've been trying to work more on my macros, but it is difficult, especially Sodium!
  • LauraW1219
    LauraW1219 Posts: 71 Member
    Mine is different. I find I stay on track when I watch carbs and sodium. I always stay within my calorie goal, but eating fruit will always make you go over. I've been on mfp for 120 days now and I find carbs and sodium are my keys to success or failure. So the sugar isn't a consideration anymore.
  • kmcosgrove115
    kmcosgrove115 Posts: 260 Member
    They say if from fruit, not a big deal - its the sugar in the processed foods you need to watch - I made a "Fruit" category in my diary (check it out) so if over I can see how much at a glance was from fruit alone - calories are more imp and watching sugar from processed foods is key.................
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,628 Member
    GOODCHOICE-BADCHOICE.jpg

    I try to stay within limits because of medical issues (diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension) ...... but these didn't pop up overnight ..... I should have paid attention to this stuff decades ago :sad:
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    If you're getting enough fat and protein being over on carbs (including sugar) doesn't matter (unless there's a medical need).
  • Adah_m
    Adah_m Posts: 216 Member
    thanks everyone!!!

    Yeah luckily I was young enough when I decided to change my lifestyle that I wasn't yet affected by some of the long term issues associated with bad habits, so no diabetes luckily. I do seem to get all my sugar from fruit, I'm kind of a fruit monster.

    I wasn't worrying about the source of my calories, provided I stay under goal, but I just realized that the better the source (the cleaner, the more lean) the more full I feel and the less of a sacrifice it is to stay under calories. I get less hungry. for example, I find it easier to stay under goal for the entire day if breakfast is scrambled egg whites with spinach, mushrooms, and garlic, rather than if I have one 200 calorie muffin and some fruit. The protein, especially when paired with fiber, seems to last much longer. Sometimes I don't even want lunch.

    Anyone else notice this pattern?
  • mememargret
    mememargret Posts: 1
    I have to agree with you. I'm on the edge of having hypertension and think MFP allows way too much sodium. I've had to change my eating habits, so hypertension doesn't catch up to me. I eat mostly fresh cooked meals and never use 1/2 of my sodium allowed. As we put on the years, we end up paying for the past. My 60 year old brother was just diagnosed with diabetes and has to give himself insulin shots everyday. Our bodies don't change overnight, the sooner we control what's going in, the healthier our bodies will be. I go over on my sugar also, by eating lots of fruit. And, I never realized how much sugar is in Non-Fat milk. I'm going to have to find a milk that doesn't contain so much sugar....

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