Are MFP's sugar goals completely unrealistic?

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tryskinni
tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Every day I come in range of all my macros daily except sugar. I don't eat any sweets and I eat very few complex carbs. Yet every day, just having a few servings a fruit puts me way "over" for sugar.

Thoughts on this?

Replies

  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
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    Yes, absolutely. I have also found that the sodium levels are too high and the protein levels are too low. The cholesterol level seemed low, too, as eating two eggs can easily put you over (or close to).

    I recommend just customizing the macro levels to fit your own needs and goals.
  • shannongoneau
    shannongoneau Posts: 246 Member
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    Yes. I'm glad i'm not the only one. If I have a piece of fruit I go over my sugars. It could be like 3 thin slices of pineapple and i'm done in for the day :( Its rough sometimes to live up to MFP set standards.
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
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    Yes, the sugar macro is useless, replace it with something else.
  • tryskinni
    tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
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    You guys have made me feel better. I know I eat well so I don't question that. i'd never stop eating fruit - just wondered if others noticed the same thing!
  • twinkiemon
    twinkiemon Posts: 216 Member
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    To be honest, I got so tired of always going over my carbs, sodium and sugars that I turned off all the macros and ONLY look at calories - with my job and all it's not really easy for me to avoid packaged and pre-prepared foods and these tend to be high in sodium and carbs and whatnot.
  • JDanKing
    JDanKing Posts: 13
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    Well, I don't have a problem staying under on my sugars (and carbs, ususally). However, I am diabetic, and make it a point to avoid sugar in all forms as much as possible. I still get some sugars (23 grams of 42 allowed today), but I stay under.

    In return, I almost always go over in Protein, and often over in fiber and fat.

    I guess you'd have to get a perfectly balanced diet to stay at or under all the daily goals.

    In spite of being "over" in protein/fat, I've still lost 50 lbs since last September. As long as you don't have a specific need, like my need to avoid sugar and keep carbs low, I don't see any reason you can't be "high" in sugar, so long as it's a good sugar, like the fruit you're eating. Provided you stay under your calorie goal, of course.

    Your scale will tell you if you're on course or not - don't get bogged down in minutia.
  • paradisochick
    paradisochick Posts: 83
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    Sugar is found in almost everything, and yes, it is so very hard to stay within your macros on this one!
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Sugar is just a carb. As long as you're eating enough fats and protein, your carbs/sugar aren't particularly important unless you have a medical issue that requires carbs/sugar to be monitored.

    However, it should be noted that fructose and sucrose can only be stored as liver glycogen and not muscle glycogen. The liver can hold 100-120g glycogen so anything more than that will be converted to triglycerides. As long as you still have a calorie deficit this will even out. Just try to make most of your carbs glucose and not sucrose or fructose. Fructose in particular has been shown to decrease exercise performance, increased likelihood of gastrointestinal distress, and increase perception of exertion.

    Here are some studies:
    http://www.setantacollege.com/wp-content/uploads/Journal_db/the effects of glucose....pdf

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3592616


    As long as you're under your calorie goal, you'll lose weight. Some people find that sugar (even from fruit) causes them to have more sugar/carb cravings so keep that in mind.

    For information on setting your macro target, read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911011-calculating-calorie-macronutrient-needs?page=1#posts-13821336
  • Binkie1955
    Binkie1955 Posts: 329 Member
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    I customize as well but figure the carb counts catch the sugar anyway then I manage to net carbs (carbs - fiber). I too have to increase protein and fat %'s to get to my caloric goal. i worry more about reducing carbs than calories.
  • COLOMomOf4
    COLOMomOf4 Posts: 10 Member
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    I actually did a little research on this because i had the same question/concern. Banana in mmy protein shake in the AM and an apple with my lunch and I would be over my allotment for the day. I did a little research that says - yes - around 24-25 grams of sugar is appropriate for women... but that is only ADDED sugar (i.e. - as in the sugar that is added in processed food). I have yet to find a study that gives a limit on sugar found naturally in fruits & vegetables. So - is MFP unrealistic - no - but it would be WONDERFUL if they fixed the system to start recognizing the difference between natural sugar and ADDED sugar. That would be a much better gauge. In the meantime, I just mentally make my own adjustments based on my food choices for that day - and realize and I always WAY UNDER the 24 grams of ADDED sugar recommended.

    Hope that helps!
  • calibriintx
    calibriintx Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I don't pay attention to it anymore. Carbs, protein, fat, fiber and micros are what I try to take note of.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
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    I don't think so. I am usually under. Your sugar levels will go up if you exercise. If you need to eat more sugar without going over your goals, exercise more.
  • tryskinni
    tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
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    I actually did a little research on this because i had the same question/concern. Banana in mmy protein shake in the AM and an apple with my lunch and I would be over my allotment for the day. I did a little research that says - yes - around 24-25 grams of sugar is appropriate for women... but that is only ADDED sugar (i.e. - as in the sugar that is added in processed food). I have yet to find a study that gives a limit on sugar found naturally in fruits & vegetables. So - is MFP unrealistic - no - but it would be WONDERFUL if they fixed the system to start recognizing the difference between natural sugar and ADDED sugar. That would be a much better gauge. In the meantime, I just mentally make my own adjustments based on my food choices for that day - and realize and I always WAY UNDER the 24 grams of ADDED sugar recommended.

    Hope that helps!

    Makes a lot of sense, thank you!
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I actually did a little research on this because i had the same question/concern. Banana in mmy protein shake in the AM and an apple with my lunch and I would be over my allotment for the day. I did a little research that says - yes - around 24-25 grams of sugar is appropriate for women... but that is only ADDED sugar (i.e. - as in the sugar that is added in processed food). I have yet to find a study that gives a limit on sugar found naturally in fruits & vegetables. So - is MFP unrealistic - no - but it would be WONDERFUL if they fixed the system to start recognizing the difference between natural sugar and ADDED sugar. That would be a much better gauge. In the meantime, I just mentally make my own adjustments based on my food choices for that day - and realize and I always WAY UNDER the 24 grams of ADDED sugar recommended.

    Hope that helps!

    I am happy to hear that the amount is for ADDED sugar, but think that MFP does not take this into consideration. I eat no products that have flour or processed sweetener in them and do not use any kind of sweetener, yet with two small oranges a day I am over my limit. I have learned to ignore it, but I wonder that if one category is wrong, if the others are too and where I go to find the right numbers.
  • pattya925
    pattya925 Posts: 398
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    Thanks! This makes much more sense to me. Today was my first day logging and my mind was boggled at how quickly I went over in sugars... though the majority of it was from fresh fruit.
    I actually did a little research on this because i had the same question/concern. Banana in mmy protein shake in the AM and an apple with my lunch and I would be over my allotment for the day. I did a little research that says - yes - around 24-25 grams of sugar is appropriate for women... but that is only ADDED sugar (i.e. - as in the sugar that is added in processed food). I have yet to find a study that gives a limit on sugar found naturally in fruits & vegetables. So - is MFP unrealistic - no - but it would be WONDERFUL if they fixed the system to start recognizing the difference between natural sugar and ADDED sugar. That would be a much better gauge. In the meantime, I just mentally make my own adjustments based on my food choices for that day - and realize and I always WAY UNDER the 24 grams of ADDED sugar recommended.

    Hope that helps!
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
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    33ua4o0.png
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
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    ^^^^^^^OMGs that puppy is soooooooo cute.


    Um what was the question. Oh yeah, I was always over on sugar and that was without having anything with added sugar and without eating fruit. Maybe there was sugar in the bread? Anyway, I changed it to just track regular carbs because sugar is also a carb and I don't eat a lot of food with added sugar except maybe bread and peanut butter. I think that's about all anyway, certainly not donuts or things like that though. So, now I am usually under that goal and I aim to stay as far under that as I can and still have a regular fix of popcorn.

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