Do you bust anything on food diary?

desertSNOUT
desertSNOUT Posts: 175
in Food and Nutrition
Hi I wanted to ask if one should merely watch calories or if they should keep all their numbers in the green.

I have been very good about cals. but I bust sodium and fat limits like crazy. I mean losing weight is cals in

cals out but should I be keeping my numbers green?

Replies

  • queenofozfitness
    queenofozfitness Posts: 21
    I always go over on fats and sugar. :(
    I try not too but I eat a lot of fruit which has CRAZY sugar and as far as fat goes, there's just so much in everything I like to eat... LOL
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I bust my fat every day. Interesting how many people think you have to eat low fat isn't it?
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Go here to learn how to set your macro targets and then try and keep them as close to target as you can. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
    Fiber is important too. Sugar and sodium are less important, IMHO, I don't track them at all.
  • Sashoi
    Sashoi Posts: 295 Member
    I'm always over on my sugar n my vitamin intake... That's bout it though
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I tend to go over on fats.

    It kind of depends on your goals and all, but I've heard a lot (and kind of follow) that you want to be under on calories and carbs, it's okay to be over a bit on fats, and look at protein as a minimum. Of course, it's going to depend also on if you follow MFPs defaults for macros or not. (I increased my protein % and decreased carbs, still trying to reach protein goal, not quite there most days).

    Watch out for sodium. Sometimes it can cause water retention, and if you have blood pressure issues you definitely want to keep it down. I was always over until I really started watching it, now it's usually okay but depends on what I eat. Ham, canned soups, or pizza are pretty sure to send it over!

    ETA: I'm probably over on sugar on days when I have a lot of fruit (and some days from sweets, I'll admit it). But I figure it's part of the overall carbs and I don't track it separately.
  • dawn_h_d
    dawn_h_d Posts: 184 Member
    I have sodium issues, so I am always over my sodium, and because the doctor wants me to drink Gatorade everyday for the sodium, my sugar and carbs are red everyday. I am going the right way on the tape measure, so I am guessing I am doing ok. My calories are in the green almost everyday.

    It was really hard to try to keep under my sugar for the day, and at first I got very frustrated. I decided that since it was something out of my control, I changed my settings to take it off so I wouldn't see it. I finally figured out that if it is something that I cannot control (per the doctor), I can't get upset about it.
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    Don't worry too much if you care about weight loss only.

    Not going over sodium or sugar has other health benefits.

    I would say most people eat too little fats. I don't think there is an upper limit on how many fats you should eat. The only upper limit for fat is your total calories. Also you need a minimum of protein and carbs. Otherwise eat as much fat as you want.
  • stacey_mntx
    stacey_mntx Posts: 36 Member
    To quote my favorite trainer... "You can't train away a bad diet." If I'm going to eat fat, I make sure it's "good" fat - one that is high in nutrient density (i.e. omega 3's). As a whole, if you are eating mostly plant derived fats and sugar from natural sources (fruits and veggies - not refined sugar) you are eating healthier and the numbers can be fudged a little. I do not waste my time eating reduced fat foods. They aren't filling and the crap that is added to them (usually high fructose corn syrup) to make them low fat is worse for us than regular, full fat foods. When I eat meat, I choose fish and lean cuts most of the time, but also enjoy a good steak now and then.

    As for sodium... I know it's hard to keep those levels down. I struggle with this as well. Shoot for the daily recommended limit and make a really good effort to drink lots of water (half an oz for every lb. you weigh).

    Bottom line, focus on good, nutrient dense foods and your calorie totals and you will be doing your body good. Hope that helps!
  • desertSNOUT
    desertSNOUT Posts: 175
    I feel a lot better thanks; I didn't know I could edit that bar lol.

    I will watch protein I think... i'm not diabetic and I have good

    blood pressure so I guess ill just keep a wandering eye on

    Sodium/sugar.
  • desertSNOUT
    desertSNOUT Posts: 175
    To quote my favorite trainer... "You can't train away a bad diet." If I'm going to eat fat, I make sure it's "good" fat - one that is high in nutrient density (i.e. omega 3's). As a whole, if you are eating mostly plant derived fats and sugar from natural sources (fruits and veggies - not refined sugar) you are eating healthier and the numbers can be fudged a little. I do not waste my time eating reduced fat foods. They aren't filling and the crap that is added to them (usually high fructose corn syrup) to make them low fat is worse for us than regular, full fat foods. When I eat meat, I choose fish and lean cuts most of the time, but also enjoy a good steak now and then.

    As for sodium... I know it's hard to keep those levels down. I struggle with this as well. Shoot for the daily recommended limit and make a really good effort to drink lots of water (half an oz for every lb. you weigh).

    Bottom line, focus on good, nutrient dense foods and your calorie totals and you will be doing your body good. Hope that helps!

    I eat an avacado a day for breakfast... fatty filling and healthy lol.
  • kordell70
    kordell70 Posts: 49 Member
    I wouldn't worry too much unless your are busting through those goals and have a health issue which requires you to monitor that. MFP helped me track sodium and potassium as I suffer from very high blood pressure. So besides the calories I do monitor those two like a hawk and I haven't had as many headaches brought on by HBP.
  • jaecamp1
    jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
    I mainly focus on the calories and its done me well so far. I take a multivitamin and fiber too to make sure I'm getting enough. The only thing I really tend to go over on regularly is carbs. I love me some carbs. Lol. My plan has been once I start to stall out on the weightloss I will start paying more attention to the macros.
  • Soapstone
    Soapstone Posts: 134 Member
    I do it, too- my fat and sugars tend to go a little too high, and I have to consciously work to get enough protein for my macro settings- 40/30/30. My potassium is also always low- I really have to WORK to get the potassium I'm supposed to have. I never realized how important potassium was until I joined MFP and saw how regularly I was way under goal. I got concerned about it and studied up on it, and thought, "NO WONDER I feel like sh*& all the time!" I worry more about keeping my sodium/potassium in balance right now, and keeping my calories at a decent deficit, than going over on my fats and sugars a little. I try to stay at the macros I've set, but I'm not perfect and just doing my best like everyone else. That's just me, though; everyone has their own experience and has to do what's right for their own body.
  • Katus130
    Katus130 Posts: 50 Member
    I'm usually over on sugar. Not by much maybe 5 to 10 grams. Mostly because of fruit. I don't really worry too much about it. It's funny, I thought I'd go over the most with sodium but I'm usually way under.
  • tilmoph
    tilmoph Posts: 72 Member
    I go over on fats a good bit. I had my macros set 50/40/10 f/p/c, changed it to 55/35/10 to be more accurate. Sodium's always a bit of a bother to stay under; I figure if i don't break 2700, I'm doing all right.

    Barring health issues, the only thing you shouldn't break is your calories; the rest are individual preference.
  • S0nsh1ne
    S0nsh1ne Posts: 218 Member
    I also watch my sodium b/c of water weight.
  • chad_phillips1123
    chad_phillips1123 Posts: 229 Member
    I almost always blow over sodium. Some days I do high carb, others low carb, so I don't worry about the actually numbers there (just relative to each other). It's tough to get every aspect under in my opinion; takes a lot of diligence, but as far as weight goes I think cals are the most important.
  • UCSMiami
    UCSMiami Posts: 97 Member
    Always exceed sugar due to amount off milk consumed each day.

    I notice the limit set by My Fitness Pal is bascially BMR.-What you need to survive. There is some leeway due to activity throughout the day. I think exceeding a bit here and there is fine. It is more of tool to realize how totals accumulate throughout the day with no corresponding expenditure in TDEE.
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    As of today, I have logged onto mfp for 320 days.
    Out of those 320 days, not a day has passed in which I made or remained under my sugar goal.
    I usually more than triple the recommendation for that, which I know is bad, I just love sweet stuff! </3
    Other than that though, I manage my micros pretty well. Some days I go over, some days I go under, and some days I get the recommended amount, so it about evens out.
    Throughout all of this I consume within my caloric goals and have reached my goal weight and maintained it. I have also gotten recent results from my blood work and I'm healthy, so I assume you'll be ok :)
    But for the scale to accurately show progress, you may want to watch your sodium. Some days I go over and it definitely shows when I do, even though the numbers return to normal when my salt consumption does as well :)

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