How often are you in the green?

That is a very good question because I am always under my calorie goal but never under on sodium and sugar. ALWAYS over. I've been losing weight nicely but how is it affecting me in the long run? I try to eat some of my exercise calories but not all of them.

I'm almost always over on my cals, protein and fiber: I like to eat, but I work out. I'm being realistic about my weight loss - 5 years from now I want to still be able to keep this up, so if I "starve" myself now or really keep my calories & other counts "perfect", there is NO WAY I can keep that up 4-Life. So if I'm over, it's all good: I'm seeing results & it's long term because my focus is exercise (toning, strengthening, firming).
I would keep an eye on sodium & sugar since those are the "killers" - that's what your body hold onto so when you go into starvation mode (pretty much anything under 1200 calories a day) it stores all those extra sugars & salts your body can't use so it's got something to "feed" on. The only thing is, your body doesn't let it go (which is why a continuous balanced nutrition and exercise program has been proven to be the best bet long term).
Find your balance - it may take a while, a lot of trial and error, though you'll get there :flowerforyou:

To the best of my knowledge, it is relatively important to be normal on sodium, the best way to do that is to cut back on processed foods and when you buy veggies and all that look for low sodium or no salt added.

As far as sugar goes, if its naturally occurring sugar, like in fruits and milk, don't worry about it too much. If you are going over every day because of refined sugar then that might be something to take a look at. Try to get more sources of natural sugar which always helps to curb my sugar cravings. I read that you should have no more then 40g of refined sugar in your diet.

Hope that helps some.

Excess sugar can cause a lot of health problems, and actually impede weight loss even if you are under your calories. It's really not just a simple matter of calories in vs out. High amounts of simple sugars (like in sweets, white wheat products, and white rice - remember that sugar is a form of carbohydrate) will mess up your insulin balance and promote fat storage, but also these sugars are linked to many nasty diseases. Sugar in fruit isn't so bad because it is packed with fiber, which slows how quickly it is absorbed (thus reducing how much of an insulin spike you get).

Excerpt below from http://www.biohealthinfo.com/html/resources/4pillars/diet_nutrition.html :

"Clinically speaking, blood sugar control occurs when insulin and glucagon (two hormones) are in balance. The pancreas produces both of these hormones in response to the foods you eat:

* Carbohydrate consumption produces insulin, the hormone responsible for storing fat (or producing energy).
* Protein consumption produces glucagon, the hormone that promotes the mobilization and utilization of fat for energy.
* Glucagon works to counter balance insulin.
* High insulin is associated with virtually every disease known to mankind, including cancer.

Eating more of one type of food over the other can create a hormonal imbalance, which can cause illness. For example, when excess carbohydrates are consumed, the body produces excess insulin and little glucagon. As a result, more fat is formed and stored, and your blood sugar level drops. In an attempt to normalize the blood sugar level, the body initiates a counter-regulatory process during which the adrenal glands are stimulated to secrete increased levels of cortisol (the primary hormone that regulates the immune system). Remember that if the adrenal glands are stimulated over a prolonged period of time-say, because you continue to eat too much carbohydrates over protein-the ability of the glands to produce cortisol will wane, eventually leading to cortisol depletion and adrenal exhaustion/fatigue."

Ever since I had gallbladder issues, my fats gone down a bit, I switched over to skim milk etc, which has helped. *most* of my sugars are usually from fruits, but sometimes, they are refined. I know my weight loss stalled when I started exercising and everyone said it was my sodium, but it feels like no matter what I do, I can't keep my sodium at 2500. Its retarded how much salt is in everything.

I am the same way! I have the same things listed (fat, calories, fiber, sugar and sodium) and I also am almost always over on sugar and sodium. It kills me that even skim milk has a lot of sugar in it!