Should I adjust micronutrient % goals?

Wiseandcurious
Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I tried really hard to find an answer to this question, but couldn't and Google didn't help either. I would like someone knoweldgeable about nutrition to answer if you can, please! :flowerforyou:

Here's my dilemma. I have a lot of weight to lose so will be losing it a long, long time at a slow rate. This means I will be eating at deficit for months, may be a couple of years. On most days that will be less than 2000 cals.

Micronutrient daily values for things like vitamins, iron, calcium are set in MFP as 100% daily needs *based on a 2000 calories intake*.

So, how does this work exactly? If I eat less then 2000 calories (currently around 1700-1800) should I aim for the same absolute quantity of micronutrients (i.e. xx milligrams Vitamin A etc) per day? In that case I guess I should adjust my goals up by the appropriate percentage, i.e. around 117% of usda recommendations for 1700 calories intake, so I still get the actual quantity necessary for healthy functioning at my current weight? Or should I adjust corresponding to my current TDEE which is above those proverbial 2000 calories?

I know at a lower weight my needs will be lower, but since I will be eating at a deficit for months, I am afraid of potentially becoming deficient in iron, calcium... I just want to do this slowly and healthily, am still struggling with achieving macros too (only been doing this for a month) but basically I want to get the proper nutrition at both micro and macro levels in the long run.

Thanks a lot to anyone who can help!

Replies

  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    If I were you, I would track protein ( aim to get in at least 100 grams per day), iron and calcium. Those would be my essentials. Sodium is good to track so that if you have a small weight spike, you can look back and see why. Sodium is not bad, it is a necessary electrolyte, but too much can spike the scale number due to water retention. The rest is just fun, unless you have a diagnosed condition.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Don't make it so complicated :flowerforyou:

    MFP just goes off of the USDA daily values, so it won't change, based on your calories. Just keep aiming for those. They are minimums, really (there are some nutrients, like Vit A and iron, that can build up to toxic levels, but they are quite high and if you 're getting them mostly from natural sources it's not really an issue).

    Also be aware that many foods in the database are entered by members and don't always have complete/correct micronutrient info. So you'll either want to double check everything that has an * by it against food labels, or accept that your numbers may be off your actual intake. Again, keep it simple, I say. If you're eating a good variety of nutrient-dense foods, you probably don't have a lot to worry about.
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    Mathjulz, may be you're right. Still, the geeky side of me wants very much to get its head wrapped around the whole thing (or may be it's the OCD side of me :smile: )

    If I can't understand it properly, I guess I'll just rely on the fact that I am keeping my deficit small and eating variety of meat/dairy/veggies/grains/fruit to keep me safe from harm while losing.
  • lmd_1979
    lmd_1979 Posts: 130
    Just concentrate on the calorie consumption for now. As you lose the fat then upping your protein would be a good idea.
  • Angela26point2finisher
    Angela26point2finisher Posts: 105 Member
    I let the Calories be determined by my weight and activity level. For the macro nutrients, per a recommendation of my doctor a few years ago, I have 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. At 30% protein, it's about 100 grams per day, which was recommended by my dietitian. You have to find a balance that is right for you. I find my hunger is most easily managed if I keep to these proportions. Especially staying away from processed foods has made a world of difference for me. Good Luck on your journey!!
  • Stephonice
    Stephonice Posts: 4
    I have just scanned a label from a bread pack that has an iron % listing but showing nothing on the tracker - I am currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and have lowish iron levels so really this about all I want to track at the moment, I eat relatively healthy and was at target weight before this, so I am not worried about gaining a few pound . Am I doing something wrong on the tracker or is it a glitch- can someone help me please :)

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