Reaching calorie intake

Hi all - I've only been using the MFP system of tracking what I eat for a little less than a week. I'm having trouble reaching my calorie goals each day without going over on either sodium, carbs, proteins, and/or fats. No surprise that I love my carbs and sugars! That's what got me to this weight in the first place, but the amount of sodium in some foods was a surprise. Can't believe things like frozen veggies and yogurt need to have sodium added.

Anyway, maybe it's the fact that I'm disabled and can't always plan meals a day ahead to know exactly what I'm eating the next day (I find this type of tracking a bit too boring). I think I should be able to fill out my log as I plan the meals that day and still be able to balance everything.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

A*

Replies

  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
    Hi

    Can I see your food log before replying?
  • weblur
    weblur Posts: 140 Member
    I log my food as I eat it or after I eat it. I don't log everything ahead of time or plan everything out meticulously.

    Logging has helped me identify which foods work better for me and which don't.

    In terms of frozen veggies, I choose mine based on ease of preparing - I don't buy the kind that come with sauces or added spices, and prefer the steam-in-bag because I never have enough time in the day to cook. I would suggest you do a search for "sodium" on the main forums to get a feel for what people think about the sodium issue.

    I'm not sure if that even approaches answering your questions.

    Perhaps you could look at logging as a learning experience? Learn which yogurts work better for you, learn what proteins work better for you, etc?
  • krmsotherhalf68
    krmsotherhalf68 Posts: 122 Member
    Sure you can! I'm kinda' still learning how to navigate around here, etc., so I hope I did this right.
  • krmsotherhalf68
    krmsotherhalf68 Posts: 122 Member
    Thanks for your help. You certainly did give me a great response.
  • xael1234
    xael1234 Posts: 51 Member
    I have the same problem. To keep sodium down and carbs down I am only getting about 900 calories. I have to add stuff to get the calories up then that ups my carbs. I can't eat gluten or dairy or some pollen borne fruit (allergist says if it has seeds to be careful) and am salycitate sensitive. Have been waiting to meet a nutritionist but until then I feel your frustration
  • Valereee
    Valereee Posts: 74 Member
    Yes, sodium is really an issue for me, too. Right now I'm on a very strict budget and can't afford to buy healthy foods. It seems like all the low-cost foods are super high in sodium. Because I've had two heart attacks and have congestive heart failure I really need to keep my sodium low, but rarely achieve that.
  • dhaemon
    dhaemon Posts: 110 Member
    Sodium is not my primary concern. It's all about calories for me. Since I am a picky eater, sodium ends up being on the high side. But I now drink at least 3L of water a day and try to keep my potassium up.

    Sodium does not make you gain fat weight, just water weight. Drink a lot of water each day and enough potassium and you'll pee it out. You could even try a sauna and sweat out the sodium.