Fed up with Macros

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kallemann67
kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
edited September 2015 in Food and Nutrition
I'm really getting annoyed by trying to understand macros. I eat a healthy diet but seem to be iron deficient, low on protein and carbs, calcium deficient, potassium deficient - etc. I've tried to look in other people's nutritional info for inspiration but everyone is private - even the ones that say they are open I find not.

Question: Do you enter everything you eat into My Foods and don't bother with the crowd sourced MFP food database? Granted there are errors but for an apple or banana or slice of bread?

I'm 54 days into logging and want to make this a more efficient process so would appreciate comments.

Replies

  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Unjust use the database because I don't have time for anything else. I do great with macros on some days and other days everything seems off. I don't worry about it too much though. I'm sure there are errors with any tracking method, and my food estimates are off here and there too. All we can do is try to get as close as possible.

    For me, the only things I really look at are my protein, carbs and fiber. Everything else I really don't care about, but someone with health issues might....

    I say figure out what pieces are important to you and just concentrate on getting them right. One could go crazy trying to make everything perfect.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    Sorry your having a tough time. It really is hard at first. Here's what I did when I had extra time, I made a list of foods I like to eat and eat commonly. I used mfp to play around with the different food combinations ( I added in vitamins I take also ) and saw what worked best together and what didn't. When I found a combination of foods that met my macros ,I ate them and then slowly started adding new things and kept playing around with it. For example, I realized I couldn't have 2 biscuits ,then oatmeal and a certain combo of pasta in one day because I was over on carbs but lacking protein . so I played around with it and added a protein source with lunch so I could still meet my goals without lacking in one and being over in another.
    Sorry, it's just really hard to put into words. But I'm trying to say, play around with logging your foods and vitamins until you see what's going to work together and what won't. In time, it will be much easier and you'll know what food combos work together to meet your liking and your macros .
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I'm really getting annoyed by trying to understand macros. I eat a healthy diet but seem to be iron deficient, low on protein and carbs, calcium deficient, potassium deficient - etc. I've tried to look in other people's nutritional info for inspiration but everyone is private - even the ones that say they are open I find not.

    Question: Do you enter everything you eat into My Foods and don't bother with the crowd sourced MFP food database? Granted there are errors but for an apple or banana or slice of bread?

    I'm 54 days into logging and want to make this a more efficient process so would appreciate comments.

    With all due respect, if you are iron deficient, low on protein and carbs, calcium deficient, potassium deficient - etc.....you probably have not eaten a healthy diet for a long time.
    If you started 54 days ago you need to be more patient. An unhealthy diet that you ate maybe for years or decades causing such deficiencies cannot be repaired in just under two month. Also, if your deficiencies are severe just eating a more or less " healthy " diet might not be enough to catch up.
    If you know the areas you are deficient in, I assume you had lab work done. In that case it would be important to know if your deficiencies are really from a bad diet, or if other, medical factors come into play and either needs to be addressed, albeit in different ways.
    I would recommend to see a doctor specialized in this field or at least a well trained nutritional professional, because an assumed self diagnosis ( and I am not saying that this is what you did ) will not help.

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Your food diary here will very likely not show if you are hitting your micronutrient needs. Because not every detail on every food in here is filled in, usually just calories/fat/carb/protein/sodium/fiber. If you eat a varied diet and several servings of fruit and vegetables every day, you are almost certainly not deficient. Have you had blood tests? Check with the USDA database if you are concerned about your micronutrients intake. Protein, fat and carbohydrate are macronutrients.
  • kallemann67
    kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks folks - your input is well appreciated. I should have been more specific that according to the MFP stats when I log in foods I'm showing all the deficiencies that I noted. I train for triathlons and monitor my workout stamina by the food I eat - and so far 6 day/ week workouts at Zone 3 - 5 of my heart rate and I'm feeling fine. No mood swings nor energy drops. Not fatigued in any way. I'm fortunate to be able to have a half hour nap in the middle of the day about three or four times a week. So I feel I have energy and stamina there. It's just when I'm logging in and look in detail I've been really confused by this. Iron I just can't get enough of unless I eat two bowls of Special K a day. Calcium? 200g of yogurt seems not enough? Then if it's not 0% fat and I throw in a handful of nuts I'm seem to go over the fat threshold. Vitamin C and A seem easy. Carbs and protein are still a chore. I'm putting away 2000 calories but it seems the calories and the make up of those calories - the quality of them- don't add up. I have one treat a day - a kit Kat or 70% chocolate - otherwise a it's a pretty clean diet. Special K is probably the only processed thing I eat.

    So I figured maybe everyone knows some secret about MFP that I don't. Like everyone is building their own My Foods section by recording everything which goes into their pantry/ fridge and freezer.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    A lot of the entries have inaccurate information. You have to learn to pick the correct entries or enter your own from the USDA database. A thread that was incredibly helpful to me is this one: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    As for macros (protein, carbs, fat), there are a huge variety of healthy macro breakdowns, from a vegan or Kenyan marathoner 80-10-10 (80% carbs) to a keto 5-20-75 (I guess -- I'm a veggie fanatic and have issues with that, but some seem to do well). MFP recommends 50 (carbs)-25-25 (I think), many of us prefer 40 (carbs)-30-30.

    The evidence I have been convinced by is that IF you are losing weight and exercising a good amount it is best to keep protein higher than the minimum recommendations to preserve lean body mass. I read the research to mean .8-1 g per lb of LBM or .6-.8 g per lb of goal weight (at least for a woman, likely a bit higher if based on goal body weight for a man). Beyond that, I think it doesn't matter much what the macros are unless they are really extreme and so long as you feel good and maybe experiment to see if other levels might be better. I'm enjoying 40-30-30, but at close to maintenance calories that puts me well over the protein I think I need and I keep reading recommendations for higher carbs for endurance sports (I do triathlon, and am about to do a couple century rides and start training for a marathon), so I am going to try it and see how I feel, to compare. But there's no need to do this -- if you feel good, stick with what you are doing.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Iron and stuff aren't macros and I don't think the database is great for those.

    Most but not all entries are OK for fat, protein and carbs so macro monitoring is easy enough from the database. OP's diary is closed so can't comment further but the standard 20% protein macros aren't difficult to hit but if you like more fats then use custom goals and back off the carbs a bit.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Think of the macros as very general guidelines designed for a large population. They are not hard and fast rules and they certainly have not been tailor designed.
    Iron and calcium can be found in beans and leafy greens.
  • kallemann67
    kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
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    I've changed my settings on my diary- diary now open. Again thanks for all the very valuable input. It's all really very helpful.
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
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    My diary is public. Not too concerned at the moment on hitting micros. Have a look through if you like.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I've changed my settings on my diary- diary now open. Again thanks for all the very valuable input. It's all really very helpful.

    Eat more protein. :) In order to fit in protein calories, skip banana or reconsider the granola, Special K. and orange Juice because they are taking up room in your day without helping you get to your protein goals.
    Maybe add beans and lentils and increase soy milk, cheese, and mackerel.

    The only other thing I see is that if you have concerns, you could increase your "Field Greens" and "Mixed Greens" as their low calories easily fit into your day. They have some protein and lots of micro nutrients that are not "tracked' on MFP.
  • Jokersurv
    Jokersurv Posts: 75 Member
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    Unless you have a health condition or are training for a sport such as a marathon I wouldn't worry about macros. They usually balance out in the long run
  • kallemann67
    kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Thanks for all the incredible feedback folks. Very educational.

    I got really confused reading this article in Triathlon magazine stating:

    "So what are the right amounts? “Typically, carbohydrate needs will vary from 5 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day with training ranging from one hour per day to five hours or more,” says Jeukendrup. (Note that 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds).

    Getting the right balance of macronutrients requires a little math, but it beats using a one-size-fits-all formula that doesn’t really fit all.
    Daily Carbohydrate Needs
    Training Volume (Hours/Day) – Carbohydrate Needs (grams per kilogram of body weight)
    1 – 5 g/kg
    2 – 6 g/kg
    3 – 7 g/kg
    4 – 8 g/kg
    5 – 9 g/kg
    >5 – 10 g/kg

    Read more at http://triathlon.competitor.com/2015/05/nutrition/racing-weight-balancing-your-diet_24561#ZUGmKBfcKFsFRm8C.99"

    Given I train on avg 2 hrs a day right now during winter this means 6g/kg or 468g/78kg of carbs.

    This just seems incredibly high and unsustainable. That's 9 sweet potatoes and 9 bagels per day. Or 18 bagels or 18 sweet potatoes. Like THATS gonna happen!

    At carbs being 45% of my daily it translates into 250ish g/day which is only half.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Not sure Jeukendrup's opinion on sugar burning exercise is that helpful. I think you're trying to lose weight hence eating at a deficit to your calorie needs ? You clocked 950 cals of exercise one day which would be 238g of extra carbs if 100% carb fuelled - 2.4 litres of coca cola would perhaps be Jeukendrup's suggestion ?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I can't find any meat in your diary besides chicken. Any reason for that? Eating little meat can make it harder to get lots of protein. Maybe either reconsider your protein goal to reflect your preferred eating style, or start to eat red meat, or more fish, shellfish, and eggs. Anyway, your diet looks yummy and balanced and varied, I don't think you should worry.
  • kallemann67
    kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
    edited September 2015
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    @kommodevaran re meat- our property backs out onto a small holding - cattle. Only 16 'beasts' as my farmer neighbour refers to them. Over the years learning their personality and characteristics I've developed a 'cow whisperer' mentality - especially when I've been involved in assisting with calve births. So I've pulled beef and lamb from my diet years ago. Fish and chicken I maintain because I realise that I will really fail in the protein front. Cheese/ yogurt also are brought into my diet for protein needs. Poor fish and chicken... And thanks for the feedback re diet ... good to hear and know.

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I understand your reasoning and your feelings - I have personal experience with farm animals too - they just taste so good. I tried going pescetarian for a year, but I had to throw in the towel :s
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I look for the USDA entries and those with the green checkmark that say "this food has beenverified." They tend to have more complete nutrition information.