Intake Goals

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diane135130
diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Ok, so they set the intake goals of calories, fat, sugar, etc......but I always go over the protein and have a hard time meeting the carbs...don't seem to be able to balance the food out to get them in the way they suggest. Does anyone know how important it is that I stay at that particular protien level without going over? I'm only on 1200 calories a day so it's really hard with protein...as for the carbs, I think I can bring that one up......thanks!

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  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    What is your protein level set at now? I have mine at 75 grams a day and 1200 calories.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    You can change your goals... My home... goals... change goals... custom and adjust your macro's. I changed mine to 40% carbs 30% protein and 30% fat, I don't get to it every day but it certainly gives me a goal to work towards.

    Proteins not a big deal to go over what MFP gives as a default. (15% I believe) unless you have problems with kidney stones etc it shouldn't be a problem.
  • Realtygirl1
    Realtygirl1 Posts: 1
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    Being diabetic, I had to adjust mine to max out the carbs at 200, while keeping the caloric intake where I wanted it. It's 'doable'.
  • Stuartm1
    Stuartm1 Posts: 101 Member
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    I stick to calories and vary eating back my excercise calories, It seems to work for me
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    They have it set at 45 and 1200 calories...why are they different, I wonder? Everything I've read the past couple of days says it should be 10 to 20 percent of your calorie intake which would make it much higher. I go over the goal they set every single day. I can never meeth their goals equally....I, myself, think it should be around 70. So, how do you know when someone answers your questions....I expected an email but just happened to check and see there are many responses.......
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    So, in other words, 40 % of your goal for calories...is that what your saying? So, if my calories are 1200, I use those percentages to arrive at my carbs, etc.? I need to figure out how to make those changes....thanks much!
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks everybody....I'm going to go try to tweak the goals to make them reasonable. I NEVER eat up the calories I earn from exercises...seems like defeating the purpose of the exercise...lol
  • librachique13
    librachique13 Posts: 2
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    so... what is your daily calorie goal? cuz mine is 1200 but it says not to go under 1200 so does that mean I should always be over my goal?? I'm also confused cuz in order not to go over proteins (I almost always go over) i would have to consume like 600 cal! I'm confused
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    My calorie goal is 1200 too and one of the guys told me I can change the other goals which I am going to do if I can ever figure out how. I can't find the place to go to in order to do it. I always go over the protein too and think it should be much higher...check the post out where he said he uses of percentage of his calories to calculate goals for the rest and he doesn't even worry about the protein goal. See if you can figure out how to change the goals and let me know, k? Thanks!
  • katie_on_a_mission
    katie_on_a_mission Posts: 112
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    I believe they are listening protein in grams rather than calories. So perhaps what they have you at really is 10-20% of your 1200 calorie intake.
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    Ok, I figured it out and changed it so we'll see how that turns out!
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    I just set custom goals so I'll see how that goes...
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    I just set custom goals so I'll see how that goes...

    Basically, I just lowered the carbs some and upped the protein which makes more sense to me anyway.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    Thanks everybody....I'm going to go try to tweak the goals to make them reasonable. I NEVER eat up the calories I earn from exercises...seems like defeating the purpose of the exercise...lol

    This is a tough one for a lot of people to understand. It's because MFP is different from most counters/plans.

    These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges.

    MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan, but as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

    MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. If you don't replace those cals, you've made your deficit larger than you (presumably) intended. A larger deficit does not necessarily mean faster/more weight loss; it is usually unhealthy and unsustainable and most often backfires, leading to feelings of deprivation, binges, quitting, and weight regain.

    For people with large amounts to lose, it is less critical to eat them, as their bodies can withstand a larger deficit. However, there are other risks. People with less to lose need a more conservative deficit and usually do better eating at least some of them back.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/222019-60-lbs-in-60-days?hl=60+lbs
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
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    tweaking the goals toward protein rather than carbs shouldn't be an issue. however, i would say that you *should* eat back your exercise calories though! there is some good stuff in the general advice forum's stickies (posts at the top of the list) for newbies which talk a bit about why eating the exercise calories actually makes it easier for the body to shed weight that made a lot of sense to to me.
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    Ok, got it! I'll eat them back and see how it goes. I understand the concept (I think) and I will use it. I've stuck to this 1200 calorie thing now for two weeks and only lost two pounds so I'm rather frustrated since I can't eat any LESS food becaue I am borderline hypoglycemic and I get weak and shaky so I have eat when I get hungry...basically. I also have a very slow metabolism and I take supplements to boost metabolism but I've had that problem all my life. Thanks for the help and I will be a good soldier and eat the exercise calories...
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
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    i feel the pain :) i'm nearly 2 weeks in myself and was hoping for a decent bump to start me off but my first week only gave me bang on one lb :( oh well, i keep on repeating that 1lb/week is a good rate to aim for :)

    if you have issues with hypoglycemia then maybe letting your carbs drop down lower might not be the best of ideas? i have this impression that one of the main tricks to stabilizing the blood sugar was small mid-carb snacks during the day to keep you cruising so you don't ever hit the wobby-need-to-eat stage.
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    I can always add a few carbs with some fresh vegetables or whatever...I am all of a sudden addicted to carrots! LOL
  • diane135130
    diane135130 Posts: 27 Member
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    Ok, so is it all that detrimental if the sugar is over the goal on a daily basis? It's mainly because of the intake of fruit. It doesn't take much and it's over the limit but I'm of the understanding that there is good sugar and bad sugar. Can anyone explain that to me further?

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