Hit macros...way under cals?? Help!

jessicaldelaney
jessicaldelaney Posts: 4 Member
edited November 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Since I started using MFP a few days ago I haven't looked at macros (because I didn't know what they were)
Today I checked it out and googled some info. I have gathered that it is impossible to hit ur macros and still be under in calories, but looking at my diary the past 3days I have been on target with macros and way under on cals...
Sooo what am I doing wrong? Is the nutritional value of my recorded foods incorrect?
Help please.
Thanks in advance :)

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Something that you logged (or several things) aren't accurate in their macro or calorie counts. I had that problem today.
  • hpdrury
    hpdrury Posts: 1 Member
    When you say that you've hit your macros, do you mean that you hit the percentage or that you've consumed the specified number of grams per macronutrient?

    It is possible that you logged an inaccurate item. If you have a fitness tracker, it may be that it's adjusting the calories based on your activity level. If that is the case, while you successfully hit your calorie goal, you're still below your maintenance level.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    It is an error in the macro breakdown as @usmcmp said.
    Eat to your calories first, protein second, fat third, and carbs to fill in the rest, as a general guideline, (excepting special diet requirements voluntary or involuntary).

    Cheers
  • jessicaldelaney
    jessicaldelaney Posts: 4 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Something that you logged (or several things) aren't accurate in their macro or calorie counts. I had that problem today.

    Ok that's what I was thinking. I find it difficult to know what is off... I've never tracked calories before. It's not so hard when it's a specific singular food or comes with nutrition guide on package. My biggest struggle is preparing meals for my family and trying to figure out what my portion was "stirfry" for ex can vary depending on who makes it... Lol
    And MFP has me at 1550 for cals and I haven't gone over 1300 any day. Will this affect me in a negative way?
    I feel like I'm eating enough...??
    Maybe I'm over thinking it all. Ha!
    Thanks!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your macros make up your calories so if you have hit all of your macros and you are substantially off on calories, that means you have entries that aren't accurate. Don't select generic entries...check packaged goods against the entries in the data base...tag searches with USDA for bulk items, etc. Don't treat the data base as gospel...verify.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    jessicaldelaney wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Something that you logged (or several things) aren't accurate in their macro or calorie counts. I had that problem today.

    Ok that's what I was thinking. I find it difficult to know what is off... I've never tracked calories before. It's not so hard when it's a specific singular food or comes with nutrition guide on package. My biggest struggle is preparing meals for my family and trying to figure out what my portion was "stirfry" for ex can vary depending on who makes it... Lol
    And MFP has me at 1550 for cals and I haven't gone over 1300 any day. Will this affect me in a negative way?
    I feel like I'm eating enough...??
    Maybe I'm over thinking it all. Ha!
    Thanks!

    Use the recipe builder on mfp when cooking and a food scale. That way you know exactly what your portion is.

    For stir fry, yoi might enter the following into the recipe builder

    400g raw chicken breast
    200g raw broccoli
    100g raw bell peppers
    50g bottled stir fry sauce

    the recipe builder will give you a calorie count for each serving (you can specify they number of servings it will make). I reccomend making it the total grams of the dish. The above recipe would be recorded as 750 servings. 1g = 1 serving. Then when you put some on a plate for yourself, weigh it and log 100servings of stirfry for an accurate calorie count.

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    mkakids wrote: »
    jessicaldelaney wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Something that you logged (or several things) aren't accurate in their macro or calorie counts. I had that problem today.

    Ok that's what I was thinking. I find it difficult to know what is off... I've never tracked calories before. It's not so hard when it's a specific singular food or comes with nutrition guide on package. My biggest struggle is preparing meals for my family and trying to figure out what my portion was "stirfry" for ex can vary depending on who makes it... Lol
    And MFP has me at 1550 for cals and I haven't gone over 1300 any day. Will this affect me in a negative way?
    I feel like I'm eating enough...??
    Maybe I'm over thinking it all. Ha!
    Thanks!

    Use the recipe builder on mfp when cooking and a food scale. That way you know exactly what your portion is.

    For stir fry, yoi might enter the following into the recipe builder

    400g raw chicken breast
    200g raw broccoli
    100g raw bell peppers
    50g bottled stir fry sauce

    the recipe builder will give you a calorie count for each serving (you can specify they number of servings it will make). I reccomend making it the total grams of the dish. The above recipe would be recorded as 750 servings. 1g = 1 serving. Then when you put some on a plate for yourself, weigh it and log 100servings of stirfry for an accurate calorie count.
    The above recipe wouldn't weigh 750 grams after cooking because water will cook out so that the final weight of the recipe will be lower. You need to weigh the whole batch after cooking and input that weight in order to be accurate on calories per gram of stir-fry.
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