High calories but low everything else!

pandaeye
pandaeye Posts: 126 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
just curious but how does everyone get their calorie intake high without making everything else go through the roof! I eat lots of fruity stuff so sugar and vitamin c always go over. Trying to change things slightly but now protein keeps going over, does anyone else have trouble balancing it all out? Any recommendations? Be grateful for any suggestions :smile:

Replies

  • Mad4282
    Mad4282 Posts: 171 Member
    I have the exact same problem! My sugar and protein are always way over!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,297 Member
    just curious but how does everyone get their calorie intake high without making everything else go through the roof! I eat lots of fruity stuff so sugar and vitamin c always go over. Trying to change things slightly but now protein keeps going over, does anyone else have trouble balancing it all out? Any recommendations? Be grateful for any suggestions :smile:

    You can change your % carbs/protein/fat to better fit your lifestyle. MFP has carbs pretty high 55%, protien pretty low 15% and fat is at a good level. You can go in and customize your numbers.
  • crysmiss86
    crysmiss86 Posts: 67 Member
    Most of the time I go over on protein and sugar and sodium. Still trying to find a balance.
  • earthsember
    earthsember Posts: 435 Member
    It's hard to suggest without having a look at your diary :)

    But, I tend to stay just under my calorie intake, and I do usually go over protein and fiber, but I don't see either of those as a problem. I do strength building exercises, so the extra protein is a good thing.

    Sodium, fat, carbs, etc, are the things I'd worry about going over in - and even with carbs and fat, if they're healthy foods (like fat from, say, avocados) I wouldn't worry if it's just a little over. Sodium is one I make sure to stay under.
  • Elle_Jamaicangirl81
    Elle_Jamaicangirl81 Posts: 418 Member
    if its fruits that make your sugar go over.. then don't worry too much. (Same for vitamins)

    Protein is good times too... i keeps u full longer.

    i dunno... i havent watched that too much and it still works for me.


    I do watch my sodium, fat, carb intake though and make sure those stay under as best as i can.
  • MrsZMartin
    MrsZMartin Posts: 165 Member
    as said above, mfp sets protein too low

    also, sugar includes fruit sugar, which makes me go over too. though you need to not go overboard even with fruit sugar, mfp's levels are a bit low if your sugar comes from fruit

    sodium is my kicker. I try to eat unprocessed foods, but it's hard; restaurants are sodium killers!
  • MistyMtnMan
    MistyMtnMan Posts: 527 Member
    It really depends on what you are eating. The best way I have found to stay under on everything but calories is to eat a lot of veggies, lean protein like chicken, fish and turkey, and good carbs like brown rice and whole wheat. Also, if you go over on anything, protein is not going to harm you as much as sugar or sodium will. Don't worry about the protein.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    Vitamin C is water soluble so you just pee out the extra every day. I don't actually track sugar because it annoyed me that fruit sugar was putting me over.

    I TRY to go over my protein every day since MFP sets it pretty low. I just try to make sure my sodium and fat aren't over for the day.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
    You should definitely increase protein percentage. Helps you preserve muscle mass, and keeps hunger lower too.
  • NewLeafEats
    NewLeafEats Posts: 37 Member
    Keep in mind that 15% protein is considered the lowest one needs to *survive.* If you're still within your total calorie allowance, it shouldn't be a problem to go over protein.

    Also, I consider the sugar count a farce. I wish there was a way to only count added sugars, because that's really what matters (most of the time).

    I do try to watch my fiber. I tend to flirt with eating "too much" (40+ grams) for my body, even though I only get my fiber in whole food form (whole grains, veggies, beans, etc. no artificial or added fibers).
  • beckyinma
    beckyinma Posts: 1,433 Member
    It really depends on what you are eating. The best way I have found to stay under on everything but calories is to eat a lot of veggies, lean protein like chicken, fish and turkey, and good carbs like brown rice and whole wheat. Also, if you go over on anything, protein is not going to harm you as much as sugar or sodium will. Don't worry about the protein.


    YEP! This is it..
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 416 Member
    I had issues with the default settings here when I started. They don't suit my way of eating at all, so I changed many of them to reflect the way I prefer to eat, which is mostly vegetarian, heavy on the whole grains, veggies, and fruits. I set my fiber and sugar higher than the default setting because the fiber is more of a minimum than a maximum for me. And the sugar on here is actually more for ADDED sugars, but the calorie counter counts all sugars the same, including whole fruits. I think one size fits all settings may be ok to begin with if someone really doesn't know where to start, but they aren't really going to work for most people in the long run, so adjustments need to be made once you know what type of diet you feel best eating.
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 416 Member
    as said above, mfp sets protein too low

    also, sugar includes fruit sugar, which makes me go over too. though you need to not go overboard even with fruit sugar, mfp's levels are a bit low if your sugar comes from fruit

    sodium is my kicker. I try to eat unprocessed foods, but it's hard; restaurants are sodium killers!

    People keep saying that mfp sets the protein too low, but I don't think that's actually the problem. I think the problem is that they don't differentiate between minimums and maximums. For example, they set the protein and fiber at what many consider to be a MINIMUM amount, while the sodium and fats might be considered MAXIMUM amounts, yet they are treated essentially the same when you go "over". And then there's the whole added sugar vs. natural sugar problem. *sigh* It's an imperfect system. If you cut way back on processed foods; eat mostly whole grains, veggies, fruits, and lean protein; watch your portions; drink water; and pay attention to how you FEEL after you eat, I think you'll find that to be a better way to go about eating right than just going by the numbers.
  • pandaeye
    pandaeye Posts: 126 Member
    Thanks guys! Will look into changing settings, feel more positive now. Always keep carbs and fat down as low as poss and I try to steer clear of processed foods so I keep the sodium down. MFP friends ROCK! Thanks again! :love:
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