more carb, less calories

ericacarter12 wrote: »

So staying within the guidelines of MFP is good.

For macros, it really doesn't matter. There are lots of different healthy macros, and MFP's (50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein, I think) is just one possibility. Whether it's right for you depends on your goals and how many overall calories you are eating.

For sugar, depends on the source of the sugar (for nutrition, not weight loss). It's recommended not to eat more than 10% of calories from added sugar, as eating more tends to be associated with too many calories and a diet that is not so nutrient dense (there can be exceptions). MFP can't track added sugar, so assumed that most people aren't eating that much sugar from fruit and veg and capped overall sugar at 15%. I would not worry about sugar if it mostly comes from fruit and veg, fiber goal is met (that's a minimum), and you are eating enough protein.

For calories, try to come close to the goal and that's the one you want to avoid exceeding (at least most of the time). Of course, going over a little doesn't really matter -- it makes sense to understand what your maintenance is and then make sure that even on a day where you don't do so well you stay under that.

If you just started focus on calories, track your food, and then look back over the week and see what your macros were and how you felt on those days (taking notes at first like "felt good", "felt hungry at X time," so on, can help).

TavistockToad wrote: »

ericacarter12 wrote: »

TavistockToad I checked out adding more fruit and seems I should have said higher carb, low cal, and low sugar. Is that even possible?

no, carbs are sugar, so you cant have high carb but low sugar.

your logic is backward. Sugar are carbs, but not all carbs are sugar. You can have high (complex) carbs, but low sugar. You can't have high sugar and low carb (unless your standards for what constitutes "high" are vastly different for sugar and carbs).

ericacarter12 wrote: »

I have been overweight since I was 12 and I recently turned 28. I am determined to get my weight from 235 to 150 before I turn 30. I have been my entire life low sugar, low calorie. So really, REALLY, don't worry about sugar??

If you have been overweight since you were 12, and have been "low sugar" your whole life, isn't that pretty much proof that, for you at least, "low sugar" is not an effective tool for weight control?

ericacarter12 wrote: »

Is there any particular way that is best to lose fat when looking at what to eat? Such as stay within the limit on sugar, or stay within the limit on calories, or carbs? Sorry for so many questions, I am just really determined to not be so overweight when I turn 30.

Calories in/out determine weight. Macros, not so much. Example, I eat a 75% carb diet and I've lost 35 lbs and now maintaining at 116 lbs. I don't worry about sugar. In fact, I add it to my oatmeal, porridge, smoothies, pancakes, cereal and tea/coffee. I also eat ice cream and chocolate once a week. And my blood sugar and A1C levels are perfectly normal. Sugar and carbs are not evil.