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MyFitnessPal Community

Do You Guys Fret Over Unbalanced Meals?

SH0985

For example, I went over my carbohydrates recommendation. But, my proteins and my fats were low. As were my daily calories.

Do you all fret about that when you log?

Replies

TonyB0588

Not really, but I mainly keep an eye on sugar and fat. Also, for my main meal I try to balance the plate as Half Vegetables, Quarter Meat, and Quarter Starch.

mmapags

Nope. Don't make yourself crazy. If it all comes out over a week, it's all good. Don't get too rules based about it.

MichelleSilverleaf

Not if it's not consistent. I've had the occasional go over sodium or fats, I go over sugar almost daily but I've managed to at least bring that number way down. I'd more worry if it ends up being a consistent pattern, or you could look back and see if maybe there's an alternative to a specific food item that can easily push you over a number (I cut out the Delissio-style pizzas after seeing the sodium content, homemade is a lot less sodium and more filling).

malibu927

Nope. Weight loss is 100% about the calories you consume, not the macros. But I do try to meet my protein goal.

Sp1tfire

If it only happens a few times a week I'm guessing it won't have much affect. I don't fret over 1 or 2 unbalanced days a week because I'm getting proper nutrition overall. I guess in the end I'd say look at the bigger picture: Is your day balanced? is your week pretty close to normal? If you're trying to lose weight then the macros don't matter as long as you keep a deficit. It may just affect how you feel.

leanitup123

mmapags wrote: »

Nope. Don't make yourself crazy. If it all comes out over a week, it's all good. Don't get too rules based about it.

BUMP

rheddmobile

I watch my carbs per meal because I'm a diabetic, but apart from that I don't worry about macros. The pop up warnings annoy me and I wish I could turn them off. MFP's sodium recommendation in particular is too low - it's based on the current USDA recommendation which research says is actually low enough to be unhealthy. I have my settings customized but it still pings me every time I eat sushi.

kommodevaran

I do sometimes, but I have to remind myself that balance is a range, not an arbitrary, fixed number. Our bodies are highly adaptible, and take what it needs from what it gets, and the element of time smoothes things out. What I don't want to do, is create an accumulating imbalance. But I know what balanced meals look like, so I'm good.

nvmomketo

"Balanced meals" is a made up term.

We need protein and some fat. We don't need carbs at all. I don't worry about making carbs appear on my plate. I do make sure I have my essential macronutrients. I fill in the rest as taste and my health needs dictate.

Christine_72

I'm always over or under on something. It's near impossible to get the numbers 100% perfect.

lildazed88

I fret a little. Protein is the most difficult to increase for me while fat seems to add up quickly (to be fair, it's healthy fats, not saturated). I like variety, but I'll sometimes have the exact same breakfast 4 days in a row. So the same situation occurs.

hoffman2300

How do you feel when you're under/over on things? If you're not getting enough protein and find you're often hungry, that is important to know. If you love watermelon (like me) and are over every day on your carbs/sugar (like me) but don't "crash" from the sugar, don't worry about it.

amusedmonkey

No. There are 3 (or more) meals in the day, and possibly more than 20 meals in a week. One unbalanced meal means nothing, unless you are eating nothing but that meal for every meal every single day for several weeks/months.

I never fret over my meal quality. There was a time where I had funnel cake for dinner. Nothing happened. I didn't suddenly drop dead. I know my diet is varied enough to have enough nutrients and that deficiencies take time to develop.

I'm sometimes lower than I would like on protein, but as long as I'm trying to hit my protein target whenever possible and sustainable I'm good. Fretting over that would have caused me to quit long time ago.

dutchandkiwi

No.
I focus on CICO - I have a look at the breakkdown to see if my personlbalance over the week is about right, but that is it. I totally do not fret on a meal to meal basis. Sounds liek wy too much work for me in my life

HeliumIsNoble

I only worry about my daily calorie threshold and my protein goal.

If I started noticing my fats were consistently low on a day to day basis, I'd rethink that, but it's not, so I don't.

mmapags

lildazed88 wrote: »

I fret a little. Protein is the most difficult to increase for me while fat seems to add up quickly (to be fair, it's healthy fats, not saturated). I like variety, but I'll sometimes have the exact same breakfast 4 days in a row. So the same situation occurs.

Saturated fat is also healthy! What makes you think it isn't?

deputy_randolph

"Balanced" is subjective. I'm training for 3rd powerlifting competition in August. My protein is high and carbs are a lot higher than my usual goal. My current macro goals aren't going to appropriate for others; and won't be appropriate when my training goals change.

If your goal is fat loss, calories should be your first priority. For me (for fat loss), my second priority is protein.

allyphoe

rheddmobile wrote: »

The pop up warnings annoy me and I wish I could turn them off.

Settings, Diary Settings, Show Food Diary Insights. Uncheck that box.

amtyrell

Nope I balance it out by the week.

nyponbell

I fret, but that is mainly because I go over my carbs and sometimes don't even hit half my protein on a regular basis. So that is something I am working on this summer, playing around with what feels good to me (and I don't feel great when the majority of my intake is carbs and I don't get enough protein).

However, I try to not fret too much and just move forward. But my "unbalanced" eating can mean that I realise I need more protein (because I belive I can feel it) and I will down a protein shake, even if it takes me over my recced calories (which is usually changed anyway due to work out).

cwolfman13

No...I think people get way too worked up about macros...they're a nice thing to be aware of, but we've all survived for hundreds of thousands of years without tracking macros.

Also, one's macro ratios would be a very individual thing..."balance" would be pretty relative. A competitive marathon runner would likely have a very different macro blend than a competitive body builder for example.

Lounmoun

I try to get to my protein goal because it helps me feel more satisfied. If I don't get there some days I will be okay.
I spent years not paying attention to this stuff and I am still alive.

extra_medium

I tend to focus on trying to get my balance of macros over the course of the day in total rather than worrying about individual meals.

annabel92

It depends if you're just trying to lose weight or if you're trying to get fit/healthy, and how consistent it is.

If you're trying to lose weight, if you're under your calorie count it doesn't really matter too much. However, if you're wanting to get fitter and healthier, it's more important to make sure your macros are right - particularly protein (for fitness especially) and fibre, of course!

However, if it's only occassional you really don't need to worry.

infinitynevermore

I don't. My fat is usually higher than my goal, but since I'm still losing weight, I'm probably going to just adjust the goal. My sodium is over half the time and I always have at least two days in a week that my sugar is too high, but my bloodwork is perfect so I don't worry about it.

janejellyroll

Individual meals? Never.

I focus on the daily and weekly level.

amusedmonkey

cwolfman13 wrote: »

No...I think people get way too worked up about macros...they're a nice thing to be aware of, but we've all survived for hundreds of thousands of years without tracking macros.

Also, one's macro ratios would be a very individual thing..."balance" would be pretty relative. A competitive marathon runner would likely have a very different macro blend than a competitive body builder for example.

I totally agree. There are minimums that people need to hit for health purposes, but they are low enough that almost anyone can hit them even on VLCD. Anything above that is personal tweaking and can handle a lot of leeway.

JeromeBarry1

Nope. I have the chrome extension which shows my macro spread after logging breakfast and it changes as each food item is logged. It's cute and colorful, but I don't fret about it.

OliveGirl128

annabel92 wrote: »

It depends if you're just trying to lose weight or if you're trying to get fit/healthy, and how consistent it is.

If you're trying to lose weight, if you're under your calorie count it doesn't really matter too much. However, if you're wanting to get fitter and healthier, it's more important to make sure your macros are right - particularly protein (for fitness especially) and fibre, of course!

However, if it's only occassional you really don't need to worry.

I lost 50lbs and improved all my health markers by only focusing on calories -never tracked or paid attention to macros. A few years into maintenance I still don't pay attention to macros, still in excellent health and have a current bmi of around a 20.

alondrakayy

malibu927 wrote: »

Nope. Weight loss is 100% about the calories you consume, not the macros. But I do try to meet my protein goal.

This. I'll go over my cals (no more than 100) if it means hitting my protein goal. This doesn't happen everyday though. I used to go crazy worrying about carbs and fats. That's why this process never worked for me. But now that I only focus on cals and protein I feel so much better!