Understanding Macros

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Nikkyc
Nikkyc Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I’m trying to figure out why I still have calories left in my daily allowance but I’m over my Fat, Protein and Carbs for the day?
Calories left are 58
Carbs are -4
Fat is 0
Protein left is 1

How is this possible, what am I not understanding?

Thanks for the help!!

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    You've likely just chosen foods from the database that were entered incorrectly. The database is a crowd-sourced database for the most part so you have to choose carefully. There ARE good entries for all whole foods, but you have to find them. With processed food it's a crapshoot and you may be better off entering your own foods as new foods into the database. Then they will be forevermore in your MY FOODS list exactly how you want them (but you can still edit them.)

    That said, I wouldn't spend a lot of time worrying about that 58 calories one way or the other.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
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    Sometimes entries are incorrect. Sometimes rounding on nutrition labels leads to slightly inaccurate macros (macros are almost always rounded to the nearest whole number). Calories are also allowed to be rounded up to 5 calories. Add these little changes up and you can have calories left while macros are almost done.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    For more info:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10621050/how-to-use-the-usda-food-database-mfp-food-database-for-accurate-logging/p1

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,055 Member
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    Also, though I'm not saying it applies in your case, alcohol has calories (about 7 per gram), but isn't carbs, fats, or protein.

    You're coming out pretty close; I wouldn't worry, if it were me.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    One other point, some foods have minor rounding issues. Perhaps there are 3.8 grams of protein and it gets rounded to four, or the calories are rounded up to the nearest whole number. This rounding could be causing your very minor misalignment.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Also, though I'm not saying it applies in your case, alcohol has calories (about 7 per gram), but isn't carbs, fats, or protein.

    You're coming out pretty close; I wouldn't worry, if it were me.

    The effect of consuming alcohol on logging totals would be the opposite of what OP experienced. There would be more calories than carbs, fats, and protein accounted for, not less.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,055 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Also, though I'm not saying it applies in your case, alcohol has calories (about 7 per gram), but isn't carbs, fats, or protein.

    You're coming out pretty close; I wouldn't worry, if it were me.

    The effect of consuming alcohol on logging totals would be the opposite of what OP experienced. There would be more calories than carbs, fats, and protein accounted for, not less.

    Hence not saying it applies in OP's case. ;)
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    RelCanonical wrote: »
    Sometimes entries are incorrect. Sometimes rounding on nutrition labels leads to slightly inaccurate macros (macros are almost always rounded to the nearest whole number). Calories are also allowed to be rounded up to 5 calories. Add these little changes up and you can have calories left while macros are almost done.

    This. Also, sometimes the calories from fiber are discounted (consistent with reality) when you still get them counting toward carbs. So between this and rounding the calories on a package or even USDA entry don't always add up perfectly.

    Given how close you are I wouldn't care, and I'd go by cals, personally -- your question makes me worry you are afraid to exceed any of your macros and it does not matter.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    Nikkyc wrote: »
    I’m trying to figure out why I still have calories left in my daily allowance but I’m over my Fat, Protein and Carbs for the day?
    Calories left are 58
    Carbs are -4
    Fat is 0
    Protein left is 1

    How is this possible, what am I not understanding?

    Thanks for the help!!

    database entries are user entered...there are numerous errors in the database which is why you should individually verify items against their packaging or the USDA database. Also, there can be rounding issues.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    edited November 2019
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    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    Sometimes entries are incorrect. Sometimes rounding on nutrition labels leads to slightly inaccurate macros (macros are almost always rounded to the nearest whole number). Calories are also allowed to be rounded up to 5 calories. Add these little changes up and you can have calories left while macros are almost done.

    This. Also, sometimes the calories from fiber are discounted (consistent with reality) when you still get them counting toward carbs. So between this and rounding the calories on a package or even USDA entry don't always add up perfectly.

    Given how close you are I wouldn't care, and I'd go by cals, personally -- your question makes me worry you are afraid to exceed any of your macros and it does not matter.

    I didn't know this until recently when I started buying lentils and was shocked at the calorie difference between brands.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Also, though I'm not saying it applies in your case, alcohol has calories (about 7 per gram), but isn't carbs, fats, or protein.

    You're coming out pretty close; I wouldn't worry, if it were me.

    The effect of consuming alcohol on logging totals would be the opposite of what OP experienced. There would be more calories than carbs, fats, and protein accounted for, not less.

    Hence not saying it applies in OP's case. ;)

    Sorry. I interpreted that as your saying you weren't suggesting OP drinks alcohol, not as saying that the explanation wouldn't apply even if OP does drink alcohol.

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