Which nutrients do you track and why?

redheadmommy
redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
When I look other people food diaries, I noticed that different people may track totally different nutrients. I know many people do not really care, and just left it on the default setting. On the other hand, obviously many people changed it quite a bit, and I am curious about the reasons.

I track the calories, carbs, fats, protein fiber, and sugar.
However, my main objective is try be under my calories ( 1,500), meeting my quite high 94 g / day protein intake, and meet my also higher then default 35 g fiber intake. I try to fit under the sugar and carb level ,and the fat I don't really care about.

When i started I tracked iron instead of sugar, because I was anemic and I had to make sure I eat enough iron.

So what do YOU track and why?

Replies

  • Toxictwist
    Toxictwist Posts: 274
    Carbs, Fat, Protein, Fibre, Sodium & Calories

    Sodium & Calories I pay more attention to out of those.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Pro/Fat/Cho

    I don't find the rest worth worrying about for me.
  • Mmmary212
    Mmmary212 Posts: 410 Member
    When I do track...I havent lately cause I'm pretty good at knowing what's what.

    Fat-to make sure I get enough
    Carbs- to make sure I stay below my limit
    Fiber -so I can subtract that from my carbs
    Protein-to make sure I am ample there too
    Saturated fat- cause it's fun to see how high it gets.
  • crysofmyk
    crysofmyk Posts: 52 Member
    I track Iron and Calcium in addition to the ones they put in automatically. When I was pregnant the doctors I had in Europe would test my blood monthly and have me on supplements for just what I was deficient on...which happened to be iron and calcium (at 6 months when I came to America they switched me to a multi...seemed odd and a one size fits all remedy to me but hey, what can you do?). Anyways when I started tracking and looking at my full spectrum on nutrients I noticed that those two were always really low in my diet, like 25% or less of where they should be, so I figured if I track it then I know the days I'm low and then I take a general multi, instead of taking one every day. Also, I found out how important calcium is when I had a bad leg injury that took a year to heal from due to calcium deficiency...I gained more pounds in that year of inactivity than during my pregnancy! Not risking that again.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I track protein, carbs, fat, fiber, and calcium. Calories and protein are my #1 objectives. Carbs and fat are just for curiosity. Fiber is b/c, well, otherwise I wouldn't think about it. Calcium is b/c I'm still breastfeeding (almost 2 years now, over 3.5 if you count my first baby, too) and intend to be pregnant again within the next year or so, so it's important for me to make sure I'm getting enough. I might have considered tracking iron except that mine is abnormally high anyway, so I'm not worried about getting enough. Unless my latest bloodwork comes back with an unexpected result.
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    I came to America they switched me to a multi...seemed odd and a one size fits all remedy to me but hey, what can you do?).
    As a single capsule? This makes me so mad. Calcium and iron compete with each other for absorption. Taking them together makes no sense . Any prescription based pregnancy vitamins, like pregvit 5 , come with a 2 pills a day type of package. So you separate your iron from your calcium.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
    Protein - minimum of 144g to support my strength training
    Calories - the diet plan I follow zigzags the calories so I have different numbers I try to hit each day. The high protein also helps control my appetite on the low days.

    I plan my menus around the protein; once I get close I let the rest of the calories fall wherever up to my target for the day.

    I used to carb cycle & REALLY manage my macros closely, so 6 days a week I'd do 198g prot minimum, 100g fat max, 60g net carbs max. The 7th day was 121g prot, 35g fat, 470g nc. It was very tricky to meet those numbers every week but I lost weight, ate much cleaner than I ever had before, & made amazing progress with my strength training & reshaping my body.

    After many months of doing it, it became too tedious so I decided to simplify & switched to my current program. It's not a whole lot different, I just have more flexibility in what I can eat since I'm not purposefully limiting carbs anymore.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Protein: So that I get enough to build muscle.
    Carbs: So that I stay around my goal.
    Fat: So I get enough.
    Fibre: To keep my digestive system working well, and keep me regular.
    Sodium: To try and keep myself as close to my goal as possible. I am always over on this as my calories are high - it is hard to stay below 2500mg when you're eating 3000-3500 calories a day! I try I stay under, but if I'm not I try to keep myself as close to my goal as I can. If I didn't track it, I would be 4000+ (yes I've tested that before)
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    Calories, Fat, protein, Carbs, Potassium, Sodium

    Carbs, fat, and protein because they were there.
    Potassium because my level tend to get dangerously low if i don't stay on it.
    Sodium because I have HBP and I'm trying to transition to a low sodium diet.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    All of 'em. I probably pay closest attention to Pro/Fat/Carbs, but after that it's Sodium, Potassium and Fiber. Then I watch my vitamins to make sure I'm hitting at least 100%, if not I supplement with a vitamin for whatever I'm low on. Last I watch sugar and cholesterol. I'm only ever over on the saturated/mono/poly fats on cheat days, so I never give them any mind.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories