Calories or Fat

bellaitalia603
bellaitalia603 Posts: 43 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
my diary has columns for calories as well as fat and protein and what not. i see that i can edit these so it just shows calories, but what am i supposed to track? everything or just calories? sorry if this is a silly question, but i thought this was just about calorie intake, but the other columns are throwing me off.

Replies

  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    it depends on what your goals are.. Are you in it just to cut down on calories? Are you targeting a 'zone' or % of protein/fat/carbs? Do you want to lose weight, be lean, or ripped? It really all depends on how much you want to fine tune your fitness. When I run, I tweek the carbs to reflect my increased need. When I weight train, I up the protein to reflect the needs for my muscles. It depends on which season I'm training for.
  • bellaitalia603
    bellaitalia603 Posts: 43 Member
    honestly i just want to drop weight right now. at 285, i think the toning and what not will come later. maybe i should just focus on the calories for the time being.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Track whatever you'd like to track.

    At the end of the day, it's calories that matter for weight loss.

    Protein and fat is satiating (makes you feel full) and protein helps retain muscle mass (won't stop you from losing muscle completely... just helps a little bit). Carbs give you energy. Fiber is part of carbs and is part of healthy digestion.

    Its up to you whether you keep track of any of that... and you should probably do some research on your own... something more than asking MFP, since MFPers are going to be all over the map with their suggestions. Some will say low carb, some low fat, and some will promote some other magic formula.

    I recommend http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00616 for good, no nonsense diet advice.

    Good luck to you.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I track carbs, fat, protein, fiber and sodium
  • bellaitalia603
    bellaitalia603 Posts: 43 Member
    thank you! i was really curious what the site was mostly about. but as you describe it i am guessing you can use it at your own discretion. the most successful i've ever been at losing weight was calorie counting, so i'm going to do that for now. but thank you so much for the link. i'm going to take a look now! :)
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
    I track calories to observe my limit.

    I track protein and potassium to make sure I'm getting enough if my calories are low. I've been at this a month now, and I'm really not 1200 calories hungry anymore, so I have to be sure I'm getting everything I need. I take vitamin and calcium supplements, but potassium and protein have to come from food. Unfortunately, many entries in the database don't specify potassium content, so I at least try to keep it less than sodium. Foods in the database that don't list potassium often don't list sodium, either. Also. high sodium in the diet causes potassium loss in the urine, so it is important for them to be balanced.

    The info on carbs/sugar and fats is interesting, so I know where the calories are coming from. If your fat is over 30% of your total calories, that's too much. But my preferred foods tend to be low fat, so it's not an issue for me.
  • rudegyal_b
    rudegyal_b Posts: 593 Member
    you really should tone as you lose weight, you dont want to end up all loose and flabby now right?
  • cirellim
    cirellim Posts: 269
    calories are all that really matters
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    Track the things you're interested in monitoring. I track my sodium & fiber as extras because I'm a sodium & fiber Nazi basically. Lmao
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    total calories are the big rock, but honestly if you aren't eating the right mix of proteins, fats, and carbs within that number, I think you'll find that in addition to fat, you'll lose muscle. You may get lighter, but you won't be fit.
  • Cydnie197
    Cydnie197 Posts: 38
    It's really going to have to be based on what you are going for, which plan you chose to get you there... Being in the Primal/Paleo group I don't think I've had a day in the last month and a half where more than 50% of my calories didn't come from fat... but they are good fats!! I can also tell you that my carbs haven't gone over 75g on any given day during all that time either and I'm super happy about it. I do log in my foods, but mostly just to make sure that my %s are where I want them, I'm not as much concerned about my actual calories, but they are still usually within range.

    The way that the "food industry" is disregarding our overall health to pad their bottom line is absolutely disgusting!! They have the FDA in their pockets to be SURE. What they have been "feeding" us for years is a bunch of dung (really), how else do you explain pizza being reclassified as a veggie for our children's school lunches?? Look up the origins of the "food pyrimid" and watch FOOD INC!
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