beadaholic2

I am entering my foods, very carefully. I am shocked at how much fat I do eat....

So today I cut back and am picking things that have less fat, but my protein intake has went down. I am confused, at the end of the list of the foods entered it has the grams consumed
Calories Fat Carbs protein
1,030 23.2 174.0 44.2
vs
20% 63% 17%
But the pie part is totally different! What do I need to watch? I am so confused by this ....my carbs seem really high. I have eaten today, some homemade chicken soup, with a tad of breast in it, veggies, and that is pretty much all that is in it. A Mango, Banana, a tiny apple, some Cantaloupe, and I am a nut eater, so I had 5 pecans....coffee, with a tad of whole milk, and splenda....and spoonful of honey. I really do not have access to processed foods, I eat mostly what I call whole foods, foods that I make from scratch. I only consume olive oil, and I feel sick if I think about eating meat, I don't know why, I have eaten all my life and this is very recent....so I think I am losing muscle mass, I am 50 and I am not in great shape, I want to improve everything....but I am just not sure how to do it...advice? As to what to watch, the grams or the % of the pie? I only need to lose 14lbs....which I think I can do rather easily....I hope anyway...I do not have a support system, since I am all alone here in the middle of no where...I go to market once a week...I eat alot of salads too. Advice is so very welcome!

snafuken

Hi,
The pie chart is a representation of the % of total calories.(It does not represent grams)
So :If you consumed 1500 cal for the day of which 400 was carbs ,the pie chart will show 26.6% for carbohydrates.
400x100 =26.6%
1500
I am now using Whey Protein powder to keep my protein % higher,so I don't loose muscle mass.
Hope this helps....

mecompco

If you can't stomach meat, how about fish, seafood, poultry, eggs (or egg beaters), peanut butter and the like? All great sources of protien, good fat, omega oil and other things.

beadaholic2

I do eat chicken, fish, shrimp, and eggs, no egg beaters here though! hehe, and I didn't mind it either....I just can't put my finger on why I would be so worked up about meat....I don't even like any of the above I mentioned, I would rather eat other things....

Yes, I get that, but it seems to hard to get into the amounts or % that is recommended...I do not know if I can get whey powder here, I will have to check and see, probably in the city they have it...imported and at a huge price, but that might help me out....I will look into that, thank you both!!

Lizzycritter

Mangoes, bananas, cantaloupe, and most other fruits and veggies fall into the "carb" category, but that doesn't mean you should cut back on them. These are all "good" high fiber, high in vitamn and mineral content, healthy carbs. It's the "simple" carbs-white bread and rice, potatoes, pasta-that you have to keep an eye on. Some people call simple carbs "starches". Protein and fat tend to come together in most foods (meat, nuts, cheese, eggs, peanut butter) so it is tricky to cut one without losing the other. Fish, white meat chicken and pork, and egg whites are all good low fat protein sources. As for not wanting meat, well our taste buds change over time with diet and age, and if you're lacking energy or your blood sugar is getting unstable, the body tends to crave simple carbs for the quick energy rush. The problem is that's always followed by a crash. Protein is also harder to digest, so if your system is out of whack adjusting to a new lifestyle, that might be part of it.

One tool I like is the % daily values graph, it's an option you can click on next to the pie chart that gives you protein/fat/carbs and important vitamins and minerals as a percentage of the recommended daily intake. This is another way to make sure you're getting adequate protein in your diet.

rpmcduff

Another good protein source is cottage cheese. I am curious where you live? Whey protein is a great way to increase your protein while limiting your fat and carb intake. If you have a choice of protein shake mix (maybe from a online retailer) look for one that is low in fat and carbs. The Body Fortress brand I use is about 2g fat, 3g carbs, and 26g protein (I like the strawberry and vanilla, but not the chocolate so much).

My approach is to shoot for 30% protein, limit simple carbs and not worry about the fat percentage. Since, like you, I am eating mostly whole foods I know the fats I consume are healthy fats.

Lizzycritter

I also aim for 30% protein, limit simple carbs, and let the rest of it fall where it may. I try to make sure 90% of my calories come from healthy foods, which leaves me 150 calories or so for "treat" foods like my coffee and a small dessert with the family after dinner. If I am too strict with myself, I end up bingeing later.