Tracking my intake questions page

[minner]

Hey guys, I have been tracking my intake on myfitnesspal for a little while and want to continue until I feel comfortable making good Primal eating decisions. I am a 189lb male 6'0" desk jocky and workout 5X's a week, but that's not what is important here.
I am shooting for 60/20/20 Fat/Protein/Carbs or there about. Maybe I need to go back and take elementary math but my calorie calculations seem to be way off. I am using: Protein contains 4 calories per gram, Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, Fat contains 9 calories per gram. According to myfitnesspal.com I consumed 1,998 calories yesterday; containing 173g of fat, 140g protein, and 106g carbs. Running the math on that, using 9/4/4 ratios, I get 2541 calories????
What am I doing obviously wrong here!???
Allen

[SlimIcy]

What am I doing obviously wrong here!???

Worrying too much about calories? 173/140/106 seems pretty good to me.

[minner]

Worrying too much about calories?

That I already know. I can't help but think about the macro breakdown...maybe that is the engineer in me....

[goldengrokette]

Hi Minner,

I track my intake on Myfitnesspal also. Did you know you can change your food goals (carbs, protein, fat)? Yeah, me neither until a month ago :-)

From main page Go to Goals, at the bottom click Change Goals, Select Custom then click Continue, put in the percentages you would like then click Change Goals

Why do the math, when you have computers!!!! :-)

Goldengrokette

[loafingcactus]

Carbohydrates aren't set at that calorie value- fiber grams are in the total carbohydrates but have fewer or zero calories. That's where the math goes wrong.

[minner]

Thanks for the tip Goldengrokette!

Carbohydrates aren't set at that calorie value- fiber grams are in the total carbohydrates but have fewer or zero calories. That's where the math goes wrong.

OK that makes sense, but which one is right? The 2541 or the 1998 cals?

[loafingcactus]

I'd go with the 1998 for tracking. Realize that it isn't that precise anyway: packaged foods are allowed to vary by a fairly large percentage (I don't remember the exact number) and natural foods like broccoli or an egg can vary item by item by a huge amount. Calorie tracking is a guesstimation project.