I'm finding eating out on weekends very hard to log into MFP
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chezzac17
Posts: 98 Member
Hi All,any suggestions please.....I'm finding it hard to stay within my calories when I go out for dinners on the weekend and its hard to log as well as in to estimate ...any help would be great....sometimes I have to eat all my exercise calories back and sometimes a bit more than that ....
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Replies
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When I first started and I was being very strict with myself, I didn't eat out very often. Once I had established my program, I selected restaurants where I could either look up the nutritional information on line or could select foods that were easier to estimate: a steak for instance was fairly easy to estimate. I am more lenient now that I'm well into maintenance, but for me part of the "lifestyle change" was to eat out less often and do more social activities that did not center on food.
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I have the same issue.
Most of the advice here tends to be to eat at chain restaurants that provide nutrition info, or to order simple meals like meat and steamed vegetables without sauce or butter, or to skip going out altogether and eat at home.
None of that really suits my lifestyle. For one thing, virtually zero restaurants where I live provide nutritional information, so that's not really an option. If I wanted just meat n' vegetables, I'd stay home and cook 'em myself. And skipping the meals out would put a serious dent in my enjoyment of life, making this program something I couldn't sustain.
So my best advice would be to just estimate as best you can. Overestimate rather than underestimate. Look for similar-sounding foods in the database and pick the one that's highest in calories. Add a buffer. If you have a fair idea of what went into a meal, you can try reconstructing it as a recipe and adding ingredients, but remember that a restaurant kitchen is probably adding lots of hidden calories in the form of butter, oil, sauces, etcetera. So quick-add some calories to account for those.
Add in an extra workout on the days when you eat out, and that should account for any overage. And if you're noticing a weight gain after a few weeks of doing this, it's a sign that your estimate is off.
I'd also suggest getting good at eyeballing portions by doing lots of weighing and measuring of foods at home, so you know, for instance, what 100g of something looks like visually. Use a reference point like the size of your fingers or fist so you can eyeball better.
One last trick: If you can, ask the restaurant to wrap up half your food and take it home as a doggie bag. Most portion sizes in restaurants are enormous, so eating half of something will probably be closer to the right size. Then you can take the other half home, weigh it on your food scale, and use it to guesstimate the half you ate.
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Hmm, pocket digital scale helps. If I can't log what I'm eating, I weigh it, and note the grams, log it later.
Eat slower, and BS more, who cares about the food? It's the company that is important.0 -
Eat out less and make smart choices. You could have a side of fries for 700 calories, or you could have a salad with dressing for 100 or so, etc.
Always look for places where you can look up the nutrition info; likely what you have on your plate won't be a perfect match, but it'll at least give you a general ball park.
When I eat out, I recognize that I'll likely be going over my desired deficit, so I just strive not to go above maintenance for that day and focus on what I deem to be my most important macro - protein. That being said, I agree with the person above; part of the lifestyle change is learning to make your own food and do activities that are always food-centric. The odd meal out is fine, but it will make your goals easier to be preparing your own food.0 -
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable taking out a pocket digital scale at a restaurant.
But hey, if that works for you.0 -
thanks everyone I know the thing is moderation and I guess I have to live to ..so maybe one a night a week for dinner and keep within my calories for the day...
Thanks again .........
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I have the same issue.
Most of the advice here tends to be to eat at chain restaurants that provide nutrition info, or to order simple meals like meat and steamed vegetables without sauce or butter, or to skip going out altogether and eat at home.
None of that really suits my lifestyle. For one thing, virtually zero restaurants where I live provide nutritional information, so that's not really an option. If I wanted just meat n' vegetables, I'd stay home and cook 'em myself. And skipping the meals out would put a serious dent in my enjoyment of life, making this program something I couldn't sustain.
So my best advice would be to just estimate as best you can. Overestimate rather than underestimate. Look for similar-sounding foods in the database and pick the one that's highest in calories. Add a buffer. If you have a fair idea of what went into a meal, you can try reconstructing it as a recipe and adding ingredients, but remember that a restaurant kitchen is probably adding lots of hidden calories in the form of butter, oil, sauces, etcetera. So quick-add some calories to account for those.
Add in an extra workout on the days when you eat out, and that should account for any overage. And if you're noticing a weight gain after a few weeks of doing this, it's a sign that your estimate is off.
I'd also suggest getting good at eyeballing portions by doing lots of weighing and measuring of foods at home, so you know, for instance, what 100g of something looks like visually. Use a reference point like the size of your fingers or fist so you can eyeball better.
One last trick: If you can, ask the restaurant to wrap up half your food and take it home as a doggie bag. Most portion sizes in restaurants are enormous, so eating half of something will probably be closer to the right size. Then you can take the other half home, weigh it on your food scale, and use it to guesstimate the half you ate.
great advice...thank you0 -
Keep in mind that if you're on a 2 lb per week deficit rate, then you're eating 1000 calories under maintenance. That is, if you overeat to 1000 calories beyond your MFP goals, you shouldn't gain a pound - that's just maintenance.
Plug your numbers as estimates into MFP, log everything, and as long as you don't go over by more than 1000 calories you should be fine. It won't be a "loss" day but generally you can make it not a "gain" day either.0 -
With only 9kg to lose in total, I highly doubt OP is at a 2lb/week deficit.
For most of us small-ish women, 0.5lbs/week is more like it. And a 250 calorie deficit is *easily* surpassed if you don't track carefully.
Having said that -- estimate generously, track weight loss, and adjust accordingly. Trial and error. I average about 4-5 meals a week eaten at restaurants or people's houses, and it's not easy but I'm figuring it out as I go along and managing.0 -
Keep in mind that if you're on a 2 lb per week deficit rate, then you're eating 1000 calories under maintenance. That is, if you overeat to 1000 calories beyond your MFP goals, you shouldn't gain a pound - that's just maintenance.
Plug your numbers as estimates into MFP, log everything, and as long as you don't go over by more than 1000 calories you should be fine. It won't be a "loss" day but generally you can make it not a "gain" day either.
oh really...Im on 1320 calories a day...so if I overeat up to 1000 in a day I am ok..wow..I probably wouldnt go over that amount...thanks0 -
With only 9kg to lose in total, I highly doubt OP is at a 2lb/week deficit.
For most of us small-ish women, 0.5lbs/week is more like it. And a 250 calorie deficit is *easily* surpassed if you don't track carefully.
Having said that -- estimate generously, track weight loss, and adjust accordingly. Trial and error. I average about 4-5 meals a week eaten at restaurants or people's houses, and it's not easy but I'm figuring it out as I go along and managing.
oh damn you are right....so I have to watch eating over 250 calories ? is that right?
and by the way you are doing great !!!0 -
oh damn you are right....so I have to watch eating over 250 calories ? is that right?
I'm on 1290 calories/day, which is only about ~300 calories below my estimated maintenance intake. Sounds like at 1320, you're pretty similar in stats to me. So, yeah, you can see how even small variations in intake or underestimating a single slice of bread per day could easily be the difference between losing and gaining weight. The good thing about being small is that we have fewer pounds to lose; the bad thing is that those margins leave very little room for error.
Best way to build in more of a buffer is to up the exercise, not lower the calories. Add some cardio, some weights, some more movement -- whatever you enjoy doing -- and you can buy yourself some calories to 'eat back' at restaurants.0 -
oh damn you are right....so I have to watch eating over 250 calories ? is that right?
I'm on 1290 calories/day, which is only about ~300 calories below my estimated maintenance intake. Sounds like at 1320, you're pretty similar in stats to me. So, yeah, you can see how even small variations in intake or underestimating a single slice of bread per day could easily be the difference between losing and gaining weight. The good thing about being small is that we have fewer pounds to lose; the bad thing is that those margins leave very little room for error.
Best way to build in more of a buffer is to up the exercise, not lower the calories. Add some cardio, some weights, some more movement -- whatever you enjoy doing -- and you can buy yourself some calories to 'eat back' at restaurants.
oh your sooo nice thanks for the tips......I see what you mean....and yes seems we are about the same...not fair thiugh we dont have many calories ...lol...........0 -
Hey, life ain't fair. But chocolate makes it all better.
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AnthonyThrashD wrote: »Hmm, pocket digital scale helps. If I can't log what I'm eating, I weigh it, and note the grams, log it later.
Eat slower, and BS more, who cares about the food? It's the company that is important.
JW, where did you buy a pocket scale? I've thought about getting one but then... I think that'd bepushing my analness lol.0 -
I eat out at least twice every weekend. I save calories from the week and just aim to stay below my weekly goal. My daily goal is 1850, so I eat about 1650-1750 M-F and 2000-2500 Sat-Sun. Works out quite nicely.
As for logging, most restaurants have nutrition info on their website, and usually it's already in the database here on MFP. I pre-log every day so I know what I can eat to stay within my weekly goal. For instance, I know I can have nachos at Salsaritas (like Moe's or Chipotle for those of you that don't have this) for under 800 calories, but Olive Garden will be more like 2000 if I get what I want. I don't order "healthy" items at restaurants. I get what I want and work it into my week. I haven't had a problem yet, and I've reached goal eating this way.
If you eat at a local restaurant or a restaurant that doesn't have their nutritional info posted online, you just have to estimate. I'd never take a scale with me to a restaurant. I just try to find similar entries in the database and pick one on the higher end of the calorie scale. Piece of cake, so to speak.
If your goal is 1200 calories per day, it's going to be very hard to fit in restaurant food. Considering 1200 is too little for pretty much everyone, I'd consider raising your calorie goal and living a little.0 -
I try to watch my portion size and guess what's in the meals at friend's houses and I log on my phone whilst I'm there - I bulk up on vegetables / salads and if I know something is highly calorific avoid
I also add a little extra for the doubtless butter / oil / cream that's in stuff
sometimes I take pots of food to share to friend's - eg for fireworks night a mate did a chilli night and I volunteered to bring a vegetarian version as we have veggie friends and that way I could cook a healthy version and eat it with their rice and cheese0 -
thank you rabbitjb..good advice..I do try to guess how much oil and butter are in foods cause I know restaurants load up on that stuff......and yes good idea to bulk up on vegs ..0
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