Confused as calories coming out very high

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Replies

  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    Until you develop a good eye for quantity, tare your knife, scoop out the spread & weigh the knife with the spread on it.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    no idea but a level teaspoon or tablespoon measured out and then spread would give you a better idea


    Except that a teaspon measured it rarely the grams stated on the label.

    For example, my butter says 14g or 1tbspn per serving. If i measure a level tablespoon...its actually 18g....about 20%more than the label state!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    neohdiver wrote: »
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    Until you develop a good eye for quantity, tare your knife, scoop out the spread & weigh the knife with the spread on it.

    Or put the container on the scale and tare it out, then scoop out the product. It'll give you the weight you used in negative grams.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    There is a simple answer to this. Weigh your ingredients.
  • ReadyWillingEager
    ReadyWillingEager Posts: 56 Member
    Another way to simply weigh is to put the hummus while in the container on the scale (just plop the entire thing on there) hit tare, then scoop out what you'd like. It will give you a negative read "-14g" for example, but it's 14g.
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »
    neohdiver wrote: »
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    Until you develop a good eye for quantity, tare your knife, scoop out the spread & weigh the knife with the spread on it.

    Or put the container on the scale and tare it out, then scoop out the product. It'll give you the weight you used in negative grams.

    That works even better.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    You totally can and should weigh everything. I can't tell you how confident I was that all my measurements were correct. They were not! Not even close.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,003 Member
    mkakids wrote: »
    yarwell wrote: »
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    no idea but a level teaspoon or tablespoon measured out and then spread would give you a better idea


    Except that a teaspon measured it rarely the grams stated on the label.

    For example, my butter says 14g or 1tbspn per serving. If i measure a level tablespoon...its actually 18g....about 20%more than the label state!

    Not to mention, leveling out a teaspoon of butter in a teaspoon measure, then having to scrape it out onto your bread is really annoying and makes more dishes. Simply weighing it is easier, less messy and more accurate.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    You are probably further off with your guessing than you can even imagine. It may seem like it will "take you all day" to weigh things, but really, it gets easier and faster as you do it. Pick up a digital scale...about 10 bux at Walmart...I guarantee you will be shocked by the end of your first day of logging. By the end of your first two weeks of logging, you'll be better at eyeballing your foods, and knowing approximately how much weighs how much. Believe me, we've all been there. Good luck xo
  • KeepGood
    KeepGood Posts: 386 Member
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I do have a digital scale, thanks I'll start using it. I never thought of weighing stuff as I add it to the sandwich. . Was trying to work out how to do it haha. I've been trying to plan out my foods the day before to see what the calories will be but had a busy morning today and couldn't resist a quick sarnie :)

    What I would do is use the suggestions above and put the bread on the scale, weigh it and tare the scale with the bread still on it, add your spread, weigh again to get the weight of the spread, so for and so on. Once you've completed it, add it to your recipes section in the MFP app as "Super Sarnie 1" for example. That way you can just add that each time you make it. It means it's only a pain in the *kitten* the first time you make it. :smile:

    I do that with loads of things I have regularly.
  • angerelle
    angerelle Posts: 175 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »

    Or put the container on the scale and tare it out, then scoop out the product. It'll give you the weight you used in negative grams.

    I've just bought some new scales that do negative weights, they're ace!
  • SammyBoo1980
    SammyBoo1980 Posts: 56 Member
    Oh wow didnt realise thered been so many replies! Thank you all so much. Ive been using the scales and things are definitely lookingbless calorific now :)
  • SammyBoo1980
    SammyBoo1980 Posts: 56 Member
    juliet3455 wrote: »
    @SammyBoo1980 With only 44 Posts that tells me you are new to MFP and the Forums.
    I recommend some good reads for you to start this journey as my "incredibly generic advice" when someone is new to MFP.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-forum-survival-guide-722758

    http://fit101.org/the-step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal/

    At the Top of most Message Boards you will see an Announcement Forum.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/general-diet-and-weight-loss-help

    If you open the Announcement you will see a big list of Links to posts that are a great source of information.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260537/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest

    Of all the "Stickied" Posts these are some of the ones that I keep referring back to all the time.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale/p1

    One I add is a 4 part Blog about the power of habits.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-power-of-habit-part-1-why-habits-matter-688130

    These are just a few of the many great posts that have been so helpful.

    Special thanks for this Juliet. Funnily enough ive been working on developing good life habits recently so this fits in perfectly :)
  • WhatLouAte
    WhatLouAte Posts: 155 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    you aren't tracking fat on your diary which makes it harder to figure, but 50 grams of cheese is a lump not a couple of shaves :-

    nrkhrovd00iv.png

    Agreed, 50g of cheese is a lot! I use 30g of mature cheddar and sometimes think that is too much taste wise.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    you aren't tracking fat on your diary which makes it harder to figure, but 50 grams of cheese is a lump not a couple of shaves :-

    nrkhrovd00iv.png

    Does your tracker show negative numbers for dietary fiber? I wasn't aware there had been an upgrade for that. How do I add that to my settings - I can't find where to do that.
  • FaithfulJewel
    FaithfulJewel Posts: 177 Member
    Different ways of presenting the food can also make a difference if you are forced to guess (which, as mentioned, shouldn't be done but is sometimes inevitable). 30g of cheese, a serving, looks pitiful as a block... but grated it can easily cover a sandwich - and it's not many calories difference to get the strongest flavour (at least with dairy based cheese) but you get more bang for your buck as a result.

    Have you tried preportioning a few things, just to make your life a bit easier? Like cut your cheese into 30g chunks, chop up 80g worth of mixed veggies, etc? Means when you're all over the place (like me in the morning), all the measuring is done for you and you can add the entries in later as they're "standard" measurements.

    Good luck!

    PS: My boyfriend eats 250g of cheese at a time... like, literally, just eats the block. He's underweight, so I encourage it, but boy, does it make me jealous! Preportioning 30g of cheese has saved me just doing what he does! Not quite the same, but keeps me sane :P
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    SammyBoo1980 wrote: »
    I get really confused with things that are spreadable like humous or vegetable spread, peanut butter etc. How many grams is an average knife spread lol?

    weigh it!
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    ReadyWillingEager wrote: »
    Another way to simply weigh is to put the hummus while in the container on the scale (just plop the entire thing on there) hit tare, then scoop out what you'd like. It will give you a negative read "-14g" for example, but it's 14g.

    This is brilliant. Thanks. Had been tare-ing plates and silverware but this sounds a lot easier for things like peanut butter.
  • runrascal
    runrascal Posts: 53 Member
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    put bread on scale, tare scale, add spread, get weight of spread. Or weigh the container before and after you use it. You want to be pretty specific with those, things like PB have a LOT of calories in a fairly small amount.

    If you're not weighing ingredients, I'd say you're overestimating a lot. Do you have a digital scale? Put the plate on it, tare it, build the sandwich on the plate, taring between ingredients. easy.

    This!

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