If I'm not sure exactly how much of something I ate, is it better to overestimate or underestimate?
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DearNeptune
Posts: 13 Member
I would think it'd be better to overestimate.
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Replies
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Yes0
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It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.0
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What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.0 -
Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.0 -
Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.0 -
It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.
I just mean if I'm over at a friend's house and they make a meal, it's hard for me to know exactly how many calories it would be.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.0 -
DearNeptune wrote: »It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.
I just mean if I'm over at a friend's house and they make a meal, it's hard for me to know exactly how many calories it would be.
Ah, that's fine, then. -Nods- That stuff occasionally happens. What I do is I go over the ingredients in my head and try to add it up into a rough estimate. Don't forget to include any cooking oils/butters in your estimation.0 -
DearNeptune wrote: »It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.
I just mean if I'm over at a friend's house and they make a meal, it's hard for me to know exactly how many calories it would be.
Ah, that's fine, then. -Nods- That stuff occasionally happens. What I do is I go over the ingredients in my head and try to add it up into a rough estimate. Don't forget to include any cooking oils/butters in your estimation.
Thank you for your help. I'm new MFP so these little questions pop up daily. I hate not knowing exactly how many calories something is, but I guess it can't be helped sometimes.
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DearNeptune wrote: »DearNeptune wrote: »It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.
I just mean if I'm over at a friend's house and they make a meal, it's hard for me to know exactly how many calories it would be.
Ah, that's fine, then. -Nods- That stuff occasionally happens. What I do is I go over the ingredients in my head and try to add it up into a rough estimate. Don't forget to include any cooking oils/butters in your estimation.
Thank you for your help. I'm new MFP so these little questions pop up daily. I hate not knowing exactly how many calories something is, but I guess it can't be helped sometimes.
All good. I've been a member here for quite a while, just learned to add disclaimers on advice given [EDs are quick to acquire, be careful]. Sometimes, it is okay to have a meal here or there that you don't know the calories of -at all-, as long as you eat in moderation. For example, my friends like to feed me. A loooot... They make Mapo Tofu over rice, and I looooove it. No idea on the calories because of the sauce, amount of rice, etc, is actually unknown to me. But I eat a regular portion-size, don't go crazy, and it is fine.0 -
Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
The other way around.
If your goal is to gain weight, then guess what you think it is.
If your goal is to lose weight then over estimate the calories.0 -
Log the closest you can. If your primary goal is weight loss, maybe safer to estimate high. If your primary goal is weight gain, nutrition, or refueling from a lot of exercise maybe safer to estimate low.
Usually there are enough options to make an educated guess that should be reasonably close. And in any case, one single meal isn't going to make or break the overall diet content either way.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.
I only said that due to the amount of people we get on the forums who post asking why they haven't lost weight... Only to reveal they weigh little to nothing of what they are cooking with.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.
I only said that due to the amount of people we get on the forums who post asking why they haven't lost weight... Only to reveal they weigh little to nothing of what they are cooking with.
I understand that. I just think it's a bit of an over simplification. I know my measurements aren't the most accurate so i tend to over estimate. It might become more of an issue when I have less weight to lose but I'll deal with that when I come to it.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.
I only said that due to the amount of people we get on the forums who post asking why they haven't lost weight... Only to reveal they weigh little to nothing of what they are cooking with.
I understand that. I just think it's a bit of an over simplification. I know my measurements aren't the most accurate so i tend to over estimate. It might become more of an issue when I have less weight to lose but I'll deal with that when I come to it.
How is it over-simplification..?
If you weigh your food accurately, you know your intake. Period... It's the main thing every single person asks when someone posts that they haven't lost weight or are losing too slowly. While you don't want your children to see your relationship with food that way, it doesn't mean the method is flawed. It is your own personal circumstances making the situation difficult.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.
I only said that due to the amount of people we get on the forums who post asking why they haven't lost weight... Only to reveal they weigh little to nothing of what they are cooking with.
I understand that. I just think it's a bit of an over simplification. I know my measurements aren't the most accurate so i tend to over estimate. It might become more of an issue when I have less weight to lose but I'll deal with that when I come to it.
How is it over-simplification..?
If you weigh your food accurately, you know your intake. Period... It's the main thing every single person asks when someone posts that they haven't lost weight or are losing too slowly. While you don't want your children to see your relationship with food that way, it doesn't mean the method is flawed. It is your own personal circumstances making the situation difficult.
The situations not difficult, I'm just not willing to do it for personal reasons.. You said people who dont weigh their food dont lose or even gain. I'm saying that's not true. People can do it without weighing. That's just not the popular opinion here on MFP. Some may not be able to but it can be done.0 -
DearNeptune wrote: »DearNeptune wrote: »It kind've depends. Are you going to do this a lot due to lack of foodscale? Do you have previous history with any eating disorders, such as Anorexia? Etc etc... Be safe.
I just mean if I'm over at a friend's house and they make a meal, it's hard for me to know exactly how many calories it would be.
Ah, that's fine, then. -Nods- That stuff occasionally happens. What I do is I go over the ingredients in my head and try to add it up into a rough estimate. Don't forget to include any cooking oils/butters in your estimation.
Thank you for your help. I'm new MFP so these little questions pop up daily. I hate not knowing exactly how many calories something is, but I guess it can't be helped sometimes.
Absolutely correct. Estimate conservatively (i.e., over-estimate if trying to lose) if you can't be spot on, then log it and go on with life. No need to worry or stress about it. I've done this with meals at friends' houses, potluck events, or restaurants without published nutrition info, during my whole weight-loss process, and haven't had any trouble losing weight. Sometimes I guess based on major ingredients; sometimes I use MFP database entries & just pick one on the higher side for that type of dish. Works well enough.
It sounds like you have a pretty level-headed relationship with eating and food, so it's good not to let yourself slip into compulsiveness about hyper-accurate logging.0 -
Don't forget my last post, though. You need to be safe if you've had any previous issues with eating disorders.. In future, definitely weigh all the food you possibly can, as estimating all the time will result in little to no loss [or even a gain].DearNeptune wrote: »Mavrick_RN wrote: »What are the reasons for estimating your food?
If you are trying to gain weight then I would over estimate so I get all my calories in.
If you are trying to lose weight then it would make far more sense to underestimate so you don't go over your calorie goal.
If they are estimating what they've already eaten, I would reverse those two. Underestimating what you've already eaten may lead to eating over your calories.
You're right, I think it's better to overestimate just so I wouldn't go over my calorie goal.
I'm estimating everything and losing weight. Around a pound or more a week. I refuse to let my children see my relationship with food being me weighing every single little bite I put into my mouth. I think that's just as unhealthy as them seeing me eat everything in sight.
I only said that due to the amount of people we get on the forums who post asking why they haven't lost weight... Only to reveal they weigh little to nothing of what they are cooking with.
I understand that. I just think it's a bit of an over simplification. I know my measurements aren't the most accurate so i tend to over estimate. It might become more of an issue when I have less weight to lose but I'll deal with that when I come to it.
How is it over-simplification..?
If you weigh your food accurately, you know your intake. Period... It's the main thing every single person asks when someone posts that they haven't lost weight or are losing too slowly. While you don't want your children to see your relationship with food that way, it doesn't mean the method is flawed. It is your own personal circumstances making the situation difficult.
The situations not difficult, I'm just not willing to do it for personal reasons.. You said people who dont weigh their food dont lose or even gain. I'm saying that's not true. People can do it without weighing. That's just not the popular opinion here on MFP. Some may not be able to but it can be done.
Well, I guess good luck to you when the plateaus begin...? Not sure how much you've lost or how long you've been at this.
As you lose weight, you need to keep a heavier hand on the tracking, as your body will expend less energy. At first, I didn't have to track so much - after 65lbs+ lost, the change in how much energy my body takes up now vs when 200lbs... Now, estimation won't work so well, as my own estimations of what makes me lose what have changed drastically.
No actual reason to start an argument over it, though. I already stated why I made the comment, and I'm holding to it.0 -
Say oooh this is delicious!! Can I have the recipe
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