Eating out? It's pretty easy to underestimate your intake!

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  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Was at work, so sorry for not responding to this thread after making it! :)

    I just wanted to say, i am NOT saying "oh my god guys, it's so innacurate, you might as well not even count it!". I just thought it'd be interesting to point out the fact that according to the labeling guidelines, these foods can have a margin of error up to 20% (and this is only on the calories per 100 gram).

    Let's give a hypothetical scenerio:
    Package of Chips
    Serving size 1 bag (30g)
    Calories per 100g 200
    Calories per bag (30g) 60

    What you'll find sometimes with weighing items, is the serving size/container will state the calories for 30g but the item really weighs 40g. So, if the calories per 100 gram are off by the maximum 20% the real value is 240 calories per 100 grams. Then your bag is actually 40g, or actually 96 calories.

    Is it that big of a difference? Obviously with only one item it is not. My main point was that even when you are tracking your calories diligently and using accurate information to be best of your ability, it is still possible to eat more than you think you are. Sometimes i see people with a very small calorie deficit .5lb or they're trying to lose their last few pounds. For these people the small discrepancies can make or break your success, so this is something you can look into.

    Of course as someone else said above when you have more to lose this becomes less important. Also certain foods will obviously have a higher level of discrepancy such as sauces, condiments, etc. And also, the 20% can be less as well! You might be eating less than you think too. ;)

    Just find all of this information pretty interesting. :)
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    3 pickles is just a tease.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    LazSommer wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    3 pickles is just a tease.

    i know. i'm always the person saying "no, really, extra extra extra pickles".
  • valente347
    valente347 Posts: 201 Member
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    I tend not to eat out much when eating a deficit because all the extra sodium makes me retain water and it makes me crazy as a daily weigher. But I don't worry about it too much. Twenty percent off of 1000 calories is 200 calories, and that's just not much in a week. And if 20 percent is an average, it can go the opposite way as well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    And they make you ask for ketchup with your fries...like anyone is eating fries without ketchup...but that's a whole other pet peeve of mine.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    And they make you ask for ketchup with your fries...like anyone is eating fries without ketchup...but that's a whole other pet peeve of mine.

    Don't worry, the country i live in (in Europe) charges you for sauce. Most commonly fries are ordered with mayo, but regardless both mayo and ketchup cost roughly 1$ per packet (and no... not "big" packets). They also charge you for water here.

    Imagine my surprise as an American when they told me that. LOL
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    And they make you ask for ketchup with your fries...like anyone is eating fries without ketchup...but that's a whole other pet peeve of mine.

    Don't worry, the country i live in (in Europe) charges you for sauce. Most commonly fries are ordered with mayo, but regardless both mayo and ketchup cost roughly 1$ per packet (and no... not "big" packets). They also charge you for water here.

    Imagine my surprise as an American when they told me that. LOL

    In France they charge you for water but usually they brought you bottled water.
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 904 Member
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    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    Very true--the chain restaurants (like McDs) have set rules on how things are prepared (I used to work in McDs).

    Calorie charts are usually posted in the individual restaurants. If they aren't, try looking online.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Oddly enough fast food joints running on low margin tend to have fairly accurate calories compared to what they post in nutritional information when tested by independent labs, likely because their product preparation is very controlled unlike restaurants where cooks/chefs can get very liberal with things like oil, sauces, and butter.

    yep! I know for example mcdonalds, and the like have condiment guns which dispense the exact amount. They also have strict rules on 3 pickles for this, etc. I know some places like chipotle try their best with their leveled scoops, etc.

    I can always tell who's the new person working the counter. They're the ones who are measuring and counting out sammich toppings.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,082 Member
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    I eat out and guestimate a lot and take serving sizes of muesli bars , crisps and the like as having what the scanner says they have, I never weigh them to check.it averages out.

    Lost weight to plan just fine doing this.

    I believe there is a point beyond which accuracy is not needed - if you are reasonably accurate and you are losing as expected, that is good enough.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,147 Member
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    I eat out twice or three times at week and my husband and I don't go to fast food places. Sometimes chain restaurants like Red Robin or Apple's Bee but most of the time to local places without nutritional information.

    The key is to learn what to ask for and how to judge portions sizes and have self control (or just eat what ever you want and call it a day).

    If the main dish is too big (I ask the waiter), I may choose an appetizer and a size salad instead or eat half of my meal and take home the rest, if I am going straight home after my meal.

    I very seldom eat my exercise calories during the week so I have extra calories banked away to compensate for any under estimation or over eating during the weekend. If I don't have access to the nutritional information, I just don't log my food because I see no benefit in underestimating or over estimating.

    I have maintain my weight for close to 6 years with only +/- 2 lbs fluctuation.
  • hotasfire36
    hotasfire36 Posts: 235 Member
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    Wow

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