What do you guys do when you eat dinner at someone's house (and have to estimate calories etc?)

wokemel85

Tomorrow I'm going to have dinner with my best friend and her husband. He is making some kind of meatballs in a creamy cheesy sauce, mashed potatoes, and some kind of homemade dip with chips. But I won't be able to find out the exact calories in that. I'm sure eating a portion of chips will be fine, I can correctly add that, and the potatoes I can eyeball a half-cup serving, but as for the dip and meatballs, not sure how to estimate the calories in that.
What do you guys do in these situations?

rankinsect

Guess as best I can and move on. Unless this is a very common thing, it won't really matter in the long run.

peterbuller8

As above a rough guess is all i do no big deal for a one off

kgirlhart

I usually just guess. Sometimes I will ask for the recipe and add it to the recipe builder. I do that a lot with family members.

elisa123gal

Do cardio for one hour and add it to your calories for the day..and then try not to overeat.. you should be fine.

corbinskiii

Estimate high and eat a little less that day if you're super worried, one bad meal won't make you fat just like one salad won't make you thin. Enjoy yourself but don't over indulge, that's my rule of thumb.

TangledThread

I find the food in the mfp database and choose one of higher calorie options. It's an estimate but better than nothing.

AlMonkey

when you've finished eating tell him how good it was, ask for the recipe so you can recreate it and add it to your recipes in the food logging and you're all set!

KetoneKaren

I insist on being there for the food prep. I take my scale along and weigh everything.

Just kidding. Just go and enjoy yourself and log it using the best guess method. Have a good time!

StealthHealth

I just make a guesstimate and use the quick add calories.

RoxieDawn

Remember the world around is not not going to be dieting when you are. This is the fist an foremost thing to remember and that you have to enjoy life's events, holidays and dinner with family and friends.

I might guestimate, or i might just log a quick calorie for the dinner. I might exercise the morning of, have lighter bfast and lunch. I might also say the heck with it.

Its a personal choice, just don't stuff yourself and be sensible, but also enjoy the meal and the company you are with.. this part is priceless.

Trish1c

Asking for the recipe if you can't figure it out. Eat less. Guess high. If you are really concerned, eat a carrot before you go & drink a lot of water while you are there. Also chew very slowly so you eat less.

Remember, it's one meal. You are not wholesale going back to your old ways.

You can do this!

jvtchong

Enjoy your evening, estimate high when logging cals and move on. But mostly enjoy that someone else has made you a meal!

emdeesea

Just eat small portions and move on. One meal in the scheme of the rest of your life is not going matter.

fireytiger

I tend to do the same thing as going to a restaurant that doesn't have calories available online: I look through the MFP database, find the closest thing I can, and pick one of the higher calorie count ones. And then I move on. It's not worth getting bent out of shape over a couple meals in your life that maybe aren't the best for you.

cwolfman13

I don't log and haven't in almost 3.5 years...I know what a reasonable serving of food is...I don't need to know exactly what the calories are and obsess over that. When I did log I'd generally just chalk it up to a nice time out and not worry about it...in the grand scheme of things it's pretty irrelevant.

ObsidianMist

I just say *kitten* it and let myself have a day of glorious eating and don't worry about it.

Machka9

One thing I might do is to look up the recipe online ... find something that resembles it and use the calorie count from that.

mnvicke

I'm so glad I saw this post - I will be going to a friend's house in a few weeks for a get-together, and I was wondering the exact same thing. Lots of great insight. Thanks!!

meritage4

I just eat smaller portions. Don't worry about it too much and tomorrow is a new day.

MARILYNENA

I try to eat healthy I keep to portion control and avoid the chips and dips. I rather spend my calories on stuff that my body needs. I estimate high on the calories just to be safe and I really enjoy my self by being active,