Do you track condiments, drinks, creamer, etc?

vivakatie

So I haven't been tracking condiments, creamer, salt etc. do you guys tend to track these things? I haven't so far because I haven't had access to a food scale to get exact measurements to track with and have just been 'eye balling' things trying to do the least amount possible. Yay or nay for tracking every-single-thing that goes into our bodies?

Chef_Barbell

They have calories. They add up. I track them.

snickerscharlie

If my body counts them, so do I.

JaydedMiss

absolutely. I dont track salt i add on top of food though.

jennifer_417

Have you checked how many calories are in a single tablespoon of creamer? It adds up quick!

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Yes - my coffee creamer was adding up to 140 calories per day. That can really eat into your deficit.

I track anything with calories.

GrinnyMae

I would. Creamers and condiments (especially things like mayonnaise and salad dressing) can be high in calories. I don't track things like salt, pepper, spices and seasonings.

That said, if you are still losing even while not tracking those things there is no rule that says you have to start.

malibu927

Yay. You could easily cut into your deficit by not logging them.

cross2bear

I track everything, except maybe mustards. Ketchup, green relish, coffee creamer (about 20 calories in 10% cream in those little cups), but I dont track like lettuce on a burger - though I will the tomato! But I reason that I didnt gain weight because of a slice of tomato - anyway, I am usually sufficinet calories under my calorie goal each day to really not worry about every morsel, but I try to be as accurate with the big stuff as I can be. Down 100lbs.

janejellyroll

Yes. Condiments, creamer, and drinks can be major sources of calories for some people. Even if you don't consume much at a time, if you have a smaller deficit or if you eat them regularly, it can add up to something significant.

fitoverfortymom

Indeed. Packets of condiments can be hundreds of calories. I count/measure the half and half in my coffee every morning. Sometimes I forget to log my coffee, but I always log the half n half.

Asher_Ethan

I track everything. Even if I take a bit of my kids food, I track it.

casiobarnes

Echoing everyone else - I count all that stuff, as it's usually quite calorie dense. When I do wiff my numbers, it's usually on things like salad greens, but 3 extra grams of arugula isn't going to hurt me

I know not everyone can run out and buy a bunch of supplies, but I recommend measuring spoons that aren't on a ring. Mine have magnets on the handles and I keep them on the side of the fridge. Makes it very easy to measure out coffee creamer in the morning, rinse the spoon and let it dry on the fridge for the next time I need it.

I used to use the kind on a ring and was making myself nuts having to dig the whole set out of the bottom of the sink a million times a day. Maybe you keep a more tidy kitchen than me though, haha.

And of course a digital food scale. Tare is my best friend!
(I'm a person who wants to wash as few dishes as possible)

dragon_girl26

Yep. Ketchup alone is like 20 calories for 17g/1 tbsp. That's actually a very small amount of ketchup...likely most people consume 3-4 times that much in a single setting. Same goes for sauces, creamers, cooking oil, and butter. They all count. If you use 1 tbsp of oil to cook, that alone is 120 calories unaccounted for.

PaulaWallaDingDong

If you're not able to measure, make your best honest guess. I used to not pay attention to cream and sugar. The day I did was the day I started taking my coffee black.

3rdof7sisters

Everything. They add up quickly. Even little tastes of things.

trigden1991

Personally I don't as I use them very sparingly, have a high TDEE and a big enough deficit to account for them.

dmwh142

I track anything with calories. I don't track diet coke as it has none but I measure and track my creamer.

vivakatie

casiobarnes wrote: »

Echoing everyone else - I count all that stuff, as it's usually quite calorie dense. When I do wiff my numbers, it's usually on things like salad greens, but 3 extra grams of arugula isn't going to hurt me

I know not everyone can run out and buy a bunch of supplies, but I recommend measuring spoons that aren't on a ring. Mine have magnets on the handles and I keep them on the side of the fridge. Makes it very easy to measure out coffee creamer in the morning, rinse the spoon and let it dry on the fridge for the next time I need it.

I used to use the kind on a ring and was making myself nuts having to dig the whole set out of the bottom of the sink a million times a day. Maybe you keep a more tidy kitchen than me though, haha.

And of course a digital food scale. Tare is my best friend!
(I'm a person who wants to wash as few dishes as possible)

I'm scared of my coffee creamer calories but alas, those calories definitely do add up!
& that is a good idea of keeping your measuring spoon on the fridge! I'll bring mine to work with me to measure out my creamer and girl, I am right there with you digging that thing out of the sink every time!

MelanieCN77

Yeah I like milk and sugar in my morning coffee, comes to about 50 cals. Over a week that's a meal's worth of calories I'd be eating and pretending I didn't.

everher

If you don't have a food scale yet I would guesstimate the calories. For sure, they're more than 0 calories (which is how it seems now since you aren't logging them at all).

There are going to be other times when maybe you didn't prepare the food or you eat out at a restaurant that doesn't have nutritional information available so it's good to get in the habit and practice of guesstimating now and try to get as accurate as possible with it.

H_Ock12

I count mayo and salad dressing (I need the fat grams to count!), but no other condiments. I've had success losing weight and don't feel the need to worry myself with strict counting.

quiksylver296

Yep.

Ready2Rock206

Of course! 5 or less calories of mustard is one thing but I could easily use a 100 calories of creamer in a coffee If I wasn't measuring or bothering to count and at a couple cups a day and that adds up!

crzycatlady1

When I'm losing weight yes. In maintenance I'm a bit more laid back with condiments, but calorie drinks yes all the time.

brendadonnelly26

If you add a Turkey burger with cheese for 290 calories, does that include the bun?

sammyliftsandeats

brendadonnelly26 wrote: »

If you add a Turkey burger with cheese for 290 calories, does that include the bun?

Typically, but it's better to track all the components individually so you can be sure. A user who created that entry may have different bun choices than you.

Reaverie

Depends on the calories. Mustard, probably not. I mean, youd have to pour it on to make a dent and then the sandwhich is eww.. creamer.. YEAH.. 1tbs of my favorite hazelnut creamer is 60 cal.. I take 4. I HATE less than that and cant drink the coffee without it. So pretty much my breakfast consists of coffee and yogurt or coffee and grapefruit. Mayo is VERY loaded.. but its also nasty so I dont have to worry about ever touching that. Dressing is nasty. I do have fat free italian for when I feel like it needs more flavor and I even track that. 1tbs is 15cal and its all I can stand.

Reaverie

brendadonnelly26 wrote: »

If you add a Turkey burger with cheese for 290 calories, does that include the bun?

Use the recipe builder to build your own recipes with what you use and then plug it in. Just used it today on my sister in laws crockpot chicken chili. Made it easier than doing it by hand each time as she uses the same items and amounts every time she makes it. Wish she would drop a can of chili beans though.. man those calories add up! ANd the sodium is aweful!

markrgeary1

Yes and it's useful. My bloodwork suggests too much saturated fat. Well my dairy suggested several tablespoons of heavy cream might be the problem.

estherdragonbat

I don't track mustard or sriracha. I've been known to eyeball salsa. But mayo, relish, sugar, sour cream... all tracked.