Logging food when eating out

achampa23

I have had trouble tracking calories when eating out. I love to go to local restaurants, but those restaurants aren't in the mfp log. So I struggle to track my food when I go out? I am curious as to what others do in this situation

WinoGelato

I look at the menu online ahead of time, then I look to see if that restaurant is in the database (if local as you mention, likely not). So then I look for similar meals to what I plan to order from a chain restaurant (like if Italian look at Olive Garden or Carrabas, if Mexican look at On The Border, etc). I also look for similar dishes entered that have a named chef's recipe like "Ima Garten Coq au Vin) and may choose one of those. I aim for the highest calorie total, but ultimately I know it's an estimate at best.

Not what you asked about but I also bank calories during the week so I have extra cals for a planned restaurant meal.

I did this while losing, eating out pretty often, and now in maintenance eat in restaurants weekly or monthly and never had issues with this derailing my progress.

toxikon

I just do my best and try to find a similar dish on MFP and not do it too often.

Editme12

Sometimes I break down what I'm eating, using my hand as a reference. And I try to over estimate. Like, Mexican food. I lay out the tacos, compare the tortilla to my hand to then log later (4", 6", etc). I think about the meat, sour cream, cheese, all compared to what measurements I know. Then I usually add 200 calories to whatever my meal total is for good measure, if they add butter unexpectedly or what have you.

lorrpb

Also, eat only half of whatever you're served and take the rest home. It will make another 1-2 meals and you'll get to have that yummy food more times!

Verity1111

achampa23 wrote: »

I have had trouble tracking calories when eating out. I love to go to local restaurants, but those restaurants aren't in the mfp log. So I struggle to track my food when I go out? I am curious as to what others do in this situation

I find a restaurant that has a similar item of the same or similar portion as well (I check yelp and google images) and I log that and over-estimate to be safe. I don't do that much lately, but it still works. I try to go to places that have their nutrition facts listed online.

ktekc

if its burgers at the local diner down the road i use the red robin build a burger feature on their website to figure it out as best i can. It has just about everything you can imagine for options to add.

kgirlhart

I just pick a similar chain restaurant and use their entries.

Gisel2015

achampa23 wrote: »

I have had trouble tracking calories when eating out. I love to go to local restaurants, but those restaurants aren't in the mfp log. So I struggle to track my food when I go out? I am curious as to what others do in this situation

I just don't log my food or even try to find something in the MFP database because it would be time consuming and very inaccurate; and I don't estimate my calories either. I make a note in the comments section of my diary describing what I ate and where and that's all.

If I know that the restaurant has the menu on line, then I will take a look to have an idea, but I will not log it either unless the restaurant has the nutritional information available in the menu or in their website. But that's me.

LAWoman72

I usually mentally deconstruct the meal and I enter it an ingredient at a time. It really doesn't take as much time as you might think.

I tend to probably overestimate on the quantities just to be on the safe side and I'll add in oil, butter, etc. - every single ingredient I know is in there.

It seems to be working for me as I am continuing to lose.

jdog022

Gisel2015 wrote: »

achampa23 wrote: »

I have had trouble tracking calories when eating out. I love to go to local restaurants, but those restaurants aren't in the mfp log. So I struggle to track my food when I go out? I am curious as to what others do in this situation

I just don't log my food or even try to find something in the MFP database because it would be time consuming and very inaccurate; and I don't estimate my calories either. I make a note in the comments section of my diary describing what I ate and where and that's all.

If I know that the restaurant has the menu on line, then I will take a look to have an idea, but I will not log it either unless the restaurant has the nutritional information available in the menu or in their website. But that's me.

so you would rather be 0% accurate then guess to probably 80-90%?

I do what most above said by choosing similar chain meals and then I add in 10-15 % buffer.

richardgavel

I also use similar restaurant, but I try and pick one I've been too so I can eyeball the difference in portion sizes.

Gisel2015

jdog022 wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

achampa23 wrote: »

I have had trouble tracking calories when eating out. I love to go to local restaurants, but those restaurants aren't in the mfp log. So I struggle to track my food when I go out? I am curious as to what others do in this situation

I just don't log my food or even try to find something in the MFP database because it would be time consuming and very inaccurate; and I don't estimate my calories either. I make a note in the comments section of my diary describing what I ate and where and that's all.

If I know that the restaurant has the menu on line, then I will take a look to have an idea, but I will not log it either unless the restaurant has the nutritional information available in the menu or in their website. But that's me.

so you would rather be 0% accurate then guess to probably 80-90%?

I do what most above said by choosing similar chain meals and then I add in 10-15 % buffer.

I have been maintaining my weight for almost 7 years. Accuracy is not something that I worry much, time is more important to me and I am very good a portion control. I mostly don't eat my exercise calories so I always have extra calories available for days like today and this coming weekend.

Today my husband and I had lunch in a tapas/spanish restaurant. There is not way that I am going to spend time looking for something close enough to what I had for lunch, except for 1/2 of a mango gazpacho soup. Even then, what ever I log it may over or under estimated.

jdog022

7 years in and sure you can probably do all of this without measuring, tracking etc but a majority of the users asking these questions are nowhere near that level of eyeball and gut feeling expertise. OPs first visit here was 4 weeks ago

Gisel2015

jdog022 wrote: »

7 years in and sure you can probably do all of this without measuring, tracking etc but a majority of the users asking these questions are nowhere near that level of eyeball and gut feeling expertise. OPs first visit here was 4 weeks ago

I am with you, but I never logged when I was losing either unless I had the nutritional information available. What can I tell you I am a weird snow flake

I like to add that I mostly eat at local places so it is very difficult to find something similar in MFP and searching on line for something similar is not my thing to do.