How do you guys do this?

SilentDan82

So about a month ago I decided to start eating healthier and counting calories. Making healthier choices has been fairly easy but I'm having a really hard time logging everything. There seems to be always something that's not logable (all day family outings to the zoo/park/etc., work lunches, BBQs, parties...) that throws everything off. The only time I was able to successfully log everything was when I prepared every single meal for the week on the Sunday and ate nothing else that week. But that takes pretty much the entire Sunday and I'm often out somewhere on the weekends so I don't always have that kind of time. Even if I do manage the prepare it, the unplanned meals still throw everything off. The only solutions I can think of is to load up on store-bought freezer meals (which compromises the healthy eating goal) and carry around a small scale and weigh everything other people prepare (which is kinda weird and impractical).

Shawshankcan

Estimate, find comparables; realize that it isn't an exact science.

TalaNrys

I generally just guestimate, or find a similar meal in the Food section of MFP and deal with it. Or, if your at a restaurant that has a calorie count listed on the menu, use a Quick Add and don't specify what it is if you don't have time.
A lot of being successful in this is really just taking the time to log in things. It doesn't have to be 100% accurate, just a good idea.
If for example in your BBQ thing, if their doing burgers I might log a burger patty, the slice of american cheese, and my bun, and condiments.
You'll get a good eye after a while for how large something is. Though often times, when we're going out to eat, I'll bring my scale with me and weigh just like, my meat, cause that's not something I'm great at.

KeepOnMovjng

If you're eating at a restaurant or any where like it check the places website for the nutritional information. It usually says on there what the dishes calories are

JeromeBarry1

This is the tool. Use it as effectively as you can figure. Some of us are better at figuring this out than others, but it's the same tool.

snowflake954

When you're invited to bbq's and parties, you have to watch yourself and learn to estimate. When you go on family outings, prepare you're own food. When doing work lunches, pick things that are easier to figure out calorie wise. Eating out packs on the pounds if you don't know how to make the right choices. Log everthing--you have to get used to it and be accountable.

explodingmango

What works best for me is, I don't religiously stick to the calorie count MFP provides me as a target - rather, the number on my diary is the upper end of a target range (the lower end is 1200 - this also works nicely with MFP because it gives me a warning if I try to mark my day as completed while under that target). If I have "unloggables", I do one of two things: either I estimate by adding a comparable item in the food section, or I don't log anything and just shoot to keep my loggable intake in the lower end of my target range.

Of course, the best method varies for everyone, but that's what gives me the best and most sustainable results. Think it might work for you some days? Try it out.

cmriverside

We all have to figure out how to deal with our food. Just logging your meals out will lead to you making better choices on what and how much you eat when you are out. We all eat meals we don't prepare ourselves. Make it work for you.

Lots of great suggestions in this thread, and most of them I use myself.

Suzanne_the_foot_lady

I prepare most of my own meals. I used to buy lunch pretty much every day at work, but making a packed lunch not only enables me to count calories, but is saving me loads of money. The database of foods is very extensive, so with a bit of time, you can learn to guesstimate pretty well. I also try to eat the same thing for breakfast for each week so that I can just press yesterday's breakfast. I also measured my amounts by for instance putting the milk I have with my coffee into the cup, then transferring it to a measuring jug to see how much I naturally use, rather than choosing what I think is a good amount and measuring it out each time. This way I don't need to measure my milk each morning.

countcurt

Sorry. Not buying. EVERYTHING is loggable. Perhaps not with the same accuracy, but half of logging is about 'owning' your choices and actions. If you're not able to figure something out in the moment, take a picture and break it down later.

This is an important skill. And an important behavior. Because unless you plan to never eat out again (or otherwise deviate from plan), you'll never figure out how to manage.

staticsplit

I guess as much as I can. Today I ate a chili cheeseburger and fries after running a race. I might have underestimated a little, but I still have plenty of a deficit. If I consistency log, even if I have to guess sometimes, I still tend to hit my goals. If I stop logging, bad habits creep back in. Keeps me accountable.

caramel827

I agree with everything here- everything is indeed loggable but you will have to find foods that compare for certain events. I always over estimate so that I don't give myself more calories left than I should.

HelensBeads

Eating out = 1000 calories
Eating out, main + pudding = 1500 calories
Buffet style dinner = 2000 calories
For my logging anyway, and try not to do more than one a week.

88olds

Counting calories is a science and an art. Crunch the numbers and record as well as you can when you have control.

Then there are the situations you list. First, recognize those are tough. Don't do like a lot of folks do and say, there's no way to get an exact number, the heck with it.

Use the pointers in this thread and your heathy eating mind set to do the best you can. Keep trying to put a good faith number on everything you eat. The most important thing is to just keep logging your intake. But how do you know if you're doing it right?

The scale. If you're losing in those circumstances, you're a good estimator.
Something I haven't seen mentioned, keep weighing and measuring at home and you will train your eye as to portion sizes. Stick with it. Perfect is the enemy of the good.

amtyrell

Ever hear the adage "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good"
I know my log is not perfect but it is good enough to keep me accountable. I am down 54 lbs since Februaryusing a good but not perfect log.
I weigh and log what I can as accurateas I can and do a solid reasonable estimate on everything else.

PattiMargarita

If you feel you can't log it, don't eat it. That is why my family doesn't eat it, ever. I don't know what ingredients they are using so I don't eat it. Until you are doing this for awhile, I would avoid eating anything you don't prepare. Eat before or after you go. This is hard work. I have about 100 pounds to lose. I have lost before and not eating other than what I made is the only way I knew I was accurately logging.

As for meals throughout the week... I have kids/hubby and work and I have to sit and plan my week. Then, make sure I have the right foods for my plan in the house. I am just starting to learn about meal prepping. We did it tonight. I was making dinner and prepping food for the week at the same time.

I think it is all about priorities. Right now mine is to get healthy. You have to find your priority. You can do this!

Spliner1969

Shawshankcan wrote: »

Estimate, find comparables; realize that it isn't an exact science.

Yup. Over-estimate if you must but you just have to estimate. Think about what you are eating, how it was made and the ingredients that went into it. Figure if you are eating out it was probably fried in oil or butter, has tons of sodium, and/or is generally not leaner cuts of meat (because fattier cuts are more tender and juicy). Everything is able to be logged, it just might not be that accurate.