I don’t understand calories

browneyedbelle92
browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
in Motivation and Support
One of the biggest reasons I don’t count calories is I don’t understand how to log everything. I freak out if i couldn’t find something in my fitness pal and I’m pretty sure I log it wrong.

For example I had a cappuccino with skim milk on sugar one sweetner I don’t know how to log that.

Any calories tracking suggestions? I personally just find it overwhelming but I just wanted to see what I consume.
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Replies

  • savannahs21
    savannahs21 Posts: 364 Member
    Track the cappuccino, skin milk, and the sugar one sweetner. separately
  • browneyedbelle92
    browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
    I get so freaked out like tonight I had chicken treat and only chicken not chips and I couldn’t find that option lol
  • browneyedbelle92
    browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
    Do you think you can lose weight without counting calories
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    what is a chicken treat? is it a purchased item you can scan?

  • savannahs21
    savannahs21 Posts: 364 Member
    You can also log everything separately or you can Add a food to the database
  • Kathryn247
    Kathryn247 Posts: 570 Member
    For restaurant food, see if the restaurant has nutrition information on their website. Chain restaurants tend to be better about posting their calorie info, and you may be able to use that info for non-chains. Starbucks has a lot of info that should work for coffee drinks you buy anywhere.
    You don't have to count calories to lose weight, but I find it helpful to see exactly how much I'm eating. All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit, meaning that you burn more calories than you eat. MFP helps me estimate how much I burn, and counting calories lets me know if I have enough calories left in the day for an evening snack.
  • browneyedbelle92
    browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
    I feel that because I get frustrated or obsess it’s very hard but I will definitely try logging individually. Chicken treat is like red rooster basically thanks guys ❤️
  • trbp72
    trbp72 Posts: 33 Member
    Yes...if you don't see it in the database...add it by entering it in...I find a lot of foods are entered incorrectly when searching...so I often enter things from scratch...just so that I know it is accurate...there seems to be a lot of food that gets entered with just the calories (no macro break downs)...so it is probably best and will help you gain an understanding of the workings if you enter everything you are logging from scratch...
  • savannahs21
    savannahs21 Posts: 364 Member
    browneyedbelle92-- You can look up Red lobster and log that
  • browneyedbelle92
    browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
    Thanks guys I get so worried but logging individually I never thought of that so thank you.

    I have lost weight without calorie counting before but I either eat too little or too much.
  • savannahs21
    savannahs21 Posts: 364 Member
    Yes i agree, less calories is still calorie counting
  • ItsAJourny
    ItsAJourny Posts: 69 Member
    What
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    What do they do? sardelsa

    What I do is listen to my body and eat healthier foods (choose an apple instead of a cookie). Lots of veggies and fruit. Water. Exercise. Pay attention to when my body feels good. Avoid snacks after dinner. I also weigh regularly (at least once a week). It provides good feedback.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    Yes i agree, less calories is still calorie counting

    I don't count anything. I cut out a snack or portion. I drink less wine or eat less dinner.
  • browneyedbelle92
    browneyedbelle92 Posts: 37 Member
    ItsAJourny wrote: »
    What
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    What do they do? sardelsa

    What I do is listen to my body and eat healthier foods (choose an apple instead of a cookie). Lots of veggies and fruit. Water. Exercise. Pay attention to when my body feels good. Avoid snacks after dinner. I also weigh regularly (at least once a week). It provides good feedback.

    This is what I’m trying to do as well just be sensible.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    For a cappuccino, you should be able to approximate it by finding a Starbucks skim cappuccino entry, and then just logging it as the particular size you drank (16 oz or whatnot). Basically it's just the skim milk that has the calories, so that could be logged as well if you know the quantity. Add the sugar as a separate entry.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    No. Not true.
    Yes it is, plenty of people do it
    Tell me why there are fat eskimos then? They don't have a diet high in carbs?


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    What do they do? sardelsa
    Go to countries where obesity isn't an issue like Japan. They eat carbs. They eat processed foods. It's just in their culture to NOT eat large portions.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • savannahs21
    savannahs21 Posts: 364 Member
    edited May 2019
    ok? ninerbuff--- i did say low fat OR low carb
    i never said carbs are bad-- i eat them everyday
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    browneyedbelle92 wrote: »
    One of the biggest reasons I don’t count calories is I don’t understand how to log everything. I freak out if i couldn’t find something in my fitness pal and I’m pretty sure I log it wrong.

    For example I had a cappuccino with skim milk on sugar one sweetner I don’t know how to log that.

    Any calories tracking suggestions? I personally just find it overwhelming but I just wanted to see what I consume.

    It's easy to be overwhelmed in the beginning. Just take it easy at first - don't let this stress you out. Pick a meal and log the items in the meal. It may take a bit of time. I PROMISE though - it gets easier and faster over time. When you first learned to drive it took a lot of concentration, you over corrected, and were a nervous wreck. Now, you don't stress about your daily routine. Logging food is the same. Stick with it and it will be easier. I've logged every meal I've eaten now for 475 days. It now takes up maybe 10 minutes of my day in total - not a bad trade for maintaining my weight.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    edited May 2019
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    savannahs21 wrote: »
    What do they do? sardelsa
    Go to countries where obesity isn't an issue like Japan. They eat carbs. They eat processed foods. It's just in their culture to NOT eat large portions.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    They're also more active. Public transportation is much more widely used, and that generally means time spent walking or biking to the subway or bus stop. Additionally, smaller trips are spent walking because everything is much closer together, and traffic is so bad that walking is faster.

    For many people, it was just a small surplus that caused them to slowly gain over the years, so just these "little" things like portion size and extra walking make all the difference between maintaining a healthy weight and gaining.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    I put this together a while back... maybe it will help. There are other excellent posts about logging in the stickies.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10640205/the-basics-of-accurate-logging#latest

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest

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