Hidden calories? and how do you calculate your daily calorie expenditure

lynn_glenmont

ehju0901 wrote: »

As others have said, when weighing foods try to use grams, mililiters, etc.

Also, I don't trust the food entries that are in the database since they are often wrong or outdated. I typically create a new food entry and log it myself. It takes a bit at first, but then you get into a rhythm and it doesn't take too long. Plus, you eventually get to the point where you've created entries for your most commonly consumed items.

Not milliliters. That's a volume measure, just like tablespoons or cups.

paperpudding

I would use mls for liquids

claireychn074

@BrandonRx how’s it going?

mtaratoot

paperpudding wrote: »

I would use mls for liquids

I still use grams for liquids like oil.

My scale weighs in ml (or fluid ounce), but that only works for water. Oil is less dense than water, so 100 grams of oil is 110 ml.

Measuring by volume is less accurate than by mass. But yeah - if the entry you're using from the food database is in volume, you have to convert. I have an entry for olive oil, hazelnut oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil that's in grams.

Easy to measure in grams. Take the lid off the bottle, put it on the scale, and get a tare weight. Pour out what you estimate to be the right amount and then weigh the bottle again. The number will be negative - that's how much you used. Alternately, but the bowl you're pouring the oil into on the scale and tare, then gently pour oil until you get the correct amount.

elisa123gal

The FDA allows for calories posted on menus and packaging to be 10 or 20 percent off. So, if you're eating a lot of packaged and canned foods.. you could easily be eating at maintenance when you think you're at a deficit. This is why cooking everything yourself is the best option.

paperpudding

Tara I dont think measuring by volume is less accurate for liquids.

ml is the unit used on the packaging of milk etc

if it is a liquid I don't weigh it as well

But do whatever works for you OP

I also dont think it is necessary or best to cook everything yourself - if you havent been doing that before, I think it would just make it unnecessarily hard.

Aim to tweak your current or preferred eating style, not to change everything.

mtaratoot

Pud

I think measuring liquids by volume is a LOT less accurate (and for sure less precise) than measuring by mass. If you use different sets of measuring spoons or cups, you might be surprised now different they are. I have some nice Pyrex measuring cups. I know to measure with the bottom of the meniscus on the line I want to use. My smaller cup is better at measuring small volumes, but the scale is far better. This is especially important for high-calorie liquids like oil. I use my measuring cup for water and even for sugar when making hummingbird nectar. It's close enough for that.

I for sure use the scale for oil and salad dressing.

paperpudding

I wouldn't use spoons or cups, I use a small jug with ml on it, quite accurately and precisely measures volume.
Cost a few dollars from supermarket.

Mearuring cups and spoons are standard size though.

BrandonRx

claireychn074 wrote: »

@BrandonRx how’s it going?

Im getting better at it. Using scale more. My weight is still hovering about the same but I also recently started creatine so I know I'm holding more water. My waist is leaner though.

Before at 186 Taken about 3 weeks ago



After around 181