Confused on the amount of calories I'm having

j9down

I like to use my phone to scan the bar codes, then add it to my diary. It's a very quick way to do it. Most bar codes will tell you how much a serving is, but sometimes there is no way to get around actually weighing, counting or measuring something out. Good luck.

Pandaling920

I'd say a couple of things

a) I've never weighed food and I've lost 7-8 kg (around 14-16 pounds) BUT I am generous with my estimates of sizes and calorie counts and I under estimate exercise.

b) try new Food, now in Delicious flavour!

No wonder you're grumpy if you're on two shakes a day! It's not sustainable (and I'll go out on a limb and say it's not healthy). Try something like oatmeal for breakfast and a thick vege soup for lunch for similarly low calories with more real good food-y-ness about it (that's a real word 'cos I just made it up! :happy: )

Well like I said, I was on the herbalife thing before and I was able to be a lot more strict. I had a shake for lunch and for dinner. At lunch I mostly had 1 piece of chicken (usually with some kind of filling in it so it's not too bland) and 1 cup of veggies, my snack was usually fruit and I had 8 glasses of water a day and that's all for at least 2 months or so and I lost 15lbs. I also took a multivitamin once a day to get nutrition I wasn't getting in my food. I guess some people think it's not healthy but it seemed to be the only thing working for me. I would try hard to just eat right without the shakes but I always seemed to still go over my calories and I was still hungry. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong, I guess just was eating too much even tho it was healthier foods.

As I've said before my living situation makes it hard for me to eat right. This woman I live with is the reason I lost control in the first place. Making so much food and lots of it not even good for me. If I don't eat her food she gets upset and angry and thinks I'm not grateful and that I'm selfish. She makes me feel bad and then I feel worse eating things I shouldn't be. So I'm on the shake morning and afternoon that way I eat whatever she makes but I try to watch portions as much as I can. Even then she complains "why are you eating so little, you need to eat more or you'll die" ok I'm over exaggerating a bit on the last part there but you get it.

Ang108

It's not particularly difficult; you're just not wanting to do it.

Sadly, that is the harsh truth. I've been working a lot of overtime at work lately, so I've found myself being more lazy when I can find the time for it. =/

Guess I just gotta push myself a little more. I just started back on my diet so it's making me a little grumpy and so is work. So more work in something, anything, no matter how little, I find myself not wanting to do it lol. Sad I know.

Hopefully you will get paid for your over time. That should enable you to spend a dollar at the $$$-store to buy a set of measuring cups. That's where I bought mine on a trip to the US and I am willing to bet that Miami is not the only place where they can be bought. I bought my scale on another trip to the US at Target and it cost me around US$ 10.- . Another hour of over time should take care of that.
Good luck !

gigglesinthesun

First off, sorry if there is a post similar to this already, but searching for answers is proving to be difficult and time consuming, so I thought I'd post myself.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something that makes counting calories easier, but it seems some foods make it impossible to know how much you are actually taking in. **I'd like to also point out a very important fact about me before I continue, I suck at math, really, even the most basic stuff I can't figure out, so having the ability to know how to figure out calories may come easy to most but not to me.**

So, an example was today, I had a bagel with some turkey and cheese on it. Well, the bagel was straight forward, 230 calories per 1 bagel, simple enough. The turkey however, said 100 calories per 4 ounces. Ok...well, how am I suppose to know how many ounces a slice is? It doesn't even tell me anywhere on the package. Says the entire package is 16 ounces and that the serving size is 8 per package, but still, call me stupid but I don't know how to figure that out. I don't even know how many slices are in a package either. I had 4 slices but I don't know how many calories 4 slices is.

I don't like having to guess on calories but it seems I have to a lot unless it's pretty straight forward. Even the trail mix I have says how many calories per 3 tpsp. So should I start eating it with a damn tpsp to figure it out?

How do you guys figure out exactly how many calories you are having? Is there a ridiculously simple way to do it that I'm not thinking about? Or is it really this much of a pain?

I'm posting this at the risk that I'm just sounding really dumb just so I can understand how this works because I really want to be good at keeping track so I can be more successful at losing weight.

So to sum it up:

searching the forum for answers by entering a phrase into the search box and pressing enter is too difficult and time consuming

weighing your food is too time consuming

and it's all the woman you live with fault that you have to do this in the first place ... sigh


I suggest you grow up. Some things in life get given to you, others you have to work for. So unless you want to have only shakes or lean cuisine, so need to buy a scale and actually figure out how this works. It's not that hard: you weigh the bagel and log it, you weigh the spread and log it (weigh the bagel and spread and subtract the bagel weight), you weigh the turkey and log it, you weigh any condiments you use and log them.

You can always chose not to lose weight, but that will be YOUR choice, not the fault of MFP or the people here for not making it easier for you and not the woman you live with for providing you food. You are an adult (at least you should be as per the T&Cs) so you have to assume responsibility for yourself and not automatically take the path of least resistance. Good luck :happy:

Pandaling920

First off, sorry if there is a post similar to this already, but searching for answers is proving to be difficult and time consuming, so I thought I'd post myself.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something that makes counting calories easier, but it seems some foods make it impossible to know how much you are actually taking in. **I'd like to also point out a very important fact about me before I continue, I suck at math, really, even the most basic stuff I can't figure out, so having the ability to know how to figure out calories may come easy to most but not to me.**

So, an example was today, I had a bagel with some turkey and cheese on it. Well, the bagel was straight forward, 230 calories per 1 bagel, simple enough. The turkey however, said 100 calories per 4 ounces. Ok...well, how am I suppose to know how many ounces a slice is? It doesn't even tell me anywhere on the package. Says the entire package is 16 ounces and that the serving size is 8 per package, but still, call me stupid but I don't know how to figure that out. I don't even know how many slices are in a package either. I had 4 slices but I don't know how many calories 4 slices is.

I don't like having to guess on calories but it seems I have to a lot unless it's pretty straight forward. Even the trail mix I have says how many calories per 3 tpsp. So should I start eating it with a damn tpsp to figure it out?

How do you guys figure out exactly how many calories you are having? Is there a ridiculously simple way to do it that I'm not thinking about? Or is it really this much of a pain?

I'm posting this at the risk that I'm just sounding really dumb just so I can understand how this works because I really want to be good at keeping track so I can be more successful at losing weight.

So to sum it up:

searching the forum for answers by entering a phrase into the search box and pressing enter is too difficult and time consuming

weighing your food is too time consuming

and it's all the woman you live with fault that you have to do this in the first place ... sigh


I suggest you grow up. Some things in life get given to you, others you have to work for. So unless you want to have only shakes or lean cuisine, so need to buy a scale and actually figure out how this works. It's not that hard: you weigh the bagel and log it, you weigh the spread and log it (weigh the bagel and spread and subtract the bagel weight), you weigh the turkey and log it, you weigh any condiments you use and log them.

You can always chose not to lose weight, but that will be YOUR choice, not the fault of MFP or the people here for not making it easier for you and not the woman you live with for providing you food. You are an adult (at least you should be as per the T&Cs) so you have to assume responsibility for yourself and not automatically take the path of least resistance. Good luck :happy:

Ok so I don't appreciate you telling me to grow up when you don't know everything. I was asking if there was an easier way and when people started telling me that I really need to get a scale, I said ok, I'll try to do that. As far as searching, who said I didn't search? I did. There was about 60 pages of results on what I put in on this site alone and I couldn't find my answer in the first couple of pages. I also googled it as well. So please don't assume that I didn't try to do my research.

You also don't know half of what it's like living where I live. Sure I could tell you, but you still wouldn't understand it unless you were actually seeing it for yourself. This woman has threatened to kick me out because she thinks I'm not grateful and most of it is because I'm trying to eat right and she doesn't want to begin to understand it. I've also been sick + having to work over time so yea, time to do other things is hard. Did I say I wouldn't try? No. But yes, yes I did want to see if there was an easier way.

I never told anyone here to count my calories for me or anything. I just wanted to be pointed in the right direction. I knew that I might hear something I didn't want to but I am willing to accept those things. I'm not crying or complaining that most of these people are telling me to weigh my food, if that's the way it is then so be it but it doesn't make me a child to ask.

I'm not asking for things to be given to me at all. I'm working hard to lose weight considering the conditions I live under. I just finally found a job after months of searching and am trying to save up as much as I can to get out of here. This job probably wont be permanent so I'm going to have to find another one after the season is over. I'm trying to do what I can with what I've got. I know that once I have my own place again that I'll be able to have more control. I would much rather live alone and be able to make my own damn food then have this woman make me feel like **** every single day.

I am a grown woman but that does't mean I can't ask questions. It's being able to accept the answers that counts and I never once in this whole thread said I refused to take the advice people have been given me. In fact I'm grateful to the people that took the time out of their day to tell me what I need to do. So please, don't treat me like I'm a child who didn't do a thing before posting this. I honestly didn't want to but I had been searching for a good hour before I decided to post. So yea, it was time consuming, so I figured since I couldn't find my answer Id ask myself and there is no harm in that.

gigglesinthesun

Ok so I don't appreciate you telling me to grow up when you don't know everything. I was asking if there was an easier way and when people started telling me that I really need to get a scale, I said ok, I'll try to do that. As far as searching, who said I didn't search? I did. There was about 60 pages of results on what I put in on this site alone and I couldn't find my answer in the first couple of pages. I also googled it as well. So please don't assume that I didn't try to do my research.

You also don't know half of what it's like living where I live. Sure I could tell you, but you still wouldn't understand it unless you were actually seeing it for yourself. This woman has threatened to kick me out because she thinks I'm not grateful and most of it is because I'm trying to eat right and she doesn't want to begin to understand it. I've also been sick + having to work over time so yea, time to do other things is hard. Did I say I wouldn't try? No. But yes, yes I did want to see if there was an easier way.

I never told anyone here to count my calories for me or anything. I just wanted to be pointed in the right direction. I knew that I might hear something I didn't want to but I am willing to accept those things. I'm not crying or complaining that most of these people are telling me to weigh my food, if that's the way it is then so be it but it doesn't make me a child to ask.

I'm not asking for things to be given to me at all. I'm working hard to lose weight considering the conditions I live under. I just finally found a job after months of searching and am trying to save up as much as I can to get out of here. This job probably wont be permanent so I'm going to have to find another one after the season is over. I'm trying to do what I can with what I've got. I know that once I have my own place again that I'll be able to have more control. I would much rather live alone and be able to make my own damn food then have this woman make me feel like **** every single day.

I am a grown woman but that does't mean I can't ask questions. It's being able to accept the answers that counts and I never once in this whole thread said I refused to take the advice people have been given me. In fact I'm grateful to the people that took the time out of their day to tell me what I need to do. So please, don't treat me like I'm a child who didn't do a thing before posting this. I honestly didn't want to but I had been searching for a good hour before I decided to post. So yea, it was time consuming, so I figured since I couldn't find my answer Id ask myself and there is no harm in that.

your very first line was about how searching was too difficult and too time consuming, yet you are asking people to use their time and answer your question.

You registered here in June, you have friends so if you then post 5 months down the line 'how do I do this whole calorie counting thing?' it seems a little odd. You are clearly having access to a computer and there tends to be a calculator on the computer so any 'math problems' can easily be solved.

Since it is for financial reasons, you've got to stop being the child in that relationship. It's not easy to enforce boundaries once they are down, but at 29 you are grown up enough to not have to listen to people telling you to finish your plate. Really, you don't. If all fails tell her you have to do it for medical reasons and you can blame the doctor whilst shrugging your shoulder and saying 'what can you do'. Clearly you shouldn't have to resort to this, but if she is that unreasonable.

If calorie counting is too difficult for you, just eat half our normal portions. If you lose too much too quick, eat a little more. Move more, go for walks.

Pandaling920

Ok so I don't appreciate you telling me to grow up when you don't know everything. I was asking if there was an easier way and when people started telling me that I really need to get a scale, I said ok, I'll try to do that. As far as searching, who said I didn't search? I did. There was about 60 pages of results on what I put in on this site alone and I couldn't find my answer in the first couple of pages. I also googled it as well. So please don't assume that I didn't try to do my research.

You also don't know half of what it's like living where I live. Sure I could tell you, but you still wouldn't understand it unless you were actually seeing it for yourself. This woman has threatened to kick me out because she thinks I'm not grateful and most of it is because I'm trying to eat right and she doesn't want to begin to understand it. I've also been sick + having to work over time so yea, time to do other things is hard. Did I say I wouldn't try? No. But yes, yes I did want to see if there was an easier way.

I never told anyone here to count my calories for me or anything. I just wanted to be pointed in the right direction. I knew that I might hear something I didn't want to but I am willing to accept those things. I'm not crying or complaining that most of these people are telling me to weigh my food, if that's the way it is then so be it but it doesn't make me a child to ask.

I'm not asking for things to be given to me at all. I'm working hard to lose weight considering the conditions I live under. I just finally found a job after months of searching and am trying to save up as much as I can to get out of here. This job probably wont be permanent so I'm going to have to find another one after the season is over. I'm trying to do what I can with what I've got. I know that once I have my own place again that I'll be able to have more control. I would much rather live alone and be able to make my own damn food then have this woman make me feel like **** every single day.

I am a grown woman but that does't mean I can't ask questions. It's being able to accept the answers that counts and I never once in this whole thread said I refused to take the advice people have been given me. In fact I'm grateful to the people that took the time out of their day to tell me what I need to do. So please, don't treat me like I'm a child who didn't do a thing before posting this. I honestly didn't want to but I had been searching for a good hour before I decided to post. So yea, it was time consuming, so I figured since I couldn't find my answer Id ask myself and there is no harm in that.

your very first line was about how searching was too difficult and too time consuming, yet you are asking people to use their time and answer your question.

You registered here in June, you have friends so if you then post 5 months down the line 'how do I do this whole calorie counting thing?' it seems a little odd. You are clearly having access to a computer and there tends to be a calculator on the computer so any 'math problems' can easily be solved.

Since it is for financial reasons, you've got to stop being the child in that relationship. It's not easy to enforce boundaries once they are down, but at 29 you are grown up enough to not have to listen to people telling you to finish your plate. Really, you don't. If all fails tell her you have to do it for medical reasons and you can blame the doctor whilst shrugging your shoulder and saying 'what can you do'. Clearly you shouldn't have to resort to this, but if she is that unreasonable.

If calorie counting is too difficult for you, just eat half our normal portions. If you lose too much too quick, eat a little more. Move more, go for walks.

It was time consuming, i said before I searched for a good hour. I didn't think I'd be attacked for asking a question. I thought that was something you could do here. Was I wrong? You make it seem like it. Like I'm horrible for people taking the time out to answer me when I couldn't find it myself.

Yes, I registered in june but have you even noticed that I haven't been on in months? If you're going to look up on me, might want to notice that. It doesn't mean that when I was attempting in june that I didn't know much about how to do it either, but of the time I took shots in the dark. (also those friends were just people wanting friends on here from reddit, I don't know any of them personally) So I just started trying to do my diet again this week and I started doing searches on how I could do it better then just taking shots in the dark like last time. I was having a hard time finding anything so I asked. Why is that such a problem?? I see people asking different things on here before, cause I'm mostly a lurker here. I don't think I've ever seen anyone being given a hard time for asking questions. Honestly weighing my food never really crossed my mind till today and I wasn't sure if there was another way. There isn't, I'm fine with that, why do I need to be told to grow up? Seriously what did I even do wrong here?

I thought this was a place to seek advice, to find out ways to get through this weight loss properly and also a place of encouragement. I feel like I'm being shot down all of the sudden for asking a question. Sure I explained the troubles I have with my current living situation, but I wasn't asking for someone to fix my problems with that, I was stating facts, that it can be hard, that doesn't mean I'm not trying to push through it every single day on my own. I explain things to her all the time and I've figured out that the only thing I can do is try my best to ignore her. It's hard as hell but I'm doing it, if I wasn't, I wouldn't be trying this dieting thing again. I do get worried that she will kick me out. She has mentioned it before, regardless of me having a job and doing the best I can possibly do. That's why sometimes I just give in to what she wants. If I had another place to stay I'd gladly get the hell out of here. She is a very very unreasonable woman. Hell the very day I told myself, alright, buck up, i've gotta try this again, she bought pizza and yelled at me for not having any. I'm stressed out of my mind and that is one reason I ended up going to ****ty foods. I'm an emotional eater. I'm 29, in so much financial **** that I can't afford to get an apartment at the moment and feel like I have no control over anything. So I took a step, told myself to try this diet again, came here seeking advice and this happens.

I really can't wrap my head around why people are having issues with me because I' seeking advice from people who know more then I do about these things. I guess I'll become a lurker again and never ask anything ever again. Sorry that I "bothered" all of you with my stupidity. Silly me to think I could ask something like this and not get at least 1 person to jump on me.

_SantaClause_

In the amount of time you've wasted typing paragraph after paragraph explaining yourself, you could of planned your meals for a week.

Pandaling920

In the amount of time you've wasted typing paragraph after paragraph explaining yourself, you could of planned your meals for a week.

Wow, just wow. I give up, you guys win. I'm stupid for posting here.

Eleanorjanethinner

Hey, I'm sorry people haven't been nice. My post was intended to be lighthearted and friendly so I hope it was taken in the spirit it was given.

Keep up the good work in whatever way works for you and best of luck with it all!

Pandaling920

Hey, I'm sorry people haven't been nice. My post was intended to be lighthearted and friendly so I hope it was taken in the spirit it was given.

Keep up the good work in whatever way works for you and best of luck with it all!

You were helpful, a few people in here were, but I just didn't think I'd get nasty comments from others in a place like this.

Still, I thank you and everyone else who gave me advice. I'm going to invest in a scale today and I'm considering not being on the shakes anymore, but idk about that still.

egrusy

Getting a food scale and a measuring cup (how can someone have no measuring cup in the kitchen????) is definitely the way to go. Since money is an issue I would suggest seeing what you can find on Ebay. Doesn't even have to be a food scale; a postage scale would work. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

SLLRunner

Digital scale. That's it.

Pandaling920

how can someone have no measuring cup in the kitchen????

My thoughts exactly lol