OCD about checking nutrition facts on MFP database

slynn217

Am I the only one OCD about checking nutrition facts to make sure MFP's database is correct? I've seen a many items that have NI facts in the database & it's caused me to always have to check & make sure...which sucks since that was suppose to be the convenient part. Kinda wish someone would go through & clean the database info up but I'm sure it's impossible since there's so much!

myukniewicz

i do the same thing!!! and i have found a couple that aren't accurate, that i have had to change. :frown:

Melis25Fit

I agree. That's really frustrating for me as well. I usually double check it always and then go back and re-enter things. Quite time consuming, but good to know the exact cals I'm putting in my mouth!

kaymd

I have edited a few things myself.

happy115

I have a question. Some of the ingrediants don't have a (*) next to them - are they the "official" calories?

myukniewicz

I have a question. Some of the ingrediants don't have a (*) next to them - are they the "official" calories?

good question... i have wondered the same thing... i would assume so??? lol i guess those are the ones the MFP inputted??

DJJW

I'm worried about how accurate the exercise calorie loss is too. My bike says one thing and MFP says another (in my favor) so I'm nervous about my first weigh in.

edorice

I wish there was a way to delete the wrong information. It can be frustrating. I don't feel like i have OCD about it. Once I have it corrected on my side I have that information saved for me. I don't get too annoyed by the wrong info though.
This is a free site and overall very helpful.

Aeriel

I think the ones that are missing the * are the ones either MFP entered or the ones you've entered yourself.

Whenever I find something wrong, or just a little wrong, I correct it and usually make a notation for Canada or Canadian. Sometimes the minor differences are just which country the product is entered from. I see small variations between Canadian versions and US versions all the time.

rbsteen

I do ALL the time! Calorieking.com is my fav resource!

frogmommy

I have also come to realize that package information changes on brands that I use often. I suspect that is part of it, however, it doesn't stop me from checking things multiple times

willimh

Don't let it bother you cause the sight is free and it is easy to make the adjustments. As for the exercise calories being accurate, they are not but, they aren't that far off either. The best thing you can do for yourself is get a HRM, body media, body bugg etc just something to take the guessing game out of the equation. A pedometer that counts your steps and calories burned may work as well, just make the investment.

calell83

I always check too, especially when it is something I have not entered yet. Of course I am getting to the point where I pretty much know the calorie information for the foods I eat on any type of regular basis so it is a bit easier now.

Niveous

Nope, you're not the only one. I always check. It's important to me that I know what I'm putting into my body, and I'm especially 'particular' about tracking my nutrition. If you asked my boyfriend though, he would tell you that I'm OCD about it, since he commented on this very thing just the other day. :P

fromaquasar

I think one of the great things about this site is that the community regulates the accuracy of our calories, which means unusual or regional foods or brands are here when they aren't in other sites (when you don't live in the US or UK it is hard to find sites for your brands of food calories!) Just think every time you check and correct you are making the site stronger! THANKS!

myukniewicz

i am a little sketchy about the exercise calorie amounts too, but i am confident that they are close enough
plus, i am getting a HRM for Christmas!!! *does happy dance* im stoked about that by the way ha ha

DJJW

i am a little sketchy about the exercise calorie amounts too, but i am confident that they are close enough
plus, i am getting a HRM for Christmas!!! *does happy dance* im stoked about that by the way ha ha

Jealous:)

edorice

I do ALL the time! Calorieking.com is my fav resource!

Thanks!

utamore

Agree agree agree...

(1) I take some solace in the idea that MFP has GOT to be better than nothing. Sure it's probably 100 cals off here or there (was my hardcore ashtanga yoga session really only 300? Does this generic turkey sandwich entry really match up with the gigantic bread slices this restaurant uses?), but at least it gives us something to work with.

(2) Gotta be a bit OCD to be counting calories in the first place. I try to add new stuff that's not on here, even if it's homemade, using precise calculations from the ingredients boxes. Like everyone else here I'm sure there's plenty of wrong stuff. For instance, I noticed that one of the most popular recipes on allrecipes.com for Frogmore Stew lists sodium in the thousands but that doesn't take into account what gets drained... whatev. I just try and live with close is close enough...

booch221

The database is becoming too large and is unwieldy. I wish there was a way to get just the MFP information first and then the user generated entries.

binary_jester

Umm I lower them all. I figure if MFP says my Double Whopper is only 10 calories...it is only 10 calories. Right?

LotusF1ower

I always doublecheck when I use a food or drink for the first time, after that it is saved in my own foods. I roughly eat much the same things to be honest, have approximately twenty foods that I tend to stick to (mainly because I love them so much :laugh: )

Regarding exercise, I only do running and know how many calories I burn for that. If I were to do some other form of exercise, I would see what MFP says it is, compare it to another exercise calorie site I have and then use commonsense.

The one thing I do not do is become obsessed that my exercise calories may be out by 10 or 20, because that is not going to make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.

anovasjo

I'm getting OCD about plain ole BEING on MFP all the damn time. I snack a lot, so I always log in right after I eat anything at all (so I don't forget portions etc) and then I end up posting on the forums for an hour.
:embarassed:

vickthedick

Depends. I did Weight watcher for a long time so i have a fairly good concept of how things stack up caloriewise, however if something looks off I will go straight to restaurant website when available.


As for exercise calories, my best advice is not to eat them back.