What if they are wrong about a calorie?

pyrowill

Hi

Something that has kind of been buzzing around my head, a calorie. Yes it is a scientific measurement of which I imagine there has been quite a bit of research about. However I occasionally wonder, what if they are wrong? Or even slightly off? Say a 200cal pack of crisps, I know that is an average, but is there anyway they are wrong? And it could be more like 250 or 300? What if the worker who puts that donut in the case by accident puts more sugar in one or more sauce in that takeaway meal? I know say if something says on average its 272cals, then its prob not 272, it could be 265, or 280, thats not big deal. But these variations can all add up. Just how reliable is it do you think?

And it works the other way too about calories burnt. Again I know it's an average and everyone is different, but I always wonder....what if they are way off.

Perhaps it is just paranoia in something we have to put a lot of trust in! Although I also know that if you are generally healthy those fluctuations shouldn't matter too much anyway.

Food for thought

Will
x

MissAnjy

You can't focus on the what if's all the time. Don't even think about it. Do what you can, eat in moderation, eat healthier options. Most people on MFP who follow their calorie goal, lose the appropriate amount of weight. Something about that is right.

cerysrhi

I think you are right we do put a lot of faith in the figures, yes there has been loads of research done but they could still be way off base which is why I set my MFP up to lose 2lb a week that way if I have underestimated the cals in my food and overestimated my exercise cals I should still lose a lb a week which is what I would like. there must be some truth in it all cos I've been sticking to MFP rigidly and have consistently lost 2lb a week x

pyrowill

Yeah absolutely, I was going to say something must be right since people do get on well with calorie counting. It was more a curiosity than a serious paranoia

wiggleroom

I generally trust the food calories to be about right -- but I am really wary of the workout calories. I don't feel like I burn 300 calories in 30 minutes on a step machine, when I supposedly burn the same in 40 minutes of my really hard, whole body aerobic routine!

I try to eat back 100 or so fewer calories than I "burn" (though I don't succeed at this very often), and I try to focus not just on calorie counts but also on the quality of what I'm eating. I'm not one that believes "a calorie is a calorie." I know that I feel better after eating a handful of carrots over a couple of pretzels, even if they're exactly the same calorie count. I figure my body can process the good stuff better, so any variation in the accuracy of calories probably doesn't matter that much.

dawnemjh

I"ve thought about that when I get coffee at Dunkins. They estimate 80 calories for a medium cream no sugar. But thats with a certain amount of cream, and of course every time you go your coffee is not the exact same as the one before....

Mindful_Trent

This is why weight loss can never be an exact science. There are too many unknowns. You never know *exactly* how many calories you are consuming, or even *exactly* how many you are burning. Your body doesn't always react exactly the same way every time. Things will impact how our bodies work - illnesses, stress, etc. Everything is an estimate. Sometimes the estimates are close and you'll find you lose about what you "should" based on the estimates. Other times, you'll find you lose less or more than you "should". It's just how it goes. You can't bother spending time putting energy into worrying about stuff like this - it is what it is and you have to accept it an let it go.

jimmydeanbakker

Hi

Something that has kind of been buzzing around my head, a calorie. Yes it is a scientific measurement of which I imagine there has been quite a bit of research about. However I occasionally wonder, what if they are wrong? Or even slightly off? Say a 200cal pack of crisps, I know that is an average, but is there anyway they are wrong? And it could be more like 250 or 300? What if the worker who puts that donut in the case by accident puts more sugar in one or more sauce in that takeaway meal? I know say if something says on average its 272cals, then its prob not 272, it could be 265, or 280, thats not big deal. But these variations can all add up. Just how reliable is it do you think?

And it works the other way too about calories burnt. Again I know it's an average and everyone is different, but I always wonder....what if they are way off.

Perhaps it is just paranoia in something we have to put a lot of trust in! Although I also know that if you are generally healthy those fluctuations shouldn't matter too much anyway.

Food for thought

Will
x

We're pretty much talking about estimations in the first place, so none of this is exact. At any given time, a food product can be anywhere from 0 to 15 percent off it's true calories, and that's not really a big deal in the scheme of things. As long as you're coming in under your calorie count, using a food scale, and being honest with yourself, you'll lose weight and look great.

grouch201

I think this is why it's important to make your own foods from scratch. I'd figure things are pretty close to exact on basic things like how many calories are in a cup of flower, how many calories are in a certain fruit or veggie. As soon as you ask somebody else to make something for you, you are taking a gamble as to what you might get. They might be a little heavier on this ingredient or that ingredient. They might put a little less of something good in there than you might expect. Sure it takes more time to weigh and measure when you make something yourself, but in the end you're more likely to have an accurate count of what you have consumed.

kerryannk

I generally trust the food calories to be about right -- but I am really wary of the workout calories. I don't feel like I burn 300 calories in 30 minutes on a step machine, when I supposedly burn the same in 40 minutes of my really hard, whole body aerobic routine!

A heart rate monitor can give you a more accurate number when it comes to calories burned

Belle_Fille

1) most things (like to donuts you are talking about) are prepared by machines these days. everything is pre measured. There wont be a worker putting any more sugar on one then the other

2) if something that is home made happens to be a little off- it wont kill you! It takes 3500 calories to gain a pound. So an extra 50 or whatever is no big deal. and if it was to put you over on calories if this "happened" to be over, I hear its actually good to go over every now and then. It keeps your matabalism working, and changes things up.

3) if I obsessed, stressed, and always thought about the things that could happen, I would die at a young age, as my grandfather did. (he always obsessed about the what ifs, he stressed about every little thing- he died at 50 something years old of a heart attack)

mapnerd2005

A calorie is the amount of heat (energy) it takes to heat 1 grams of water 1 degree celcius. The calories in your food are actually kilocalories, which is why you sometimes see people post about kcals. The totals on the packages should be considered averages. Sometimes what's in a meal will have more calories, and sometimes it will have fewer. Overall, though, it should even out in the longrun. Just be as accurate as you can be. If you cook at home, measure your food. If you eat at a restaurant, bakery, or fast-food place, just make sure you choose your meals wisely. I suggest getting the Eat This, Not That books if you eat out often.

AnnaPixie

Actually, there was a prog on in the UK not so long ago about this. They reckon the method of measuring calories is very much out of date, so what you see on food packets could very well be off. Also, the calories you burn are going to be different every time, as accountantboi said, there are too many body variables for it to be the same. Even using my HRM I get different readings when I do the exact same step class on different days.

So yes, you are right that it's not accurate. But no need to get paranoid as it's all we got! The idea is if you find you're not losing weight, then you have to tweek things to suit. Everyone is biologically so different that what works for one wont work for another. You need to get to know your own body and go from there. BUT the calorie counters, both ways, are a great start!

Good luck :flowerforyou:

That_Girl

I don't really think about it. Life is about faith. We trust our car won't break down in the middle of the freeway. We trust the food we eat won't make us sick. We trust the clothes we buy won't fall apart after one wash.

Maybe they are off by a little bit...but it hasn't been THAT big of a difference to make people not lose weight.