How to log in CHEAT meals???

leopardlushh

So I've posted this thread before...and the response was not enlightening. My question is how do you log in cheat meals that you have NO idea the calorie content???

I'm not talking at a restaurant that has the nutritional menus but places that don't or family dinners? Do you log them in as best you can or just don't log in at all??? Thanks for any advice!

korygilliam

I log them in as best as I can

Fairysoul

I do recipes and then add it from there

MB_Positif

Most things I eat whether cheat or healthy I log based on individual ingredients to the best of my ability...or try to find something that is similar to the description.

♥_Ellybean_♥

Log them as best you can, realize they were just that "a bad meal" and move on! Logging helps when you get stuck, because you can look back and see "oh I ate this many calories" or "My sodium was this much" - also helps you relate to what you are putting into your body once you see the numbers.

RunHardBeStrong

I log them in as best as I can

I agree!

infamousmk

I try to get a rough estimate in my head, and then I look for a similar food with a similar calorie count.

mmstgr

i try to log every possible thing i eat, as close to accurate as i can be

RebelliousRibbons

I do the best to log whatever I can. Especially since having no clue was how I got here in the first place. >,<

Honestly, even at family dinners... MEASURE EVERYTHING. That way, when you go to log... you won't be guessing the portion. You might miss an oil or two from preparation... but close is better than having no clue.

maiituu

For me I don't, I’m not sure about everyone else but my cheat days are days that I eat things that I want, I usually end up getting sick and don't eat them again for a long time, for example I used to love eating flaming hot cheetoes with salsa and cheese dipping, well lest just say that just thinking about it my stomach starts to hurt.

tamheath

If I am CERTAIN it was a crazy amount of calories, I have at times just logged in the "quick calories" as maybe 1,000 calories. Just as a reminder that I went out, it was a crazy dinner, and it is what it is! I've also at times, NOT logged it at all. Not that that's the RIGHT thing to do, but mostly because if I go out for a meal like that, it's usually a Friday or Saturday night and I'm out late, and not thinking about MFP anyway! I think the most important part is to next day get right back on track. :glasses:

lguy29

I log them as best as I can. For example, I dont cook dinner at my house. But I have a general idea of what it is. Last night was whole wheat spaghetti, homemade marinara, and coleslaw. I'll check most of my options to see which variation of nutritional value matches the best in my opinion (not necessarily the healthiest option, either!) I think its been a great estimate!

But on days when I go out and I'm not concerned with my calories because I just want to have fun, I dont log. I just acknowledge that I probably ate unhealthy, and I double time it that next day.

LolasEpicJourney

I try to break it down.. And be as accurate a possible

fbmandy55

Most things I eat whether cheat or healthy I log based on individual ingredients to the best of my ability...or try to find something that is similar to the description.

I do this^

BettyMargaret

I use the "recipe calculator" and do the best I can on ingredients and amounts.

vim_n_vigor

Log the best you can based on what you know was in it and then add additional calories for the stuff you don't know about!

Michelle_Iowa

I usually just do a "quick calorie add" and overestimate. For instance, sometimes for a whole day I just do "quick calorie add" of 2500 calories and call it good.

TNAJackson

I log every little thing that I put in the meal or that I could tell was in it... I do the best I can.

jagh09

I log it the best way I can. Think about what I ate, and look for comparables online. Like a lot of those local family restaurants would copy things you find at TGI Fridays or similar. I usually over-estimate a little and just try to keep my focus.


There is a good list of restaurants here, but it's not complete. It can help guide you a little though, so you can plan.

http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

She's focused on weight watchers, but usually provides calories too!

GOOD LUCK!

piperfiske

There's a category called "Generic - Party Food" listed at 700 cal....so I usually put in 1 or 2 of those!! Or 3 or 4....lol

LaSutopia

I do the best to log whatever I can. Especially since having no clue was how I got here in the first place. >,<

Honestly, even at family dinners... MEASURE EVERYTHING. That way, when you go to log... you won't be guessing the portion. You might miss an oil or two from preparation... but close is better than having no clue.

BEST ADVICE I SAW!!! I SECOND THIS! I had no IDEA how much I was eating before I started logging and I thought I was doing good! Once I started keeping track though I realized just how NOT good I was really doing! So guess the best you can. Look up recipes online if you can, or just list all the ingredients you think where in it. And just remember if it was a desert of some sort, there was probably a lot of butter and sugar involved!! LOL. If anything looks buttery, oily, fried, or cheesy it is probably way up there in calories! Most the time anyway.

yojibalinese

Usually there's something sort of equivalent at another restaurant. Just pull from there. You pretty much just make your best guess. Remember that restaurant food is loaded with fat and sodium so if you see like Applebees having a salad for 1000 calories and 3000 mg sodium...that's probably about right.

hillendahl

just had a birthday party for my daughter...it was one long day of cheating.....only I don't think of it as cheating...because when I started this journey I told myself that I wasn't going to monitor what I ate....Thanksgiving...Christmas...Birthdays etc. I figure that there are 365 days in a year...and if I take 15 days off....well then I had 350 days to eat sensible.

I know myself. If I think of it in terms of "I can't ever eat Pizza Hut pizza again." Then, I will eventually fail in my life change.

That being said...and in answer to your question...

I guessed at what I ate. I have no idea how many potatoe chips I really ate. I re-created it as best as I could when I was entering my food...and tried to overguess my portion sizes. For example I may have only ate 15 chips....it seemed like 15. Did I count them. No. But to give myself some room for mis-judging ...I entered I ate 30 chips.

LaSutopia

There's a category called "Generic - Party Food" listed at 700 cal....so I usually put in 1 or 2 of those!! Or 3 or 4....lol

OMG LOL!!!! That is awesomely hilarious!!! That would blow me out the water for like 2-3 days worth of calories if I did that! LOL. It is really hard at a party though! So many bad "snacks" that just sit there eyeballin you all day!

isinc2003

So I've posted this thread before...and the response was not enlightening. My question is how do you log in cheat meals that you have NO idea the calorie content???

I'm not talking at a restaurant that has the nutritional menus but places that don't or family dinners? Do you log them in as best you can or just don't log in at all??? Thanks for any advice!

Help that whoever is cooking so you know what's in the food, then break it down the best you can for example I had a Tuna wrap today and the lady used two scoops on my wrap, I looked at the scoop and it was about 4oz size give or take so that's 8oz of tuna mixed with mayo.. how much would you put in that much tuna.. I'd guess 4 tablespoons.. then had some carrots and tomatoes.. those calories are small either way... you could search for tuna then the mayo etc.. and add them to your daily diet plan.. the more familiar you are with food . .. (like hopefully cooking it yourself as much as possible ) the better your estimates are .. and do not cheat all day! one meal once a twice a week!

leopardlushh

THANK YOU guys for all the advice!!! I didn't know there was a "quick calorie" add! I agree...as long as I ate sensibly a little cheating won't hurt. Thanks again! SUCH FAST responses...that's why I love this website and it's community!!!

LisaKyle11

log as best you can. maybe not mentally classifying them as 'cheat' meals will help....they are, in reality, just meals. maybe they are higher cal than you normally eat, but it is food/energy none the less.

Hodar

There is an entry for Chinese Buffet - it's like 600 calories per plate.

So, put yourself down for how many 'plates' you think you ate. At least it gets the calories in the ballpark.