HELP!!!

adnorri

I am having real problems logging my dinners. I do fine at breakfast and lunch because I always eat something out of a box (cereal, lean cuisine, etc) but when it comes to dinner I'm having issues. How do you figure out how to log something if you are not the one cooking it? We are going to my grandmothers house this weekend and she is cooking so I have no idea what I am supposed to do about logging that. I would really like to figure it how so I can have an accurate count of my calories because obviously me just guessing is doing me no good. Any suggestions???

Tonnina

Either ask Granny for her recipes and put those into the recipe maker (tons of work, but worth it in the long run)
Or over estimate
Or work out extra just in case!

MelissaL582

Unless you ask your grandmother exactly what she's putting, it's all a guess. You are NEVER going to be spot on with calories, there is no possible way. Even food labels are constantly changing if it's the exact same item you picked up weeks ago. Had to learn that one recently.

havalinaaa

You can just take apart each component of the meal and log that - ie x amount of rice with x amount of veg with x amount of sauce, etc. OR you could ask your grandmother how she made the meals and enter them in the recipe calculator. If you think she would take offense at you logging them, you could frame the question as wanting the recipe for your own use rather than nutritionally picking it apart.

engineman312

work out to have a huge deficit before eating. and yes, never going to be exactly accurate no matter what. but hopefully by now you've learned about portion control, and you've been measuring foods so that you can estimate what a cup, or 3 ounces looks like.

kschaal

I went to a privately owned Mexican food place a couple of weeks ago and I logged it using similar items from a big chain. I figured it's close enough and besides I'd already blown it!

WilliamsPeggy

Log each ingredient separately.

kappyd

I went to a privately owned Mexican food place a couple of weeks ago and I logged it using similar items from a big chain. I figured it's close enough and besides I'd already blown it!

This is the way I do it too. Just try to get close as you can, don't drive yourself crazy.

mmuzzy1068

It is always a challenge when others are cooking, you can do the portion control piece, and then break it down for your tracking here. You could also ask for the recipe or ingredients as well, baby steps. Don't overwhelm yourself, calorie counting is not an exact science at all. If you can, get in a nice workout for a decent calorie burn or go for a walk if possible after dinner to burn some of dinner off. I am sure you will be fine, take it all in stride and resist the bad items put on the table afterward or take just a bite. (dessert). Enjoy the time with family!

adnorri

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help! I ate subway for lunch and a light breakfast too hoping that would also help