Beginner question

dmdv22

Hey all, I am really new to this stuff. I have a couple of stupid questions on here. How do I accurately calculate the calories in a meal. I made corn beef and cabbage with potatoes the other day and had no real idea how many calories I was taking in. I just put a hunk of meat cabbage,potatoes and carrots on there with no real idea of srervings. It said on the package that the corn beef was 200 cals per serving and a serving was 4oz. Am I supposed to weigh every piece of food or is there an easier method? I just guessed and that probably isnt the easiest way.

The second question is when I rode an exercise bike at the gym the gym calories counter said I burned about 135 calories while my fitness pal had it at 300 . That is a pretty substantial difference. Which is more accurate? Of course the bike just asked age and not weight.

Thanx

DarkFlutter

Can't help you much with the first question other than yes, weighing food is going to give the best serving size.

As for the the calories burned question...MFP is always higher. Suggestion would be to get a pedometer, FitBit, HRM...whichever is best for your needs. They will be more accurate.

pbl1966

Great questions and welcome to MFP!

Under the food tab on MFP there is a place where you can enter all of the ingrediants in your recipe and it will calculate the calories per serving, you do still need to weigh what goes in but it will save the recipe and you can easily use it again and again.

I do not have a HRM so I use what the machine tells me, feel it is more accurate than MFP as it know my weight and how much effort was being exerted. When I have to use the calories on MFP I make sure I do not eat them all back as I feel they are too high.

tribby

I try my best to estimate the sizing. I think a kitchen scale would be a great investment.
As for calories burned through exercise, it all depends on your weight and how hard you work out. I like to swim, so I put in my weight and see what MFP gives me. I use it as a best guess scenario. It's not an exact science. As long as I'm seeing results though, I know I'm moving in the right direction.

gatorginger

When you make something at home go to food at the top then click on recipie, once you enter it in it will be there. You have to estimate how many servings it will make and it will calculate your calories. The next time you make it all you have to do is go to recipies and it will let you add it to you lunch or dinner so easily, play around with it and you will figure it out.

sjtreely

Weighing food is the most accurate way to calculate calories. I highly encourage you to invest in a scale. Eye-balling and/guessing is a slippery slope.

For your second question, neither one is probably accurate. Another investment would be a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. I've found MFP is very generous with calories burned. I often refer to MFP as Santa Claus. Machines can be misleading, too. If you entered your weight, etc on the gym machine it might be more accurate. If a HRM isn't an option at this point in time, you could go with the lowest (which is what I'd do) or you could average the two.

Good luck on your journey.

lporter229

A kitchen scale is a good investment. After a while, you will become more familiar with what "4oz" of meat or "1 cup" of potatoes looks like. Until then, it is worth taking the time to measure everything out. i also use the recipe function a lot.

As for calorie burn, if you can invest in a HRM, do so. If not, I always tend to go with the most conservative estimate. If your exercise equipment is not asking for your weight (or does not weigh you), I would bet it's not very accurate. If you question MFPs numbers, there are other on line calculators you can try. i like this one:


http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

AnninStPaul

A kitchen scale and an HRM are very solid investments.

In the meantime, 3oz of meat is about the size of a standard deck of cards. A "medium" piece of fruit is the size of a baseball.

sharleengc

I weigh everything! And serving size weight is pre cooked. Yes, it's a pain in the *kitten* but it becomes a second habit. I guessed for the first week or so until I got a scale and my guesses were WAY off...almost double! I used to cook all of my things in a separate pan but now I have "cooked" weight for the different types of meat we buy written down so I can weigh it after and save myself the dishes... (i weighed out a serving size then cooked and re-weighed)

If it's rice, I cook it together then put my serving size in a measuring cup before my plate...If there are sauces, I measure mine out from the rest....

It took a week or two to adjust to but now it's second nature and SO much easier than trying to break it down from a big meal all mixed together.

katietaz

How do I accurately calculate the calories in a meal. I made corn beef and cabbage with potatoes the other day and had no real idea how many calories I was taking in.

Welcome to MFP

I have a diet recipe book and I put each ingredient into the "Add Food" tool separately then add up the total on a calculator. I then add it as a new food to the database with total calorie content per serving so next time I cook it I don't have to go through the whole thing again

j_wilson2012

THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS. Lets make that clear right off the bat.
all foods except for unpackaged produce, alcohol, and coffee (and seasonings) must list their ingredients on the package. I have got into a habit of estimating how much of soemthing I have taken out of the package. I dont measure unless the formula calls for accurate measurements (like oatmeal, for instance). just whatever you use in cooking, measure it out until you can reasonably estimate intake. For instance, chicken. If you buy boneless skinless chicken breasts, and they come in 3 lb packets with 8 pieces, divide 48 by 8, and that tells you how much servings are in each chicken breast (look at the nutirtion facts to determine serving size).
then, look at the database when putting in food (most food is accounted for, so just search for it and measure up the nutrition facts to make sure they are accurate with your package). After confirmation, just enter servings. If you cook chicken with other ingredients, like oil, sauce, or cheese, dont forget to add that in your meal (add it separate, and make it a saved meal if you eat it frequently).
That is how I do it.

P.S.....When trying to lose fat, it is okay to overestimate the food, but be honest with yourself. Dont say you had one serving of liquid when you just downed a 20 oz'er. Keep track of EVERYTHING that you consume. Also, it is okay to underestimate your workouts as far as calories burned. For instance, I cycle. The calories burned on here for me biking is about 40% greater than my cyclometer. I choose to go with the cyclometer, because I have substantiated it with other sources. Underestimating make you work out more, as you think you havent burned enough. DONT CHEAT YOURSELF.That kind of stuff will help out greatly...Good luck!

dmdv22

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all the input. I can see where the peer support can be very helpful.

j_wilson2012

Also.....dont starve yourself. The more you work out, the greater the need for nutrients. If you eat 1900 calories one day, with 30 min of exercise, dont eat the same 1900 calories if you work out for 2 hours the next day. That makes the 2 hour workout counter productive. But dont think that you can work out longer, and then load up on candy bars and beer. That, too, is counter productive!