Counting Calories when you are not the cook question

bnmoncri

I just started a few days ago and it has shocked me how many calories are in things that I eat. I have been good at counting for the few days I have been at this but I have a problem. I am going away for a week on business of which the whole week is catered , so I don't have direct access to ingredients. Since I am new I don't have a strong understanding of how much calories are in varying foods. Do you have any suggestions on how to estimate?

uwdawg07

Try to eat as healthy as possible, like avoid fried food, cream sauces, butter, etc. Try to eat vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, etc. Don't load up your plate and eat sensible portions.

Try to estimate the serving sizes. Here is some helpful info from heart.org:

*One serving of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a small fist. A serving is a lot smaller than most people think.
*A cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, or a medium fruit should equal about the size of a baseball.
*A half a bagel is about the size of a hockey puck and represents a serving from the grains group.
*Three ounces of cooked lean meat or poultry is about the size of a computer mouse. Three ounces of grilled fish is about the size of a checkbook.
*A teaspoon of soft margarine is about the size of one die.
*An ounce of fat-free or low-fat cheese is about the size of six stacked dice.