dont trust entries for calories

Options
kathymosley9
kathymosley9 Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
I have double checked ( when possible) the calorie content of many of the foods on here. Either people want to fool themselves or they are getting misinformation! Also the other way around... the exercise totals on here tend to say higher than an independent search , or the # on the machine when I am done. Find a site to double check against.
«13

Replies

  • stephaniemejia1671
    stephaniemejia1671 Posts: 482 Member
    Options
    I came across the same findings myself, should that be the case, then who or what can you trust? I rather enter low numbers or none at all then lie to myself about the work I did.
  • aefallis
    aefallis Posts: 169 Member
    Options
    Agree! I ALWAYS look at the calories listed on whatever I'm eating or find the entry with the HIGHEST calories listed for the foods I do not know. Its worth using google for those too.
  • liya368
    liya368 Posts: 122 Member
    Options
    I have taken to either scanning my foods or checking the entry against the label because there is so much variation in calories with certain items. I try to opt for the higher calorie choices.

    I totally agree with you on the exercise. While I am not currently exercising when I did it seemed like the calories expended were way too high.
  • slimviv2012
    slimviv2012 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Are the foods over or underestimated? At least if I know then I can adjust accordingly. I would rather keep some sort of log than none at all X
  • Mamalea32
    Mamalea32 Posts: 134
    Options
    Yes. THe calories for food reporting seems correct, but some of the cardio exercises are not given appropriate values; however, calorie burn is soooo dependent on how much resistance and how fast and hard you are working-- so of course it may be a little high or a little low. On the elliptical I bust my butt, and the calories counted on the app are always too low. But when I use the stair climber, the calories on the app are always too high.
  • johloz
    johloz Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    This is why you can't blindly select one -- usually there are multiple entries for the same food. Read through the calorie counts, and there's usually a trend. There's usually also an outlier that's ridiculously low. Save that for people who want to lie to themselves eat more, and wonder why they're not losing.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Options
    For exercise I use either my HRM and I have a bodymedia. I don't know how anyone can expect a mathmatical formula based off just your height and weight without any other data to be 100% accurate. If you want those to be accurate on here you need to get a HRM, fitbit, of bodymedia.. some device to make it more accurate.

    Food, yeah I try to avoid the ones that seem way too low.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Options
    This is why you can't blindly select one -- usually there are multiple entries for the same food. Read through the calorie counts, and there's usually a trend. There's usually also an outlier that's ridiculously low. Save that for people who want to lie to themselves eat more, and wonder why they're not losing.

    ^ this.
  • Nitocris017
    Nitocris017 Posts: 2
    Options
    I also double check my calories cause I notice the same.
  • PaulaJPatrick
    PaulaJPatrick Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    For exercise I use either my HRM and I have a bodymedia. I don't know how anyone can expect a mathmatical formula based off just your height and weight without any other data to be 100% accurate. If you want those to be accurate on here you need to get a HRM, fitbit, of bodymedia.. some device to make it more accurate.

    Food, yeah I try to avoid the ones that seem way too low.



    What is "bodymedia"? I know about HRM and own a fitbit but never heard of bodymedia before.
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    Options
    Keep in mind that EVERYTHING in the food database is entered by members, and people make mistakes. Even the items that you scan in the barcode are listings originally created by other members, so keep a careful eye out.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    Options
    You know, occassionally, companies change their recipes. That doesn't mean the food entry gets updated on the website. It's a user-created database!
  • Katrinadionne1808
    Katrinadionne1808 Posts: 95
    Options
    I always double check the calories becomes sometimes the manufacturer also changes ingriedients that can impact on the calorie count - even by just a few calories so always worth doing and updating.

    I have also found from doing MFP how widely different brands that offer the same thing differ. e.g we had a korma the other night (jar sauce) i went to order again the other day but another brand was on offer so I looked up the calorie content and it was almost 100 calories per serving lower!!!!

    Just a note though - it's not always possible to check calorie count before adding to your diary on the mobile application, but is on the website so if you have to use the mobile - always worth doubling checking on the site when you get a chance.
  • mprat210
    mprat210 Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    When there are multiple entries for the same food, I usually pick the one that has the most confirmations. I also check most of the calories on the packaging against what is listed on MFP. I have found a few mistakes but usually the right one is there. It just takes some searching.

    For exercise, I go on the treadmill everyday. The calories list on my treadmill are usually higher than what is on MFP. But I figure MFP doesn't take into account incline levels plus I vary the pace and use handwieghts. So for calories burned I take an average of what is listed on MFP and my treadmill and try to stay somewhere around that. It seems to be working so far.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Options
    For exercise I use either my HRM and I have a bodymedia. I don't know how anyone can expect a mathmatical formula based off just your height and weight without any other data to be 100% accurate. If you want those to be accurate on here you need to get a HRM, fitbit, of bodymedia.. some device to make it more accurate.

    Food, yeah I try to avoid the ones that seem way too low.



    What is "bodymedia"? I know about HRM and own a fitbit but never heard of bodymedia before.

    Bodymedia is a device you wear all day, it tracks the calories you burn all day. You wear it on your arm, it has a couple sensors that measures different things and then keeps a read out of: calories burned, steps taken, activity, moderate activity, and sleep.

    They use them on biggest loser I think. They have them on sale and I think I got my Bodymedia Link for around 100 dollars last christmas.
  • PaulaJPatrick
    PaulaJPatrick Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    For exercise I use either my HRM and I have a bodymedia. I don't know how anyone can expect a mathmatical formula based off just your height and weight without any other data to be 100% accurate. If you want those to be accurate on here you need to get a HRM, fitbit, of bodymedia.. some device to make it more accurate.

    Food, yeah I try to avoid the ones that seem way too low.



    What is "bodymedia"? I know about HRM and own a fitbit but never heard of bodymedia before.



    Okay, I googled and found the body media site. Why would you need all three items? Which do you feel is most accurate? I would imagine a HRM but I find the fitbit is pretty accurate. I have been thinking about getting an HRM, which do you have/use? Thanks!
  • JennDoesKeto
    JennDoesKeto Posts: 244 Member
    Options
    i check the labels vs what is on the site if it doesn't match i create my own entry. as for the exercise calories..i don't count those as cals to use i just like to track what i do.
  • explainsitall
    explainsitall Posts: 35
    Options
    I cross reference food labels and websites for calorie count. That's just a smart idea in general so you know what you're consuming.

    However, I cross reference calorie burn over four or five websites and have found they're all pretty consistent with MFP. I haven't found any major discrepancies at all. I don't go to a gym so I don't have equipment to tell me calorie burn, but if more than two sources confirm something I generally trust it.
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
    Options
    You know, occassionally, companies change their recipes. That doesn't mean the food entry gets updated on the website. It's a user-created database!



    ^^This. And there are also various package sizing.
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member
    Options
    I have double checked ( when possible) the calorie content of many of the foods on here. Either people want to fool themselves or they are getting misinformation! Also the other way around... the exercise totals on here tend to say higher than an independent search , or the # on the machine when I am done. Find a site to double check against.

    Nutritional Information changes on prepackaged foods. This probably accounts for the discrepancies you're seeing. I don't think people are fooling themselves, they just aren't looking for the most recent verified entry.

    Good for you for doublechecking.

Categories