I have no idea how many calories this is...

Options
2»

Replies

  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't think just a food scale would work. Aren't different foods different calories even if weight is the same?

    Yes but if you know how much an item weighs it makes it easier to find the right item and get the right calorific value when adding it to your diary, e.g you could weigh your 12 blueberries and if they weigh 20grams you could add in "blueberries 1 gram, 20 portions."
  • ninifire
    ninifire Posts: 21
    Options
    catlady87: that's pretty cool. Learning a lot of stuff I didn't know.


    BTW I did it! And apparently it was only about 500 calories for everything. Wow.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    Options
    The are measurement converters online. For the blueberries i would use the cup measurment, and convert to tablespoons if need be. A scale helps me with measuring protein, chicken mainly. I like to have evenish portions of protein throughout the day.
  • ninifire
    ninifire Posts: 21
    Options
    Well I really appreciate the help and I'm super glad I took time to check everything. A couple people guessed this meal was 1000 calories or more. It was only about 500. If i wouldn't have checked it would have sucked!

    Thanks everyone! Gotta be off for now.

    p.s. will make a better effort of asking you all questions next time instead of skipping right to the freaking out part. =)
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't think just a food scale would work. Aren't different foods different calories even if weight is the same?

    HMmN7.gif
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't think just a food scale would work. Aren't different foods different calories even if weight is the same?

    headdesk.jpg
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    Options
    I feel like this is a joke but I fear its not.

    I will bite my tongue and say ...nothing worth having is easy. And if is too much work for you to track your food then you have a hard row to hoe in the future.
  • ninifire
    ninifire Posts: 21
    Options
    Guys, calm down. I'm glad I got some answers that helped. I sincerely didn't know some things and now I am all the wiser.
    If there is something you must face palm to because it is 'common sense' to you, remember that common sense is not common.I would rather not go my whole life not knowing 'common sense' and risk degradation to find the truth. I have risked degradation and I've received it. I'm all the wiser, and stronger. Just like you all were at one point in your lives.

    Again, thanks to those who gave some really helpful answers.
  • marx4
    marx4 Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    It can be frustruating, to say the least. I start out looking on the MFP site, say for you---kale salad, add that and then just add on the other few items that you put in, onion, dressing, etc.... Or, as others have suggested, make your own recipe, under "my recipes" and add the ingredients, like you've said, then, if it's an item that you eat all the time, it will be there. Then, add your pita bread, if that's what you used, by the brand name and add the ingredients, for example 4 oz chicken, baked, etc....

    Don't let it get to you, it is TIME CONSUMING when you first start and you build a "library" of foods that you normally eat. I've been here 1+ years and still add things daily. But, the process is worth the end result. Best wishes for success!!
  • mbonacci12
    mbonacci12 Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    Don't sweat it! There are always people that can be self-righteous on message boards. The positive ones outweigh the negative ones!
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
    Options
    Nini at least you asked! There no shame in wanting to learn more. You just need a bit of practice with the food diary. Even I struggle a bit sometimes. I still haven't found "tomato". Sometimes things are under different names. It just takes a bit of practice, and paying around.
    Yes it's a bit of a pain and takes time but how good do you feel knowing your dinner is 500 calories, not 1000? And how many calories have you it left? Enough for a treat or a glass of wine? It's great isn't it?
    Any questions you can always PM me if you want and ill try and help.
  • MrsBikiniBound
    MrsBikiniBound Posts: 120
    Options
    You're only going to be successful with this if you take a few minutes to measure and log your meals. Try preplanning. Invest in a food scale. Use your resources. The mobile app even has a nifty barcode reader that is idiot proof for people (like me!) who want it done quickly. If you see blueberries in te database and theres a cup measurement or weight measurement then purchase some measuring cups or weigh it. If you let it overwhelm you and use the forums as a way to complain that being healthy isn't easy, you're not going to get many sympathizers. This is hard work- buck up buttercup and find things to keep you motivated.
  • Momiofour
    Momiofour Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    You could also use the scan barcode option on your smart phone. I do that a lot and it helps when I am trying to do a thousand different things with 4 kids freaking out around me. Yes, there are four and the oldest is 6. If I can do this, you can do this!!! :)
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
    Options
    When I'm calculating something like a homemade kale salad I just figure out the kale, berries and olive oil. The calories in cilantro and green onion is negligible, so I don't worry about it (although I know there are people here who count every last calorie. Personally, I don't worry about anything less than 25 calories).

    it can be tricky to figure out calories on purchased food. Today I picked up some chicken, a quinoa salad and a beet salad for lunch. I could guess at all the calories, but figure I had to add a certain amount of fat calories to allow for oil that wasn't obvious. And if I was counting sodium it would have been impossible to know.

    Just do your best, and learn all you can. I don't think it is a 100% precise process.

Categories