Don't trust labels!!

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Replies

  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    I don't worry too much about being exact about things. I'm pretty sure I've underestimated my TDEE, I'm pretty sure Runkeep underestimates my calorie burn, and I'm pretty sure the nutrition information is somewhere +/-5-6%.

    Then again, I'm still in the "just lose weight" mode (I need to get in a normal BMI range), so I'm not working on maintenance yet, and not looking to build muscle or anything of that nature.

    But, I'm right on track so far: About 1.4 lbs per week average.
  • AlexThreeClaw
    AlexThreeClaw Posts: 73 Member
    I realised this when I was eating chocolate last week. 25g per serving the label said. It's a 400g package and I've always assumed each block was one serving, but when I counted them out last week I was missing an entire block. Turns out every individual block was more than 25g!

    It's not a problem at the moment, I've got so much fat to burn that my margin of error is quite wide, but I'm glad I've learned this now rather than after a year of trying to lose that last 10 pounds without success.
  • shortie_sarah
    shortie_sarah Posts: 177 Member
    Ya, most of them are a guide at best. If you aren't hungry don't eat just to meet the goal.

    Well considering I was only at 720 calories for the day and I am usually under by a lot on most days when I'm supposed to be eating 1200, I am trying to take the advice that all the MFP members gave me, which is that I need to be eating more, so I am trying to get closer to my goal.

    You did good, you definitely don't want to lose muscle.

    Thank you. I'm starting a mixture of cardio and strength training tomorrow so hopefully I can keep up with eating back my exercise calories.

    Also, I'm really glad that this has helped some people, like me, who were unaware of this
  • sukti
    sukti Posts: 17 Member
    OMG! I need to get a weighing machine! Thank you so much for this observation.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I realised this when I was eating chocolate last week. 25g per serving the label said. It's a 400g package and I've always assumed each block was one serving, but when I counted them out last week I was missing an entire block. Turns out every individual block was more than 25g!

    It's not a problem at the moment, I've got so much fat to burn that my margin of error is quite wide, but I'm glad I've learned this now rather than after a year of trying to lose that last 10 pounds without success.

    You'll be consuming the same calories as you'll have had16 x 25 in total, even if its actually 12 x 30 (or whatever the math works out) by the end of the bar. Its just you won't have had it so many times.

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