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Counting cals while eating out??

LurveTheDoctor
LurveTheDoctor Posts: 303
edited February 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm just wondering how we count calories when the menu doesn't state the calories in the meal.

I've been invited to go to a Japanese steak house... And don't know how to do the count.

Replies

  • Red_Scorpio_www
    Red_Scorpio_www Posts: 389
    Have the same probs....at this time...i just guess the approx cal by the way i feel full XD
  • Clameater
    Clameater Posts: 317
    I try to estimate, but when I go out I usually know. One beer is about 150 calories, I don't do lights..., and I have 20 dollars to go out. So 4 or 5 beers is 600 to 750 calories. I've never tried food
  • Mobilemuscle
    Mobilemuscle Posts: 945 Member
    need to have an eye for the size of foods

    use this as a guideline

    http://caloriecount.about.com/article/when_you_cant_measure_estimate_portions
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    I do my best to estimate the portion and then find something as close as possible (I.e. I will use the 8oz sirloin/ mashed potatoes/ rye bread loafs in the database from a national chain that most closely resembles the meal I ate at our local steakhouse). I always err on the side of overestimating, so I know that if I'm not right, at least I've got a safety net to keep from underestimating.
  • Jmercerq
    Jmercerq Posts: 10 Member
    The MFP database is amazingly comprehensive sometimes and has entries for things like Chinese Buffet - one plate, etc. I make a few attempts at something close that might be in the database and then use my own experience with calorie counting to gauge whether the number is high or low. Then - and this is the most important bit - I let it go. The number I end up with for the meal, for the day, might not be exactly correct, but I kept up the habit of recording my meals. The little errors cancel each other out after a while.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    just notice the ounce sizes listed of the steak and then eyeball the veggies and whatnot. then log it by weight and measure.
  • LurveTheDoctor
    LurveTheDoctor Posts: 303
    I'll be eating chicken breast and fried rice.should I just bring a measuring cup??

    Ingredients Iin rice is butter, peas, carrots, soy sauce
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I'm just wondering how we count calories when the menu doesn't state the calories in the meal.

    Select items that are small in portion size, recognizable primary ingredients,and minimal ingredients/sauces/preparation.

    That'll get you into the right ball park.
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
    And when in doubt, divide the meal in half and bag the other half immediately.

    I ate out this weekend for the first time in a while in places with clearly marked menus. You couldn't find many menu items under 1,100 calories, they often ranged in the 1500-2000 range, and I dare say a lot of them are under-estimates.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    If eating out is a rare treat - then take a good guess or don't log at all. It's just one night. I'd leave the measuring cups at home.

    If you eat out a lot you might want to be a little more accurate. I'm still not bringing measuring cups to the restaurant, but I'd aim a little higher in my estimates and do my best to get the closest thing in the log or enter items separately.
  • jackiecamarena
    jackiecamarena Posts: 290 Member
    Try searching under the generics for meals. If not, try to eyeball portions. It's what I do. For example, the other day I went out for some Thai. The restaurant I went to had no information for me. So, I just searched "Thai basil tofu fried rice". There were a couple options, so I went with the higher calorie option to be on the safe side and eyeballed my plate at two cups rice and a half block of tofu.
  • janettebishop940
    janettebishop940 Posts: 88
    Most of the restaurants I go to have their nutritional info on their websites. Except tgi fridays uk who say they won't say ! I guess they don't want to scare us of! I usually order chicken off the starters to eat as my main with some sweet potato fries. Or I order fries and just have one piece of chicken off my kid's plate. That keeps the portion sizes down and I still get to enjoy being out.
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