Anyone living outside the states and trying to use MFP?

I'm also doing this from outside the US. Where I live, the kinds of foods I would love to eat more of - fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds etc. - cost considerably more than the states so I end up having to compromise and become very creative. Still, I used MFP for a shot time earlier this year and lost 4 lbs. the first six weeks or so. I've also tried WW before that and had very good results, reaching my goal weight. I quite WW because I couldn't afford the monthly payments any longer and found MFP to offer more or less the same experience for free. So yes, I know it's possible to have success with the program overseas. If possible for you, I would try to stick to the fruits and vegetables, chicken stir fry and that sort of thing and find the nearest food that matches when you go to log. That's what I have to do basically every day/ I believe I've heard that what we in the Western world call 'Chinese food' is not at all what the Chinese eat which is supposedly healthier so give it some time and you will probably see the difference before too long. Best to you over there.

I'm in Tanzania - I guess when eating out or with inlaws - I assume LOTS of oil for the most part. The biggest thing is omming up with a strategy of how to eat less over all if you don't have much control over what you are being fed (i spend half my time at a mining camp in west africa and have no control over food available or portions servered - its hard!). I find It mostly works better for me to eat one big meal and one small meal most days, then a few bits of fruit or nuts if I am doing hard labour, or just coffee if not. Its a matter of working out a routine that works for you. I know it can be particuarily difficult if you will insult your inlaws if you don't eat much of their food, I get this a lot with goat good thing I like it - another one that is diffcult to find on MFP!

I am in Kuwait and have the same problem. I have found it works for me to pick something close to what I'm eating. For example, if I get a packaged meal at the Sultan Center and it has chicken and potatoes then I might pick one of Marie Calendar's meals that has about the same items in it. Of course the spices are different and everything is prepared a little different, but so far it's been working for me.

I also cook a lot so I'll put in my own recipes, with a similar brand product when necesary, or a use a generic one.

Good Luck!

If you can avoid pre-packaged, processed foods it shouldn't be a problem at all. Fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, etc. Calories are the same everywhere.

Im in South Africa and using the app

Must say there are SOOO many processed foods on here it drives me crazy when I am just looking for a tomato or a DAMN POTATO!! But look for more generic things. Luckily I cook most of my meals from scratch, so raw foods are a lot easier to find than and packaged foods.

Good luck!

I also live in South Africa, but I seem to be having a lot of luck using the barcode scanner on the MFP App. Most things are on the database, and if you cannot find the brand you are using, I just stick to searching for Woolworths and the ingredient. Should be pretty close :drinker:

i'm in israel

most of what i eat is homemade/fresh anyway, so i look up "generic" or "raw".

Some things (like yogurts, cheese, certain crackers) are listed already, or i add them to the data base using the info on the package.

i rarely eat out, so that's less of a problem and if i have to i estimate and use somethign that sounds close to what i'm eating, even if it's a brand name that we don't get here. or i find the calorie number on a local list of foods and find something that has the same/close number

for the OP - can you tell your MIL that you want to learn to cook? and come there with a scale and measuring cup? this way you can see how much oil is in there and be able to calculate at least some of your meals.

China's food is far different from what the western world think it is. The food you get from a Chinese takeaway/restaurant in the west is more like an amalgamation of Hong Kong and South East Asian food. There is also massive variations depending on where you are in China i.e. Sichuan is super spicy. I find that snack foods in China are healthier - they have lots of nuts and seeds, vacuum packed tofu and chicken, and dried meats. Also a limited choice of tempting chocolate - it's either Dove or Snickers I've found. However bread (excluding steamed bread) is very sweet, restaurant food is generally dripping in oil and the meat is more offal, gristle, and bone rather than "choice cuts, i.e fillet". They eat a lot of rice and noodles (I've been told by many friends that "a Chinese person does not feel satisfied if they do not get a rice fill"). They seem to have a very high carb diet yet all stay so slim (or slimmer than the west anyways). It is very difficult if eating out to judge your calorie intake and yes buying some "western' foods in supermarkets is very expensive (especially cheese & butter, I've practically given up cheese).

That being said....the markets here are wonderful - jammed packed full of super cheap fruit and veggies. I shop mostly at the local market and manage to find most of what I want to make myself a western meal (it also forces me to practice Mandarin). Plus, if you go see a butcher at the market who has a freezer you'll probably be able to pick up a bag of huge chicken breast fillets for about 25 Kwai (Yuan). I visit Walmart once every two weeks to a month to buy brown rice, tuna, Italian herbs etc - things I've not yet been able to find at the local markets. I limit my 'eating out' so that I know what I'm putting in me but, generally speaking, I think that the Chinese custom of sharing food, using little bowls and so on, actually means you eat less because you eat slower and feel fuller sooner.

Oh...and I guess you could always help with cooking at your in-laws and see exactly what's going in the meal. That would be a great experience!

And you could cook in bulk so that you have food ready for the lazy days.

I am in Kuwait and have the same problem. I have found it works for me to pick something close to what I'm eating. For example, if I get a packaged meal at the Sultan Center and it has chicken and potatoes then I might pick one of Marie Calendar's meals that has about the same items in it. Of course the spices are different and everything is prepared a little different, but so far it's been working for me.

I also cook a lot so I'll put in my own recipes, with a similar brand product when necesary, or a use a generic one.

Good Luck!

Kuwait here, too. Finding nutritional info on some of the local stuff is a nightmare, and the things that are imported from the U.S. or UK is so bloody expensive! Fortunately, I order a lot of my food online and have it shipped in, but most of the time I am just guessing. It hasn't hurt and as long as moderation is key then I am fine. I also steer very clear of most Middle Eastern food - it is SOOOOO carb heavy and full of cream sauces that I would die! lol

Thailand.

Yep, I fully understand. Mall food court, street food, restaurants, eating at friends/family homes, etc, are a big issue especially outside of "Western" food areas. Not only stir fries and oil, but also mysterious chili pastes, unrecognizable foods, copious hidden salt and sugar content, etc., not to mention huge amounts of MSG. For local non-Western foods it may take longer to search but you can make good guesses on macro content from a web search and adjusting by seeing or asking how it was prepared. E.g. When I can not find anything else and have not prepared, I can judge the protein, fat, and carbs, in a portion of garlic fried Bamboo Worms which are a local tasty insect snack :laugh: (Like little_lisid's goat, unlikely find these on the MFP food database. Guess I should add them sometime!) In case you are wondering, they are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. Ideal in an emergency when you can not find a local 7-11 for a can of tuna in spring water and packet of almonds to go with your street-baked sweet potato, which would be preferable.

I try to make my own food and eat at home mostly, and prepare food for when you are out and about. With visiting/out with friends/family etc., sometimes you just have to explain that you do not want to offend or be impolite but you are tracking your food and have to refrain from eating, take your own food, or only eat the select things that you can judge best (raw, boiled or baked meats, veg, pulses, fruits, nuts, etc) and then make up (i.e. balance, not invent) your macro's later in the day/the following day.

Not ideal but these inconveniences have to be made if you want to reach your goal.

If you look at the back of the container of whatever food it is you're eating, the nutritional info WILL be there. Just use that information with a scale measuring your food and you're fine.

Obviously someone who doesn't live outside the Western world.

No, it is NOT on the back of every container as it is not a law in most other countries. And, sometimes, if it is there, it is not in English.

Im in South Africa and using the app

Must say there are SOOO many processed foods on here it drives me crazy when I am just looking for a tomato or a DAMN POTATO!! But look for more generic things. Luckily I cook most of my meals from scratch, so raw foods are a lot easier to find than and packaged foods.

Good luck!

I also live in South Africa, but I seem to be having a lot of luck using the barcode scanner on the MFP App. Most things are on the database, and if you cannot find the brand you are using, I just stick to searching for Woolworths and the ingredient. Should be pretty close :drinker:

I'm also from South Africa and I always find most of the foods. My food is easy anyway mostly vege, fruit and meat.

If you look at the back of the container of whatever food it is you're eating, the nutritional info WILL be there. Just use that information with a scale measuring your food and you're fine.

yeah. in the US, you are correct.

In other countries - not so much.

In israel the law is that they have to put the nutritional info *only* per 100 gram. some manufacturers have caught on to the fact that we don't always eat 100 grams worth of things and they add the info "per pack" or "per portion". but not all. do you have any idea how difficult it is to try and figure out: (a) how many pieces of frozen chicken patties are in that bag? (b) if the entire bag weighs X grams and there are 6 or is it 7 patties in there, how many does each weigh? and (c) if eyou finally figured out that each weighs 64.3 gram, and 100 grams is 754 calories, how many is each patty? and yes, doing this standing in front of the freezer section is exactly how i want to be spending my day...

hi ,
I am from India and find most of the Indian food I eat listed on MFP.

Also I have turned more towards salads, juices, vegetables and fruits.I guess fruits and vegetables are easy to find al around the world.

I pack my own lunch to office and plan what I will eat early in the day, so that I have a fair idea of how many calories I am consuming.

When eating out , I take a huge spoonful of Isabgol which is basically fiber and I tend to eat out less .Also when you are eating out you can order salads and soups which are always a saf bet.Portion control is something excercise for my favorite eat out foods

Hope this helps.

I'm down in Guangzhou and I've lost a good amount of weight. I have a similar problem in that my school has a buffet lunch, and I have NO idea what goes into those foods.

My strategies have been:
-find an equivalent that sounds close enough
-when you do find an equivalent use the one with the most calories per portion
-overestimate portion size to account for not knowing what is in it
-try to keep to the simpler stuff
-pre-log if possible
-always leave a deficit and avoid eating back exercise calories as much as possible to account for the unknown
-kj to calorie converter
-http://www.convertunits.com/from/kilojoules/to/calorie+[nutritional]
-have a Chinese speaking friend use Baidu to find out the general nutritional info for a dish

Feel free to add me, my diary is open to friends, you can always PM me to know what I count as what!

Allo! I follow the same strategies!!

I am in Singapore, and before that I was i nSwitzerland, when I started using MFP. And I think I had a harder time in CH for this than in here... The food that I buy in the supermarkets I can scan the code and it appears in here (I don't buy "american" food too often, but I must admit that my breakfast/dinner options are on the western side!). I have lunch in the food courts but I try to keep it around a few options that were recommended by my trainer (local).

Soups are quite filling and low cal in comparison with other dishes (my fave is slice fish bee hoon soup), add some extra spicy if you can deal with it and you'll eat it slower!