Sooo Frustrating!

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jr1985
jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just got done eating at the new restaurant in town, which was PHENOMINAL! But, being a private local restaurant and not a chain, obviously their food selections are not on MFP... I know that eating out period is not a great idea when you are trying to loose weight... but I did budget for it and was looking forward to it, so will not feel bad about that...

But I am a HUGE fan (literally and figuratively... :) of supporting local businesses, keeping the money local to help out the community and local owners... but how the heck do you log it!?!?! I tried to guess the best I could and even everestimated on portion size I think, and I did take half of my meal (Pad Thai - Yummy!) home... but I think I still probably ate WAY more calories than it said that I ate... there is NO WAY a meal that tasted that good was only 650 calories! At least with chains they post their nutritional information...

I'm not one to stress over making sure absolutely every calorie is measured and logged... but I would like be be within 100 calories... It is just frustrating... I don't want to be possibly a couple hundred calories off... Headed to the gym to burn off the extra calories that I or may not have eaten.

Just wanted to rant a little. Anyone else feel the same way?

thanks for listening... whoever you are :)

Replies

  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    When I eat out at restaurants that do not provide nutritional information, I use the Quick Calories function and enter my best guess. If you think 650 is too low, enter a higher value. For example, when I fall for my weakness (chinese food) I usually enter 1,000 calories.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    It really is hard. I wish I could help! I just try to eat the simplest things and then log the individual ingredients as best I can.
  • smithalcutie
    smithalcutie Posts: 30 Member
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    that is exactly how i felt today. i marinated chicken breast in light house italian dressing and grilled it. I had no idea how many calories it was. i looked all through online. it's really messing with my head. i used grilled marinated chicken. i hope it's about the same. i'm just gonna add ten more minutes to my workout tomorrow and hope that it takes care of the calories i was off by. i feel your pain
  • kaymd
    kaymd Posts: 470 Member
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    We have a local restaurant that I like to frequent too so if we go to it I like to make it for breakfast because i find breakfast foods are easier to guess at.
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
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    I tend to go the same route as scagneti - or if I think I can equate it to something make by a chain, I will try entering that and see what I think about the cals - it really ends up being a bit of a crapshoot!

    Good on you for supporting local businesses, that is awesome!
  • jeanaustin
    jeanaustin Posts: 101
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    I feel the same way!! I love eating at local restaurants and exploring the city. I just don't know why it's so difficult to provide the nutritional info for any restaurant. They usually have a set menu that doesn't change all that often. I've emailed several restaurants but none of them have it.
  • NguyenTJ
    NguyenTJ Posts: 35 Member
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    This is what i go through everytime my husband steps into the kitchen. I might as well be at a small local resteraunt... GREAT food... but no one knows what's in it.
    I do exactly what you do.. find the closest thing to it and hope for the best. Sometimes it seems too low... sometimes it seems too high.... as long as it isn't a daily thing and the numbers on the scale keep going down.... i'm ok with it.

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