APPROXIMATING CALORIES

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Higglyjiggly64
Higglyjiggly64 Posts: 136
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, I searched first to see if this had been addressed before and didn't find this particular question. I don't obsess over every little piece of nutrition info, but I'd like to be as close to accurate as possible. Which brings me to my question: Has anyone had success NOT logging the EXACT thing they ate? For example, I received some homemade zucchini bread. I can not ask the baker for all the ingredients used, so I used the entry in MFP for "homemade zucchini bread - one slice". I've done the same for the homemade applesauce, home canned peaches and venison chili I've had. Has anyone else done this and still been successful losing weight or do I need to be more diligient?

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  • mursey
    mursey Posts: 191 Member
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    I do the same thing. I couldn't find the restaurant's nutrition info on a sort of "cheat meal" I had .. . so I just looked for anything similar. What else can you do?

    Just don't make most of your food something that you didn't make, or have any info on, and I'd think you'd still lose weight.
  • stacimouchett
    stacimouchett Posts: 1
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    I guess sometimes too! I just try to OVER ESTIMATE, instead of under estimating! I like to give my self that extra cushion! I don't think you could ever log in exactly perfect. Just do the best you can and work out a little extra on the days that you are not quiet sure! Good luck!
  • Perfectlycrooked
    Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
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    I do the same thing and so far I'm doing pretty well. I actually tend to add a few calories and take a little off of my exercise. You can't really rely on it too much. I do it just to be safe(:
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I'm willing to be that everyone who has been successful at losing weight with MFP has had to estimate something at one point or another. It's unrealistic to expect that you'll be able to log things *exactly* all the time. You can do your best, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow (unless you want to have a life that is completely unflexible!)...

    I know I've estimated at times, and it hasn't caused a problem yet.
  • FaithandFitness
    FaithandFitness Posts: 653 Member
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    I think we need to just use logic in those situations. It is part of this being a lifestyle change and not a diet or a set of rules. If I have to log something that I am unsure about I look at the info provided for that food and make sure it is at least believable. That is why I don't eat back all of my exercise calories. I am unsure if my burn is accurate, or if all my food intake is accurate.
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
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    You can only do your best when approximating calories. Besides, MFP doesn't know exactly how many calories you burn in a sedentary state or when you exercise. It's all an estimation and meant to be directional. Just log it as best you can and you should be fine. Good luck!
  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
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    I do the same thing... just use whats in the system... i dont do it all the time so i dont think there is too much of a problem, my cal count will be out a bit either way (more or less) so i figure it probably evens out in the long run... =]
  • prototype
    prototype Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm very picky about what I eat now. So I try to be as anal as possible. I find that I am personally more successful knowing EXACTLY what I am consuming than I am with guessing. I don't like to leave things up to chance. I would ask them what they put in it. If there is no way to know for sure, or if they won't tell you.... I probably wouldn't eat it. Not because I am not gracious... but because I am changing my life. At this time in my life, my progress is more important than enjoying homemade treats. Not that I don't appreciate them (I LOVE home cookin!) but, I have to draw a line a take a stand for my health.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
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    i try to play it safe by overestimating whatever i'm unsure about so that i can still eat things that aren't on here or from chain restaurants that have to list everything online. :o) eventually we'll all be maintaining at our goal weights & need to learn to eat like that; meaning eating things we want, like non-dieting/health conscious people sometimes. :o)
  • appleofmyeye
    appleofmyeye Posts: 94
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    I have to estimate pretty much any time we eat out because we go to so many local, non-chain restaurants that, of course, don't post nutrition info. And if someone else cooks for me, of course I have to estimate unless I know the recipe they used. I just search for something similar and guesstimate the size of the portion I ate. If I get several search results, I usually go with the highest-calorie result, just to be on the safe side. :smile:
  • cschnepf
    cschnepf Posts: 12
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    When I encounter this, I have been searching the "homemade" or "generic" options in MFP and then I choose the one that is the closest to what I'm having and the one with the highest calories.

    i.e. going to a local restaurant and having a cheeseburger, your options in MFP range from 300 - 800 calories. I try to match the size if possible and then choose the one at the higher end of the range to be on the safe side. I think it is too easy to say, "Oh, there is no way there are that many calories in what I ordered." when, in fact, there probably are.

    Hope that helps. And, don't beat yourself up over every (possible) calorie. It's more about re-learning portions and nutrition than creating a perfect record of everything that has entered your mouth.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    i do it all the time! there is NO WAY we can get the exact nutritional information of anything we eat - especially things that are homemade.
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
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    Today I just logged 100g of some sauce as 300cals, and I hope thats fine... I dont do it often so it should not make any damage!
  • a1schwei
    a1schwei Posts: 617 Member
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    i often find the mid-range of whatever i am eating...so if i can't find the 'official' calories for something homemade or from a local restaurant i find the high end and low end and choose some where in the middle...i figure sometimes i am under-estimating and sometimes over-estimating balancing out somewhere in the middle...it is not a perfect system, but it has worked for me :)
  • Higglyjiggly64
    Higglyjiggly64 Posts: 136
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    Wow everybody, thanks for the imput. Yes, I try to overestimate my calories and underestimate my exercise. I really have changed my eating habits since joining this site, but I haven't stressed myself out, so I thought I might be doing something wrong. Tomorrow is my third weigh in. If I'm doing this the way I should my "ticker" should read 6 lbs lost. Here's hoping!
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
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    I guess sometimes too! I just try to OVER ESTIMATE, instead of under estimating! I like to give my self that extra cushion! I don't think you could ever log in exactly perfect. Just do the best you can and work out a little extra on the days that you are not quiet sure! Good luck!

    this is exactly the approach i take. you can't always be 100% accurate, so if you over estimate and/or leave yourself a calorie buffer whenever possible, it will all work out in the end.

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