What if I don't know?

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mccaugkm
mccaugkm Posts: 29
in Food and Nutrition
I'm using the MyFitnessPal app for my Droid - but what if I don't truly know how many calories are in what I'm eating?

Sure, it is easy if you're eating something with a bar code, but what if it is something at a restaurant, or dinner that someone else has prepared? Or, what if that bag of pretzels from the local bakery actually doesn't come with a UPC?

I feel like I'm only halfway using MFP.

For instance, I had a bowl of Special K this morning, but with 1% milk instead of skim milk. Regardless, I scanned the UPC on the Special K box and that is what I logged.

I had couscous yesterday but it was loaded with olives, some chicken meat, carrots, almonds... I scanned the couscous container and that is what I logged because I couldn't find anything that really matched what I was eating in the database.

And last night I went to a party, and well... I'm pretending like that didn't exist and I'm working extra hard at the gym today.

So what do I do? Do I continue to sort of "make up" what I'm eating? Go with whatever is the closest match? Do I need to go out and buy new food that only I eat and I tell my parents to stay away from it and I'll prepare my own dinners for the next month?

Please help.

Replies

  • Liss1
    Liss1 Posts: 49 Member
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    Ya, I just log things that are very similar and use it as an estimate.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
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    Regarding that special K I would put the portion you ate so if you ate 1 cup then log 1 cup with 1 cup of skim 1% milk

    With the couscous if you're on your phone and you can't enter it into the database then just enter the ingredients and guess how much you're eating. If you think you had 1 cup of couscous, 4oz of chicken, 3 baby carrots, 2tbs of olives, 2tbs of almonds then log it as so. Break it into what the ingredients are. When you get home then edit it if you need too.
  • mccaugkm
    mccaugkm Posts: 29
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    If I didn't prepare the couscous though, how do I start guessing?
  • jaysp87
    jaysp87 Posts: 32
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    I typically add things separate if I don't know.

    For example - that couscous you had. I would log x amount of couscous, x amount of olives, x amount of chicken, x amount of carrots, x amount of almonds. If you are unsure how many, slightly over estimate. but i take a mental note of how much is in each, im getting better a it the more i do it.

    and for special k, i wouldn't worry too much about that because the difference is pretty minor. if you wanted you could quick add an extra 30 calories or you can add the value for special k without milk then add 1/2 cup milk (or however amount you use) so 2 entries for the meal.

    for things at a bakery ill look through the list of things listed on mfp and typically go for the highest calorie one. there is a cupcake shop near me that my brothers love so of course i get one too. but i dont know the nutrition value so i count 1 starbucks cupcake because they were the highest on mfp, which is like 500 calories! there are some that are 135 calories and i know that is not correct for the one i ate!
  • jaysp87
    jaysp87 Posts: 32
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    If I didn't prepare the couscous though, how do I start guessing?

    estimate how much you ate then log that. i think it is better to over estimate than under.

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