Quick Calories

areallycoolstory
areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
edited November 15 in Food and Nutrition
How and why do you use the quick calorie option? I have found myself twice this week wanting to use it because I didn't want it to be over in my micros and macros when calories were well under. Last night it was brussel sprouts taking me over in my protein by 2 points. Both nights it was when I teach late, so I take dinner with me. On my early work nights, if I notice I am over in anything, I can adjust by having 3 oz of meat rather than 4 or whatever. But on late nights I have already eaten when it is time to log out, so it is too late to fix it that way. I always log all my food in the morning, so that isn't the issue. This week I guess I was just zeroing in on calories, and I didn't notice the macro/micros were over until my log out. Anyway I was tempted to use the quick calories for this. Yep. I do know I am only lying to myself if I don't log properly. But darn it, those brussel sprouts were only 38 calories. Anyhow, I was just wondering how others were using their quick calories, and if any of you guys were having similar issues as I am.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I wouldn't do that personally because I like to review the macro counts over a rolling week to see how I'm doing and if it impacts my energy/wellbeing. If I don't get very much, say, protein, and I feel hungrier/less energetic/whatever, then I want to be able to identify that trend. I don't care much about hitting macros in a given day as much as I care about general trends for the week.

    I will sometimes quick calorie when I eat a sample at the grocery store or try a bite of someone's food and I don't want to bother to look up the calories of a bite of food. I will quick log 25/50 calories (whatever I feel is closer) and move on.
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
    Thanks for your response:-)
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
    areallycoolstory wrote: »
    Last night it was brussel sprouts taking me over in my protein by 2 points.
    Macros are a guide not set in stone. Going over your protein by 2 grams really isn't an issue. In fact its probably a good thing. Don't obsess over the small things look at the bigger picture. My macros are a guide I use over the week some days are over some are under. If you're body gets too much protein it'll just utilise it in another way the same with anything else.

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    edited March 2015
    Macros are just a guide. And not putting them in doesn't mean you didn't go over. It seems like "cheating" to make yourself feel better, and I don't see the point. If you only care about calories, quick calories for everything is fine. I don't think I have used it too often.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    isulo_kura wrote: »
    areallycoolstory wrote: »
    Last night it was brussel sprouts taking me over in my protein by 2 points.
    Macros are a guide not set in stone. Going over your protein by 2 grams really isn't an issue. In fact its probably a good thing. Don't obsess over the small things look at the bigger picture. My macros are a guide I use over the week some days are over some are under. If you're body gets too much protein it'll just utilise it in another way the same with anything else.

    This. Going a bit over or under a macro doesn't matter. I use them to try and help me see if I'm having an unbalanced day and, especially, to monitor over time to see if there's a connection between days I struggle/do well and a particular macro mix. I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to avoid being over a macro but under calories and especially not protein, which I treat more as a minimum.

    As for the question, I use it for a restaurant meal or pot luck if I'm feeling lazy but want to be able to have at least an estimate of my overall calories for the week or if I've had a few bites of something hard to log.
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
    isulo_kura wrote: »
    areallycoolstory wrote: »
    Last night it was brussel sprouts taking me over in my protein by 2 points.
    Macros are a guide not set in stone. Going over your protein by 2 grams really isn't an issue. In fact its probably a good thing. Don't obsess over the small things look at the bigger picture. My macros are a guide I use over the week some days are over some are under. If you're body gets too much protein it'll just utilise it in another way the same with anything else.

    This is good information. Thank very much:-)
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member


    [/quote]

    Going a bit over or under a macro doesn't matter. I use them to try and help me see if I'm having an unbalanced day and, especially, to monitor over time to see if there's a connection between days I struggle/do well and a particular macro mix. I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to avoid being over a macro but under calories and especially not protein, which I treat more as a minimum.

    As for the question, I use it for a restaurant meal or pot luck if I'm feeling lazy but want to be able to have at least an estimate of my overall calories for the week or if I've had a few bites of something hard to log.[/quote]

    Awesome. Good info and advice. I appreciate it:-)
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
    JenMc14 wrote: »
    Macros are just a guide. And not putting them in doesn't mean you didn't go over. It seems like "cheating" to make yourself feel better, and I don't see the point. If you only care about calories, quick calories for everything is fine. I don't think I have used it too often.

    Nor do I, but people can be a bit wacky...Have you noticed?:-) Thanks for taking the time to respond.
  • kpw818
    kpw818 Posts: 113 Member
    Hi hi,

    I use quick calories to add if I'm unsure of a meal count (for example, eating out at a restaurant that doesn't have nutritional info, I'll grab something similar then add a % ). I also add if I'm in a hurry (I know my chipotle burrito order is about 400) or for quick snacks that I'm not looking at for nutrition (piece of chocolate)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    If I took an extra lick of ice cream, if I'm at a restaurant and have the calorie count but the meal seems a little a little oily and the calorie count too good to be true.

    I use them as space savers throughout the day if I know I want X amount of calories for drinks or dessert, because I cannot math well. I log everything afterward though.
  • areallycoolstory
    areallycoolstory Posts: 1,680 Member
    Makes sense. Thanks very much for your responses:-)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories