Help me out a little with this...

2»

Replies

  • jewels319
    jewels319 Posts: 72 Member
    Since starting MFP....I have been keeping to my 1200 cals a day goal.......I used to go to fast food places and order burgers fries and soda.......my fav thing to order at Friendlys was the honey bbq chicken with bacon and cheddar.....look at the calories its like 1400......OH MY GOD!.....over my cal count.....so I looked at menu for something less. Even thinking small fries instead of large, I talk myself out of it cuz its still deep fried, still salty.....and well for me...the side effects of swelling from the salt just makes me feel heavier. Good luck on your course.
  • SixCatFaerie
    SixCatFaerie Posts: 690 Member
    Honestly... before MFP I would have ordered the new feature and not given it a second thought. But now I would have to downgrade!!!

    I totally agree with you on that!

    4581915.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • butterfly1445
    butterfly1445 Posts: 81 Member
    A week ago I would've stuck with the new feature, now I would downgrade for sure, that is more than an entire day of calories for me!!
  • SixCatFaerie
    SixCatFaerie Posts: 690 Member
    Now that I'm tracking calories, YES, however before my lifestyle change, NO. The calories being posted would have meant nothing to me.

    I posted this same question on Facebook and the only friend that has undergone a huge weight loss was the only one to mimic this response. The rest are pretty much saying it wouldn't matter to them. Hmmm...

    Amazing how that works! :bigsmile:

    4581915.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • ChristinaRamos
    ChristinaRamos Posts: 226
    Anyone not using this site would probably ignore the calorie count though I would not!
  • FifiLea
    FifiLea Posts: 80 Member
    It would definitely affect what I ordered and would also mean that I would eat out more.

    It's such a hassle having to look up what I'm going to eat before I go to a restaurant. It takes the spontaneity out of the occasion - what if I don't fancy whatever it is that I've laboriously looked up once I get to the restaurant? I'll end up eating it because I know what's in it, but it means that I might not enjoy my meal.
  • jenttifer
    jenttifer Posts: 90 Member
    It would definitely change my mind. I like menus with calorie counts listed.
  • BettyMargaret
    BettyMargaret Posts: 407 Member
    Hi! I would opt for a lower calorie item. Having nutritional info on the menu would be wonderful!
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    If the calorie counts were posted on every menu you ordered from, would you think twice about what you ordered?
    Definitely. In fact i go out of my way to find restaurants that have the calories on at least some of the menu items.

    For example, let's say you had seen a new feature advertised at a local fast food place that you thought you would try. You get to the menu and see it has 1660 calories, plus 450 for the fries and another 370 for the soda. Would you still order it?

    I have a huge problem with getting cravings but if I saw in plain lettering next to the food how many calories I would actually be eating it would probably greatly discourage me from eating it.

    Or would you change your mind and order the item with 400 calories, downgrade the fries to a small with 200 calories, and get a diet soda with no calories?

    Honestly I probably wouldn't order anything at all. I don't drink diet soda and 600 calories is just way too much for the amount of food you'd get from one sandwich and a small fry.




    Just a note. I've done a lot of projects like this. Make sure you have a large sample size and that you are not just taking information from people that are actively trying to lose weight. I guarantee you my boyfriends answers would be WAY different since I have epic failed at getting him to give a crap about calorie consumption.
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    The information on the menu would DEFINITELY make me change my mind.
    Like when I found out that Chili's yummy brownie thing has like 1.800 calories.
    Won't ever go near taht again
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    Yes I would definitely change my order! Or consider splitting the item with a friend! I just read Eat This Not That and the calorie counts of some of my old favorite foods is so sick
  • AlexandraR2011
    AlexandraR2011 Posts: 114 Member
    When I was on vacation in New York I went to the starbucks and I was dying to get a low fat blueberry muffin. I get there and the thing is 400 calories! I thought twice and got a banana :) So yes I would get something different and healthier if I knew the calorie count.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    I'd love it if I could find the calorie information for a restaurant that easily!! And I would also like to see the sodium and sugar count listed as well!
  • JulieSmiles1
    JulieSmiles1 Posts: 43 Member
    I think it should be a law everywhere! This is a great idea! I would definitely think twice and order a better option. I may not always pick the lowest calorie option, but I would pick something that was healthier, especially now that I understand calories. I think even before I started MFP, I would have still chosen something different since I know an average day's calories should be around 2000 calories. Great topic for you to choose!
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    I wish all restaurants did this! It would save so much time and would be so nice to just be able to go out to eat and be able to make an informed decision there instead of having to do research beforehand.

    Some days I do wish this... But, I'd never EVER be able to enjoy a meal again if I was staring at the calories posted on a menu. I do that enough with MFP and on the web. I'd never be able to have a "cheat" meal again.... but, then again, it's already getting that way for me lately. I cried in the bathroom for fifteen minutes after ordering a cheat meal at Applebee's the other day.

    Still... It's a good idea and it would have been an AMAZING idea a few months ago... But these days, it'd probably stress me out to the point of not eating again.

    Oh, IHOP posts the kids meal and freshandfit caloric info right on the menu!
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    Just a note. I've done a lot of projects like this. Make sure you have a large sample size and that you are not just taking information from people that are actively trying to lose weight. I guarantee you my boyfriends answers would be WAY different since I have epic failed at getting him to give a crap about calorie consumption.

    Since this is a project for a class, we don't have to have a huge sample population but it does have to be randomized. I'm going to shoot for as large as I can reasonably analyze in the short amount of time I have in this class (it's an 8 week class and 6 weeks is spent on the project).
  • bonnymom
    bonnymom Posts: 107 Member
    Yes, if the calorie count was on the menu I would 95% downgrade - now or before.
  • tryinghard2012
    tryinghard2012 Posts: 419 Member
    Now that I'm tracking calories, YES, however before my lifestyle change, NO. The calories being posted would have meant nothing to me.

    I posted this same question on Facebook and the only friend that has undergone a huge weight loss was the only one to mimic this response. The rest are pretty much saying it wouldn't matter to them. Hmmm...

    That's interesting.... :happy:
  • abalicious
    abalicious Posts: 361 Member
    If I saw the calories posted it would definitely influence my choices on what I order. Although I know when I go to mcdonalds and getting a big mac that I'm about to eat 1000s of calories but since its not posted I don't think twice about it. I would definitely look for alternatives if the opportunity was right there, but usually people don't look ahead online when going to mcdonalds (I have a few times) but usually its just like.. "yeah, I'll get whatever sounds good"
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,763 Member
    That's a good question. I eat in fast food restaurants pretty much every day and, because I'm a compulsive reader, I always read the menu board while waiting for my food. I always want to ask if people still order those whoppers or footlong meatball sandwiches after seeing how many calories are in them but never do.

    To answer the question, seeing the calories on the menu board would totally influence my ordering decisions! I'm not sure it would be out of guilt or shame or anything like that tho. It would be more out of "holy hell! The chicken ranch sandwich (or whatever it's called) from Carl's Jr is THAT many calories!" <----I used to eat that all the time so that was pretty much my reaction when I finally started counting calories.

    I'm a creature of habit and order the same thing in the same restaurants I go to so that's not really an issue anymore.
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    I would NEVER be able to order something with that many calories! It would definitely change my mind about what's for dinner.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    I would change. I knowing the numbers to make better decisions.
  • laurad1406
    laurad1406 Posts: 341
    I'm surprised people on facebook said it wouldn't matter....because i would thing regardless of whether you're trying to lose weight or not, if you had a 2000 calorie meal staring you in the face, it would scare anyone! I know it would definitely make me terrified! Maybe they were embarrassed to admit it on there? Or maybe they just really wouldn't care haha
  • scubacat
    scubacat Posts: 346 Member
    If I knew the nutritional information, it would definately change the way I order. I wish that all restaurants did this. I usually try to check the nutritional info online before I go or use the MFP app on my phone but its not always in the database. For this reason, I dont eat out as mush as I used to because I HAVE to know the stats on all my meals
This discussion has been closed.

Categories