What do you do when you have no idea?

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micayla75
micayla75 Posts: 219 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Typically, I weigh and measure everything. However, tonight I was not able to do either and I had Stromboli with cheese, bacon, green peppers and onions from a local pizza restaurant. I have no idea how much I ate (a lot) and have no idea how many calories were in it. I decided to do a quick add of 1800 calories.

I'm not as worried about the calories as much as I am just curious as to what others do. I am totally fine with logging and measuring 99% of the time, but sometimes life is not so perfect.

What do you do when life happens and you don't know how many calories you ate?

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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I eyeball it and do quick calories (but by now I have a fairly good idea of how many calories are in things). Before, I would just find an equivalent in the database.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I guess. I estimate. I over-estimate. I pay attention to my body to determine if I'm sated or famished. Then I drink water.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I find a restaurant that sells something similar and has calorie info, and add that.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    I try to make as accurate estimate as possible by breaking things into small pieces. I log each thing separately. This way the estimate is closer to the truth. Try to make an estimate on the amount of each of the main ingredients including oil. This will get you as close as you can get. The bulk estimate will not be as accurate.
    I did this for my entire 2 week summer holiday this year. I predicted a gain of 3lbs as a result of all calories and it came out to be correct.
  • llwolford
    llwolford Posts: 109 Member
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    A lot of restaurants are in the data base. You just estimate. Logging should just be a tool.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I sticked strictly to calorie counting when I lost weight, just had a few days here and there (also a two weeks' vacation) not counting. I'm beginning to think the counting isn't the be all and end all to weight management - it's the not eating too much, and I can do that without counting, just by sticking to normal looking portions of ordinary food, and only eating when I'm hungry.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,140 Member
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    Sometimes I look up recipes online to find one close to the food I ate.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    edited November 2016
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    I do most of what is recommended above and usually add 1/4 portion more for Justin (just in case).

    ETA- I don't weigh or measure my foods yet. So far 4 months in and I'm averaging over 1 lb a week loss. While I don't recommend this, I say it to let you know that one day guesstimating isn't too damaging if you try to get close.

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