“Guesstimating” food calories

ellie7187
ellie7187 Posts: 83 Member
edited November 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I know, bottom line when losing weight is calories should never be guesstimated. But how would you go about doing it if you HAD TO?

I’m going it for a girls’ night tonight and we are meeting quite early to have dinner first. Problem is this month (we do girls’ night monthly) they’ve chosen a pub style restaurant that has ZERO nutritional info online or in store and that basically only serves wings, nachos, and variations there of. So I know tonight will be a dent to the calorie deficit.

Now I’m basically just going for damage control. I’ll be drinking only water and/or diet cola. And I’m going to share plates so I can just have small sampling’s of the calorie heavy food. Problem I’m having is I have NO IDEA how to even approach guesstimating the calories. Any help?
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Replies

  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
    I have to do this every once in a while. Just find something similar in the database and log that. You know it won't be exact but it will be an idea. Have fun and enjoy yourself!
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    Great advice above. Just enjoy yourself and try to stay below your normal caloric deficit in the coming days. Keep in mind that many of these snacks are high in sodium and you may have water weight gain.

    While it probably won't help this time, unless you can find it locally, you can offset excess sodium by drinking something called "Dandy Blend" (tastes like coffee and 2 TBSP contains 133 mg. of potassium) which helps balance out the sodium.

    Get the small package on Amazon (7 oz sells for about 12.00 USD) in case you don't like it.
  • peggym4640
    peggym4640 Posts: 156 Member
    I do what others mentioned which is input something close. I also make sure I give myself a pat on the back for enjoying the meal without overdoing it. That's a big mental win for me and helpful when trying to reinforce new habits. Have fun!!!
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 978 Member
    edited May 2018
    Try and find something generic in the database, or something similar from another place. When looking at a range of things, I tend to pick something that is a little bit higher than the average from what I can see from a quick look. If you're super worried that it looks low, chuck on an extra 150 kcals starters and desserts (each), and 350kcals extra for mains and you'll have probably got yourself covered, if not an over estimate.

    Then go and enjoy yourself :wink:
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    100-150 calories per wing depending on size and breading. Add sauce to that. If that helps. So if you order those when they arrive take a quick mental picture of how big they are and if they are breaded and do the quick math of how many you should eat for your meal goal. Stick to it and offer any left overs to your friends or take them home!
  • elizabethmcopeland
    elizabethmcopeland Posts: 167 Member
    Also consider suggesting to your friends that you also order something with a protein-focus (wings, charcuterie board), and also vegetables (sharable salad, pickles, etc). These items may be easier to guesstimate portions for.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Someone suggested the last time this thread was created to take pictures of the food to help log later. I thought that was clever. I would probably forget because I never remember my phone has a camera being as tragically unhip as I am.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    It's only one night, only one meal. If you are mindful not to go nuts, it is likely the worse outcome would be that today is a maintenance day.

    You can also scale back a bit on what you eat before dinner today to give yourself a bit of wiggle room.

    Bottom line? Don't sweat the small stuff. Life happens. Enjoy it. :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I just find a similar database entry for restaurants without nutritional info and go on the higher side.
  • ellie7187
    ellie7187 Posts: 83 Member
    Thanks for all the advice! For me I know it’s important to log as if I don’t I risk the slippery slope of not logging entirely. So I’ll look for something generic in the database to make sure I’m still accountable, even if I’m not entirely accurate.

    Also, I WISH I could suggest a salad or veggie dish to share but this place legit doesn’t have any. I don’t know how that’s possible in this day and age haha. Side note: their nachos really are the best ever so I will be enjoying myself!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    Things like restaurant wings or nachos - there are plenty of chain restaurants with calorie info...just use one of those. Like TGI Fridays, Applebees, Chipotle, etc. It's all going to be a guess anyway. Part of weight maintenance is allowing for special occasions where you can't get accuracy. Do the best-guess and move on.

    Have fun!

    Yup, this. I find a similar food from another restaurant and just guess. Sometimes if I'm really not feeling it I'll enter 3000 quick add calories for days that I eat poorly.
  • lmew91
    lmew91 Posts: 88 Member
    I do pretty much everything that's already been mentioned, trying to find a reasonable entry to use. Like, one chicken wing most likely isn't 25 cal, but it's most likely not 500 cal either. I find something in between that seems reasonable, and sometimes try to log a little extra than the amount I *think* I ate, because I'm not always the best at eyeballing portions.

    Orrrr sometimes I just don't log and enjoy myself. :)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I would quick add around 1000 calories. If you have a dessert as well add another 500.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    You can still choose and plan ahead, just log something in the database that seems similar.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »
    I would quick add around 1000 calories. If you have a dessert as well add another 500.

    Depends where she goes and the size of the portions.. most restaurant places are far more than 1000 calories for an entree.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I would either find something comparable and add another two or three hundred to it or say " yeah that looks like 1300 calories and move on. After the sodium wears off the scale will tell you how well you are estimating. I actually got pretty good at guessing and using the scale to confirm my guessing accuracy. When guessing always aim high.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »
    I would quick add around 1000 calories. If you have a dessert as well add another 500.

    Depends where she goes and the size of the portions.. most restaurant places are far more than 1000 calories for an entree.

    I was thinking of just the entree... and I'm also in UK where portions are usually smaller.
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    I pick the highest or 2nd highest calorie item that is similar in the database. Or, alternatively I eyeball it and quick add 1200-1800 calories depending on how huge the portions are and what all they have appeared to add to it. If it's a cheeseburger or something like that you could also dissect it and add each ingredient separately. +120 cals. for butter or oil.
  • BattyKnitter
    BattyKnitter Posts: 503 Member
    edited May 2018
    I have a few different strategies for nights out.

    If it's planned ahead of time I will save an extra 100-200 calories each day the week before.
    If it's last minute I will either eat light that day and the next day or just the next day if it's very last minute.
    Sometimes I will only have half my meal and save the other half for dinner or for my husband.
    I will often order salad, some restaurants have amazingly tasty salads, though they can be pretty calorific too.
    I will sometimes find a similar food in the database and log that.
    Other times I will just quick add 1000-1500 calories.
    Other times I will just eat light that day and not log that meal and just enjoy myself (in moderation) and jump back on the horse the next day.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Find a similar entry in the database and log that.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ellie7187 wrote: »
    I know, bottom line when losing weight is calories should never be guesstimated. But how would you go about doing it if you HAD TO?

    Meh, personally I lost 3st estimating calories.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    After a while, most of is who have been rigid/ weighing and measuring food get to a point we know what servings of things look like. I agree with the people that state to use something in the database that is close, but nothing can take the place of several years of experience. Many body builders do this. Most have been tracking macros/calories for years. Just my 2 cents....
  • ljashley1952
    ljashley1952 Posts: 275 Member
    I find that a lot of restaurants have items listed in the MFP database. I had to guesstimate last week after attending a taco bar birthday bash for someone. I did the best I could and then forgot about it. Next day I was back on track.
  • Dee_D33
    Dee_D33 Posts: 106 Member
    I guesstimate when I go out to eat. Just find something similar and know one night won’t ruin progress if you’re a little off. Truth be told, after working years in the restaurant industry I’ve learned that even the nutritional info on the menu and online is often inaccurate. Nothing, food or drinks, are made the same exact way every time with the proper amounts of ingredients and sizes of food can differ greatly, etc. So really every time you go out to eat it’s all guesstimation.
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