Caloric Amount

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13

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  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    ok it is now July 26 and I'm still 245. I did remove jerky from my diet last weekend, so will see if that was the contributing factor.
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    I saw my doctor and they ran complete blood workup and all my numbers are excellent and within range. So they are mystified too...
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    Maybe I am not logging right. For example if I eat a banana the db says 105 calories. So if I weigh it on the scale, how do I enter that amount? I guess I'm been using the db listings too much??
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    Are you using the app or the web site? iphone or android?
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 980 Member
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    I'd just type in banana to the Search field, then look at each option until I find one that has grams in the dropdown. Select one that allows you to enter how many grams you had and enter the weight of the banana.

    And that's the weight of the edible part - you don't weigh the skin. The easy way is to weigh the whole thing then weigh the skin after you've finished eating. Deduct the skin's weight from what the whole fruit weighed.

    Once you have a proper entry for Banana in your diary, you can use the last entry in your history and just amend the weight when you eat another one.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    And you may want to ensure that the entry you use has values similar to those found in the USDA Standard Reference database where 09040, Banana, raw, has energy of 89 Cal per 100g of edible fruit :wink:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    ekim2016 wrote: »
    Maybe I am not logging right. For example if I eat a banana the db says 105 calories. So if I weigh it on the scale, how do I enter that amount? I guess I'm been using the db listings too much??

    Either that DB entry gives an assumed weight - or you select from the serving 100g or 1g method.

    Weigh yours - move the decimal point over correctly for # of servings.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,962 Member
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    ekim2016 wrote: »
    ok it is now July 26 and I'm still 245. I did remove jerky from my diet last weekend, so will see if that was the contributing factor.

    You're still using generic entries.

    0.5 ounces of avocado? That's like one piece that's a half inch square.

    A tablespoon of black olives?

    3 cups of popcorn?

    A medium russet potato? My red potatoes are small - about the size of a raquetball, and they are 120g, or 86 calories. A normal sized russet potato is gong to be 400g or so, or nearly 300 calories. A "pat" of butter? Are you using restaurant individually wrapped butter? Because even a pat of restaurant butter is going to be anywhere from 36 calories to over a hundred.

    You are going to have to start being more accurate. It's gone on for many months now.



  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited July 2019
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    agree with the above. 3 strawberries? 1 medium apple?
    0.75 of a large egg? how do you eat 3/4 of an egg?

    use the food scale on all foods, search the database for entries with options to enter grams/oz. be specific on types of apples.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    ekim2016 wrote: »
    Maybe I am not logging right. For example if I eat a banana the db says 105 calories. So if I weigh it on the scale, how do I enter that amount? I guess I'm been using the db listings too much??

    You need to use a database entry that has bananas in grams (or ounces, assuming you're accurate down to a fraction of an ounce). "One banana" is a meaningless unit for the purposes of accurate logging.

    Agree with the others--there are still a lot of entries in your diary in cups, spoons, etc. Weigh it all. Forget that you even own any measuring cups or spoons.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
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    ekim2016 wrote: »
    I am pondering starting from a clean slate in mfp. I signed up at 269 3 years ago. So I might just start new at 246 today? pros or cons to this?

    Others have advised you regarding the possibility of logging errors, so I'm not going to add anything else to that.

    I do have a question regarding your initial weight on MFP, though. You don't need a "clean slate", your starting weight is your starting weight. But, do you update your current weight regularly on MFP (in My Home -> Check-In), or does the app still think you're 269? Because if you never updated your current weight, then MFP would be eternally giving you a caloric goal intake for someone heavier than you are now, and that could maybe explain the year long plateau.
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    Gummi I do change my weight but it only goes from 245 or say 246... what I don' t get is I originally went from 269 down to 235 logging the way I do.. I over count things too, saying I eat more than I do... but once I started back up to 245 I got stuck. I guess the real science is to weigh everything like you all tell me.. It just seems odd it used to work the generic way ?
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
    edited July 2019
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    so my weeky summary is always less than 10k calories! but that is not weighing right obviously. because how do you weight movie popcorn? I guess 10 cups is 500 per listing. I can't really weight it.. yeah, I know it's a bad one to eat...
    so for lunch at work I'm having my two cans of Walmart chicken breast raw out of can. 10oz total and a banana that I can't weigh. I guess I could buy a scale for work though
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,962 Member
    edited July 2019
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    Like we said though - the difference between you at 270 and you at 235 is significant.

    It is easy to lose weight when you have a lot of weight to lose - even with making huge errors.

    As you get closer to a healthy weight, you not only need to be eating less, but you have to get closer to that calorie number daily.

    Have you reset your Goals recently? Go in and reset Goals to, "Lose 1 pound per week." Make sure your weight is current in there. Calories change as you lose weight, and it's possible you need to recalculate. Set your Activity level reasonably. Log your exercise when you do purposeful exercise.

    Do that here: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    Make sure to click, "Save changes," when you're done.


    You keep arguing the same argument in every post. There is a solution.
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    ok I went in an reset my loss per week from 2 pounds to 1.5 which bounced me up to 1600 allowable calories instead of 1500. So will see how it goes.. thanks all of you! I know, I'm a problems solver too and this has been really gnawing at me.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    You weigh your popcorn kernels un-popped. You pop them and eat them. You weigh the un-popped kernels. You subtract one from the other and thus know what you've consumed.

    yes, there might be a minuscule difference in terms of impurities, or scale zeroing imperfections but is sure is a heck of a lot closer to reality than measuring 10 cups

    I hesitate to offer a further suggestion... but if I was contemplating eating a can or two of chicken and a banana, I would actually invest in about 500 to 600g of a mix of tomatoes and cucumers or lettuce or tri-colored coleslaw mix and would pour one of the cans of chicken over it.

    with perhaps just some weighted out balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, or would, if adventuresome, weight some greek yogurt and mustard and make my own mustard/yogurt based dressing--I am weird with greek yogurt I use it everywhere!

    Then I would repeat the experiment with the second can of chicken later in the day :)

    This would dramatically increase my "5" a day vegetable portions and help me approach my "hidden" 10 a day target. It would also increase my fiber. And make me happier to eat my chicken.

    But hey. As long as you're happy eating your chicken straight up... more power to you!
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    thanks the recipe you suggested sounds good. I just eat the canned chicken straight as I'm at the office for lunch and I can pop the lid off and dump it into a paper coffee cup :smile: . It's not to bad other than a huge salt content. Then have my banana. I do have dinner salad every evening with dinner at 6pm and a vegetable with meals.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    manly hug and all that! It sounds "interesting" to be pouring the poor chicken out of a can and into a paper coffee cup! Tupperware containers / glass-lock / Glad containers may be of assistance? You could prepare the previous night and grab and go in the morning? I've even seen people use little "school lunch" bags with an flexible ice pack to keep their stuff cold. It does take more effort mind you.

    There is little doubt that a high sodium diet may be making you retain some water and have a higher apparent weight; but, if you consistently eat higher sodium it doesn't really change things in terms of long term fat loss. And as long as your blood pressure and doctor are on board...
  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
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    I actually purchased a digital pocket scale to carry in my purse. Some people think that's going too far, but luckily I don't give a **** about weighing a banana or crackers or whatever at work. I don't use it at social gatherings or restaurants, but it's been incredibly helpful in measuring the exact "snackage" amounts I'm eating (again, mostly at work).
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    ekim2016 wrote: »
    so my weeky summary is always less than 10k calories! but that is not weighing right obviously. because how do you weight movie popcorn? I guess 10 cups is 500 per listing. I can't really weight it.. yeah, I know it's a bad one to eat...

    As bad as I am at estimating weight with my hands, I think I could get close enough to 1/4 lb increments.

    And then take the container home to weigh it for next time you enjoy the popcorn.

    While the estimate for already popped corn isn't as good as by kernals as PAV8888 described it - get's you better than totally unknowing.

    And then the butter, ahh, do a search and find out who got one on their way out of the theater and weighed it at home with butter.
    Or bring your own calorie free or low cal seasoning to sprinkle on it there.

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