How Do I Figure This Out?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Matty - 05 Mar 2004 18:26 GMT

Hi all,

Been a few weeks since starting to count/limit my calorie intake. I really like using FitDay and will probably purchase the computer program since it can be a pain to get online to fill out my food diary. Since 02/18 I have been averaging 2400/cal a day(a few people commented about starting out on 3000 cal/day) and have become quite 'calorie conscious'.

The only real problem I am having right now is when I cook things from scratch. Pre-packaged food is so much easier to track because the nutritional information is right there.

What do I do for making something from scratch. For example I am in the mood for making my 'sunshine chicken', which is chicken tenders, sliced onions & green pepper that are marinated in a mixture of a 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup lime juice, kosher salt, cumin, & minced garlic. Looking on the label for the oil, it says that 2tbsp = 120 cal, but the chicken is just marinating in the mixture and then the mixture gets tossed afterwards. How do I gauge the calories for something like this? I know I can look up the individual items and calculate the calories, but the chicken and veggies don't soak up all the marinade so I won't be eating the total calories of the mixture.

Thanks for any advice!

Matty

Reply to this Message

Ignoramus15020 - 05 Mar 2004 18:40 GMT

> Been a few weeks since starting to count/limit my calorie intake. I =
> really like using FitDay and will probably purchase the computer program =
> since it can be a pain to get online to fill out my food diary. Since =
> 02/18 I have been averaging 2400/cal a day(a few people commented about =
> starting out on 3000 cal/day) and have become quite 'calorie conscious'.

good start.

> The only real problem I am having right now is when I cook things from =
> scratch. Pre-packaged food is so much easier to track because the =
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> chicken and veggies don't soak up all the marinade so I won't be eating =
> the total calories of the mixture.

This is my biggest problem with calorie counting, as well. How do I
account for home cooked foods with many ingredients. I do not normally
count calories since I always eat the same portions, but I tried
counting calories for one week.

What I ended up doing was, entering the components that I ate, as
separate foods, into fitday.

As far as your chicken goes, I would just count the chicken and ignore
the marinade effects. At your weight, a couple houndred calories here and
there won't make a difference.

i

Reply to this Message

alien - 05 Mar 2004 18:47 GMT

> As far as your chicken goes, I would just count the chicken and ignore
> the marinade effects. At your weight, a couple houndred calories here
> and there won't make a difference.

Allthough this isnt a terribly bad idea for them, seeing those few
calories wont maybe matter. But It would be a bad practice to start
ignoring calories so early in the game! You may grow accustomed to this
practice and find it halts any success as you lose.
OK what I would do is weight the oil with the spices in it. then
calculate the calorie per gram. Them after you are done marinating
weight what is left and subtract the difference. If you are going to be
dedicated you may as well start now and dont take shortcuts. :) By the
way it sounds good.MMMMMM :)

Signature

JP.
151 lbs gone forever!!
---------------
starting 365
current 214
goal 200
hieght 6'3"
27 male

NC In Da House
---------------

Reply to this Message

Matty - 05 Mar 2004 19:10 GMT

> > As far as your chicken goes, I would just count the chicken and ignore
> > the marinade effects. At your weight, a couple houndred calories here
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> dedicated you may as well start now and dont take shortcuts. :) By the
> way it sounds good.MMMMMM :)

Thanks for the help. It is really good, we eat it like a fajita, put it into
a tortilla with a little sour cream on top.

I agree on the counting calories part, I get nervous if I don't fill out my
food diary or go to a restaurant that doesn't have the nutritional
information available. I figure it'll take a few more weeks to get this as a
habit, that's why I'd like to get the PC version of FitDay so I can quick
zip on the computer and fill it in instead of having to wait to connect to
the internet and stuff.

Also found out that our local Chinese restaurants give out way too much food
for their lunch specials. $4.50 and I have enough for 2 meals. Wife and I
walked out of a Chinese place on a Friday night with enough for a meal for
both of us for less than $10.00, that included enough left over for my lunch
the next day!

Matty

Reply to this Message

alien - 05 Mar 2004 19:17 GMT

> Also found out that our local Chinese restaurants give out way too
> much food for their lunch specials. $4.50 and I have enough for 2
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Matty

I know that feeling. I would sometimes eat chinese buffet 2 times a day
4 or 5 days a week! Most likely eating well over 2000cals each meal.
Heck it could have been way more than that. Good luck! And keep up the
good work you are doing. :)

Signature

JP.
151 lbs gone forever!!
---------------
starting 365
current 214
goal 200
hieght 6'3"
27 male

NC In Da House
---------------

Reply to this Message

jmk - 08 Mar 2004 13:38 GMT

>>As far as your chicken goes, I would just count the chicken and ignore
>>the marinade effects. At your weight, a couple houndred calories here
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> dedicated you may as well start now and dont take shortcuts. :) By the
> way it sounds good.MMMMMM :)

Or cook items from sources that already have the calorie counts
calculated or calculate the calories for your personal recipes using
software like MasterCook or Living Cookbook.

Signature

jmk in NC

Reply to this Message