Tips/Resources for Tracking Food

[AK_Bookworm 116]

I'm almost 4 weeks out and moving towards more solids. I've tried tracking calories in the past and it was sooooo frustrating that I stopped. As part of this new journey I would like to track Protein, carbs, and calories so I can make sure I'm getting the right amounts and not over eating. The biggest area I struggled with is how to track recipes and meals at restaurants. I won't be eating out for a while but would like tips and resources to better track foods. I do have a scale so I will be using that as well but are there other resources/tips that I should consider? Is MFP good for calculating recipes (I see it has the options to enter all the ingredients to determine the calories etc in the meal) but I don't know how to go about determining the amount of servings in the meal... HELP lol!!!

[Joann454 1,329]

The new apps are really good at listing restaurant foods. You can also go to the restaurant's web sit and get nutritional info. The only problem will be estimating how much of it you ate.

[blizair09 3,250]

Like @Joann454 said, when I do eat out (a rarity really), I rely on nutritional information from the restaurant's website. If the restaurant doesn't provide that kind of information, I don't eat there. I have a food scale that I take with me when I am going to eat out so that I can make sure my tracking is accurate.

As far as tracking on a daily basis is concerned, it just becomes routine. I have been doing it since March 21, 2016, and it is just a part of me now. I am "old school" in that I keep track in a word document that lists food, calories, carbs, and Protein. I don't depend on apps, but I do get information as needed from MFP. (But, to tell you the truth, I eat the same things every day, so, at this point, I do a lot of cutting and pasting.)

As far as recipes that you cook at home, you just have to track each ingredient as you measure it to come to the sum total for the recipe. Then log the macros based on the total amount of the recipe that you eat in one meal.

This is time consuming, but worth all of the effort.

Good luck.

[AK_Bookworm 116]

Thank you both! I just need to start the habit and eventually I think it will be second nature!!

[BigViffer 3,545]

41 minutes ago, AK_Bookworm said:

<snip> but I don't know how to go about determining the amount of servings in the meal... HELP lol!

I can help you here! One thing to remember with nutrition labels and recipes in general is that it is all estimations and assumed uniformity. For example if a turkey, cheddar, and wheat bread sandwich with mayo is 300-ish calories, (20 grams Protein, 15 grams fat, 20 grams carbs) Are each bite completely equal? No. But we have to make assumptions to make our life easier.

For recipes, I go by total ounces as my servings. Makes it easy to weigh and log in. Easy example, 1/2 cup steel cut oats (4 oz 150 calories) 1 cup milk (8 oz 120 calories), 1 scoop Protein Powder (1 oz 25 calories) Total ounces 13 ounces = 13 servings. I don't really care that no one is ever going to have 1 serving, it's just the unit of measurement that is easiest to me.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Track as you eat, using an app on your phone

Eat the same things, then you already know their nutrition and you aren't searching all the time

Check resturants and get the nutrition information from their website

I track everything metric (grams, ml) because it is easier to break it up

At home when you have a scale, learn to use the tare feature. Example, I'm making a salad, I put the bowl on, zero out the weight, add the salad greens, track it, then zero out the weight, add the dressing, track it, zero out the weight, add grated parm, track it zero out the weight.

You can think like that with recipes too. Like if I make an omelette I don't make that a recipe, I just weigh each thing and track each thing in the app. I used to make a lot of recipes but its pointless because I cook from the top of my head not with a real recipe so its different every time.

The main thing is to make it a habit. So it is like second nature. It is easy to do early on because your diet is not varied. If you make the habit easy you can keep it later on.

[Apple1 2,572]

I real like the app Carb Manager. It will figure out the net carbs for you and it tracks all your macros, weight, exercise, Water, etc. it is free but I think the premium features are worth it. It will let you scan barcodes, export data, it even has voice entry.

[Joann454 1,329]

I real like the app Carb Manager. It will figure out the net carbs for you and it tracks all your macros, weight, exercise, Water, etc. it is free but I think the premium features are worth it. It will let you scan barcodes, export data, it even has voice entry.

I love that it figures out the net carbs! Mine doesn't.

[rainyann 118]

the baritastic app is good, too, and it is free. See which one works out best for you

[Dabearo 118]

2 hours ago, blizair09 said:

I have a food scale that I take with me when I am going to eat out so that I can make sure my tracking is accurate

@blizair09 you take a food scale to a restaurants?

[AK_Bookworm 116]

I love all these ideas!!!! Thank you everyone so much!

[blizair09 3,250]

15 minutes ago, Dabearo said:

@blizair09 you take a food scale to a restaurants?

Yep

[Dabearo 118]

what kind of scale

[blizair09 3,250]

46 minutes ago, Dabearo said:

what kind of scale

I have a little Polder Digital Pocket Portion scale that I use when I am away from home. At home, I have a larger food scale (Aws).

[pretty.ruby 35]

I'm almost 4 weeks out and moving towards more solids. I've tried tracking calories in the past and it was sooooo frustrating that I stopped. As part of this new journey I would like to track Protein, carbs, and calories so I can make sure I'm getting the right amounts and not over eating. The biggest area I struggled with is how to track recipes and meals at restaurants. I won't be eating out for a while but would like tips and resources to better track foods. I do have a scale so I will be using that as well but are there other resources/tips that I should consider? Is MFP good for calculating recipes (I see it has the options to enter all the ingredients to determine the calories etc in the meal) but I don't know how to go about determining the amount of servings in the meal... HELP lol!!!

I would seriously consider taking a tiny kitchen scales or at least measuring spoons with. I would ask for an additional saucer and when your dinner comes weigh and or measure out what would be your normal portion placing that on the saucer. I am diabetic and salt restricted. I have to make special requests and most places are more than happy to help.

Donna