What is the best method for counting tricky things, like the oil you use to roast veggies or the marinade you use for chicken? Obviously you aren't consuming the whole amount so it would be inaccurate to count it that way. I have just been not counting it all, but making sure that my daily calories are slightly below target to account for these things. Is there a better way? Any suggestions?
I don't think there's an absolute perfect way to calculate these things, other than just cut them out entirely. For me, if I use oil, I use so little it gets all used up, and then calculate it fully. If I make a marinade, I either turn the rest into a sauce, and therefore count it all, or I make it so low cal I don't have to count it (I don't count things such as vinegar, spices, and fat-free spice mixtures). Or you could weigh how much it is, and then weigh what's left over after cooking, though that won't take into account the water that just vaporized.
I'm more likely to err on the side of caution and count it all. Or, in some cases if I know I didn't have it all, I will count at least half. If I consumed some, I need to count it.
So today for lunch I had cucumber ranch dressing on the side and did not finish the dressing, so I counted my serving as half a serving instead of a whole 2tbls.
I'm more likely to err on the side of caution and count it all. Or, in some cases if I know I didn't have it all, I will count at least half. If I consumed some, I need to count it.
Same. Or I measure how much oil I am using in the cooking and counting it as it is. I figure I am going to make up for it somewhere. So I say I used 80 calories of oil, but REALLY I only ate 60 calories - I count it as 80. I am sure somewhere else in the day I was under my 20 calories.
I am trying to become more anal about weight and measuring my food, and getting the calories right there. But I am not overly anal about them being exact to what I am eating if that makes sense. So if I enter in 1/2 a cup of something, but leave some on plate - whatever. I am ahead of the game. Later if I pop 1 single M&M in the mouth I don't worry about it.
I'm not so anal about counting calories - I hate counting calories. I hate measuring and weighing. But I know that's the best way for me to lose weight.
On the other hand, my friend just sent me a link to an article from msnbc regarding the truth behind calorie counts. On packaged foods the FDA allows up to a 20% variance in the nutritional information. They tested several frozen meals and found that calorie counts could easily be higher or lower for different things. Its an "average" based on calculations the companies do. (makes sense to me). But they say this may be why people struggle to lose weight eating the prepackaged meals. Think about it. If you have a 1200cal diet and eat packaged meals you could have a 240 cal variation. Erring on the high side, that puts you at 1440. That can be the difference between losing and maintaining for someone close to goal. (granted, that's the extreme case and does not apply to all things)
I count 100 "mystery calories" for the day. Every day. This accounts for oils, marinades, mustard, pickles, salad greens, and a few other hard to count or super low calorie things.
I count every bit of oil or marinade I used and figure it will all come out in the wash, if I really didn't consume it all then it will balance one of the other things I probably underestimated.
I count 100 "mystery calories" for the day. Every day. This accounts for oils, marinades, mustard, pickles, salad greens, and a few other hard to count or super low calorie things.
I like this tip. I'm going to incorporate that into my plan. A nice fudge factor!
What I usually do is just guess how much of the marinade I've used. I do count all of the cooking oil I use, even though I can still see some of it in the pan.
What you could do, though, and what I've done once or twice before I decided it was too much trouble, is weigh the marinade (tare the container first) before and after marinating and then count that portion of the marinade's calories. That would be the most accurate way to do it, but it struck me as a pain in the butt.
No one can be perfect about counting calories, though, for all the reasons people have mentioned, though, so what really matters is that you be consistent, so that you can tell if you're eating enough and if you're losing weight.
I had a hard time with this at first as well. I usually only use oil as either a bit of cooking spray or olive oil to cook fish. When I use the spray, I just count it as 1/4 tsp canola oil and when I cook fish I measure 2 Tbsp of oil in the pan and just divide it between how many pieces I cook so if I cook 5 pieces, each serving would have 0.4 Tbsp of olive oil. If there is a bit left over, its not a big deal to overestimate a bit. Just try to use the smallest amount needed so there is not a lot left over.
Last edited by sweetnlow28; 06-26-2010 at 11:51 AM.
How do you track calories? I used to use sparkpeople (an online site) and when I would cook at home, I would use the recipe calculator. It let me figure out the calories for meals I made taking everything used into consideration, and then dividing it by serving size (user enters serving size)
It's harder to do with good ole' pen and paper- but way back when I did that. I would write down everything I used to cook with, and then divide the totals by # of servings each meal had.
I just kind of do my own thing. If I'm not sure about what it is I'll either not eat it at all, or bounce it up 200 or 300 calories just to be sure. Probably not the best method, but it seems to be working for me.
I count 100 "mystery calories" for the day. Every day. This accounts for oils, marinades, mustard, pickles, salad greens, and a few other hard to count or super low calorie things.
I like this tip too, EXCEPT one tablespoon of olive oil alone is 119 calories I believe.
Counting those "tricky" things
I hate measuring and weighing. But I know that's the best way for me to lose weight.
