Calorie tracking for restaurant meals

[lennarn]

I'm using an app where I can scan the barcodes of most things and use standardized serving sizes. I have one problem though: How do you count calories and macros for restaurant meals and others where you don't know the exact ingredients and amounts?

[grouchyjarhead]

I go for a ballpark approach. I'll look for something that might be similar, or add things to make it that way. For instance, one of my favorite places to eat is a gourmet burger shop near the river in my hometown. Since it's a build your own burger deal, I just add the ingredients the best I can. Better to just get close and not sweat it too much.

[Barkadion]

I'm using an app where I can scan the barcodes of most things and use standardized serving sizes. I have one problem though: How do you count calories and macros for restaurant meals and others where you don't know the exact ingredients and amounts?

I agree with Grouchy. Spend few month for try and error and you will get pretty good at eyeballing.

This is a good database for the restaurant food:

http://menustat.org

Not sure about Norway, though.

[RugbyGuy]

MyFitnessPal has barcode scanning and most restaurant meals. I actually haven't been to a restaurant that wasn't in the system.

[Blackmetalbunny]

How do you count calories and macros for restaurant meals and others where you don't know the exact ingredients and amounts?

I think that's going to be a problem you can't ever address. Even if apps had any estimation of the macros, the chances are that 2 entries for the same meal at the same location are going to be so dissimilar, you wouldn't be able to achieve any level of consistency.

Furthermore; unless you eat there everyday, you wouldn't be able to use self-regulation to estimate how much of each macro you're getting.

My fiancée and I would typically ensure we're getting sufficient protein (relative to that meal and our daily requirements) - this shouldn't be too hard to eyeball. If we've just trained, carbs are fair game, if not; we make a conscious effort to limit what we eat.

Fats are the problem. While you can easily estimate how much fat is in a whole piece of meat - depending on what you eat, you simply cannot eyeball how much butter was in the vegetables, or how much oil was used on your chicken, or the amount of fat in the dressing. Are you gonna ask what brand of dressing was used?

Even if you knew a restaurant owner very well, you don't know each cook, and how they measure.

Honestly; if you eat at a restaurant, just shoot for the amount of protein to hit your meal / daily requirements. Health & fitness shouldn't become so neurotic that it negatively affects your health and life. If a meal felt particularly filling, I would typically just do intermittent fasting for the next meal.

[Balaclava]

How do you count calories and macros for restaurant meals and others where you don't know the exact ingredients and amounts?

I think that's going to be a problem you can't ever address. Even if apps had any estimation of the macros, the chances are that 2 entries for the same meal at the same location are going to be so dissimilar, you wouldn't be able to achieve any level of consistency.

Furthermore; unless you eat there everyday, you wouldn't be able to use self-regulation to estimate how much of each macro you're getting.

My fiancée and I would typically ensure we're getting sufficient protein (relative to that meal and our daily requirements) - this shouldn't be too hard to eyeball. If we've just trained, carbs are fair game, if not; we make a conscious effort to limit what we eat.

Fats are the problem. While you can easily estimate how much fat is in a whole piece of meat - depending on what you eat, you simply cannot eyeball how much butter was in the vegetables, or how much oil was used on your chicken, or the amount of fat in the dressing. Are you gonna ask what brand of dressing was used?

Even if you knew a restaurant owner very well, you don't know each cook, and how they measure.

Honestly; if you eat at a restaurant, just shoot for the amount of protein to hit your meal / daily requirements. Health & fitness shouldn't become so neurotic that it negatively affects your health and life. If a meal felt particularly filling, I would typically just do intermittent fasting for the next meal.

Great post, and pretty much sums it up.

[Green2Blue]

MyFitnessPal has barcode scanning and most restaurant meals. I actually haven't been to a restaurant that wasn't in the system.

This. It'll never be completely accurate, but it's close enough.