Calorie counting

[Salud-forgood]

Is one of the things I struggle with, I find it time consuming specially when I cook from scratch (which I try to do every day), just downloaded MyfitPal... do you find this app useful?

[Hidden]

I find it fairly helpful, although it gives you so mainly options, it can be very confusing! It's often an educated guess!

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to Hidden]

I have been gessing too but I realise I might have been too generous and "unintentionally" undercounting calories in meals...not doing myself a favour by doing this so I ought to give it a go

[Caz28]

Yes, I use it every day, once you get going with it, it gets much quicker to use as you can build up your own recipe base and it 'remembers' your frequently used foods.

[2stoneup]

I have the fitbit app which also has a calorie database. A lot more on there than the previous app I used, very specific. Though I suppose a bit pointless without the fitbit. Can log weights and exercise on there though. I really like it and love my fitbit!

[Salud-forgood 3kg]

Fitbits seem to be very popular at the moment I confess I am a little behind and not even sure what they do 😊

I imagine calorie counting apps get quicker as we add usual foods, I have been logging my meals in portions looking at recommendations by the british heart foundation, it has been useful doing this and realising how in most cases I have been eating 2 and even 3 times a recommended portion...

[Hidden]

I really don't like my fitness pal, it seems like more effort to me than just writing down a number in a book because you still have to weigh stuff out. Sometimes the calories don't match up either. Just personal preference though, I know most people love it I wish I did!

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your toughts, I will give it a try over the next week or so...😊

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to Salud-forgood]

Thoughts I mean 😊

[Hidden]

I find the MFP app a godsend. All my meals and frequently used food is at my fingertips as you can do a keyword search on your favourites. During the week when i tend to have the same stuff, it takes me seconds to enter food and exercise. The desktop site is a bit clunkier but still ok.

The Fitbit is in essence a pedometer and counts your steps but some of them do much more. Mine has a heart rate monitor and tracks my exertion during exercise and my calorie burn for the day and it also tracks my sleep. I've had it 4 months now and I love it!

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I have not come across that one and I am trying Myfitnesspal this week but I will check it out, I don't really like spending much time on the phone so I am trying to find the one that does the job but doesn't take too much time, thanks for your advice.

[CaptainRainbow 10 kg]

I think as a loose guideline My Fitness Pal can be very helpful. I recently gave in and downloaded it, and was pretty much horrified that my "healthy" lunch salads were about double the calories than the baguettes I used to buy from the canteen! Sometimes things can shock you. I also found it helpful that it gives you your recommended calories based on your size and activity levels, instead of just a baseline 1400 a day (or whatever). Maybe don't take it as gospel, but yeah, it can certainly be helpful

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to CaptainRainbow]

I agree now I am realising how my reluctance to check calories and go with what I thought it was "healthy" wasn't always that good idea, yes calories on some prepared lunch foods (sandwiches/wraps/salads) are shocking...so yes day 1 of using the app was useful, thanks!

[RG07 Maintainer]

Hi I cook from scratch and I use the NHS calorie counter which you can download from the NHS choice website- live well page to work out the calories. If I have a meal I cook regularly then I add up all the calories of food used and so have the calorie total set for the meal so I don't have to keep adding up all the ingredients each time/

[Salud-forgood 3kg in reply to RG07]

That is a good idea too as there are meals that I will do regularly, thanks!