Measuring an weighing food HELP!

all4love · 03-30-2009, 03:09 PM

Okay, so I'm doing NROL4W and though I have lost weight before with running and with the program(did it through Stage 3 last fall) I did it without tracking my food and very slowly so I'm sure there was not too much of a deficit. This time around I think I would like to try my hand at weighing my foods so I can get a better gauge as to where I'm at and how my body responds so I don't lose to much muslce loss during my cardio.

I know that somewhere it tells you how many grams of protein = so many calories etc. and I just want to get started with weighing and tracking myself so any guidance is appreciated. Thanks!

Ayana

LisaS · 03-30-2009, 03:13 PM

well, 1 g protein = 4 kcal, 1 g carbohydrate = 4 kcal and 1 g fat = 9 kcal

that DOESN'T mean that 1g of Chicken = 4 kcal

what you want is either to use an online site that does the math for you like fitday or sparkpeople, or else use an online database like the one from the USDA or nutritiondata.com or go buy one of those calorie counter books at the bookstore.

all4love · 03-30-2009, 03:27 PM

How do you accurately measure the calories in the foods you prepare? If I make a lentil soup for example. Do I measure all the ingredients before I put them in and then go by the amonut I had e.g. one cup etc. I jsut don't really see how you can really measure everything which is probably why I've never taken the time to really do it.

LisaS · 03-30-2009, 03:32 PM

for something like soup you would:
1) lookup all the values for your recipe and calculate the amount for the total amount of soup
2) measure all your ingredients going in according to your recipe and the calculations that you did.
3) measure the volume of the soup when it is done - say 10 cups.
4) then calculate for your serving (e.g. 1 cup) as 1/10 of the recipe

Once you know what it comes out to for 1 cup you can just use that from that point on. The trick is finding out the first time if your recipe as you make it results in 8 cups or 10 cups or 9.5 cups.
Of course, with soup this assumes that you get all vegetables and such in the cup the same each time - but it will get you pretty darn close. The same thing with making chili or lasagne or things like that.

One hint - don't use volume measures like 1 cup for dry goods if you can help it - weigh it all out. So, if you measure out 1 cup of lentils then weigh them. Use the weight in calculating the calories for the recipe and use the weight now every time you make the soup. More consistant. Same with things like carrots & onions - if it calls for one of each, choose one, chop it up, weigh it - and then use the weight going forward for your recipe - e.g. 200g onion, 75g carrot or whatever it comes out to. That saves you from differences in produce size from time to time.

LaraT · 03-31-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by all4love

How do you accurately measure the calories in the foods you prepare? If I make a lentil soup for example. Do I measure all the ingredients before I put them in and then go by the amonut I had e.g. one cup etc. I jsut don't really see how you can really measure everything which is probably why I've never taken the time to really do it.

There are commercial software programs like MasterCook that let you input all the ingredients and # of servings and it will compute all the macros per serving size. It also is a great way to store recipes electronically. I believe that Sparkpeople website also has a recipe builder you can use once you set up an account (free) on their site.

all4love · 03-31-2009, 06:22 PM

Thanks! It all just seems so complicated. I've kept track of everything so far today and I'm about to see where I'm at. I'll check out Sparkpeople too. Thanks again!