Measuring Foods, Macros/Calories

Diet and Nutrition
1

Ok, here’s the skinny. I work offshore, so I have no real way to measure how much of a certain food I eat. I want to know if there is a way to use approximate measurements, So that I can tell how many calories im eating.

I’ve looked online and found tables on certain foods and thier calorie contents, but the they used serving sizes like 3oz, or 100 grams, or 1 cup. I dont bring a scale and measuring cups to the buffet line in the galley. However I suppose if I have to I will.

Anyone else have this problem, if you’ve found a way around it please share.

2

If you dont measure, why do you need the micronutrient content? Your numbers will be off anyways.

Just eye it, and get an approximation.

That’s what you are doing with your portions anyways.

3

Yeah I see what you are saying and that’s what I’ve been doing. Guess that will have to suffice.

4

3oz = 100g
Meat - size of deck of cards (in most lean cuts of all meats this equals 18-25ish grams protein depending on source)

1 basketball grip full of low calorie veggies (broccolli, cauliflower, etc) = ~1 measured cup

Bit less than fist size serving of smaller sized veggies (corn, peas, packed spinach/lettuce/kale, etc) or berries (or other cut fruit) = ~1 measured cup

Fist size serving most cooked starches (rice, pasta, potato) = ~65g carbs

That should help unless you have banana hands.

5

Thanks man I appreciate it. I know it won’t be fully accurate, but at least I can get a general Idea of how many calories I am ingesting.

6

download the USDA’s Health-tech Search program, you will be able to get accurate amounts of macros and micros for different cooking methods too! there are different serving options you can put into the calculator. with this and some of the handy approximations supplied by Alltraps you will be as accurate as you need to be. as long as you keep track of the relative differences in consumption, you can always eat more or less.

here is the program if you do not have it:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR18/sr18.html

have fun, now you have too much info

7

hah rock on! Im always the one to over complicate things and make them harder than they are.

Why should my diet be any different.

Now that I pay attention to what I eat.

There is no such thing as having too much information.