CampusFit

On the Plus Side

Here's why you should probably always err on the plus side when you estimate how much energy (calories) you consume if you are trying to lose weight.

• Serving sizes vary. They are almost always underestimated. Write it down. Note measurements on packages you consume in their entirety: 12 ounces of soda, 1.5 ounces of corn chips, 1/4 pound of fish. Make a mental note of what that quantity looks like and keep it in your real-time database (your head!) for future real-time estimating.
• Food preparation varies. A dollop of mayonnaise or a generous pour of salad dressing can add hundreds of calories. Our database of food is derived from standard foods prepared in standard methods. Keep in mind that a piece of cornbread from a homemade recipe and a commercially prepared piece will have different nutrition characteristics.
• It's easy to forget what you ate. Write it down--all of it: the orange juice you drank in the car, the peanut butter cup you took from the receptionist's desk, the banana you ate while you were on the phone.