How to count macros and calories when eating out?

[SizzlingPants]

Im just getting information for my upcoming bulk... When your out at restraunts or having take out (which our family alot during the year) And they don't have the nutrition on the Internet, how do you get the macros and calories? Just take your best guess? There's no way on earth I can estimate the nutrition of my big Chinese feasts...😋

[SacramentoZach]

Either eat at a chain that posts their nutrition facts online or take your best guess.

[inphamis]

Either eat at a chain that posts their nutrition facts online or take your best guess.

Pretty much this OP.

Check out the company websites and look for their nutritional information - most big name franchises have them and a lot of smaller ones too. Otherwise, like Sacramento said, you can have a rough guess based on your learnings of what you think's good i.e. One cup of rice is easy to remember the macros for so if you go to Japanese you already know the carb count.

[GGWarrior8]

One of the reasons why I dislike precise macro nutrient counting for recreational lifters. You will be hard pressed to eat too little dietary fat and dietary carbohydrates unless you are on a severely low calorie diet or your are purposely restricting them for whatever reason.

Calories can be guesstimated though. If you have been counting calories for a while you should be able to compare the meal to ones you have prepared in the past. If its a particularly big feast obviously don't bother (one meal 1-2x a week won't break a diet), but thats why you shouldn't eat out often.

[DJaRiHardstyle]

if i'm going to cut, i'd want to avoid restaurants that don't post nutrition information at all costs.

[cumminslifter]

if i'm going to cut, i'd want to avoid restaurants that don't post nutrition information at all costs.

why? even if a restaurant posts nutrition info it is more likely than not way off. they dont go back in the kitchen and weigh out your portions and serve it to you. they just throw some on a plate

[lee__d]

Age
16

Stats
5'9", 125 lbs

I wouldn't worry about anything more than a rough estimation.

[StephSkywalker]

I just estimate based on what I think is in the food.. If I'm cutting, I overestimate

[naturalguy]

Age
16

Stats
5'9", 125 lbs

I wouldn't worry about anything more than a rough estimation.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Eating out or at a families house is always going to be a guesstimate as calorie counts in restaurants are not accurate.

[Murdok1741]

Age
16

Stats
5'9", 125 lbs

I wouldn't worry about anything more than a rough estimation.

x2. You really don't have much to worry about...just guess. I'm assuming you're trying to put on weight?

[TungstenCarbide]

Remember what you ate. When you get home, Google the nutritional values. Then, adjust the rest of your macros accordingly.

[qksc2]

At your age and weight you need more food bro. Disregard counting, acquire more food.


As for the question, if its every once and a while eat what you want with in reason and enjoy your time out.

[lilcheese]

Like others have said, doesn't seem like you need to be to concerned considering your stats....

After a while you learn to guess better or fill it in with similar. For example, if I go to a resturant and get a burger that does not have any nutritional facts, I will compare it to ones I already have nutritional facts on and use that. That way I am getting at least something similar. Also, I make sure not to add say, an egg if I get eggs. I use nutritional data on eggs from restaurants. You have to remember that they often use additional ingrediants such as olive oil and that means more calories.

[bigdogfarmhand]

Like said before chain places cause they have nutrition allready.

At other small places its impossible to know what cut of meat they use or size or if the soaked in in butter. You get the point.

[SizzlingPants]

Thanks alot everyone. And yeah Im trying to gain weight so i count most of the time just to make sure im not overdoing it. I used to be fat and im never going back..

[DJaRiHardstyle]

why? even if a restaurant posts nutrition info it is more likely than not way off. they dont go back in the kitchen and weigh out your portions and serve it to you. they just throw some on a plate

for that exact reason. it's already an estimate WITH the nutrition information.. without it, it's a huge estimate. and its much harder for us to estimate the macros than it is for the people making it.. in general, i'd stay away from restaurants during a cut altogether, but that's just me. except chipotle, because chipotle is life.

[xJellyBirdx]

Im just getting information for my upcoming bulk...

Even if you were 25 or 30, do you really believe one meal is going to kill you when bulking? At your age you should be active and eating until your parents are broke. Don't get crazy but stay fed.