The FastDay Forum

I've been using Myfitnesspal to work out calories (mainly for fast days) but it doesn't seem to be working all the time anymore (for example, looking at split red lentils - for Tesco generic uncooked lentils, it gives the example of 30g at 90 cals. Change the option to 1g, and put in 40, the cals figure doesn't change (I know it makes it 120 cals as I can use a calculator but even so)).

Does anyone know of a reliable list, don't even need a calculator per se? I don't need to log everything, just want to check in the morning when I work out what to eat during the day. Also handy to keep a check on feast days, but like I said, I don't feel the need to keep a diary.

Oh, and European measurements please - can't get my head around how much a cup of onion is (like to think of a whole, or a half, or even in gs).

Thank you!!! Fasting today, and already working out what's for dinner. Is that just a little sad?

Another vote for calorie count. I really like their recipe analyzer too.

[janeg]

and another one for calorie count- thought I was antiquated not using apps and the likes! Oh to have a book...

I'm clearly thick, or in more a fasting fug than I thought, but I can't work out how to use carolie count!

Found this though http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/CaloriesIn/, which so far has answered all my questions. I like to keep it simple, it suits my personality and intelligence. Really. Simple, that's me.

Rambling - a clear sing that it must be getting close to supper....please, please?

[carorees]

The calorie count link I provided is to the recipe calculator so I just type into it what I am going to eat, like so:

120 g salmon
1 tbsp oil
1 leek
1 carrot
1 courgette
3 cherry tomatoes

Then press analyse and it tells me what the calorie count is. If you are preparing food for two or more you can put in the number of servings and it tells you what your portion will be.

Did that, but nearly every entry came up as error. Might try it again though, it looks like such a good idea!

[carorees]

Perhaps I eat more mundane stuff than you! I bet you were trying to get the calories for healthy stuff like falukorv, semlor and janssonsfrestelse eh?!

Ooohhh, semlor! Did you see the Paul Hollywood baking programme the other night? He was in Sweden making them. Yum. Not had one for years.

Just sent dad my wish list actually, he'll be bringing Kalles Kaviar, Ballerina and Singoalla biscuits (for daughter, honest guv), liquorish chewing gum (love it, slightly salty, mmmm) and tunnbröd (Swedish flat bread).

Oh lordy, even hungrier now!!! Right, time to start cooking (red split lentils cooked with chicken stock and tinned tomato, spiced up with cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli, with some garlic, onion and red pepper thrown in - so not very exotic, think I just wrote it down in the wrong way perhaps?)

[carorees]

Gosh, it should be able to cope with those ingredients! I don't bother putting the spices etc down, just the lentils, tomatoes, onion, pepper and stock cube (if it was from a cube). Just tried it and it worked for me in the following format:

50g red lentils
1 can tomatoes
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 chicken stock cube

(was 305 cal)

Think I confused it by putting 1/2s rather than 1. Or maybe I can put 0.5?

Smells good, not quite done yet.

[carorees]

Yes, 0.5 works!

It was delish, even without that calorie counter. Came in a bit higher than intended on just over 300 cals, but I always keep some spare in case that happens. Brunch was 170, so I should be OK!

Thanks Caroline for the link to the calorie counter recipes - I use MFP and it was taking me ages to work out the calories in each recipe! I have also signed up to access other parts of the website and will run it alongside MFP for a few days just to see how they compare.

MFP is okay if you don't really cook from scratch (sigh)

I'm a real dinosaur and like to use pen and paper to note down weights of ingredients as I use them. I then use the calorie counter pages at the back of The 5:2 Cookbook by Angela Dowden to calculate how the meal is progressing calorie wise. I have tried using Food Focus and MyFitnessPal but find it takes me ages to find what I'm looking for......so back to basics for me!! My iPad was getting in a right mess too!!