Travel Health and Fitness - Calorie counting websites, apps, etc.

After years and years I finally figured out that the key to staying healthy on the road and at home is writing down everything that goes in my mouth. And while WW works for some, the whole points thing is Greek to me. So I count calories, protein, fiber and sodium.

I use myfitnesspal.com

Pluses:
It's free and has a great open-source database.

Minuses:
Unfortunately the mobile app for Blackberry is still 'in progress.'
And the progress charts for weight are both horrible and uncustomizable (I track my weight in excel).

So who uses what?

I carry the "Calorie King Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter" book with me. It gets me close enough. When I record exactly what I eat it is in my own spreadsheet in Google Docs.

www.mydailyplate.com

I have used it religiously for 15 months, it is put out by the livestrong foundation and has an amazing database behind it (think wiki style) so restaurants and brands are easy to find. Journaling food is key!

NutriMirror is pretty good.

So glad to see this forum!

Fitday. I originally used the online version, now have the desktop version. Its food database works well for the things I usually eat (I find that many nutrition app food database are heavy on packaged/fast foods, low on whatever it is I'm trying to log).

I used Calorie Counter (http://www.fatsecret.com/connected/android) by Fat Secret.

It has a great database and you can scan barcodes to add foods to your diary as well. Anyone can add items which has pluses and minuses (accuracy and duplication/clutter)

What I don't like is that it pretty much requires internet to function since it's accessing an online database. I tried using idle time in flight to log, but quickly realized that wouldn't work.

Having a mobile app for BB would be wonderful. Do the sites mentioned here have good ones?

Having a mobile app for BB would be wonderful. Do the sites mentioned here have good ones?

I don't have a BB, but FatSecret has a free one for BB as well. http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/1565

It probably uses the same database for all platforms. Barcode searching is the best in my opinion. I reinstalled it today and searched for "shredded wheat and bran" and didn't see my post cereal so I scanned the barcode and it picked it right up.

For restaurants you choose the restaurant first, then search for the food.

I don't have a BB, but FatSecret has a free one for BB as well. http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/1565

It probably uses the same database for all platforms. Barcode searching is the best in my opinion. I reinstalled it today and searched for "shredded wheat and bran" and didn't see my post cereal so I scanned the barcode and it picked it right up.

For restaurants you choose the restaurant first, then search for the food.

Thanks, I'll try it out.

I've been using LoseIt for about 2 years now, and it's worked well for me. I like the ability to add recipes for things I make, but would love to be able to select multiple items from a restaurant(like Chipotle, where each element is selected separately).

www.mydailyplate.com

I have used it religiously for 15 months, it is put out by the livestrong foundation and has an amazing database behind it (think wiki style) so restaurants and brands are easy to find. Journaling food is key!

I love this one! I started using it only to find calories for my Excel sheet, but eventually started using it online too, as I could access it from multiple locations. I haven't used it in a while, and need to get back into it, but when I was using it, I found their database to be one of the best.

Argh, diarying is such a pain in the arse sometimes!!! Particularly on the road!!!

Whoever invents a device that can be implanted in a tooth or something and measures the nutritional value of anything I put in my mouth is going to be a billionaire!!!!

I recommend www.calorieking.com

Whoever invents a device that can be implanted in a tooth or something and measures the nutritional value of anything I put in my mouth is going to be a billionaire!!!!

Hmmmm.

Maybe not a tooth but how about a picture. Imagine taking a picture of a particular food, dish, etc., and having it estimate the caloric content. Now *that* would be helpful.

Any iphone app developers up in here? ;)

I rarely eat at chain restaurants. How do you all calculate calories when you're out at a restaurant that isn't a chain?

Cheers.

I rarely eat at chain restaurants. How do you all calculate calories when you're out at a restaurant that isn't a chain?


I don't, because it's nearly impossible I would argue. I simply assume that there are a ton of them. :)

I've been using LoseIt for about 2 years now, and it's worked well for me. I like the ability to add recipes for things I make, but would love to be able to select multiple items from a restaurant(like Chipotle, where each element is selected separately).

Have been using LoseIt for a little over 2 months -- just the free download version -- which hooks into my nerdy, obsessive side. Being middle aged I've chosen a very slow rate of weight loss and haven't yet weighed myself, but I and others can already see a difference. I do find the database limited, being too heavy on processed foods and chain restaurants that are rarely among my food choices, but the database is customizable with some effort.

The best part about LoseIt is that each day starts anew, and it's the week's totals that count. I find that I go over budget at least once a week but the log helps me keep the week's calorie count in line.

I rarely eat at chain restaurants. How do you all calculate calories when you're out at a restaurant that isn't a chain?

Cheers.

If you can find a dish that's similar, for which you can find calories listed in a database, you can probably estimate calories for your dish. I'd probably add some to err on the side of caution, but that's just me. :)

I rarely eat at chain restaurants. How do you all calculate calories when you're out at a restaurant that isn't a chain?

Cheers.

I estimate by guessing/logging the ingredients, and then I usually add about 2 tbsp of oil on account of it's a restaurant.

If you can find a dish that's similar, for which you can find calories listed in a database, you can probably estimate calories for your dish. I'd probably add some to err on the side of caution, but that's just me. :)

Exactly. Fried chicken wings are fried chicken wings.

Pasta primavera is pasta primavera.

I look for the dish (usually there are several entries, including some that are 'generic' or 'home made' rather than restaurant brand specific). If I don't see that restaurant specifically listed I choose the highest calorie one listed.

The hardest thing I have estimating is wine. No vineyard I know of discloses nutritional value of their wine including calories, so it seems that all of the info in the databases are guesstimates.

Most calorie books have wine calories listed, although it's red wine & white wine generic & as you said is probably based on guesstimates.

I just blew the dust off a very old Atkins portable carb/gram counter booklet.

White Wine, 3.5oz, 70calories, carb .8, fiber 0, net carbs .8, protein .1, fat 0
Red Wine, 3.5oz, 74 calories, carb 1.8, fiber 0, net carbs 1.8, protein .2, fat 0

Cheers.