How to Count Calories Without a Food Scale
You do not need a food scale to track calories effectively. Here are practical estimation methods that work well for Indian food.
The Hand Method
Your hand is a surprisingly consistent measuring tool:
- Palm (no fingers) = ~100g of protein food (paneer, chicken, fish)
- Fist = ~1 katori = ~150ml (for rice, dal, sabzi)
- Cupped hand = ~30g of nuts, dry fruits
- Thumb tip = ~1 teaspoon (for ghee, butter, oil)
- Two thumbs = ~1 tablespoon
Indian Household Measures
| Measure | Approximate Volume |
|---|---|
| Small katori | 100-150 ml |
| Regular katori | 150-200 ml |
| Bowl | 250-300 ml |
| Glass | 200-250 ml |
| Plate (rice) | 200-250g cooked |
| Roti | 30-35g flour |
Quick Estimation Rules
- 1 katori cooked rice ≈ 180 calories
- 1 roti ≈ 100-110 calories (add 45 for each tsp ghee)
- 1 katori dal ≈ 110-140 calories
- 1 katori dry sabzi ≈ 100-150 calories
- 1 katori gravy sabzi ≈ 150-200 calories (more oil in gravy)
- 1 cup chai with sugar ≈ 50 calories
The 80/20 Approach
You do not need to measure everything precisely. Focus on: - Always estimate oil/ghee — this is where most hidden calories are - Count your rotis and rice portions — these are your biggest carb sources - Track protein sources — paneer, eggs, dal, chicken
Let the small stuff (salad, chutney, spices) slide. Being roughly right every day beats being exactly right once a week.
Tools That Help
Use our AI meal logger to type what you ate in natural language. It understands Indian food names and portions, and gives you editable estimates.
Consistency over precision. Log every meal, even roughly, and the trends will tell you everything you need to know.