Just curious - do you eat the serving size or just whatever amount you want?

BoxerBrawler

I eat according to serving size. Sometimes I eat as much as I want. One day a few weeks ago I burned over 3,000 calories in just exercise. I didn't pay any attention to portion or serving size that day, just ate until I felt full then stopped. I also adjust my serving sizes according to my physical activity for that day and I aim to hit my macro's.

maxit

DemoraFairy wrote: »

I eat however much I want that fits into my calories. Sometimes that's more than a 'portion', sometimes less.

Me, too.

ruggedshutter

Usually a serving size for me. If I ate what I wanted, and then logged it, I would end up with a pound of peanuts and nothing else

terar21

I really don't have a set way of doing things.

I made spaghetti last night. For the noodles, I was going to do 1 serving but needed more carbs so did 1.5. Just kept adding sauce until I thought it was enough for my taste preferences. I needed more protein last night, added sausage to spaghetti. I generally know how much calories/macros I have allotted and work that way. I do things rather ad hoc and just make it work at lot. I just know X, Y, and Z foods are heavy on the protein. A, B, C foods are heavy on the fat. E, F, G foods are heavy on the carbs. And form meals that way.

Ready2Rock206

Really just depends on what it is. I use a scale so I can measure and grams and log it accurately whether I eat the serving size on the package or my own amount.

zdyb23456

AndiDurall wrote: »

I do like you do. Actually, when I have had struggles with my weight loss, I didn't come to the boards because I knew that all they would say is to open my diary and then tell me that I wasn't weighing everything. I do though! The only thing that I don't weigh consistently is bread because I don't eat a lot of it and I am always under on my calories anyway. But cheese? The cheese I use is a finely shredded blend. A serving size is 1/3 cup or 28 grams. I will set a container on my digital scale, tare it, and then weigh out exactly 28 grams. If I go over, I take cheese back out until it is 28 grams. Sometimes 27 or 26 grams will be used as 28 if I'm in a hurry. I even weigh my eggs though usually I just use the jumbo setting even though I only use large eggs and they weigh less than the jumbo. I weigh most of my liquids including salad dressing and coffee creamer the same way. I set my bowl, plate, cup, etc on the scale, tare, and then very slowly put my dressing or creamer or ketchup or mayo, whatever, until it says the right weight.

I don't only eat the serving size on everything but I usually do end up doing it in whole numbers. I don't know why. It seems easier, I guess. Haha.

That's a good idea! I'm going to start logging my eggs that way...

kitkatkarr

i usually go with the serving size to avoid the math. but sometimes its easy for me to just do easy math in my head by cutting things in half. I also use a calculator on my itouch if I do happen to measure out whatever I wanted. For example, you just multiply the grams of what you weigh to the calories of the serving and divide by the grams of the serving. Finally, you get the calories base on the grams you weigh. I hope that made sense, its cross multiplication (used for grams, oz, ml, you name it)

lemurcat12

It depends on what it is. The majority of what I eat are whole foods, like meat, veggies, fruit, potatoes, and there I eat what I want (and typically one apple, whether big or small, or one smaller potato or I'll split a potato, that kind of thing). I don't even know what a serving size is precisely in those cases (I guess I think it's about 100 grams of meat, uncooked, but I typically have more). For stuff like olives and cheese I eat the amount that seems right for what I'm doing with it (mindful of the calories), for cottage cheese or yogurt I eat the amount I'm in the mood for and log in grams or use the calculator.

For things like pasta, oatmeal, rice, beans, I do tend to use the serving size as a good amount to aim for, unless I'm high on calories so want to eat less, or, on occasion and mainly just with beans, I'm low and want to eat more. For my oatmeal and protein powder breakfast I tend to carefully measure out 44 g of oatmeal and 24 g of protein powder so I can click my entries and not have to use the calculator.

Kalikel

Nope. I put the amount I want on the plate, take a guess at how much it is, then look at and record the total.

When I started weighing, I did take a look at how much I'd taken out and compare it to what the serving size was, just to see what they called a serving size. But now I don't even look at the serving size all that often. Maybe I should.

daniwilford

Thanks HappyCamp1! I have seen the 1g on entries but never made all the connections before. I do serving sizes and log cups but measure and eat in grams but with this new hint that will in all likelihood change now.

DKG28

yes. it helps me figure out how to put meals together if I stick with the same size portions of each food item every time. Easier on the brain. Fruit/Veg/fresh meats are the exception because I'm not about waste food because of a weird sized piece of food that doesn't equally divide into servings.

85Cardinals

I eats what I likes, and I likes what I eats. No food package is the boss of me.

fivelongmiles

"Lots of smaller meals" is the best option for me, so I rarely use the serving size because if I did that for even half of the small meals, I'd have no calories left for the rest!

DuckReconMajor

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

If you can find an entry with grams, the serving size drop down always has single gram entries for it.

[awesome info]

Whoa. Thank you!

slaite1

85Cardinals wrote: »

I eats what I likes, and I likes what I eats. No food package is the boss of me.

Hah!

CSARdiver

Depends on the food and/or beverage.

There is no serving size for good scotch...the correct answer is yes.

lifelessmind

I eat the amount that I need and make sure that it fits my goals for the day. I must admit I kind of eyeball it a little (I KNOW, GASP!!) but so far it's all working for me.

barbecuesauce

ExRelaySprinter wrote: »

Here in the UK, the serving suggestion sizes can be so small.
For example, 40 grams is the suggested serving size for most Cereals.
That's like a portion for a small child! Lol
I tend to measure out my own servings.

Uh, hate to break it to you, but US label serving sizes are the same way. Anywhere from 30 (light and flaky) to 55 (dense granola clusters) grams are generally the suggested serving. Personally, I usually don't have cereal unless I can have 1.5 servings with berries and a cup of milk.

As for the question, it depends. Sometimes I round up--27 grams of hummus is going in there as an ounce. And some things, like shredded cheese, are generally fine in half or quarter portions. But I usually leave a big hole in my day to play with, calorie-wise, so if I want more of something I have it. And if I pour out 136 grams of cottage cheese, I'm not scooping the extra back in the container.

I do wish more companies would display information for more realistic serving sizes along with the suggested size. What I once thought half a cup of ice cream looked like was not tethered to reality, it seems.

velveteen7845

I usually weigh to the gram and while I sometimes use a serving size, I don't always. For berries and grapes, I tend to use 50, 100 or 150 grams regardless of which item(s) I'm having, just because it makes life simpler.

fr3smyl

DemoraFairy wrote: »

I eat however much I want that fits into my calories. Sometimes that's more than a 'portion', sometimes less.

Same as this^^