for those of you who don't like to hear "buy a scale and weigh"
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AlabasterVerve wrote: »I personally don't understand how some get by without a scale... <snip>
You log honestly and consistently to the best of your ability and adjust your eating up or down depending on your results. It also helps to include behavioral changes (that are unpopular on MFP) like less snacking, no desserts or more activity. People have been dieting successfully for thousands of years without a food scale, MFP, FitBits and the like -- they can be helpful but it's not the only way. Or even the best way for everyone.
Then you and people with this mentality are NOT who the OP is speaking of...he is speaking of the 'OMG I SWEAR I'm eating nothing at all ever, but I'm gaining weight' people.
Of course you can get by without and lose weight...but if you are, you are probably not posting on MFP how you aren't losing weight...and so this post isn't for (general) you
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haha and yes I am not speaking to people who don't use a scale and are doing just fine. I am speaking to the countless and countless of posts saying " eating like no food not losing" and then when people advise getting a scale they fight it. I could probably lose just fine without a scale if I cut out foods but I am not willing to do that. 0 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »I personally don't understand how some get by without a scale... <snip>
You log honestly and consistently to the best of your ability and adjust your eating up or down depending on your results. It also helps to include behavioral changes (that are unpopular on MFP) like less snacking, no desserts or more activity. People have been dieting successfully for thousands of years without a food scale, MFP, FitBits and the like -- they can be helpful but it's not the only way. Or even the best way for everyone.
Then you and people with this mentality are NOT who the OP is speaking of...he is speaking of the 'OMG I SWEAR I'm eating nothing at all ever, but I'm gaining weight' people.
Of course you can get by without and lose weight...but if you are, you are probably not posting on MFP how you aren't losing weight...and so this post isn't for (general) you
I agree and it would be one of my first recommendations to anyone who was struggling to lose as well. But my post was in response to someone who didn't understand how people get by without a scale. There's lots of ways to go about managing your weight and it's helpful to realize that -- it allows you to be flexible when need be which is important for long term sustainability I think.
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I'm not even 21 yet, and I still intend to continue being careful with my food and weighing it for the rest of my life. Once I reach my goal weight I may loosen up a little bit, but I'm putting a lot of hard work into getting there so why would I undo all that just because weighing my food takes a few extra minutes. Not to mention part of the reason I'm doing this is to set a good example for my future children, I don't want them to make the same mistakes I made, and I want them to grow up healthy and understanding portion size.
"losing weight is hard. Being overweight is hard. Choose your hard."0 -
The video posted earlier in the thread was the eye opener for me that led to buying and using a scale.
I realized that my "guess" of 2tbsp of peanut butter on my sandwich was actually more like 4-5. That adds up, especially with something like peanut butter! I was also severely under logging my meat and yogurt servings.
I don't weigh every single thing I eat, but popping my cooked chicken onto the scale before eating it takes seconds and really has helped me log more accurately.
It is more of a reassurance thing for me, I know that this is for life, so I'm not going to be so strict I can't sustain it... But I also need to keep myself educated and make adjustments where needed to ensure success.0 -
You can be sure that if I weren't getting results I would not be wondering why, I would be going straight to double check that my eyeballing sensor hasn't gone awry by measuring and weighing most of my food. I say most because I have never measured nor will I ever measure greens and most vegetables. Nobody got fat eating too much spinach.
Agree. Do what works. If it stops working, be scientific about it and look for where you can make positive changes. I don't have a food scale (yet), but I also believe that information is the most powerful weight loss tool.0 -
Yes! I remember when you first started posting a couple months ago. Seems like you got it together! So glad for you!0
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I love weighing my foods. I love accuracy. Its actually my job as well so its like 2nd nature to me anyways. It doesnt take much time and honestly the time it does take is worth it. No regrets here, investing in my health.0
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I used a food scale years ago when I did Atkins. I've so far lost about 25 pounds total (10 of it pre-MFP) simply by eyeballing and intermittently measuring my food. I think weighing is fine, and if I wasn't getting consistent results without a scale, I would have bought one quite awhile ago.
I also know that the tendency (almost unconsciously) of many of us is to underestimate what we eat. So, I have always made it a practice to overestimate (round up) everything I eyeball or measure, and moreover, underestimate my exercise burn.
So, I end up losing.
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I'm new to mfp and I've been thinking about getting a scale but I'm not sure how you weigh correctly. Today I ate squash and broccoli tossed in olive oil with salt, pepper and garlic salt roasted in the oven for lunch. How would I have weighed that? Raw? Cooked? All separate?
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brittanyneal2 wrote: »I'm new to mfp and I've been thinking about getting a scale but I'm not sure how you weigh correctly. Today I ate squash and broccoli tossed in olive oil with salt, pepper and garlic salt roasted in the oven for lunch. How would I have weighed that? Raw? Cooked? All separate?
Weigh each ingredient separately raw.0 -
All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.0 -
A scale is great, what would be even better is if all the foods in the database were in grams.
so true! buh. i end up measuring my food to equal the portion size on the package because i don't want to figure out the math (english major who barely passed 'math for decision making'...)0 -
pariskathryn wrote: »A scale is great, what would be even better is if all the foods in the database were in grams.
so true! buh. i end up measuring my food to equal the portion size on the package because i don't want to figure out the math (english major who barely passed 'math for decision making'...)
Sometimes if you put Canada after the food name, the Canadian entry in grams will be in there.0 -
As a European, I still don't get 'measuring' food by volume. Cramming butter in a cup, seriously? Apart from me genuinely not understanding how that works, it seems a lot more hassle, and definitely more dirty dishes, than putting the butter package on the scale, taring and cutting off a piece. Even before I kept a food diary and weighed everything, I would generally use a kitchen scale if I cooked or baked something off a recipe (as opposed to just throwing stuff together).0
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FinntheVeggie wrote: »Weighing food is great if you're into it, and I've heard it can be quite effective. But I'm against marketing it as the cure-all solution to your diet.
Because if you're like me, you don't want to diet forever. And even though weighing your food for a few months sounds bearable, you're not willing to do it for the rest of your life. So instead, even though it's not as precise and you may eat slightly more or slightly less calories than you write down, you learn to control your portions yourself and make lifelong changes in the way you think about eating. You won't lose exactly one-and-three-quarters of a pound for week or whatever you planned, but once the weight comes off you're not so likely to gain it again because you went right back to not measuring and choosing your portions the way you did before.
Not that all measurers gain the weight back or all those who don't measure don't, that's naturally not true at all, but my argument is that there are pros and cons of both techniques and I don't think we should be telling people they are wrong for choosing one way or another.
Actually by weighing, I have gotten much better at learning the serving sizes of the foods I eat most. Now that I am in maintenance, I can eyeball most of my portions quite accurately, and test myself by double checking the weight occasionally. As long as I continue to maintain, it's all good. If I start to regain, I know that a brief stint of weighing my foods will help pinpoint where I am messing up my logging.
There is no wrong way, but if someone is truly stuck, but refuses to use a scale, then in my opinion, they are being stubborn.0 -
arditarose wrote: »Yes! I remember when you first started posting a couple months ago. Seems like you got it together! So glad for you!
with the help of everyone i think i got it! I owe it all to all the advice even if i didn't really always want to hear it!0 -
All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!0 -
Make sure you weigh the dish its going in before u fill it up so u can subtract that weight without having to dirty another pan just to weigh the finished food. I forget sometimes and am really mad at myself when I have to transfer it all out of whatever I cooked it in. I hate washing dishes!All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!
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lindaloo9331 wrote: »
Make sure you weigh the dish its going in before u fill it up so u can subtract that weight without having to dirty another pan just to weigh the finished food. I forget sometimes and am really mad at myself when I have to transfer it all out of whatever I cooked it in. I hate washing dishes!All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!
I have a list on my phone with the weight of all my pots and pans because I always forget to weigh them when I cook.0 -
LiftAndBalance wrote: »lindaloo9331 wrote: »
Make sure you weigh the dish its going in before u fill it up so u can subtract that weight without having to dirty another pan just to weigh the finished food. I forget sometimes and am really mad at myself when I have to transfer it all out of whatever I cooked it in. I hate washing dishes!All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!
I have a list on my phone with the weight of all my pots and pans because I always forget to weigh them when I cook.
Brilliant, I never thought to put a list of those on my phone!
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All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!
Recipe builder, though the various entries may take a bit of tweaking after the fact till you find the right ones.
I generally just jot the ingredients on a piece of paper and deal with the data entry afterwards.
Initially select a random portion size. Then when you're done and you know the final weight, go back and edit the recipe again, and make the total portions such that a portion ends up as either 10 or 100g depending on what makes more sense to you.0 -
LiftAndBalance wrote: »lindaloo9331 wrote: »
Make sure you weigh the dish its going in before u fill it up so u can subtract that weight without having to dirty another pan just to weigh the finished food. I forget sometimes and am really mad at myself when I have to transfer it all out of whatever I cooked it in. I hate washing dishes!All individually before cooking. In particular high calorie items such as the oil (and finding an entry where the oil is in grams is always fun).
If you want to be (starts with a, err) thorough, about it, weigh the final product too in total before splitting it into portions.
I.e. 300g broccoli, 300g chicken. 300g onion, 300g carrots raw are 1000cal based on the entries in the database.
Cooked they yield 1000g product.
So if you eat 410g of finished product you know that it would be 410Cal
I get really ticked these days if things dive out of the pot after they've been weighed!!!!
All numbers random for illustration purposes.
this seriously changed my life. I was like ok so I'm making lasagna how am I going to know what my little portion is. everyone should know this!
I have a list on my phone with the weight of all my pots and pans because I always forget to weigh them when I cook.
Ha!!! Guess what Im doing when I get home!?!?!?!?
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I was completely delusional about portion sizes - particularly pasta and bread - weighing my food was essential for my progress. Now that I have got more used to portions, I trust myself to guess in situations in which I am unable to weigh such as restaurants and social occasions.
I might be getting a new job which has a funded buffet canteen. I will be going down a few floors and eating with my colleagues in a communal dining area, there will be no opportunity to sneak my food off to a corner to weigh it. That will be challenging. I will have to trust myself to eye-ball my lunch every day. I think I am up for it though and will still weigh my breakfast and dinner and weigh myself daily to see that I stay on track.
For me personally, but perhaps not for others (I notice on this site that unless you are specific about your disclaimer, people get their panties in a knot and accuse you of speaking for them - newsflash folks, if someone is posting something, they are always stating an opinion, it really should be a given) weighing my food with a digital scale is easier and less stressful than guessing portion sizes. I am pretty certain that this will stay a part of my life from this point onward.0 -
I had no idea how much I was eating. For example, in 2005 I was 152, 2010 was 188, 2015 starting weight 213! So January I bought a food scale, used mpf, got a fitbit. Current weight 176 and still losing a pound every week! Just from knowing how much to put in my body and how much I burn. Thank you food scale!0
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starling01 wrote: »I spent the last couple of years losing 70 pounds, put some of it back on last fall/winter when I ran into a perfect storm of divorce, illness, financial collapse and the long slow death of my beloved dog to diabetes. I crawled under the covers so to speak and ate pizza and brownies for months. It was atypical for me; I don't ever want to eat another brownie either.
I never weighed anything when I began to lose weight the first time. I bought a scale once and couldn't figure out how to change the battery when it died so I never replaced it. When I started losing again last month, I didn't bother with a scale at first. After reading threads here, I bought one a few days ago.
My experience is exactly the opposite. I consistently underestimated the weight of the food I eat. Looking at the scale now, I don't believe it and I'm still going to cut the portions to be sure. I could make one chicken breast last almost a week, so I think I'm going to continue to eat that way just in case I'm weighing it wrong.
It's interesting to see the variety of methods that work for different people.
Huh? A single chicken breast? Last more than a meal let alone a week?
Does not compute
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I've been weighing my food for over a year and it's no hassle to me at all
I have been cooking for years too...I'm still rubbish at eyeballing portions ...absolutely get it wrong ...all the time
Sometimes I test myself and don't look at the scale
Nope still wrong
I shall be weighing for life I think0 -
I used a scale to lose most of my 20 lbs. And for part of maintenance. It really helped a lot and gave me a better idea of serving sizes. And then I began intuitive eating and took a break from the scale. And it worked. It was fine. I'm now trying to lose that last bit of fat that I want to lose and I'm back to the scale most of the time (when my MIL cooks or I go out, obviously I have to guestimate, and I'm okay with that too). I think flexibility is a good thing in life.0
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starling01 wrote: »I spent the last couple of years losing 70 pounds, put some of it back on last fall/winter when I ran into a perfect storm of divorce, illness, financial collapse and the long slow death of my beloved dog to diabetes. I crawled under the covers so to speak and ate pizza and brownies for months. It was atypical for me; I don't ever want to eat another brownie either.
I never weighed anything when I began to lose weight the first time. I bought a scale once and couldn't figure out how to change the battery when it died so I never replaced it. When I started losing again last month, I didn't bother with a scale at first. After reading threads here, I bought one a few days ago.
My experience is exactly the opposite. I consistently underestimated the weight of the food I eat. Looking at the scale now, I don't believe it and I'm still going to cut the portions to be sure. I could make one chicken breast last almost a week, so I think I'm going to continue to eat that way just in case I'm weighing it wrong.
It's interesting to see the variety of methods that work for different people.
Huh? A single chicken breast? Last more than a meal let alone a week?
Does not compute
Haha same here. I will say that I did find that I was over estimating chicken as well, and was able to add more. Especially the boneless skinless types, those aren't always too high per serving (check the package!) LOL
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starling01 wrote: »
Huh? A single chicken breast? Last more than a meal let alone a week?
Does not computestarling01 wrote: »I spent the last couple of years losing 70 pounds, put some of it back on last fall/winter when I ran into a perfect storm of divorce, illness, financial collapse and the long slow death of my beloved dog to diabetes. I crawled under the covers so to speak and ate pizza and brownies for months. It was atypical for me; I don't ever want to eat another brownie either.
I never weighed anything when I began to lose weight the first time. I bought a scale once and couldn't figure out how to change the battery when it died so I never replaced it. When I started losing again last month, I didn't bother with a scale at first. After reading threads here, I bought one a few days ago.
My experience is exactly the opposite. I consistently underestimated the weight of the food I eat. Looking at the scale now, I don't believe it and I'm still going to cut the portions to be sure. I could make one chicken breast last almost a week, so I think I'm going to continue to eat that way just in case I'm weighing it wrong.
It's interesting to see the variety of methods that work for different people.
Huh? A single chicken breast? Last more than a meal let alone a week?
Does not compute
I don't eat a lot of chicken at this point. After three years of chicken every single day, I try to make up for the protein in other ways. The pics of various weights of chicken (size of deck of cards, etc.) don't match what the scale is saying, that's all.0 -
I'm shocked at how many people think weighing is so time consuming and whatnot...it's really fecking easy to put a plate on a scale...slap on 4 ounces of chicken and tare...3 ounces of black beans and tare...6 ounces of veg and tare. It's way faster than using measuring cups and whatnot and you don't have a million dirty dishes to wash.
I'm also shocked at how many people don't actually know how to use a food scale...I don't know, maybe it's because I worked in the food service industry and we used scales all of the time...but really, using a food scale takes about zero skillz0
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