Do you weigh everything, even packaged foods?

sunnyazgirl

I just bought a portable scale on Amazon that tucks nicely in my purse. I don't intend to make a big deal out of it, but it was easy last night to casually weigh a slider at a local restaurant. It turned out to be quite a bit more than the website stated. I really bought it to take to work. We have a cafeteria at work with servers who think they are doing you a favor by dishing up huge portions. On our intranet all nutrition values are posted for normal servings (listed in grams) so it makes it easy to log, when you know the weight of the serving. I take it back to my department where I weigh it before I eat. I don't care what others think if it helps me keep losing! I don't always have time to pack a lunch.

jesikalovesyou

sunnyazgirl wrote: »

I just bought a portable scale on Amazon that tucks nicely in my purse. I don't intend to make a big deal out of it, but it was easy last night to casually weigh a slider at a local restaurant. It turned out to be quite a bit more than the website stated. I really bought it to take to work. We have a cafeteria at work with servers who think they are doing you a favor by dishing up huge portions. On our intranet all nutrition values are posted for normal servings (listed in grams) so it makes it easy to log, when you know the weight of the serving. I take it back to my department where I weigh it before I eat. I don't care what others think if it helps me keep losing! I don't always have time to pack a lunch.

That is really awesome. I think it's amazing you are taking so much care into it. I think I might get me an extra scale so I can do this when out and about.

sjp_511

auddii wrote: »

I don't, although I've seen people complain that things aren't accurate. For now, what I'm doing is working; if it stops working, I know I'll need to tighten up my logging, and this could be one thing I need to do.

Ditto

tincanonastring

I weigh any packaged food that gives me a serving size in grams (even if it gives me additional types like "2 cookies" or "about 5 pretzels").

petitehealth

this is a great topic. I don't typically weigh the pre-portioned items but I am going to start doing this to ensure I am logging my calories accurately! (at least for now while I am trying to lose).

healthy_life2015

I do not weigh most single serving foods (like a protein bar, for example). I do however weigh anything else. For example, a freezer entree from Trader Joes that I eat often claims to have 2.5 servings but really has 2.7. The pita bread that I buy is actually 1.1-1.2 servings per pita, not 1 serving.

noel2fit

I weigh nothing. I use measuring cups and for meat I use the weight on the package and divide by portion number. I find guestimating works just fine (but I try to over estimate rather than under estimate because I'd only be cheating myself). For eating out I compare meat to the size of a deck of cards (4oz) when no weight is listed and use what the palm of my hand can hold for a half cup measurement (get a measuring cup and try different things at home so you know what they look like- 6 medium sized pieces of broccoli, about 12 green beans, etc).

Scales are obviously more accurate. I'm just not interested in paying or taking the time.

mccindy72

noel2fit wrote: »

I weigh nothing. I use measuring cups and for meat I use the weight on the package and divide by portion number. I find guestimating works just fine (but I try to over estimate rather than under estimate because I'd only be cheating myself). For eating out I compare meat to the size of a deck of cards (4oz) when no weight is listed and use what the palm of my hand can hold for a half cup measurement (get a measuring cup and try different things at home so you know what they look like- 6 medium sized pieces of broccoli, about 12 green beans, etc).

Scales are obviously more accurate. I'm just not interested in paying or taking the time.

Using measuring cups is incredibly inaccurate, especially with foods that are more dense (will weigh more). As far as paying and taking the time? A digital food scale costs around $15, and it doesn't take any longer to weigh your food than it does to measure (often less, as you aren't putting everything into and then removing it from measuring cups).

heybales

And not cleaning up the cups later either.

Bowl or plate on the scale - zero out - add your item, either to the serving size stated, or what you want and now you know the weight. I have scrap paper and pen right there, write the weight down - deal with it later.

Weighing is actually much easier I think.