Anyone here NOT use a food scale?

shandy4487

I have read on these forums that using a food scale is very important for accurate logging. I am very nervous about using one because I have a past history with eating disorders. (Before anyone asks, yes I see a therapist for this, lol). So using a food scale is very triggering for me. I currently eyeball my portions, use measuring cups occasionally, and I have been successful in losing 48 pounds since the beginning of this year. But I know the closer I get to my goal, the more accurate my logging needs to be. Has anyone here had continued success without using a food scale? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

seltzermint555

I've never used a food scale and have lost 135 lb eyeballing some things and measuring many...for example I always use measuring cups for stuff like rice and cereal when I eat those. I actually never even considered getting a food scale. I'm now in my goal range (weight) and think it might be useful for me if I ever get really serious about getting to the lowest in my goal range, but at this point I don't see that happening for me because I'm very happy with where I am. Good luck, and remember you have to find what works for YOU - and for your health psychologically as well as physically.

amillenium

I actually had a lot more success weight loss wise when I wasn't using a food scale and have gone back to that method. I use portion sizes that I eyeball and I feel like I have a pretty good handle on it based using comparison metrics--like deck of cards for a serving of meat/chicken etc. I do not have a history of EDs but my daughter has a lot tendencies that make me think she is headed down that road and I felt that watching me weigh my food sent the wrong message to her. Regardless, of how I explained it to her, she interpreted it the way she wanted to.

13bbird13

I have one but I never use it. I used to do WW and they had different ways of measuring portion control that were easier, especially away from home. I do try to overestimate portions to give myself a cushion.

Riemi87

I do not use a food scale and I have lost 45 lbs so far and dropped 4 sizes. Everyone has their own way. If a food scale works best for you then use it. If it will give you anxiety or cause issues then absolutely don't as long as you are moving in the right direction.

WinoGelato

I didn't know anything about food scales when I first started on MFP. When I started reading the forums and how much they are recommended to improve logging accuracy and help with plateaus, I told myself that if I ever did find myself in an unexplained plateau or unable to lose weight at the rate I wanted, that would be the first thing I invested in. I never did reach that point (plenty of plateaus but they were always totally explainable - holidays, illness, not exercising, etc), and lost the weight I wanted and am now in maintenance.

I will say that I keep a bit of a buffer with my calorie goal - it is set about 150 cals under where MFP thinks my maintenance cals are, but I do eat back my exercise calories and use a FitBit for estimating total cals burned. I know if I used a food scale I could probably be more accurate and set my goals a little higher, but again, this worked for me for the last 990 days so I don't see why it wouldn't work for the remainder of my days using this tool...

I also ALWAYS recommend a food scale to people just starting out - I think if I had one from the beginning I probably could have hit my goals more quickly.

I can see how those struggling with an ED may also want to not implement that level of control.

Good luck!

tulips_and_tea

A food scale is important for accurate logging, but NOT necessary for weight loss and/or maintenance. I've never used one. I learned portion sizes rather than relying on weighing out my food. There is no one perfect method. If a scale is triggering to you, by all means, don't use one! But DO know that you can be successful without it.

wendymoira

I eyeball and have lost 31 pounds since June -- but I also set my weekly weight loss on MFP to 2lbs/week and find myself averaging more like 1-1.5 lbs/week, which is fine with me. Also, I'm still a good 17 pounds from my initial goal, which is still quite a bit higher than out-of-the-box healthy BMI, so I have plenty of wiggle room. As I get closer to my goal, I want to try and use more measuring cups and maybe even a scale from time to time so I can check the accuracy of my eyeballing, but I eat out a lot and over friends' houses and love to travel, and I just don't see weighing everything I eat as a sustainable thing for my life.

Tedebearduff

shandy4487 wrote: »

I have read on these forums that using a food scale is very important for accurate logging. I am very nervous about using one because I have a past history with eating disorders. (Before anyone asks, yes I see a therapist for this, lol). So using a food scale is very triggering for me. I currently eyeball my portions, use measuring cups occasionally, and I have been successful in losing 48 pounds since the beginning of this year. But I know the closer I get to my goal, the more accurate my logging needs to be. Has anyone here had continued success without using a food scale? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

You can eat the same amount and just increase your caloric expenditure by working out more or increasing the amount of cardio you do.

I stopped using the food scale around 70lbs lost because it drove me nuts, I eye balled everything to lose another 102lbs... (total of 172) so yes you can eye ball stuff... just make sure your eyes are good?

hekla90

I lost without one and maintain without one.

ElleMarieRose

Me! Throughout my entire journey I haven't touched a food scale.

ebouchie

I have lost 55 pounds without ever using one. I suppose if I am ever in a state where I think I am measuring and eating within my MFP guidelines and not losing, then I would certainly use one. I have enough buffer built into my deficit with all of the excercise that I have not had that problem. So, I will continue along using measuring cups, eyeballing, and guessing. It is working.

lyttlewon

I lost 60lbs without using a food scale.

Azexas

When I started I never used a food scale. Lost about 20 pounds that way. However as I've gotten closer to my goal weight and my deficit is getting smaller, I started to use a food scale. I couldn't keep eye balling.

dubird

I started with one until I got better at guesstimating things. I still pull it out for new stuff or just to double check myself, but for the most part, I don't use it anymore.

shandy4487

Wow! I didn't know so many people didn't use one! Lol thank you guys all soooo much for your responses. I feel much better knowing a scale isn't absolutely necessary. You guys rock

hapa11

I don't use one and have lost about 25 pounds. I try to underestimate calorie burns from workouts, which I think helps compensate for the fact that I most likely also underestimate the calories I eat.

SezxyStef

shandy4487 wrote: »

Wow! I didn't know so many people didn't use one! Lol thank you guys all soooo much for your responses. I feel much better knowing a scale isn't absolutely necessary. You guys rock

no it's not at all...it's just one of the many helpful tools that is recommended.

For me it meant logging 1460 calories and losing 1/2lb a week vs logging 1460 accurately and losing 1lb a week.

personal preference...I still use it to this day but not as consistently as I did when I was losing.

lilyrunner

Always. It is a great tool to keep you on track. A portion size almost always surprises me.

juggernaut1974

WinoGelato wrote: »

I didn't know anything about food scales when I first started on MFP. When I started reading the forums and how much they are recommended to improve logging accuracy and help with plateaus, I told myself that if I ever did find myself in an unexplained plateau or unable to lose weight at the rate I wanted, that would be the first thing I invested in. I never did reach that point (plenty of plateaus but they were always totally explainable - holidays, illness, not exercising, etc), and lost the weight I wanted and am now in maintenance.

I will say that I keep a bit of a buffer with my calorie goal - it is set about 150 cals under where MFP thinks my maintenance cals are, but I do eat back my exercise calories and use a FitBit for estimating total cals burned. I know if I used a food scale I could probably be more accurate and set my goals a little higher, but again, this worked for me for the last 990 days so I don't see why it wouldn't work for the remainder of my days using this tool...

I also ALWAYS recommend a food scale to people just starting out - I think if I had one from the beginning I probably could have hit my goals more quickly.

I can see how those struggling with an ED may also want to not implement that level of control.

Good luck!

Yep this is exactly me too. I've never used one (I guess I've just been blessed to be very good at estimating) and it hasn't ever been an issue. I do occasionally measure out certain things to help if I don't feel like I can estimate accurately.

That said, if I ever find that my results aren't matching expectations, it will be the first thing I change. And I absolutely will continue to recommend using one to anyone who isn't achieving their goals without one.

beemerphile1

Never used one.

amillenium

I do have one though and I mostly use it for cooking recipes where the measurements are given in grams versus cups/tablespoons....I think an important thing to remember is that ultimately there are a lot of estimates in this process and there are certain tools that can increase accuracy of those estimates: scales for CI and HRM for CO but in the end of the day there will STILL be inaccuracies in the process even with those tools. I am comfortable with my eyeball estimates.

cannedgoo

I've lost about 25 pounds in the past (and regained from poor and fully explainable choices) and have struggled with an eating disorder as well. I've thought about purchasing a scale, but I've found that since I have an aggressive weight loss plan (2 lb/week) even if my estimations aren't fully accurate, I'm still losing. I like measuring cups and simple math. For example a 1lb package with 2 chicken breasts, means each breast is 8 ounces...therefore half of a breast is a serving. That's the kind of logic I use.

fitchlets

I have never used one and I'm down 93 pounds.

belgerian

I do not use one on a regular basis, I pretty much eat the same things consistently so it is fairly easy. As stated above I have lost without the use of one. If I got to the point where I was not hitting my goals and thinking i am eating the proper amount then I may have a use it again. But I am pretty much satisfied with what I am doing for now.

Need2Exerc1se

I only weigh food when I'm canning stuff from the garden. I can't imagine weighing every bite of food I eat. Honestly I don't know people do it. I'm guessing their style of eating/cooking must be pretty different from mine.

MarcyKirkton

I do not use a food scale. I do keep it honest. A cup is a cup. So far, I've lost 17 lbs. I'm only 7 lbs away from my final goal. Even now, I don't think a scale is important. I am closing the gap with increasing my exercise.

Karen_can_do_this

I use one. But that's because I'm the worst eyeballer ever.
But I'm a big believer in "what works for one, might not necessarily work for all"
With a history of ed (yay you for seeing someone too btw) I'm glad you have realised it's a trigger. Listen to the above people and do what they do

Good luck op!!!!

JenniferIsLosingIt

i use one intermittenly. But did for a while in the beginning consistently until i got a handle on portions, then didnt for a long time, now I am kinda sporadic lol! lost 121 pounds

vespiquenn

I want to swing the other way with this. I also have a history of ED, bulimia in particular with fasting tendencies. I have actually found that a food scale allows me to even out my intake. For example, a lot of your canned goods seemed to be on the short side as far as their serving sizes, so by weighing, I find I can eat a bit more. I have yet to come across a canned food that has more than what the serving label says it should. I also find that by weighing, I get a better sense of what I'm eating. When I get down on myself for a "binge," I can remind myself that I didn't actually eat that much because I know exactly what I ate and how much.

Weighing isn't for everyone, and if you feel you may be triggered, I recommend not to. I just wanted to give a different viewpoint from someone that has suffered from EDs.

I also apologize if something doesn't make sense in this. Typing this with a fever and the flu.

fiddletime

I have one in my kitchen and occasionally am curious about what things weigh. But I've lost weight over the years without one and am pretty good and estimating portion size. I find a measuring cup much more useful for the things that I eat.