Why weighing is important (even for packaged food!)
deannalfisher
Posts: 5,600 Member
Often newbies come to the forum asking about why they can’t lose weight and sometimes the following is said - I log and eat packaged food
Here is an example of why weighing is important:
I bought this thing of spinach gnocchi at Aldi the other night; according to the package it serves about 2 (picture 2)
But when I weighed it:
(
Pardon my mathing in public...507g/140g (serving size) is 3.6servings
So I would have eaten 80g more carbs than intended (320cal); excluding protein
Here is an example of why weighing is important:
I bought this thing of spinach gnocchi at Aldi the other night; according to the package it serves about 2 (picture 2)
But when I weighed it:
(
Pardon my mathing in public...507g/140g (serving size) is 3.6servings
So I would have eaten 80g more carbs than intended (320cal); excluding protein
18
Replies
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WOW! This needs to be saved to refer to when people are having trouble losing weight but aren't weighing all their foods and going by package serving sizes.3
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yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.5
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating6 -
Yep weigh everything!2
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I weighed all the items in one of my meals yesterday. My guesstimates were fairly good, but one item was way off. I'll be checking a few more during this week, but usually don't actually weigh everything.0
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating
I’m fastidious and I never thought I’d have to weigh a protein bar. Lesson....learned3 -
WOW!!!!!! That is nuts! You have to love FDA label laws!1
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating
I’m fastidious and I never thought I’d have to weigh a protein bar. Lesson....learned
yep I learned the hard way not weighing things. I lost weight and started gaining it back. couldnt understand why. came here,joined and someone told me to get a food scale and weigh everything. once I started doing that the weight started coming off again .I was using spoons and measuring cups. that I learned was a no no for dry,solid and semi solid foods2 -
psychod787 wrote: »WOW!!!!!! That is nuts! You have to love FDA label laws!
I'm sure most people wouldn't complain about getting more than they paid for and the label does say "about" 2 servings, so I doubt you could take them to court over it.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
I'm going to weigh my next Kind Bar!0 -
psychod787 wrote: »WOW!!!!!! That is nuts! You have to love FDA label laws!
I'm sure most people wouldn't complain about getting more than they paid for and the label does say "about" 2 servings, so I doubt you could take them to court over it.
nah those are just estimated serving sizes.so no court needed lol unless you have a lot of money to waste.but it is sometimes shocking when something says one size and its more. bread is another one.cereal is a sad one lol2 -
I expected it to be over but not by nearly double - lol0
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »psychod787 wrote: »WOW!!!!!! That is nuts! You have to love FDA label laws!
I'm sure most people wouldn't complain about getting more than they paid for and the label does say "about" 2 servings, so I doubt you could take them to court over it.
nah those are just estimated serving sizes.so no court needed lol unless you have a lot of money to waste.but it is sometimes shocking when something says one size and its more. bread is another one.cereal is a sad one lol
wow, I weigh my cereal, but not my bread! I guess I will start doing that! Thanks!2 -
That's enlightening and terrifying !
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psychod787 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »psychod787 wrote: »WOW!!!!!! That is nuts! You have to love FDA label laws!
I'm sure most people wouldn't complain about getting more than they paid for and the label does say "about" 2 servings, so I doubt you could take them to court over it.
nah those are just estimated serving sizes.so no court needed lol unless you have a lot of money to waste.but it is sometimes shocking when something says one size and its more. bread is another one.cereal is a sad one lol
wow, I weigh my cereal, but not my bread! I guess I will start doing that! Thanks!
yeah weigh everything just for sh&ts and giggles and see how off things can be. its really to eat more than you think when you dont weigh food.
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating
It can be off by 20% per serving... on top of the inaccurate amount of servings in a package. So even one serving could really be 380 calories.
That's why a lot of people who eat packaged food can't lose.. not because it's bad, but because the calories can be way off.9 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating
It can be off by 20% per serving... on top of the inaccurate amount of servings in a package. So even one serving could really be 380 calories.
That's why a lot of people who eat packaged food can't lose.. not because it's bad, but because the calories can be way off.
ok yeah weighing will show you that though.wasnt saying packaged food was bad or that it wasnt off per serving. was saying bread and things like that can be off. which is why I said weigh everything.but most protein bars are usually one serving,2 -
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Totally agree.
I don’t even look at the serving size on packaged food, just the amounts per 100g0 -
Are you sure you didn't weight the bowl too? I have had those and they were 280g2
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pootlepootle1972 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
which is why I weigh everything since packaged foods can be off by up to 20% . I have had things weigh less, but most of the time its more, very rarely is it right on.even stuff that isnt packaged can weigh more than its supposed to. 2 cuts of chicken breast can be the same size but can be different weights. for me weighing makes it easier to see how much Im really eating
It can be off by 20% per serving... on top of the inaccurate amount of servings in a package. So even one serving could really be 380 calories.
That's why a lot of people who eat packaged food can't lose.. not because it's bad, but because the calories can be way off.
ok yeah weighing will show you that though.wasnt saying packaged food was bad or that it wasnt off per serving. was saying bread and things like that can be off. which is why I said weigh everything.but most protein bars are usually one serving,
But they aren't....which is why you should weigh everything in a packet. My 50g protein bars are between 54 and 60g.
they arent what? one serving? any of the ones I get are and I weight them out of the package and the wrapper.I do weigh everything which is what I was saying
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What about coming in under? I weighed out servings of beans, 130g as per the label, 3.5 servings per can. I only got 2 and maybe a quarter servings per can.
I demand a refund.
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newheavensearth wrote: »What about coming in under? I weighed out servings of beans, 130g as per the label, 3.5 servings per can. I only got 2 and maybe a quarter servings per can.
I demand a refund.
write to the company if under and give them the info on the label a lot of times they will want to keep customers happy by sending coupons or whatever on their products.3 -
newheavensearth wrote: »What about coming in under? I weighed out servings of beans, 130g as per the label, 3.5 servings per can. I only got 2 and maybe a quarter servings per can.
I demand a refund.
Did you drain the beans before you weighed them? I'm betting that the serving weight included the liquid in the can.3 -
newheavensearth wrote: »What about coming in under? I weighed out servings of beans, 130g as per the label, 3.5 servings per can. I only got 2 and maybe a quarter servings per can.
I demand a refund.
Did you drain the beans before you weighed them? I'm betting that the serving weight included the liquid in the can.
yeah serving sizes usually include the weight. but if she writes to the company they may tell her if thats the case or not. some will tell you some stupid things though lol1 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifyingCharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
But think of all that food you are getting for free!1 -
free money wise, but not calorie wise.marissafit06 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifyingCharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »yep same with protein bars. I had one that said 60g or 65g it was almost 80g.
Ok that’s slightly terrifying
But think of all that food you are getting for free!
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I agree with OP that you should weigh packaged foods, but otherwise think that excess food is a benefit and there is no negative. YMMV3
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newheavensearth wrote: »What about coming in under? I weighed out servings of beans, 130g as per the label, 3.5 servings per can. I only got 2 and maybe a quarter servings per can.
I demand a refund.
Did you drain the beans before you weighed them? I'm betting that the serving weight included the liquid in the can.
I drained them. I know some people would keep the liquid for cooking but to me thats a ton of salt and slime.0
This discussion has been closed.
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