Can I calibrate my eyes to portion correctly?

amy19355

I have read a lot here about the value of using a digital scale to weigh foods, and my own experience proves it is really helping me, Many of the posts talk about 'eyeballing' and the pros/cons and successes/failures of estimating calories based on the visual appearance of the size of the portion.

Many scales can be calibrated to insure the detected weight is accurate. (cheapie scales are usually easier to replace when they start giving wonky readouts).

But, to the point of this thread - Can I make my eyeball portions more reliably accurate?

I guessed that practice was the way, except, I've been practicing and I'm LOUSY at it!!! It wasn't hard to figure it out when I decided to test my estimates by dumping it on the scale after all.

What I learned about my eyeball portioning is this:
If I am hungry when I'm preparing a meal, I overestimate, and if I'm not hungry, I underestimate.

With this fresh self-awareness of my tendencies that are triggered by my state of hunger, I think it safe to say that my plans will be better supported with use of the scale, versus eyeballs, but, that my eyeball guesstimates can be adjusted slightly (up or down) once I assess the hunger-level at the moment.

Good fitness to us all!
amyfb

estherdragonbat

There are some people who can estimate better than others but your eyes are probably the least accurate measuring tool you've got.

Consider the images in this link:

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/salad-calories-comparison-instagram-dietitian-diet-dressing-protein-paula-norris-a8263376.html

I think that if you're dealing with single foods, you might be able to learn to eyeball 1/2 cup of cooked rice vs a cup. A teaspoon of oil vs a tablespoon.

But once you're dealing with combinations, like salads, casseroles, sandwiches, all bets are off. And when single foods are calorie dense (eg oil, mayo, peanut butter), being slightly off can have a significant impact.

kimny72

I find I can temporarily improve my eyeballing
But that *kitten* portion creep keeps working itself back in! I suspect that I will be someone who will always have to go back to weighing out portions every once and awhile when I see my weight start to rise.

tinkerbellang83

I am great with eyeballing some stuff, not so great with other stuff. I am not a strict weigher, but if I am buying something like a new cereal or something then I will weigh it a couple of times before I start eye-balling it.

I am definitely far more portion aware than I used to be. Before I started using MFP properly I used to think I eating around 30g of cereal (try 70g), 100g of potato (more like 250-300g), etc and was so frustrated why I couldn't lose weight on a "low calorie diet" when in all honesty it was just appalling portion awareness.

Now and again I'll still spot check something and see if I am still reasonably accurate and if I get to the point where I am not losing weight but think I should be then I'll knuckle down again.

I'd say the best way to learn is to look at how the portion looks on the plate/bowl/pan rather than how it looks on the scale. I know that a 30g portion of cornflakes only fills my normal cereal bowl around 1/3 of the way up, I know that 75g portion of dry pasta barely covers the bottom in 1 layer on the pan I use to cook my pasta.

cmriverside

If. Only.

I'm eleven years into this and I don't really trust myself. I mean, yeah I eat out and guess. I don't always weigh all my vegetables when I make a salad because the worst that would happen is about 100 calories on salad vegetables. But 20g of avocado on that salad or 50g makes a big difference, so I do weigh that and other calorie-dense things like nuts and treat foods like croutons, muffins, cookies, chips etc.

Who eats 10 corn chips?

I'll never be that good.

Ask me how I know.

janejellyroll

I've been weighing and logging since 2015 and my periodic spotchecks show me that I'm no more accurate at estimating portion size than I was then. I have no doubt that *some people* can get better at it, but I'm not one of them. At the end of the day, it isn't really a problem since I am able to use my scale for most things I eat.

kshama2001

My lying eyes kept insisting to my brain that the one slice of pizza I had for lunch was one serving. Well, it was a GIANT slice and now I'm in a food coma. I sure wish I'd cut it in half and put half in the frig.

COGypsy

I think that you can, but it's a very deliberate thing to learn. I can scoop a 1/4 cup of flour into my hand with pretty consistent accuracy. However, it's because my grandmother sat me down with a bowl of flour, a 1/4 cup measure, and a pair of clean hands and made me do it until I got it down. I would rely on eyeballing learned that way. I wouldn't trust my eyeballs to learn things that accurately from just recall, though.

bigbandjohn

Yes and no. It definitely is a skill, but not one you should count on all the time. I understand sometimes you just don't have the tools with you to properly measure (though one dietician I knew told me you should never be without). If you end up in the situation you can do a better estimate on portions for logging. Just do what I have done and estimate a little on the larger side, even if you feel that you have good skills of estimation.

One time when I was out, I got something that appeared large. I decided just to eat half. I split and decided it was 55/45 in size. I did an eyeball and documented the calories based on what I thought it was. When I got home I measured the remainder. I was close, and adjusted my earlier total, but it did help in guiding me. There also was a time I underestimated by a large margin not realizing how heavy/dense something was. In that case, it was more than just eyes.

So that's why I say yes and no. You can, but don't count on it as your sole means. Use it as a backup skill on rare occasions you don't have access to the tools. As you noted, sometimes your hunger can lead you the wrong way.

manderson27

I think like most people, portion size when measured accurately is a total shock. One of the most important lessons for me was learning that I had no idea how small a "portion" could be. I was eating at least 3 times that amount.

I have a friend who insists she isn't eating that much, you know the type, she always starts by saying "but I only had" and then lists all the food she thinks she has eaten during the day. She keeps gaining but she won't weigh and measure her food, even though she has seen me lose weight by doing just that. I love her but want to slap her upside the head sometimes.

Until you know how many calories you are eating you can't possibly work out how much you need to reduce so that you are in a reasonable deficit.

lemurcat2

I can get pretty good at it -- I play games by guessing before weighing. I am sure if I stopped ever weighing it would creep up, so I tend to weigh off and on even when not logging (and it's fun because I play the guessing game).

AnnPT77

I'd add that some things are more resistant to accurate eyeballing than others.

For example, I put walnuts in my oatmeal every day. I weigh them. A few big chunks look like substantially fewer grams than equal weight of many smaller chunks, just as they would measure diffently if I used a cup (where the big ones actually would be fewer grams per cup because of more empty space between them).

I weigh my oatmeal; it's not calorie-dense, but it's a lesson: Every batch I buy at the store is a different fill of the quarter-cup measure I use for a scoop, for the same grams. Fluffier/denser, or not. While I'm weighing the oatmeal because I find that quickest/easiest, it tells me that I'd see that same deceptive effect with other higher-calorie things that can vary in density or shape.

lemurcat2

That's true -- I can't eyeball dried pasta at all.

pinuplove

I can eyeball portions fairly well (it's a game - how close can I get without looking? ) But I don't, because the temptation to get 'just a little bit more' is too great vs having the amount right on the scale, staring you in the face.

FL_Hiker

I've never used a food scale, I only eyeball portions. I learned from my mom who made my plate when I was a kid, and in elementary school they taught us basic nutrition. I was told when I serve pasta I should only eat about the size of my palm. Meat is about the same, palm size. Some things can get a little tricky, if you're uncertain you can always weigh first and take a mental note of the serving size. I do a lot of baking so I know what a cup looks like, 1/2 cup, etc... so when I scoop out ice cream or yogurt things of that sort I think about how much would fit in one of those measuring cups. For drinks I know my teacups are exactly 1 cup, so when I pour egg nog I know to only go to the halfway point if I want one serving. You learn and get better over time . I always also judge how full I am, some days i'll eat a little extra and some days I won't clean my plate. All depends how i'm feeling.

PS for eyeballing dry pasta I was told if it is spaghetti shaped you form it tight in your hands, a serving is the same diameter as a quarter. I always do the palm trick when its cooked anyways though.

GrowlingCupcake

I think some people can definitely be trained to do it, but it takes practice, and time.

When I started trying to lose weight last year, I was weighing my food. I lost weight. This year, I am not weighing my food regularly. I am losing weight. Every now, and then, I'll weigh my food to see if I eyeballed it correctly, and more often than not, I have. I try to focus on how much of the item fills up the bowl or plate or whatever I have placed on the scale.

I am still far from my goal, though, and I am eating the same foods as before. If I change my food, I'll have to weigh it so I can learn the right portion size. If I get closer to my goal, and stop losing weight, I'll have to weigh my food to ensure I am keeping my caloric intake fairly accurate.

leanjogreen18

My fitness coach allows me to eyeball as long as I’m consistently losing according to our plan. He used to post here a lot.

I pull out my scale for some things once in awhile just to check or calibrate myself. I’m pretty good I tend to overestimate shredded cheese say it’s and ounce when it’s less and I underestimate salad dressings (I use 35/45 cal dressings)

I always pull out my scale for things I tend to overeat on like potatoes (even tho I’m pretty good there too) and pizza. And for my recipes.

So my advice will be that of my coach, if you’re losing then fine, if you slow or stop losing pull it out to recalibrate your eyes. And closer to your goal weight getting it right on might be super important.

wilson10102018

I think it is more about the process than the result. My eating decisions are changed by weighing and logging each item as it is consumed. It gives me time to consider whether I really want to spend a third of my calories on potato chips.