weighing and measuring foods

AlMonkey

I never really logged food before, i mostly have used this website to read the forums, but have decided that it is time.
But I don't know how I should measure. Do I weigh my food raw or cooked? (does it matter) is pasta/rice measured before or after? do i weigh an apple, eat it then weigh the core? cause my apple this morning was HUGE compared with the measurement given for 1 medium apple....

IndiaGuerita1983

I weigh only my cooked food. I bought a $4 food scale and a cheap set of measuring cups. I weigh/measure everything I put in my mouth...but I don't weigh the fruits and then weigh the fruit-pits. That's just too much for me.

Good luck!

-Laura

eblakes93

I don't weigh my food, but I do know the general rule is way starches (pasta, rice) before cooking - they absorb water during cooking that increases weight without increasing calories.

Amberonamission

I try to weigh everything in grams. I search for that entry. Sometimes it takes a bit of work. You can weigh in either raw or cooked versions but make sur to add cooked or raw to your search.

I weigh most things instead of measure because it is much more accurate.

And log every bite. it all counts. If you have the app on your phone, the bar code scanner helps with prepackaged food.

asaw00

I think it depends on what your eating. Read labels and know serving sizes. if it says 15 grams weigh it, 1/2 cup measure it. You'll get the hang of after a while.

athenasurrenders

Weigh before cooking - water will cook in or out affecting the weight. Pasta could take in different amounts of water depending on how long you cook it, chicken could lose different amounts of water.

Do weigh your fruit - a 'medium' apple is very vague and subjective, but I wouldn't bother re-weighing the core, it's not going to make enough difference to be worth it.

One tip - get in the habit of weighing things like butter and jam. I know it sounds like hard work, but almost everyone overestimates a portion and they are so calorie dense it will make a difference. I generally weigh my slice of bread, butter it then re-weigh.

You'll get really quick at doing this and it will become no bother at all.

WAHMto5

Most things are the weight before cooking, like pasta and meat/chicken. I also weigh most of mine in grams as well.

LeanneGoingThin

It all depends what kind of calories you use. If you use the calories for the uncooked product, measure it uncooked. If the calories apply to the cooked product, measure it cooked.

spottedkathy

I weigh my cooked food, never raw. When it comes to fruit I just put 1 apple or 1 banana and don't weigh it.

Kelley528

I use measuring cups and a food scale. I weigh all my food cooked---except pasta as it weighs more after being cooked. I never weigh my fruit that contains pits. The guestimate of being small, medium, or large has worked just fine for me. Also, weighing only the cooked food has always served me well. I never gained any weight during this process. I use measuring cups for things like rice, mashed potatoes, oil, salad dressing, etc...


For pasta, if you want to cook more than one serving, which is usually 2oz, measure each serving size dry. For example, 4 servings = 8oz dry. When it is cooked and drained, put a large bowl or pot on your food scale, dump all the pasta in and divide the total weight by the number of servings. That will allow you to accurately feed yourself one serving.