The reason why you should get a kitchen scale

Allterrain_Lady
Allterrain_Lady Posts: 421 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys!!

I'm a firm believer that a kitchen scale is the only way to go regarding counting of calories (vs measuring cups I mean) but never found a good way to prove it.

Here it is!!! It might help some strugling people A LOT!

Please watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

Vanessa

Replies

  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Bumping because this video is awesome. I saw it a few weeks ago on a different forum, and it changed my mind for sure. I don't use cups or tablespoons for anything now.
  • TruckersWifeTruckersLife
    TruckersWifeTruckersLife Posts: 408 Member
    I already have digital scales I am not going to go to the extreme like that video and buy scales that measure the calories as well
  • primal_cupcakes
    primal_cupcakes Posts: 280 Member
    This video prompted me to go out and buy a kitchen scale last year. Thanks for posting ;-) The first time I weighed out a serving of peanut butter I almost cried.
  • samanthahix12
    samanthahix12 Posts: 179
    I've been meaning to get a scale for a while now. I'm definitely getting one asap.
  • Allterrain_Lady
    Allterrain_Lady Posts: 421 Member
    I already have digital scales I am not going to go to the extreme like that video and buy scales that measure the calories as well

    Totally agree!! I put the video on the forum because of the measuring part. Calories counting doesn't have to be done by the scale.
    A cheap one that only weighs stuff, like the one I have, works perfectly.
  • sunseeker100
    sunseeker100 Posts: 90 Member
    bump
  • Losingthedamnweight
    Losingthedamnweight Posts: 535 Member
    Wow. They totally overfilled cups and then acted amazed that the cups were overfilled and higher calories. No ****? You're not supposed to stack a bunch of crap on a cup until it's a giant stack that's about to fall down. Everything has to be either level or a little less. I feel like this is one of those infomercials where they make everything look hard just so they can give you can easy solution. Cue the announcer guy "isn't making toast hard"? Then they show an old lady next to a toaster in flames shaking her head. "Well try the new toastmaster 2000! Just press down and 2 minutes later you have toast!"

    Sparkly transition showing awesome toaster
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Wow. They totally overfilled cups and then acted amazed that the cups were overfilled and higher calories. No ****? You're not supposed to stack a bunch of crap on a cup until it's a giant stack that's about to fall down. Everything has to be either level or a little less. I feel like this is one of those infomercials where they make everything look hard just so they can give you can easy solution. Cue the announcer guy "isn't making toast hard"? Then they show an old lady next to a toaster in flames shaking her head. "Well try the new toastmaster 2000! Just press down and 2 minutes later you have toast!"

    Sparkly transition showing awesome toaster

    You sir are so correct.

    I would not rule out buying and using a kitchen scale...but for now, I'm losing 1.6 lb per week over 6 months (set to lose 1.5 lb per week) so I feel pretty confident that my measurements are accurate. A lifetime of baking has taught me exactly what a TBSP, 1/4 cup, etc, looks like. Some may say I am deceiving myself but seriously...I know the difference between 1/8 cup of shredded cheese and 1/3 cup. M'kay.
  • Flabulousss
    Flabulousss Posts: 106
    I've been consistently losing weight without one so I don't particularly care (and I don't have the $$.) I've been aware all my life that the upper rim of an actual 8oz cup is usually somewhere INSIDE the physical measuring cup, so I just leave it a bit empty. Doesn't take a genius.
  • sarahthin
    sarahthin Posts: 221 Member
    The light dawned on me when I was measuring cereal one morning and did both weight and measuring cup. You know the boxes of cereal say that they my not appear full do to settling. That means the weight is smaller than volume. Now weigh everything.
  • rlp2891
    rlp2891 Posts: 9 Member
    Wow. They totally overfilled cups and then acted amazed that the cups were overfilled and higher calories. No ****? You're not supposed to stack a bunch of crap on a cup until it's a giant stack that's about to fall down. Everything has to be either level or a little less. I feel like this is one of those infomercials where they make everything look hard just so they can give you can easy solution. Cue the announcer guy "isn't making toast hard"? Then they show an old lady next to a toaster in flames shaking her head. "Well try the new toastmaster 2000! Just press down and 2 minutes later you have toast!"

    Sparkly transition showing awesome toaster

    Have to agree. I did buy a food scale for better accuracy with things like meat, but I was losing weight just fine before that, and my measuring cup estimations were pretty accurate. It seems sort of common sense that you can't just heap everything way over the top and still call it a cup.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
    I got a digital scale for under $20 that does the job. I weigh out a good deal of the stuff I eat but not everything. I think its worth it. My portion sizes were much larger than what I thought they were. In many cases I was eating 250 calories worth of cereal instead of 180 calories. Doesn't sound like much, but add that up throughout the day and then throughout the week and there goes your weight loss goals.

    I dont think its necessary, but it does help quite a bit, at least for folks who aren't that great at determining portion sizes accurately.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
    Wow. They totally overfilled cups and then acted amazed that the cups were overfilled and higher calories. No ****? You're not supposed to stack a bunch of crap on a cup until it's a giant stack that's about to fall down. Everything has to be either level or a little less. I feel like this is one of those infomercials where they make everything look hard just so they can give you can easy solution. Cue the announcer guy "isn't making toast hard"? Then they show an old lady next to a toaster in flames shaking her head. "Well try the new toastmaster 2000! Just press down and 2 minutes later you have toast!"

    Sparkly transition showing awesome toaster

    Have to agree. I did buy a food scale for better accuracy with things like meat, but I was losing weight just fine before that, and my measuring cup estimations were pretty accurate. It seems sort of common sense that you can't just heap everything way over the top and still call it a cup.

    I agree. When something calls for a cup and you have a measuring cup that says that on it, its pretty straightforward. I find the scale helpful for other foods like cereal, fruits, homemade protein bars, etc. to weigh those out.
  • Cattfish42
    Cattfish42 Posts: 11 Member
    I suck at measuring food. I like this advice
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I like the general idea of the video but I think they're proving their point really badly. I mean, most people should know that a cup of something is not a rounded cup, but to stop at the line. It makes it hard to take the guy seriously. The peanut butter example is much better, but by then most people will have stopped watching.
  • Magdaloonie
    Magdaloonie Posts: 146 Member
    I cook a lot and am pretty good at eyeballing but some things do through me off - shredded cheese is a frequent problem. 1/4 cup can be lots of different amounts depending on how it's shredded and how much it's packed.
    Plus, my husband is AWFUL at measuring! I just ordered a scale for us. It'll be great for bread baking.

Categories