eating more than you think....

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  • kdsp2911
    kdsp2911 Posts: 170 Member
    Yeah, right now I'm losing without weighing but I realize as I get closer to goal, I'll need to invest in a scale.

    ^^^This. Maybe not the best habit to be in, but so far I haven't done terrible. I know as I get closer and closer to goal weight I will have to give in and buy a scale, but for now I will continue to eyeball. Or...if I stay on track and don't see a loss I will know that it's time to break em out.
  • JNettie73
    JNettie73 Posts: 1,211 Member
    Thank you for this! I have not been weighing my bread but I weigh everything else. I probably should start weighing my bread. :ohwell:
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    Thanks for the post. I found the same to be true with calories burned from exercise as well until I got a HRM and saw what I was actually burning which was a good number less than what I thought. I was in the habit of weighing a lot of things anyway due to working in commercial kitchens for a while baking and going by what an actual cup was vs the weight within that cup. Both of those things combined can lead to going over very easily so I just stick with my food scale. Here is a link to a local news story about eating out and calories stated on menus vs lab testing of the entrees.

    http://www.11alive.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2832835549001&odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|featured
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Wonderful post. When I bought a digital food scale, it was truly an eye opener. I hope this helps those who've been struggling get out of the rut and back to achieving success!!
  • lettinganago
    lettinganago Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you for this post I have been eating "1100" and haven't lost anything I was sure its because I was underestimating my calories so now I know to cut back!!
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I know since I started measuring my coffee creamer in the morning that it lasts longer. So I know what I thought was 3 tbps was probably 5 or 6. It was really yummy, but I stayed the same weight for a long time.

    I haven't gotten to the weighing of the creamer yet, but probably should. I've "stalled" at this weight for a long time. I wouldn't mind dropping another % of BF, but it's peanuts at this point. I already feel ridiculous with the amount of weighing I do, but I guess if I want to hit my ultimate goal badly enough, I should probably weigh everything.
  • FerretBuellerr
    FerretBuellerr Posts: 468 Member
    Bumping for future reference. I may only be 6 pounds 'til GW, but I'm expecting that stall to happen at any time, and now I've got a new way to combat it! Thank you! :flowerforyou:
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    For the first time, I'm considering buying a kitchen scale! I know that (from a lifetime of baking) I am quite accurate at eyeballing measurements such as a cup, tsp, etc...but I usually take packaged foods at their labels.

    Thanks for posting!
  • Fragilebird24
    Fragilebird24 Posts: 202 Member
    This definitely saddens me. I've been considering a food scale for a while now, mostly for chips, crackers, meats, cereals, etc, but it scares me to think how much peanut butter I'm actually eating. I have apple slices with peanut butter every day, and usually use a measuring spoon or sometimes I guesstimate. I have been losing weight and I still have about 46 pounds to lose so I'll keep this in mind for if I start to plateau. Thank you for posting this even though it's kind of depressing!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I don't even bother weighing things like the sandwich thins or snickers. Guess I've gotten lucky so far, because I never thought they'd lie like that... But that's pretty crappy of the companies. It kind of sounds like something they could get in trouble for.
  • Rogsman
    Rogsman Posts: 106 Member
    Good post. The cause of most "i'm eating under" plateaus out there. Nutrition labels, anything processed and restaurant food can be up to 20% off of stated calories. It can make things aggravating.

    Two related articles, there was a nice story/video making rounds a couple month ago I can't find.

    http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1951798,00.html

    http://nutritionovereasy.com/2011/04/can-you-trust-the-nutrition-facts/

    Quote:
    "The FDA allows manufacturers and packagers a surprisingly wide margin of error–the information can be off by 20% in either direction and still be in compliance. For example, if the nutrition facts label says that a food contains 300 calories, it may actually contain anywhere from 240 to 360 calories."

    20% added to a TDEE -20 calorie deficit = "OMG I can't lose weight!" posts. It's a conspiracy.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Thank you for this post I have been eating "1100" and haven't lost anything I was sure its because I was underestimating my calories so now I know to cut back!!

    I think before you cut back, you should try logging consistently. Youve got missing days, missing lunch, missing dinner and countless quick added calories. A day where you had nearly 3k calories. Weigh and measure your food, log consistently and prosper. Not logging isnt going to do you any favors.
  • jillianbeeee
    jillianbeeee Posts: 345 Member
    thank you for posting this! I seem to be going through the same thing right now and even though I am weighing most everything, there are things that I am just assuming, apples and going with what is on the package are two perfect examples. Maybe I am also getting a little lax with the "i know what is in there" or -gasp- "I've done so good so far, I know what I am doing." Yep, time to check everything and see what is slowing down my weighloss right now! :) Appreciate your honesty!
  • shellylb52
    shellylb52 Posts: 157 Member
    Bump and thanks! :smile:
  • favoritenut
    favoritenut Posts: 217 Member
    after reading this I know I better invest in a scale....thanks!
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  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    Really great post, and definitely true.

    I found some scales in my kitchen recently that I didn't know I had, and it's been both a blessing and a curse.

    Now I know how truly little a 30g portion of cheese is! Before I'd been eyeballing, and it was probably closer to double that.

    I don't weigh everything. I think I'd go insane, but I do weigh things like pasta, cheese, meat, rice, chocolate, and things that I'd use as toppings; olives, sweetcorn, and the small things that can make a big difference in calories. Tomatoes and salad... Not so much as the margin is so small.

    Can definitely see the how easy it is to kid yourself when you don't measure!
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    Thank you for posting this! I definitely need to invest in some scales.
  • ilovescarymovies
    ilovescarymovies Posts: 202 Member
    Bump so hopefully more people read this!!
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    That's why I have mine set at 1350. I probably eat 1600-1800 calories a day. I don't even measure my food at all, but it's worked out thus far. Once I stop losing weight, I'll start measuring.

    Thank you for posting! If a person is really eating at a deficit & not losing, then they obviously aren't logging honestly and/or accurately.
  • auzziecawth66
    auzziecawth66 Posts: 476 Member
    I was just debating this morning if I should get a scale when I was grating cheese for my egg thinking I have no idea how much an actual serving of cheese is... This post might have just convinced me lol...
  • angelamangus1
    angelamangus1 Posts: 164 Member
    Be aware that it goes the other way, too. I weighed the mayo on the last sandwich I made and what looked like a full tablespoon to me ended up being half of a one tablespoon serving going by grams.

    And maybe I scoop differently than everyone else, but my 1T of peanut butter is actually 1T of peanut butter when I weigh it.

    Me too! I started weighing a lot of my foods and found I was underestimating, such as my protein powder, peanut butter, salad dressing, oatmeal, even chicken breasts...etc. I fill the spoons to a level point (not spilling over). I used to eyeball meat (card deck size) and found by measuring I was under 4oz. I also found that different brands equate to different calories for meat. For example, Perdue, Daily Chef ( a Sam's Club brand), and Tyson all have different calories and nutrient for their chicken. Makes you wonder what they feed them...

    I did however, notice (same as another post) that my creamer is way off. I do not measure my eggs so now I wonder what they really are....

    Thanks for the post!
  • SPPutnam
    SPPutnam Posts: 51 Member
    Thank you for sharing this! It will help me in logging my foods appropriately from now on!
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    Relevant:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/opinion/calorie-detective.html
  • lydiaannepage
    lydiaannepage Posts: 172 Member
    bump! :tongue:
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    a video that you may want to watch.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Thanks to a thread like this, I weigh everything now. The 1/2 cup of oatmeal every morning, that was supposed to be 40 grams? The 1/2 cup was actually about 52 grams. Peanut butter is a big offender so I weigh every sandwich when I'm making it. At dinner, I weigh everything. Obviously you can't when you are eating out, but you can make best guesses there. So thanks to the OP for posting this subject again. Always someone out there can learn this hard lesson.
  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    Thanks to a thread like this, I weigh everything now. The 1/2 cup of oatmeal every morning, that was supposed to be 40 grams? The 1/2 cup was actually about 52 grams. Peanut butter is a big offender so I weigh every sandwich when I'm making it. At dinner, I weigh everything. Obviously you can't when you are eating out, but you can make best guesses there. So thanks to the OP for posting this subject again. Always someone out there can learn this hard lesson.

    The thread that made me look into weighing my food mentioned peanut butter. The poster said that what you think is 200 calories of peanut butter can easily be 400 calories. I eat peanut/almond butter everyday.
  • minky_r
    minky_r Posts: 95 Member
    You are absolutely right!! At first I thought I wasn’t losing because I have been on low carb diet for so many years, that it will take time. It has been 4 weeks now and I think its all about the weighing. I use the measuring cups and read labels. I am completely satisfied at every meal, and I am sure Im going over !! I definitely cannot bring in the scale. My daughter is so obsessed about losing weight (she is at a perfect weight). If I bring in the scale, I think I will be giving her the wrong message. I will have to either up the exercise, change or cut out a snack or two…. Thank God I am not gaining.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Because I don't weigh my food, I dialed in a more dramatic calorie deficit—knowing full well that my actual calories consumed would probably have a margin of error that would wipe out a razor thin deficit. I log everything as accurately as I can, but since I eat out so often, weighing and measuring foods just isn't an option. I literally never cook my own meals. I also eat a lot of fast food, but that's easy to track, and whenever I eat at a national chain restaurant, that's easy to track too, but local restaurants and Chinese takeout? Kind of a minefield, and I always try to be on the safe side when counting calories at those places. :drinker:

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