eating more than you think....

jillmarie125

You know - this might be my problem. I weigh my meats (chicken breasts , steaks) and veggies etc but not pre portioned things like bread, apples, eggs, bacon rashers.

Maybe I need a second food scale for work?

Fruit was a big one for me. I was only logging for 50% of the calories.

caseythirteen

I still have no idea how to log a banana. All the entries go by size, and the associated weight is more often than not ways of what my 'medium' banana actually weighs (like it will say medium 8 inch banana (120g) and mine will be 150g or something. And do you count the skin or not when you weigh it?

MFP's entry for bananas (the one without the *) has an option to do it by grams. Much easier than trying to determine what size it is.

CollieFit

I still have no idea how to log a banana. All the entries go by size, and the associated weight is more often than not ways of what my 'medium' banana actually weighs (like it will say medium 8 inch banana (120g) and mine will be 150g or something. And do you count the skin or not when you weigh it?

MFP's entry for bananas (the one without the *) has an option to do it by grams. Much easier than trying to determine what size it is.

I just wish someone would sort the database out so you don't have to sift through 250 banana entries to find THE non-* banana entry...

Unknown

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Francl27

I still have no idea how to log a banana. All the entries go by size, and the associated weight is more often than not ways of what my 'medium' banana actually weighs (like it will say medium 8 inch banana (120g) and mine will be 150g or something. And do you count the skin or not when you weigh it?

MFP's entry for bananas (the one without the *) has an option to do it by grams. Much easier than trying to determine what size it is.

With or without skin?

smc864

I still have no idea how to log a banana. All the entries go by size, and the associated weight is more often than not ways of what my 'medium' banana actually weighs (like it will say medium 8 inch banana (120g) and mine will be 150g or something. And do you count the skin or not when you weigh it?

MFP's entry for bananas (the one without the *) has an option to do it by grams. Much easier than trying to determine what size it is.

With or without skin?

without

husseycd

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.

Ha, I'd forgotten you can't weigh liquids. They're measured by volume. A "weighted" ounce is not the same as a fluid ounce.

Just thought I'd remind people. I had my half-and-half out yesterday and my scale and was like, wait....

Francl27

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.

Ha, I'd forgotten you can't weigh liquids. They're measured by volume. A "weighted" ounce is not the same as a fluid ounce.

Just thought I'd remind people. I had my half-and-half out yesterday and my scale and was like, wait....

Yes and I really wish they had the calories per weight on the box. It's a nightmare for things like maple syrup. I found some site online that converts it but I don't know how accurate that is (www.convert-to.com).

ElectricDragon

This post was inspiring thank you. I ordered a kitchen food weight balance a few days ago and it should be arriving today, your post help me realize it was a worthwhile investment.

I worked in a microbiology lab for a few years and I would always measure powders and chemicals for solutions, I figured it was about time to apply that skill to my own diet and lifestyle changes as well.

M00NPYE

I am also only about 15 lbs away from goal, and I am loosing and gaining the same 5 pounds over the last month and a half... I have never weighed my food but I have a digital scale on my Christmas wish list... guess I should just get myself one now, if I want to close to goal by new years. :frown: any suggestions on the best brands and where to buy them?

jillmarie125

I am also only about 15 lbs away from goal, and I am loosing and gaining the same 5 pounds over the last month and a half... I have never weighed my food but I have a digital scale on my Christmas wish list... guess I should just get myself one now, if I want to close to goal by new years. :frown: any suggestions on the best brands and where to buy them?

I have 2. I dont remember the brands though, but both I ordered from Amazon. One is a fancier one that if you enter the food in, it will break it all down for (fats, protein, carbs...) I never use it for anything else but the weight. I think I spent 50 dollars on it. The other one I have at work....(duh I am at work now....it's a EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale) I probably spent 20 or 30 on it and I really like it.

M00NPYE

Apples- I usually log as a medium apple, because well there are bigger at the store and smaller ones. (yeah I know...dumb!) Well a medium one is 140g my "medium" apple was 210.

Maybe this is considering the apple was cut off the core and it's only 140g leaving a 70g core? (I don't have a scale to know this but could be possible)

M00NPYE

I am also only about 15 lbs away from goal, and I am loosing and gaining the same 5 pounds over the last month and a half... I have never weighed my food but I have a digital scale on my Christmas wish list... guess I should just get myself one now, if I want to close to goal by new years. :frown: any suggestions on the best brands and where to buy them?

I have 2. I dont remember the brands though, but both I ordered from Amazon. One is a fancier one that if you enter the food in, it will break it all down for (fats, protein, carbs...) I never use it for anything else but the weight. I think I spent 50 dollars on it. The other one I have at work....(duh I am at work now....it's a EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale) I probably spent 20 or 30 on it and I really like it.

:flowerforyou: thank you!

Francl27

I have an Eatsmart one. Nothing bad to say about it.

mrsmarit

I am also only about 15 lbs away from goal, and I am loosing and gaining the same 5 pounds over the last month and a half... I have never weighed my food but I have a digital scale on my Christmas wish list... guess I should just get myself one now, if I want to close to goal by new years. :frown: any suggestions on the best brands and where to buy them?

Maybe not a brand so much as features are what you should focus on.


1) a digital scale (don't get an analog one)

2) multiple weighing options (grams and ounces)


Those are the 2 big ones as any type of digital scale should have a tare function so you can zero out the scale after putting a bowl,plate etc on it.

I have one with a pull out view display that I like for when the plates or bowls are a little bigger.


You can find them at Amazon (which will more than likely have the best selection), or Bed Bath and Beyond. Walmart does not carry a digital one here in Alaska.

JONZ64

Excellent, I read a similar post and started weighing my food too and noticed my weight drop too. THis is my 2nd profile. In my first MFP profile I lost over 45lbs and had peaked at 30lbs until I weighed my food and it wasn't as horrible or OCD as I thought it would be

jillmarie125

Excellent, I read a similar post and started weighing my food too and noticed my weight drop too. THis is my 2nd profile. In my first MFP profile I lost over 45lbs and had peaked at 30lbs until I weighed my food and it wasn't as horrible or OCD as I thought it would be

I agree! It has not taken up any more noticable time in my day. I pre log all of my food, which I did anyways. Weigh before I eat it or as I prepare it. And then adjust it on here.

kimmymayhall

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.

Ha, I'd forgotten you can't weigh liquids. They're measured by volume. A "weighted" ounce is not the same as a fluid ounce.

Just thought I'd remind people. I had my half-and-half out yesterday and my scale and was like, wait....

Yes and I really wish they had the calories per weight on the box. It's a nightmare for things like maple syrup. I found some site online that converts it but I don't know how accurate that is (www.convert-to.com).

For some things like that I weigh out a serving a few times and record what that serving weight is for future use. I weighed out 2 TBSP of maple syrup and wrote the weight on the bottle. I know that my milk is 120g per 1/2 cup because I've done it so often. It's more accurate but really I do it so I don't have to dirty more measuring spoons and cups.

arabianhorselover

So what are your secrets for weighing? What do you use for plates or bowls, or whatever to put on your scale?

Basically, how have you made it as easy as possible to do?

jillmarie125

So what are your secrets for weighing? What do you use for plates or bowls, or whatever to put on your scale?

Basically, how have you made it as easy as possible to do?

Ok- well fruit and vegetables are easy...just put them on a clean scale if raw. If cooked put a plate on the scale, zero the scale out and weigh your food. For peanut butter I use a bowl (since I usually melt mine for my apple anyways it is not using another dish) I put the bowl on the scale zero it out and add pb until i have what I need. Making a big salad with lots of food?? Put your plate on the scale and zero it, add one food at a time. Make sure to zero the scale before adding the next. Its actually pretty simple.

Francl27

So what are your secrets for weighing? What do you use for plates or bowls, or whatever to put on your scale?

Basically, how have you made it as easy as possible to do?

I just put my plate on the scale, zero it out, add ingredients one at a time, zeroing out the scale after each of them. Then log the whole thing. If I make tacos, I put the whole plate on the scale, put the meat in every taco, zero it out, then add salsa, zero it out etc.

It really takes two seconds, just have to log right away before I forget the numbers, and it can be quite the exercise of memory when it's something with 4 or 5 things in it - plus I have to remember the serving size from the package as it's not always entered in grams in the database (although I add it most of the time in the entries I use), and calculate the % of serving size for everything, as I don't always eat a full serving of things - my calculator is my best friend. But by now I can tell you the serving size of everything I use really.

caseythirteen

I still have no idea how to log a banana. All the entries go by size, and the associated weight is more often than not ways of what my 'medium' banana actually weighs (like it will say medium 8 inch banana (120g) and mine will be 150g or something. And do you count the skin or not when you weigh it?

MFP's entry for bananas (the one without the *) has an option to do it by grams. Much easier than trying to determine what size it is.

I just wish someone would sort the database out so you don't have to sift through 250 banana entries to find THE non-* banana entry...

I find that for many fruits and vegetables if you add "raw" to your search and it will help get them closer to the top. Also, they are typically listed as plural so search "bananas raw" instead of just "banana" and it should help.

milkandtea

I've been stuck for about a month even though I've been consistent with logging/weighing my food and switching up my exercise. I hadn't really thought to double check against packaging labels until reading this thread last night. I was curious and tried it this morning.

The bagel thins I typically use were 2g less than the package suggested, which is good.

For eggs, I've always just logged them as 70 cals like the package suggests. I weighed two of them together this morning and they were 124g. The database says that's actually 182 calories compared to the 140 I would've logged normally.

I consider that to be a pretty huge difference. 42 calories unaccounted for just at breakfast. It definitely counts and adds up. I'm going to keep weighing throughout the day and see how it goes.

arabianhorselover

So why is there such a difference between actual serving weight and what's listed on the package?

vvvalentines

I bought a cheap (I think $15) kitchen scale off Amazon--it doesn't have to be an "investment" to work well enough for me. It's not the most accurate scale available (tend to fluctuate by .1 oz or 1g depending on the units) but for most items this isn't a huge issue. When it fluctuates I just pick the higher number. Not the most scientific method out there, but hey, it keeps the pounds coming off.

Francl27

I've been stuck for about a month even though I've been consistent with logging/weighing my food and switching up my exercise. I hadn't really thought to double check against packaging labels until reading this thread last night. I was curious and tried it this morning.

The bagel thins I typically use were 2g less than the package suggested, which is good.

For eggs, I've always just logged them as 70 cals like the package suggests. I weighed two of them together this morning and they were 124g. The database says that's actually 182 calories compared to the 140 I would've logged normally.

I consider that to be a pretty huge difference. 42 calories unaccounted for just at breakfast. It definitely counts and adds up. I'm going to keep weighing throughout the day and see how it goes.

Problem is eggs might or might not count the shell, and there's probably more extra white than yolk anyway... so the difference could be *maybe* 10 calories. So probably not worth the headache for those, IMO.

About the switching exercise thing, personally I think it's total BS that it helps with plateaus. I was losing great, started something new a month ago, and I've lost only 1 lb this month...

jen076

Thank you so much for this post. I weigh somethings like meat and cheese but I never thought of weighing everything else. I have not lost weight in weeks and I bet I am consuming more calories than I think I am as well. This is a real eye opener. I am going to start weighing everything and see how that goes.

mytabouly

I don't weigh everything (hard to do since I work long hours and I'm rarely home) but I maintain a pretty substantial deficit to leave some margin for error in measuring portions. Works for me.