Do yourself a favor!
skinniestminniest
Posts: 26
If you haven't bought a food scale and you don't weigh your food, PLEASE DO IT! You'll save yourself so much frustration.
I've lost a little over 30 lbs on my own without weighing food, but it was so slow and I kept getting stalled/stuck. Bought a food scale this week, weighed everything out, and I'm already 1.5 lbs down from where I was on Monday.
Please take everyone's advice! It really does work!
I've lost a little over 30 lbs on my own without weighing food, but it was so slow and I kept getting stalled/stuck. Bought a food scale this week, weighed everything out, and I'm already 1.5 lbs down from where I was on Monday.
Please take everyone's advice! It really does work!
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Replies
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Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!0 -
Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
That works too! But I like knowing exact amounts. And I think sometimes for some people (at least for me), what you thing is 'overestimating' isn't always overestimating.0 -
haha...omg, i keep my food scale in a drawer (i'm determined to have a very minimalistic kitchen) and have lost count of the number of times i open that drawer...it must be 50 times a day (feels like), which is a workout in itself (another plus maybe)
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Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
Without a scale how do you know what 100g looks like????
A scale is about 20bucks0 -
Mine sits right on the counter. I paid less than $20 at Walmart, though I'm thinking it might be about $15. Digital, grams/ounces (two more weights but I've never used those) on/tare feature.0
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Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
This makes no sense to me. You would be consuming more accurately which is what you want with a food scale...
A food scale is only $15-$20 from Walmart... not like it is expensive. If anything you would save on throwing out leftovers....0 -
I found a cheap one at a discount store for less than $10, use it almost daily. Highly support this post!!!0
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I bought a simple one for $5 at Walmart. A measuring cup that sits on top of a spring scale... So far best $5 I've spent. Estimating or guessing doesn't give you the accuracy you need when you're managing weight.0
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Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
Without a scale how do you know what 100g looks like????
A scale is about 20bucks
Well, lets have a think. If I buy a pack of chips that say 500g on it, then yes, I can take an educated guess on how much I use. I would then round it up to the next 50g or whatever because I am never going to declare myself eating 115.29g of chips.0 -
Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
Without a scale how do you know what 100g looks like????
A scale is about 20bucks
Well, lets have a think. If I buy a pack of chips that say 500g on it, then yes, I can take an educated guess on how much I use. I would then round it up to the next 50g or whatever because I am never going to declare myself eating 115.29g of chips.
it's not an educated guess unless you know what 100g looks like it's a guess...and guess what prepackaged food does not always weigh what is on the package...
ETA: if I eat 115.9g of chips that is what I log it's called accurarcy....0 -
Seem like it'd be excessive thinking to just overestimate. (which i do not have time for)
It seriously takes 30 seconds to weigh a bowl of chips.
Digital scales are waaay better and accurate than the springy ones.0 -
Or... dont buy a scale, and overestimate. If you can do this, it will work in your favour, because you will be consuming just 100g of chips instead of your recorded 125g, drinking 250ml of juice instead of your recorded 400ml.
Then with the money that you havent wasted on a scale, you can go out and treat yourself afterwards!! Double whammy or what?!!!
Without a scale how do you know what 100g looks like????
A scale is about 20bucks
Well, lets have a think. If I buy a pack of chips that say 500g on it, then yes, I can take an educated guess on how much I use. I would then round it up to the next 50g or whatever because I am never going to declare myself eating 115.29g of chips.
it's not an educated guess unless you know what 100g looks like it's a guess...and guess what prepackaged food does not always weigh what is on the package...
ETA: if I eat 115.9g of chips that is what I log it's called accurarcy....
I weighed my prepackaged breakfast and it added 28 calories that I otherwise would not have known about, imagine if that happened on a larger scale.
No pun intended.0 -
[it's not an educated guess unless you know what 100g looks like it's a guess...and guess what prepackaged food does not always weigh what is on the package...
I think you possibly just made that up without any evidence. Equally, your scales could just be making it up as well.
It really isnt that difficult though. You take roughly half a packet of something that says 200g on it, you put in 150g or whatever so you know you arent going over that. You arent going to be that far out using a bit of common sense. Then you will lose quicker than with your potentially dodgy scales.0 -
Seem like it'd be excessive thinking to just overestimate. (which i do not have time for)
It seriously takes 30 seconds to weigh a bowl of chips.
Digital scales are waaay better and accurate than the springy ones.
30 seconds just to weigh some chips? Ok, well it took me 29 seconds to estimate my food amounts. Point proven.0 -
I enjoy my scale as well. I feel more in control over what I am eating. AND, I found that I was severely UNDER-estimating what things weighed.
If you like it, then do it. If you don't, then don't. It's that easy.0 -
Seem like it'd be excessive thinking to just overestimate. (which i do not have time for)
It seriously takes 30 seconds to weigh a bowl of chips.
Digital scales are waaay better and accurate than the springy ones.
30 seconds just to weigh some chips? Ok, well it took me 29 seconds to estimate my food amounts. Point proven.
Get out of here seriously.
Scales are great and clearly you don't agree, so go elsewhere.0 -
Seem like it'd be excessive thinking to just overestimate. (which i do not have time for)
It seriously takes 30 seconds to weigh a bowl of chips.
Digital scales are waaay better and accurate than the springy ones.
30 seconds just to weigh some chips? Ok, well it took me 29 seconds to estimate my food amounts. Point proven.
Yes point proven it takes less time to be wrong and more time to be correct.0 -
[it's not an educated guess unless you know what 100g looks like it's a guess...and guess what prepackaged food does not always weigh what is on the package...
I think you possibly just made that up without any evidence. Equally, your scales could just be making it up as well.
It really isnt that difficult though. You take roughly half a packet of something that says 200g on it, you put in 150g or whatever so you know you arent going over that. You arent going to be that far out using a bit of common sense. Then you will lose quicker than with your potentially dodgy scales.
But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating... you could have had room for another snack in there if you logged accurately. Or an extra serving of something else.
I'd rather weigh all my food and KNOW that I can have a dish of pistachio ice cream at night that fits within my calories than guess on everything and think I've reach my daily calories when I haven't.
Accuracy is always going to beat estimating.0 -
High five! :drinker:0
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But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating... you could have had room for another snack in there if you logged accurately. Or an extra serving of something else.
I'd rather weigh all my food and KNOW that I can have a dish of pistachio ice cream at night that fits within my calories than guess on everything and think I've reach my daily calories when I haven't.
Accuracy is always going to beat estimating.
"But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating"
10 bonus points to you sherlock (isnt that the point of what I am saying?)
But I thought that losing weight was about eating less, not filling up with pistachio ice cream where possible.
On the contrary, so many people on here always complain that they are 'doing everything possible to lose weight', 'following all the rules', 'weighing to the nearest milligram' etc, but STILL cant lose weight.
Just imagine if these people had overestimated... the world would be have been a much happier place.0 -
Seem like it'd be excessive thinking to just overestimate. (which i do not have time for)
It seriously takes 30 seconds to weigh a bowl of chips.
Digital scales are waaay better and accurate than the springy ones.
30 seconds just to weigh some chips? Ok, well it took me 29 seconds to estimate my food amounts. Point proven.
Yes point proven it takes less time to be wrong and more time to be correct.
Oh for goodness sake. My argument is that overestimating is better than being completely correct. Next....0 -
I'm still resisting weighing my food. I don't disagree with the arguments in favor of this, but it just seems like a hassle and a mess.
Here's my justification: Every thing is an estimate. The number of calories you're supposed to eat is an estimate based in part on your activity level. That's going to change from day to day. If you eat back your exercise calories, that calorie burn is an estimate and even if you eat back only a portion of them that percentage is arbitrary. How much is it really going to matter if your calorie intake is precise when everything else isn't?0 -
But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating... you could have had room for another snack in there if you logged accurately. Or an extra serving of something else.
I'd rather weigh all my food and KNOW that I can have a dish of pistachio ice cream at night that fits within my calories than guess on everything and think I've reach my daily calories when I haven't.
Accuracy is always going to beat estimating.
"But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating"
10 bonus points to you sherlock (isnt that the point of what I am saying?)
But I thought that losing weight was about eating less, not filling up with pistachio ice cream where possible.
On the contrary, so many people on here always complain that they are 'doing everything possible to lose weight', 'following all the rules', 'weighing to the nearest milligram' etc, but STILL cant lose weight.
Just imagine if these people had overestimated... the world would be have been a much happier place.
Losing weight isn't about making yourself miserable and never having anything that you crave or want. I love ice cream. I'm still going to eat ice cream whether I'm trying to lose weight or not.
Whether you're attempting to lose weight or not, you still have to EAT and fuel your body with the proper amount of calories. Overestimating can put you under and I'd rather eat the right amount of calories accurately than overestimate and be undereating by a hundred or more.
I'm already eating less food to lose weight... why make it EVEN less by overestimating.0 -
All of this. So true.
(Although favor just looks so wrong to an english person *favour*)0 -
I'm still resisting weighing my food. I don't disagree with the arguments in favor of this, but it just seems like a hassle and a mess.
Here's my justification: Every thing is an estimate. The number of calories you're supposed to eat is an estimate based in part on your activity level. That's going to change from day to day. If you eat back your exercise calories, that calorie burn is an estimate and even if you eat back only a portion of them that percentage is arbitrary. How much is it really going to matter if your calorie intake is precise when everything else isn't?
I totally hear you. I dragged my feet for the last six months on purchasing a scale because I thought it was too time consuming and far too obsessive for me. But then I stopped losing weight and have been stalled at the same weight for 2 months.
So I bought a food scale, took the extra time to measure everything out, and I saw a 1.5 lb decrease this week.
Everyone does something different. I had success in not weighing my food, but I want to see faster progress and I personally find that, for me, weighing my food out will help. Eating over my calories a few times a week (which I KNOW I was doing, as much as I tried to not admit it) has slowed me down. Majorly.0 -
But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating... you could have had room for another snack in there if you logged accurately. Or an extra serving of something else.
I'd rather weigh all my food and KNOW that I can have a dish of pistachio ice cream at night that fits within my calories than guess on everything and think I've reach my daily calories when I haven't.
Accuracy is always going to beat estimating.
"But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating"
10 bonus points to you sherlock (isnt that the point of what I am saying?)
But I thought that losing weight was about eating less, not filling up with pistachio ice cream where possible.
On the contrary, so many people on here always complain that they are 'doing everything possible to lose weight', 'following all the rules', 'weighing to the nearest milligram' etc, but STILL cant lose weight.
Just imagine if these people had overestimated... the world would be have been a much happier place.
Losing weight isn't about making yourself miserable and never having anything that you crave or want. I love ice cream. I'm still going to eat ice cream whether I'm trying to lose weight or not.
Whether you're attempting to lose weight or not, you still have to EAT and fuel your body with the proper amount of calories. Overestimating can put you under and I'd rather eat the right amount of calories accurately than overestimate and be undereating by a hundred or more.
I'm already eating less food to lose weight... why make it EVEN less by overestimating.
Where did I mention having to be miserable? Is a scoop of ice cream the definition of misery?
"Whether you're attempting to lose weight or not, you still have to EAT and fuel your body with the proper amount of calories."
Yeah..... I think I get that. I am not talking about overestimating a 50 calorie portion by 500 calories. I am talking of overestimating a 250 calorie portion by say 50 calories or by 3-5% of your daily allowance. It has a big difference without changing your weight reducing lifestyle by anything more than minimal amounts.
And then guess what? If you did happen to lose weight quicker, then that extra scoop of pistachio ice cream will be coming your way sooner than you know it!!0 -
Check out this video regarding measuring vs. weighing …….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY.
ps. The SWAG method does not work for me…Scientific Wild *kitten* Guessing! :drinker:0 -
Check out this video regarding measuring vs. weighing …….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY.
ps. The SWAG method does not work for me…Scientific Wild *kitten* Guessing! :drinker:
Havent got enough time to watch people weighing....0 -
I use my scale on some things but not others. My losses have slowed down so maybe I need to be weighing more often again....0
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But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating... you could have had room for another snack in there if you logged accurately. Or an extra serving of something else.
I'd rather weigh all my food and KNOW that I can have a dish of pistachio ice cream at night that fits within my calories than guess on everything and think I've reach my daily calories when I haven't.
Accuracy is always going to beat estimating.
"But then you also reach your calorie limit faster by overestimating"
10 bonus points to you sherlock (isnt that the point of what I am saying?)
But I thought that losing weight was about eating less, not filling up with pistachio ice cream where possible.
On the contrary, so many people on here always complain that they are 'doing everything possible to lose weight', 'following all the rules', 'weighing to the nearest milligram' etc, but STILL cant lose weight.
Just imagine if these people had overestimated... the world would be have been a much happier place.
Losing weight isn't about making yourself miserable and never having anything that you crave or want. I love ice cream. I'm still going to eat ice cream whether I'm trying to lose weight or not.
Whether you're attempting to lose weight or not, you still have to EAT and fuel your body with the proper amount of calories. Overestimating can put you under and I'd rather eat the right amount of calories accurately than overestimate and be undereating by a hundred or more.
I'm already eating less food to lose weight... why make it EVEN less by overestimating.
Where did I mention having to be miserable? Is a scoop of ice cream the definition of misery?
"Whether you're attempting to lose weight or not, you still have to EAT and fuel your body with the proper amount of calories."
Yeah..... I think I get that. I am not talking about overestimating a 50 calorie portion by 500 calories. I am talking of overestimating a 250 calorie portion by say 50 calories or by 3-5% of your daily allowance. It has a big difference without changing your weight reducing lifestyle by anything more than minimal amounts.
And then guess what? If you did happen to lose weight quicker, then that extra scoop of pistachio ice cream will be coming your way sooner than you know it!!
The point of my post was that I WAS overestimating before. I was rounding everything up, rather than down, and I wasn't losing weight. I've been stalled out for 2 months, stuck at the same weight, using your estimation method. It didn't work for me.
I bought a scale and I'm down 1.5 lbs this week.
You don't have to buy a scale. No one's forcing you. But I think it's a good investment and hell of a lot of people here agree. It's what works for us. If it's not what you want to do, then you don't have to.0
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