Overestimating: Am I the only one?

JassiBear

So what I mean by overestimating is this: I'm logging my food... I don't always use measuring cups, say a sprinkle of cheese.. or a tablespoon of peanut-butter. I just kind of visualize and approximate, but when I log it, I always log a larger amount than I think I actually used just to be on the safe side calorie-wise and not go over my goal...because I heard that most people eyeball larger portions than are actually the proper portion size. This is mostly just laziness on my part and lack of measuring cups lol...

Also I just use an 8oz foam drinking cup to measure out my cups, half cups, 1/3 cups, and so on... is that okay and does anyone else do this? I also just use a leveled out table-spoon (never heaping) to measure out a tablespoon. Am I the only one that does any of these things?

mbbseb

I would think it would be ok as long as you are reaching your goals. If you are not then you may want to start using measuring cups & utensils. We need to make this as easy for us as possible because it is a lifestyle change. So if it's working for you then keep doing it.

NaomiJFoster

I pretty much always do that. I over-estimate my food, and round-down with my exercise calories. I know for a fact that it's inaccurate. And that might be hindering me from losing quite as quickly as other people do. But I'm really not concerned about that at all.

JassiBear

Yeah, I've never noticed this hindering my weight loss goals...

wonderwoman234

I think it is why I am losing .75 lbs. per week instead of 1 lb. But I do weigh everything I make or eat at home but when I eat out, I have to estimate.

Guns_N_Buns

You should invest in a food scale; it's much easier and you'll be getting accurate results (i.e. you CANNOT get accurate results of serving sizes with DRY foods using tools for measuring LIQUIDS)

JassiBear

You should invest in a food scale; it's much easier and you'll be getting accurate results (i.e. you CANNOT get accurate results of serving sizes with DRY foods using tools for measuring LIQUIDS)

Hey Aries, I actually have a question about measuring dry food... like what exactly do you use to measure dry food? Everything is in ounces and I don't know the difference between a fluid ounce and a ..."non-fluid" ounce.

ponycyndi

I only do that if it's something low calorie. Like I'm not going to worry about a few strawberries or kale, but peanut butter, oil, fatty snacks, etc I'm going to measure, because a few extra peanuts IS a lot of calories.

MichelleLaree13

I would starve doing that. Knowing that I don't have a good eye for it, I just use a kitchen scale. It works for me

eileen0515

OP your method would drive me nuts. Accuracy matters. It takes no extra time to do it right.

paperpudding

OP your method would drive me nuts. Accuracy matters. It takes no extra time to do it right.

Accuracy does not matter if you are reaching your goals with what you are doing.

I estimate some things.
Have reached my goal despite lack of accuracy .

If OP is steadily reaching her goal, them what she is doing is fine - if not making any progress, tighten measuring accuracy.
If making progress with what you are doing, continue doing it.

Guns_N_Buns

You should invest in a food scale; it's much easier and you'll be getting accurate results (i.e. you CANNOT get accurate results of serving sizes with DRY foods using tools for measuring LIQUIDS)

Hey Aries, I actually have a question about measuring dry food... like what exactly do you use to measure dry food? Everything is in ounces and I don't know the difference between a fluid ounce and a ..."non-fluid" ounce.

WATCH THIS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5sovhvLAig

JassiBear

Thanks Aries!

Guns_N_Buns

No problem...lots of great info from those videos!

Most of which I'm too lazy to type. =]

xxmestxx

Hey Aries, I actually have a question about measuring dry food... like what exactly do you use to measure dry food? Everything is in ounces and I don't know the difference between a fluid ounce and a ..."non-fluid" ounce.

Fluid ounces are measured by volume and non fluid ounces are measured by weight.

3dogsrunning

I'm guessing your other topic is part of the reason here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1317682-i-don-t-log-my-exercise-is-that-bad

If it is working, that's great. But if you get to the point of stalling, I would suggest dialling in accuracy. Even though you are consciously over estimating, you may still be underestimating, especially with higher calorie foods like peanut butter.

sofiachohdary

I do the same, and so far it works great for me.

JassiBear

I'm guessing your other topic is part of the reason here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1317682-i-don-t-log-my-exercise-is-that-bad

If it is working, that's great. But if you get to the point of stalling, I would suggest dialling in accuracy. Even though you are consciously over estimating, you may still be underestimating, especially with higher calorie foods like peanut butter.

Good advice, and yes.

JassiBear

Hey Aries, I actually have a question about measuring dry food... like what exactly do you use to measure dry food? Everything is in ounces and I don't know the difference between a fluid ounce and a ..."non-fluid" ounce.

Fluid ounces are measured by volume and non fluid ounces are measured by weight.

I need to invest in a food scale............ where do you buy those at?

MyDynamicJourney

What I do is measure and/or weigh my food the first time so I know what it looks like. Sometimes I use a specific jar each time so i get it close to the correct measurement.. When I prep food it works out great if you have to weigh/measure as you do it one time a week.

Guns_N_Buns

Hey Aries, I actually have a question about measuring dry food... like what exactly do you use to measure dry food? Everything is in ounces and I don't know the difference between a fluid ounce and a ..."non-fluid" ounce.

Fluid ounces are measured by volume and non fluid ounces are measured by weight.

I need to invest in a food scale............ where do you buy those at?

Anywhere they'd have kitchen utensils...Walmart, Target, Kohls, etc.

thursdaystgiles

I got a great food scale for under 4 bucks on amazon!

JassiBear

Amazon is just the best for everything! lol I got this awesome bejeweled phone case for 3.99, regular 25 bucks at the mall kiosk!

eslcity

I used a scale for a few months when i first went on my diet... but after a while.. I could eyeball it with more accuracy..

However, now that i'm near the end of my diet.. I'm finding it harder time getting the last 5kg off so i'm back using my scale.

fredgiblet

I pretty much always do that. I over-estimate my food, and round-down with my exercise calories. I know for a fact that it's inaccurate. And that might be hindering me from losing quite as quickly as other people do. But I'm really not concerned about that at all.

This. Except I don't even count my exercise calories, I only lift 2 sessions a week so it's not that big of a difference.

blu182

I do this as well, I'd much rather end up a little below my budget than passed it.
I also set my budget slightly lower then my actual goal. That way to also protect myself from going over.

Vailara

I mix it up and sometimes I'll weigh very accurately (this helps me to judge portion sizes), and other times I'll estimate and use volume, or even just eyeballing a portion. Like you, I've found that I've sometimes been overestimating and entering more calories than I've actually eaten, but sometimes it goes the other way too.

The truth is, this is a change for life and it's difficult to weigh every little thing. For instance, I cook meals that aren't just for me, and I take out a portion of that meal by size. To be more accurate, I'd have to weigh every ingredient, and then weigh the finished dish, and then weigh my portion. That's much too fiddly for me, so I'll serve myself what looks like a third or a quarter or whatever.

I know it's not accurate, but if it works (you lose weight steadily) you're OK. Weighing isn't 100% accurate anyway. For instance, water in foods is quite "heavy" but has no calories, so if you weighed food that had had water evaporate, or had absorbed water, you could be underestimating or overestimating the calories.

Spiderkeys

I've always over-estimated too, it's better to overestimate than under estimated, but my over estimating is a bit of problem now ive switch to maintance, I can't stop losing weight, the needle continues to creep very slowly downwards.

SezxyStef

how do you know you are over esitmating?

If you have never used a kitchen scale and gotten an eye for how much something is?

Even measuring cups don't match the weight.

I lost weight without a scale too...3/4lb a week when I should have been losing 1lb a week and if I had continued this way my last 15 would still be on my body.

I weigh everything in grams...not ounces. Grams are more finite then oz.

ETA: yes it may work for now...but at some point people should understand that if they stall or are at maitenance and are still losing it's time to do something aobut it...

sijomial

So what I mean by overestimating is this: I'm logging my food... I don't always use measuring cups, say a sprinkle of cheese.. or a tablespoon of peanut-butter. I just kind of visualize and approximate, but when I log it, I always log a larger amount than I think I actually used just to be on the safe side calorie-wise and not go over my goal...because I heard that most people eyeball larger portions than are actually the proper portion size. This is mostly just laziness on my part and lack of measuring cups lol...

Also I just use an 8oz foam drinking cup to measure out my cups, half cups, 1/3 cups, and so on... is that okay and does anyone else do this? I also just use a leveled out table-spoon (never heaping) to measure out a tablespoon. Am I the only one that does any of these things?

So you don't eat back exercise calories (how this site is designed) and you guess how much food you are eating.
Wish you all the luck in the world but you are making this a lot harder than it needs to be!
The "laziness" part alone should be a red flag! How many people got fat through laziness? How many people lose weight and keep it off successfully through laziness?

I've always over-estimated too, it's better to overestimate than under estimated, but my over estimating is a bit of problem now ive switch to maintance, I can't stop losing weight, the needle continues to creep very slowly downwards.

That's a huge contradiction, how can it be "better" to end up unable to eat at maintenance calories once you have hit goal weight?

GiveMeCoffee

You can't be sure you are overestimating as you don't know what the accurate measurement is. When I started I didn't use a food scale but I also had a lot of weight to lose so yes it worked, now that I've gotten closer to my goal and my deficit is very marginal, if I am not as accurate as possible I don't lose. Most of the time these inaccuracies are the reason the next thread people post is I'm eating 1200 calories and I'm stuck at a plateau or some other bs.

The only time my weight loss has stalled in 18 months, is when I got lazy with my logging and went back to eyeballing portions. My eyeballed portion of peanut butter or gelato well are very generous.