Really don't know what to do. Please Advise.

AliceDark

Hey,

Thanks for your reply. Do people really use those food scales? Really? I have invested in (another) heart rate monitor to accurate calorie counts. Should I really consider the food scale? If so, any recommendations on good brands?

Yeah, a lot of people use them. There's a ton of possible sources of error when you're measuring food, and people tend to under-estimate quite a bit, either because they're measuring wrong (it's easy to pack a lot more ice cream into a 1/2 cup measuring cup), the packaging is wrong (no two chicken breasts weigh the same amount, even if the package says they're all X oz), or just because not all apples/bananas/chips are the same size. Those little variances can erase your deficit over time.

There's virtually no reason not to just get a scale and try it out. They're cheap -- I found mine on Amazon for like $15. You may weigh your food for two weeks and find out that 1300 weighed calories comes out to exactly the amount it did when you were using measuring cups, and you can go back to that method. It usually doesn't happen that way, though, and people end up losing weight when they start weighing food and being more accurate.

Mr_Knight

for instance i'm 5'5 and my lean body mass is somewhere around 130-140.

That is a very high amount of LBM for the height. I would be suspicious of that and wouldn't extrapolate it to other cases.

itsbasschick

i weigh every bite i put in my mouth, and measure every drop, and i have been losing weight steadily where i didn't before i started weighing / measuring.

Kevalicious99

No, I wasn't using a food scale per se, but I would use measuring cups and scan labels as necessary.

Fail ... this could very well be the reason. You were probably eating more than you thought you were. Measuring cups are not good for really accurate measuring. Go buy a food scale .. weigh your food in grams and use the labels on your food and the database here at MFP for the other things.

Consistency is the key ..

amessam8

Alright, that's it. Tomorrow after my morning workout I'm going to Bed, Bath and Beyond (I have one of those 20% coupons) to see if they have one of those scales. I will spare no expense...ok, I will, but the point is, I am now convinced that it can be a helpful tool.

i weigh every bite i put in my mouth, and measure every drop, and i have been losing weight steadily where i didn't before i started weighing / measuring.

meshashesha2012

for instance i'm 5'5 and my lean body mass is somewhere around 130-140.

That is a very high amount of LBM for the height. I would be suspicious of that and wouldn't extrapolate it to other cases.

not really. i'm 42 and have been consistently lifting weights since I was 16. much of that time i was an athlete (soccer, sprinter and rugby) , some of that time (like 7 years) i was in continual bulk/cut cycles to gain mass for rugby. i also competing in powerlifting and weightlifting and about to do so again :drinker:

so yeah it might *seem* be elevated, but i can assure you i've been putting in the work for 26 years, son :laugh: this is why i'm usually the one in these threads saying just because someone works out consistently has nothing to do with them gaining weight or losing weight. after all, i gained 70 extra pounds all while putting my time in the gym and on the field, it's just that i was also eating a crap load of food too :laugh:

Mr_Knight

for instance i'm 5'5 and my lean body mass is somewhere around 130-140.

That is a very high amount of LBM for the height. I would be suspicious of that and wouldn't extrapolate it to other cases.

not really. i'm 42 and have been consistently lifting weights since I was 16. much of that time i was an athlete (soccer, sprinter and rugby) , some of that time (like 7 years) i was in continual bulk/cut cycles to gain mass for rugby. i also competing in powerlifting and weightlifting and about to do so again :drinker: ]

I'm not questioning the number for you I'm saying that anybody with a more typical activity level/style should be very careful using that number for themselves.

meshashesha2012

for instance i'm 5'5 and my lean body mass is somewhere around 130-140.

That is a very high amount of LBM for the height. I would be suspicious of that and wouldn't extrapolate it to other cases.

not really. i'm 42 and have been consistently lifting weights since I was 16. much of that time i was an athlete (soccer, sprinter and rugby) , some of that time (like 7 years) i was in continual bulk/cut cycles to gain mass for rugby. i also competing in powerlifting and weightlifting and about to do so again :drinker: ]

I'm not questioning the number for you I'm saying that anybody with a more typical activity level/style should be very careful using that number for themselves.

true. i was only suggesting it because the OP might be closer to her goal than she thinks. granted the LBM tests have their flaws, but they at least give a better range to start from than just an arbitrary number from a chart, what we weighed 10 years ago, etc.

Cher1e1n2

food scales are crucial!.. it's amazing how much a banana, pickle, chicken breast.. and steak can actually weight! I'm a pretty good slicer and when I was weighing and trimming portions of steak to freeze I varied from 97-143 grams from what (almost) appeared to be equal pieces. Also use caution when subtracting exercise from your intake to give extra cal to consume...so much plays a part into how much you burn (aerobically/ anaerobically/duration/times per day/...and on and on) DONT GIVE UP.. just make it a game.. have fun with it, this is your body, your life!

Alluminati

Alright, that's it. Tomorrow after my morning workout I'm going to Bed, Bath and Beyond (I have one of those 20% coupons) to see if they have one of those scales. I will spare no expense...ok, I will, but the point is, I am now convinced that it can be a helpful tool.

i weigh every bite i put in my mouth, and measure every drop, and i have been losing weight steadily where i didn't before i started weighing / measuring.

<==============Another vote to get a scale.

You will be surprised (sad) to see what a single serving is :laugh:

amessam8

Ok, because of so many that responded regarding how integral a food scale is, I actually went out and bought one just now. I will start using it tomorrow. We'll see...

Alright, that's it. Tomorrow after my morning workout I'm going to Bed, Bath and Beyond (I have one of those 20% coupons) to see if they have one of those scales. I will spare no expense...ok, I will, but the point is, I am now convinced that it can be a helpful tool.

i weigh every bite i put in my mouth, and measure every drop, and i have been losing weight steadily where i didn't before i started weighing / measuring.

<==============Another vote to get a scale.

You will be surprised (sad) to see what a single serving is :laugh:

socalkay

Psychologically, I feel that, if there isn't going to be a change, why not enjoy those forbidden foods, after all, I went without them before and saw no positive affects?

Lots of good advice here. The thing that stuck in my mind when I first read your original post is that "forbidden foods" seem to have undermined every previous weight loss effort I made. Now I'm not dieting - I'm modifying my diet. No forbidden foods - just moderation. No crazy cravings to woo me away from my goals.

WalkingAlong

I rarely look in diaries but I was bored. Are you really eating that little some days or are you not logging some meals? There are a lot of missing dinners and a lot of what look like junk food binges? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the calories get high really quickly. And most of us in binge mode don't count well. :ohwell: