Do you use a food scale?

buzzbug

I got a digital food scale for Christmas, and I am pretty excited! But, I'm not sure what sorts of things I should be weighing...
Do you use a food scale? What do you use it for? When does it come in handy? I'm not really wanting to weigh everything I eat or something (that seems kinda overboard and obsessive lol), but I feel like there must be certain things it is especially useful for, but I'm not sure what...

Rilke

I find mine useful in a few ways:

- things like cereal and hummus and ice cream, where the "cup" and "tablespoon" measurements on the nutrition label are not at all precise in practice

- when I heat up a can of soup or a bag of frozen veggies and I want to split it precisely in half

- cheese, because I tend to really underestimate

- fruits and veggies, not so much for calories but because I aim for high numbers in potassium and vitamin C

grrrlface

Personally I weigh everything otherwise I tend to cheat myself into thinking I've eaten less than I actually have. I find it a useful habit to get into with weightloss.

klopiccolo1

I use mine to weigh meats and cheese or anything else I am logging in by ounces

cramernh

to weigh everything...

I have the ability to set the read-out for different measurements when I use imported products (VERY helpful!)...

Matter of fact, my salad with chicken today - everything was weighed out to a precise measurement...8-)

Kimmer2011

I weigh pretty much everything. I like the precision, especially with meats.

Hayesgang

I use it for almost everything especially meat and items that are in "grams"

I have noticed that "servings sizes" is not always correct.

For example:
I bought a loaf of fresh bread today and it said 1/4 (63 g) was a serving so I cut the bread in half and weight it and it wasn't even close half the loaf was 142 g so I thought I'd weight the other half and it should have weighed 110g but it didn't it was 145 g - total weight should have been 252g and it was 287g - I know it doesn't sound like alot but 50 calories per item per meal can add up quickly.

margojr4

Yes, I also cheat myself or underestimate foods. For example, Costco salmon is labeled at7oz per serving, some fillets are 6oz, 9oz they are never equal. Same with chicken breasts. Never equal. Ribs? I'll pull from the bone and measure, same with pork chops -I trim fat before I measure. Dry sketti noodles, another item I can never eyeball!

jsuaccounting

I find it very handy. I occasionally use it to test my guestimates. Also, when seriously cutting calories, I like to weigh my meat to make sure I am on target with portion control and also when portioning out a block of cheese for snacks.

fteale

I don't. I guess, and have had no problems losing all the weight I wanted to and more that way. I can't be bothered weighing everything, that's too control-freaky for the way I live.

ruby_red_rose

I weight every single thing that I eat.

iamstaceywood

Yup, we are all a little crazy. I love my food scale. I got a nice wireless model from christmas tree shop and its great. I like to preportion snacks when i have time and then they are all set up for me in little baggies to travel wtih to school or work.

niknak0508

I live by my food scale!! Its one of the best things I have purchased along my journey along w/ 2 sets of measuring spoons and cups and my HRM! LOL. Without them I am not sure I would have lost 100 pounds to be honest!

Alexdur85

I just used it to weigh an ounce of fudge that was given to me as a gift because it was in a block. I use it to measure spaghetti, meats, and anything else that I feel the need. It comes in handy alot and I use it everyday!

melcpia

I use mine to weigh the stuff that isn't pre portioned...ie if I have to cut something I'll weigh it to make sure I'm logging the right amount

pupcamper

Sometimes, mostly for meats and cheese!

fallenangelloves

I got one for Christmas too! I wanted it for the typical things everyone else is mentioning... Meats, cheese, pasta.... Sometimes I think I cheat myself too!

Good luck with yours!

Kymmy81

I use mine for foods I like and tend to underestimate - nuts and cheese, for example. I also sometimes spot check my foods to make sure I am on track with my guestimating....the results can be surprising!

radix89

I love my scale. And I have been using it pretty much daily since I started using MFP. It's come in handy for cheese, meats, yogurt (i don't have to dirty a measuring cup).

kimi131

If you don't want to weigh everything, what are you doing now? Guessing? Using measuring cups (if you're always using measuring cups, that's basically the same as far as "obsessive" and "overboard" as weighing everything). I weigh everything. I couldn't imagine doing this without it. It's so easy to overestimate or underestimate. I use my food scale for accuracy.

As far as what I use it on, basically everything. I find that it's easier to use than measuring spoons and I typically get more food with the scale than the spoons. I only use measuring spoons for very small measurements or for things that I can only find the cup, tablespoon calories on.

AggieLu

I weigh everything I eat.. Ever since I have started this lifestyle change, I've become obsessed with accuracy, I hope you enjoe your scale as much as I do mine.

Cordy1228

I do use my food scale quite a bit. I really needed to learn about appropriate portion sizes, especially for things like pasta. Plus, I lost the scooper that came with my coffee maker, and the only way I can figure out how to make coffee now is to weigh it!

fteale

I am not that bothered about over or underestimating. I lost the weight, so it clearly worked.

ReverendJim

Not me. Seems kinda OCD to me. I just eat small portions.

chell53

I don't. I guess, and have had no problems losing all the weight I wanted to and more that way. I can't be bothered weighing everything, that's too control-freaky for the way I live.

Congrats to you for losing without having to weigh....some people are not that good at judging and there is nothing wrong with using a scale, I use mine for my fruits, meats and cheese's....if you need a scale by all means please use one and eventually you may be able to eyeball the servings.......good luck and enjoy the scale

Nomomush

I weigh and measure everything!!! The only way you will know what you are actually eating/drinking is to measure it out. I even weigh my protein powder since it's more accurate than the scooper.

it_be_asin

I weighed the hand cut bread slices I ate at lunch (hence 1.08 100g servings!). I use my digital scales heaps.

iamstaceywood

some people need that kinda ocd to go on. me specifically. I defnitly second the protein powder scooper inaccuracy. by a TON. If just eating smaller portions worked for everyone, that would be awesome. It dosen't tho. NOt for me at least. So, I lost 80 lbs using my scale. And I'm kind of a number junkie. I love to know my pace, my distance, my calories burned, i LOVE data.

Wow, I'm a nerd.

RainbootsToBikinis

I use it when I'm not sure of a serving size. For example I had ham with my lunch, had no idea how much 3oz of ham is so I took out the scale. If it's something I can count out or measure in a cup then I don't weigh it, but I've found it helpful so far.

caramkoala

I got one a couple of weeks ago too. I just use it to check my guesstimates now and then. Seems I was being really scroogey with the cheese portions.

warmachinejt

Yes i use my food scale and i weigh everything. Guessing sucks, once you weigh food, you notice that you either overestimated or the opposite. Much better to measure everything.
I am not going for average, I am going for shredded, and the only way is to be precise.