Is it cheating if...

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gin_gin
gin_gin Posts: 184
in Food and Nutrition
you squish food into a measuring cup to fit to get the amount?

I know that makes no sense to you what I'm trying to say is
let's say I wanted a serving of yams which is 2/3 cup. Okay looking at yams....looking at cup I'm only gonna be able
to fit 1-2 at the most in that little cup so if I put some in there and mash them to get 2/3 cup is that cheating?
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Replies

  • JayByrd107
    JayByrd107 Posts: 282 Member
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    What does your heart tell you?

    Weigh the damn yamn.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Yep, weigh your food.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    This is why weight trumps volume every time. Buy a scale.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    Yes, it is. The only way to be accurate is to weigh your food (in grams) on a digital food scale. Best <$20 investment I ever made. You'll be shocked at how much you're actually eating. Measuring cups are very deceitful.
  • gin_gin
    gin_gin Posts: 184
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    Ok as having not used a food scale before If i weigh it thats not going to tell me how much 2/3 cup is whether its mashed or not?
    don't think I'm getting this across like I"m trying to okay I weigh 2/3 cup mashed and 2/3 cup not mashed so how does that tell me the calories i'm having?
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    i prefer to prepare all of my food near a black hole. :)
  • gin_gin
    gin_gin Posts: 184
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    :P lol
  • Kris1997
    Kris1997 Posts: 241
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    i prefer to prepare all of my food near a black hole. :)




    ROFLMAO!!!
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,123 Member
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    GIn-gin, The database on here has yams, calories given per x amount of ounces. I think what everyone is saying is that this measurement is much more accurate than 2/3 cup because of the question you are having.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Ok as having not used a food scale before If i weigh it thats not going to tell me how much 2/3 cup is whether its mashed or not?

    Do your own experiment.

    Put peeled, cut yam cubes, slices, whatever .... in a measuring cup (2/3) ...... Then put those same yams on a scale ....... weigh it
    Put mashed yams (packed) in a measuring cup (2/3) .Then put those same yams on a scale..... weigh it ....

    The mashed yams WILL weigh more. For your MFP calories ........ enter the WEIGHT of the yams.
  • indiepops
    indiepops Posts: 96
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    if you have to start a sentance with 'is it cheating...' it usually is :P
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    you squish food into a measuring cup to fit to get the amount?

    I know that makes no sense to you what I'm trying to say is
    let's say I wanted a serving of yams which is 2/3 cup. Okay looking at yams....looking at cup I'm only gonna be able
    to fit 1-2 at the most in that little cup so if I put some in there and mash them to get 2/3 cup is that cheating?

    Why would filling the cup be cheating? If it fits in a cup, then it's a cup. I would think that not doing this would be cheating, becasue then you are just measuring the air between the pieces. That could lead to over-estimating your calories and eating too little, thus throwing you into starvation mode and causing a general downward spiral in your entire life!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,024 Member
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    One of the mysteries of the dreded plateau, not knowing how much a person actually eats
  • gin_gin
    gin_gin Posts: 184
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    Finally someone who thinks the way I do! LOL
  • gin_gin
    gin_gin Posts: 184
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    Ok I think I understand now we're going by volume and not what can technically fit in the cup
    and now people are telling me measuring cups are not accurate and I assume this is why
    because clueless people like me are not into breaking it down into ounces and volumes etc

    i just took for granted if it says one serving is....unless they get technical with how its measured
    or put into the measuring device and that is listed on the label as to how they arrived with serving
    size then its a free for all

    now i've confused myself yet again lol
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    When you pick the food category, if it doesn't say "mashed" you are eating more than you are logging. Is that cheating? I can't answer that because there is no competition or rules... But it is your choice.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    lets take the example of potato chips....lets say 1 cup is 100 calories. now if you take a bunch of chips and grind them up and pack them into a 1 cup measuring cup that is going to have a lot more than 100 calories.

    so in general is best just to weigh them.
  • etavi
    etavi Posts: 85
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    I think it would be ok. I mean, there's a difference between trying to fill the cup, and using like a space bag to MAKE it fit =P
  • gin_gin
    gin_gin Posts: 184
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    @Laces_Out that makes complete sense to me now thanks for the visual lol

    whether you mash or not like measuring cereal every morning

    one morning you can get xxx amount in and the next a different amount

    all this time I've been using measuring cups hard to tell what calories I'm in taking *sigh
  • SouthernArt77
    SouthernArt77 Posts: 265 Member
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    Yes, it is. The only way to be accurate is to weigh your food (in grams) on a digital food scale. Best <$20 investment I ever made. You'll be shocked at how much you're actually eating. Measuring cups are very deceitful.
    I agree that weighing is the easiest and most accurate. Most labels will give you a serving size in both volume & weight, and the MFP database is usually that way as well. My digital scale is the most used item in our kitchen - I love it! The bonus is I can weigh my food right in the dish I'll be eating out of and not dirty up a bunch of measuring cups/spoons all day. :)

    To answer your original question, I think you'd come closest to being accurate if you don't mash them up unless the data you're going by is specifically for "mashed yams."

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