How accurate are you?

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24

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  • CopyCat97
    CopyCat97 Posts: 75 Member
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    I tend to be as accurate as possible. Probably my OCD side of thinking. But sometimes I go "eh, close enough".
  • AmyM713
    AmyM713 Posts: 594 Member
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    I measure every thing and when I can't I hate it!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    With meat/cheese/unprocessed grains, I weigh, unless it's something discrete like a chicken leg, in which case I use the entries. I figure that a bit of +/- will average out over time.

    With veggies, I tend to use a 1 lb package and just write down 1 lb of veggies.

    With fruits/processed grains, they tend to come in discrete quantities so I'll write down, for example, half a cantaloupe, two slices of bread.

    With liquids, I have checked my glasses and know where 1 cup, 2 cups, etc are so I don't have to measure every time.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    People think I am strange when I tell them I still use a kitchen scale to weight most things. Even in "maintenance/life mode". I estimate when I go out to eat but if I eat at home I am pretty accurate. I guestimate the most on veggies. Don't think eating too much broccoli is bad.
  • cyberskirt
    cyberskirt Posts: 218
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    I have scales and measuring cups. I learned to pre-portion my meats etc for sandwhiches and meals. From there I learned how much my bowls and cups held of a particular food (where a cup was etc).

    It helped that I figured out I'm pretty good at off the cuff weighing and measuring thanks to 7 years of making dog food and having to portion and weight it as I put it into baggies and freeze it. (go figure that I had learned to control, portion and ensure my dogs were eating healthy for 7 years before I realised I should be doing this for me too!!!)

    But I get as exacting as possible. I want to make sure I'm not going over and sabotaging my efforts here!
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    I got a digital food scale and weigh most everything. I used to measure but find the scale more accurate and easier to use.
    I am not obsessive about small things though, I don't stress over 20 calories like I used to.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I use a scale when I cook and eyeball when I eat out.

    I don't bother measuring/weighing spices, onions, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, or vinegar.

    I also don't measure oil, I eyeball it. It is close enough for me. And I only use oil in salad dressing or when I am sauteeing, so I imaging some stays in the pan, so I don't need to be perfect.

    I also don't bother with logging a splash of something most of the time. I might add a tiny bit of coconut water to my water. Or a bit of almond milk in my tea. It adds up to an ounce or 2 typically and that works out to about 15 calories at the worst case so not enough to trouble myself with.
  • mnowens
    mnowens Posts: 71
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    I've been on MFP for almost a year now and I still weigh and measure almost everything. Mainly because I don't trust myself, even now, to be able to eyeball stuff. Doesn't take that much extra time and helps keep me "honest"!

    This exactly. I'm so worried I'll underestimate how much I'm eating.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    measuring cups/spoons are very inaccurate. i use a digital scale for everything. that probably adds about 30 seconds to my meal prep time.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
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    I weigh everything, including liquids. I use the generic entries in MFP whenever possible, since they have a ton of different measurements, and I almost always set it to the 100g setting to enter the weights.

    I have noticed that for some foods I am getting good at estimating the amount I expect to see on the scale, but I'm not going to stop weighing things for a long, long time. 30 years of no concept of portion control is not going to just go away in a few months.
  • ElyseL1
    ElyseL1 Posts: 504 Member
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    I try to weigh everything.
  • yustick
    yustick Posts: 238 Member
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    I measure everything.

    I need to know as accurately as possible my calories in and out. It helps keep me a little sane when the scale is not showing results. Then, I know what I have done and have more faith that the scale will catch up.
  • irishcanadianwoman
    irishcanadianwoman Posts: 147
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    I know the sizes of my plates and bowls now so I usually go by them.
    I generally eyeball most foods - but always measure "calorie dense" foods (chocolate, wine, almonds etc).
    I will go back to measuring everything if/when I plateau. They say that our eyeballing gets less accurate over time!
    Good luck.
  • DPernet
    DPernet Posts: 481 Member
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    I weigh and measure everything. 1st things I bought when I started were a digital scale and set of measuring cups and spoons for the kitchen. Now I'm thinking about buying some mini digital scales to take everywhere with me. I'm sure there are going to be some strange looks in restaurants when I weigh everything :laugh:
  • irishcanadianwoman
    irishcanadianwoman Posts: 147
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    I measure everything. It helps keep me a little sane when the scale is not showing results. Then, I know what I have done and have more faith that the scale will catch up.

    GOOD POINT! I should have read this earlier! lol.
  • jen_bd6
    jen_bd6 Posts: 501 Member
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    I tend to be as accurate as possible. Probably my OCD side of thinking. But sometimes I go "eh, close enough".

    Ditto :) I use these rubbermaid bowls that have measurements marked on them so I know how much I am getting. For fruits and veggies, I rough estimate, but for foods that pack on more calories (chips, rice, noodles, etc etc..) I measure to make sure I'm not sneaking in extra.
  • QuirkyPanda
    QuirkyPanda Posts: 44 Member
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    I measure everything -- and I really do mean everything! It helps a lot since I really don't trust my own estimations. I'm always off by a little bit, even if I'm close, and I want to be certain about what I am eating. Our kitchen scale was $20 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and I love it (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=15947047). Measuring ensures that your daily totals are accurate!
  • hkevans724
    hkevans724 Posts: 241 Member
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    My digital kitchen scale is the best gift I have ever gotten!! I use it ALL the time!
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
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    buy a kitchen scale...and use it!!!!

    ^^ This!! I have a digital scale I got at WalMart for less than $20. It works great. My hubby and I use it for EVERYthing.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I have scales and measuring cups. I learned to pre-portion my meats etc for sandwhiches and meals. From there I learned how much my bowls and cups held of a particular food (where a cup was etc).

    It helped that I figured out I'm pretty good at off the cuff weighing and measuring thanks to 7 years of making dog food and having to portion and weight it as I put it into baggies and freeze it. (go figure that I had learned to control, portion and ensure my dogs were eating healthy for 7 years before I realised I should be doing this for me too!!!)

    But I get as exacting as possible. I want to make sure I'm not going over and sabotaging my efforts here!

    I had to laugh at this. I too cook for my dogs (or feed them raw, depending on the day), just wanting what was healthiest for them. About the time I was wandering through a food co-op looking for grass-fed meats for my dogs, I was like, yeah, I don't even eat that good, and started looking into my own nutrition. I probably have my girl, Mischief, to thank for the fact that I'm health conscious at all.

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