why do you use a scale to weigh food?

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tndejong
tndejong Posts: 463
in Health and Weight Loss
this is not to attack anyone who does this. i am just curious as to why you use a scale to measure your meals. when i joined on here, i wanted to see how i eat and where to improve. but it seems a little too much to measure out my meals using a scale. i want to improve my eating and eventually learn how to live without using this site. i wouldn't want to be elderly and still rely on scales and calorie counting. what items do you use your scale for? how has this helped?
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Replies

  • veganashley
    veganashley Posts: 70 Member
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    It helps because it's accurate. I weigh everything. I'm pretty good at eyeballing/guessing how much something weighs now, but that only came from lots of experience using a scale.
  • sweetzoejane
    sweetzoejane Posts: 153 Member
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    I don't use my scale for everything, just the things that are higher in calories and easy to go over on without measuring. For example, many people find that even if they scoop out a tablespoon of peanut butter it's actually two tablespoons. The same with things like meat. You can eyeball 3 oz or a cup, but it's often off by quite a bit, or at least enough to count. Accuracy and consistency is important when tracking calories in and calories burned during exercise. I used to think a food scale would be a bad idea, and might make me too obsessive over my food, but after getting one, it's been probably the best tool I have to help me with my weight loss and getting healthier.

    You don't have to use a scale forever, but it will help you understand portion sizes and you'll be better able to eyeball those things in the future if you pay attention to how much you are measuring.
  • KirstenTheFamilyCoach
    KirstenTheFamilyCoach Posts: 327 Member
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    because I don't "see" a normal portion size. I need something to help me know what's really a portion.
  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
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    It is for accuracy. I imagine once you get used to it you will be able to tell by looking how much a portion is
  • rumplesnat
    rumplesnat Posts: 372
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    :bigsmile: Because my idea of a deck of cards (3oz portion of meat) is a LOT bigger than reality.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    how would you know how many calories were in your rice/pasta/cereal etc, if you didn't know how much of it you were eating?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Do an experiment for me. Tare a spoon, then measure what you think to be an accurate portion of peanut butter, then weigh it and report back. You will understand after this experiment.
  • TheNEWMonicaB
    TheNEWMonicaB Posts: 129 Member
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    because I don't "see" a normal portion size. I need something to help me know what's really a portion.
    ^This! I always overestimate when I eyeball it. And the scale is much easier than dirtying a bunch of measuring cups and spoons, not to mention more accurate.
  • Showmm
    Showmm Posts: 406 Member
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    I don't expect to need a scale in twenty years, but even if I do, so what? It takes about 1 second to measure something and certainly no more time than putting it into a measuring cup does. Usually if I'm measuring something like breakfast cereal I measure it right in the bowl I eat out of, so it's actually less work as it's one less thing to wash up!
  • johned63
    johned63 Posts: 306 Member
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    I would encourage you to watch this to see why some people use a food scale. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • GNeiswender
    GNeiswender Posts: 60 Member
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    I agree with you. I don't want to be elderly and have to count calories and weigh food, etc.

    However, I do use a scale for many foods and I find it very helpful to keep my portions correct. I use my scale for meats, nuts, even my raw baby carrots - it sounds silly but if I don't my serving is not a true serving size and for now it helps get that prospective in line so that some day when I learn a true serving size and lose what I want to lose hopefully I won't need one either but for now I find a food scale my friend.
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    My idea of a serving is to eat until I feel physically ill, so the scale helps.
  • veganashley
    veganashley Posts: 70 Member
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    Also, when you start weighing things, you'll find that the portion sizes listed on labels are sometimes wrong.

    For instance, I have a protein powder that lists 1 level scoop as 22 grams. 1 scoop actually weighs closer to 28 grams. The scoop came with the container! It's about a 30 calorie difference, which is fairly significant to me.
  • sweetzoejane
    sweetzoejane Posts: 153 Member
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    Also, when you start weighing things, you'll find that the portion sizes listed on labels are sometimes wrong.

    For instance, I have a protein powder that lists 1 level scoop as 22 grams. 1 scoop actually weighs closer to 28 grams. The scoop came with the container! It's about a 30 calorie difference, which is fairly significant to me.

    It's the measuring device that is wrong, not the label. If one serving equals 22g, you should be measuring out 22g, not assuming that one serving actually equals 28g.
  • Soosannah
    Soosannah Posts: 270 Member
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    Weighing your food can give you a more accurate calorie count. I weigh meats, cheese, pasta and sometimes fruits and veggies. Also if I do a quickie freezer meal like I did tonight I will weigh the portions. We had lasagna and serving size was 1 cup or 197g. I chose to weigh mine because I have a tendency to get overzealous with my cups on something like that.

    I do always weigh my meats and cheese because those servings are normally ounces. I know I have seen some post on here where people do weigh everything that they eat.

    I am with you though, I don't want to be 80 and still weighing my food.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    because I want to log accurately.
  • MerlinWilliams
    MerlinWilliams Posts: 92 Member
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    Scales keep you honest, and let you track your macros with greater accuracy.

    Why wouldn't anyone want to do that? Even for me; I'm really only concerned with net carbs, but I've got a better shot at really knowing what they are with a scale.
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
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    I got one to make sure my portion sizes were correct - and what I found is that many times they were way underestimated. What I thought was a serving size typically was really two. I mainly use it for weighing meat and cheese but sometimes veggies too (the higher calorie ones like potatoes, etc). I like having the confidence that my food diary is more accurate. Weighing my food doesn't feel tedious to me, although I know my husband thinks it's crazy.

    You are right though, adopting healthy eating habits is the way to go, with or without MFP.
  • jessicawrites
    jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
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    From a cooking (specifically baking) standpoint it also makes sense because different techniques for measuring can affect how much of something is used. If you scoop the measuring cup into the flour container, you may end up with a different amount of flour than if you spoon flour from the container into the cup, or sift it. Weight stays the same, so it makes the recipe more reliable.
  • mbajrami
    mbajrami Posts: 636 Member
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    I have noticed with certain things (crackers/chips/etc) that sometimes it will say 1 serving is "15 chips or 28g", then when I weigh it out, 28 grams is actually only 9 or 10 chips...that ends up being 1 1/2 servings when I only counted it as 1! I just like to be as accurate as possible.

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