Do you use a food scale?

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micheleb15
micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
I see people talk about food scales on here and I never thought I needed one. I feel like I can figure out serving size of most everything I eat. Eggs, bacon, toast, rice, beans, edamame, potatoes, carrots, etc. I usually just use a measuring cup, if I am unsure. What do you use a food scale to measure? I stepped on the scale this morning for the frist time in weeks and I am still up three pounds from when I started. I thought after 5 weeks, it would creep down, but it hasn't.

Before I lower calories, I thought a food scale would be a good purchase. Has it been a good eye opener for you? Any recommendations?
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Replies

  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    I use mine many times a day. I weigh my veggies, meats, pastas, treats like chocolate and crisper thingies... I weigh them all.

    You may be underestimating your calories by quite a bit, and over time, that adds up!

    Invest in a scale! I use a digital scale now, so much more accurate!!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    I use a food scale for EVERYTHING. You use it to, well, measure your food. For example: 1 oz of cheese, 3 oz. of carrots, 4 oz. of pork etc. etc. You will be surprised at how easy it is to overestimate the serving size of foods. I've gotten good at eyeballing items but I still throw them on the scale to double check.
  • cricket_77
    cricket_77 Posts: 165 Member
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    Yup..I use it for everything. The only things that I don't use it for are prepackaged items...protein bars, etc.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
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    I use it to weigh rice, pasta and all meats.poultry.

    I don't weigh veg.
  • Hab1978
    Hab1978 Posts: 57 Member
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    I agree with the above comments. I actually think that a food scale is MORE important than your body weight scale. You'd be surprised at how easily you can over calculate foods if you aren't weighing them.
  • MacDHH
    MacDHH Posts: 34 Member
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    I love using a scale because there's no more washing up measuring spoons and cups: I just chuck everything on my plate and zero out the scale in between each item. I find it best to measure the raw weight, as cooking can affect the weight (mostly because of water absorption or water loss). For my personal recipes, I figure out the total calories, weigh the end product, and then figure out the calories per 100 g. That way, it is easy to figure out the calories in my own serving.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    I had a shock when I weighed 2 ounces of tuna. I never realized how much 2 ounces was. Now instead of eating 2 ounces, I have 1 - 1 1/2 ounces, which makes a big difference when you are counting calories.

    I weigh everything I put into my mouth, even the mix bag lettuce.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I do for a lot of things. I was surprised to find that I had been over and under estimating a lot of things. It's nice to have the right info on just how much I'm actually eating so I know it's logged correctly.
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
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    Yes I use mine several times a day, I don't weigh everything, if it's easy to determine serving size eg 5 cherry tomatoes I don't bother. I do however weigh all meat, fish, rice, pasta and generally most things, if I weigh it out enough times I don't have to anymore but I was amazed how much I was going over portion sizes, once you weigh out that 30g of cereal in the morning and see how little it is you'll weigh everything! Also 75g of pasta is like 15 pasta twists, it's nothing like the plateful I used to have.

    I find knowing the recommended serving size helps me keep on track too, I know I've weighed out all I need so if I'm hungry after I just ignore it instead of eating more. It really did change my perception on food portions.
  • Scarlett_Belle
    Scarlett_Belle Posts: 145 Member
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    Love mine- my idea of portion were not accurate at all and my scales has pretty much saved me from eating a few thousand calories over. I would recommend it personally. I got mine for $6 and it weighs food up to seven pounds.
  • cajungirltx
    cajungirltx Posts: 147 Member
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    I do at home and work.
  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
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    I had a shock when I weighed 2 ounces of tuna. I never realized how much 2 ounces was. Now instead of eating 2 ounces, I have 1 - 1 1/2 ounces, which makes a big difference when you are counting calories.

    I weigh everything I put into my mouth, even the mix bag lettuce.

    2 ounces of tuna is only 50 calories......
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    Heck yes! I use it daily for anything from cheetos to avocados. It puts a halt to mindless munching.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    It'll make a huge difference. For me it's one of the most important weight loss tools! Invaluable!

    Zara
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    If you've never used a food scale, you have NO CLUE what's going into your mouth. Measurment by volume is very error-prone for a lot of things.

    You don't always have to use it forever, but you need to calibrate your eye/mind, at first, and learn to estimate better.

    It's more important than a bodyweight scale.
  • LisaH1967
    LisaH1967 Posts: 332 Member
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    I love my food scale. I use it all the time. You really should invest in one, I think you would be surprised.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    I had a shock when I weighed 2 ounces of tuna. I never realized how much 2 ounces was. Now instead of eating 2 ounces, I have 1 - 1 1/2 ounces, which makes a big difference when you are counting calories.

    I weigh everything I put into my mouth, even the mix bag lettuce.

    2 ounces of tuna is only 50 calories......

    Lmbo I eat the whole big can in one sitting!

    ETA: if theres one thing you dont need to weigh its iceberg lettuce. Measuring cups whenever possible can be simpler.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    I weigh everything.Even potato chips! I find I underestimate if I don't weigh!
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    ALWAYS. You may THINK you're good at eyeballing, but I assure you that you will be SHOCKED just how much a serving of anything actually is. Measuring cups/spoons are NOTORIOUSLY inaccurate. None of my measuring cups are accurate after putting them on the scale and comparing them to a real serving size.
  • RunWinterGarden
    RunWinterGarden Posts: 428 Member
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    Definitely, they are awesome.