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food_junkie
food_junkie Posts: 434
in Food and Nutrition
How do you guys "eyeball" portions? I want/need to learn!

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  • food_junkie
    food_junkie Posts: 434
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    How do you guys "eyeball" portions? I want/need to learn!
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    I don't, I measure/weigh everything! :ohwell:
  • mkeithley
    mkeithley Posts: 399
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    I used to eyeball portions, which is why I am on this site:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    I measure everything.. Since I've been measuring I have a pretty good idea how much a blob of smething is:happy: . I read somewhere before that it's a good idea even after you are at your goal weight to go back to measuring every so often to keep us in check, as over time our eyeballing it gets bigger and bigger.
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    It is not a stupid question!!!! :happy: I have read everywhere how you "eyeball" portions such as 3oz of meat size of your palm, deck of cards. Half a cup of rice, pasta, potatoes, etc the size of a tennis ball, etc etc But to tell you the truth I don't trust myself doing that. I feel I have not mastered "eyeballing" portions :laugh: So I'd rather use my food scale and my measuring cups and spoons. If I am not at home I try to choose small, healthy portions at restaurants or get something on the menu that already tells you the amount of calories it has. Places like Chili's, etc have those on the menu...I also bring with me snacks that I can estimate the calories or that are pre-measured. I hope this helps!!! :flowerforyou:
  • pandakitti
    pandakitti Posts: 9 Member
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    I also measure/weigh pretty much everything, when I "eye" it it turns into a 16oz t-bone!!
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    I measure everything--unless I'm in a restaurant of course; although I have been tempted to take my scale with me when eating out! :tongue:

    That's one thing this site has taught me--to measure everything! I used to think I was eyeballing things good enough but, like someone else said, that's how I got to where I am weight-wise. I was floored when I realized that my "eyeball" estimate of my morning half/half in my coffee was more like 1/4 cup than 2 tablespoons! :sick: Yack! I was drinking like 200 calories every day in half/half alone for years!!:cry:
  • laurenk182004
    laurenk182004 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    I also weigh and measure everything! That way I know I'm doing it right..lol sometimes if I have alot of calories left and it's dinner time I just go for it...lol meaning pig out, I wouldn't reccomend that though :bigsmile:
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    I do take my scale to restaurants... especially when there's a salad bar! My husband holds his face in his hands in embarrassment. I say if the table next to us can order 3-4 pitchers of beer and smile, then I can measure my food!!!!:laugh:
  • mkeithley
    mkeithley Posts: 399
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    I do take my scale to restaurants... especially when there's a salad bar! My husband holds his face in his hands in embarrassment. I say if the table next to us can order 3-4 pitchers of beer and smile, then I can measure my food!!!!:laugh:
    HILARIOUS!!! High Fives to you!!!!
  • anewbeginning
    anewbeginning Posts: 53 Member
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  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Practice practice practice, I can do it in my sleep now, but only with my common foods like chicken, beef, cheese, nuts...etc

    you need a scale, once you have a scale and measure everything on it for a couple of months, it becomes second nature. You can pick up a food scale at Walmart for 10 bucks or less.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
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    I eyeball almost everything... I do it becuase 1) I don't want to be totally obsessed with the numbers - I want to overall be aware of what I am eating and make a healthier lifestyle change (dont get me wrong - I am rather obsessed, but it just seems not quite as much as some of y'all :wink: ) - I dont worry if I actually ate 2/3 cup of grapes and not 1/2 cup etc... 2) because I am a little lazy 3) I dont have much kitchen space at all - think Extended Stay Kitchenette size... 4) I dont eat a lot of non-prepackaged foods.

    BUT, one of the things that helps me to eyeball is - I eat most everything that is not prepackaged (as most of my food is which makes eyeballing feasable for me as I only have to eyeball about 15-20% of what I eat...) out of bowls ... and I know how much a bowl holds because i measured how much water they hold. So I have some that are just under a cup big that I can scoop yogurt into and know it is 1/2 bowl = 1/2 cup. etc.

    I also test myself sometimes with (ie) cereal and pour what I think is a serving size into a bowl and then pour that into a measuring cup to see if I am close. I was SPOT ON yesterday :happy:
  • watch48win
    watch48win Posts: 1,668 Member
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    I too measure pretty much everything that I eat. Hit a Dollar store for some measuring cups and spoons. *****Banks****Thanks for the heads up on the Walmart Scale*****Just in case I ever need to buy a new one*******

    When I first started back in Jan, I was shocked ::embarassed: to see what a "real" serving looking like, and not my idea of a serving:blushing:

    Cheers:drinker:
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
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    I am at the point where eye balling works for me...

    I just make a conscious effort to over estimate on food, and under estimate on exercise.

    I know how honest I am being with myself when I see my waist size the following week!

    I am at least 3" smaller on the waist now then when this whole process started back in February!
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    I have measuring cups and spoons and a food scale for the most part..but I am trying to learn to recognize a normal portion. Here is a list that may help you when you can't be at home.

    LOL! I don't know about you but seeing that 1 tsp of butter = a scrabble tile is kind of depressing!! HAHAHA!! It also makes you realize why a lot of us are here! I think I was using a whole scrabble word with butter before! :laugh: :laugh:

    A standard serving of...
    cereal (1 c.) = a baseball
    salad dressing (2 Tbsp.) = a shot glass
    nuts (1 oz.) = a cupped palm
    cheese (1 oz.) = a ping-pong ball
    hamburger (3 oz.) = a mayo jar lid
    peanut butter (1 tsp.) = one die
    beef (3 oz.) = a bar of soap
    rice (1/2 c.) = an ice cream scoop
    potato = a computer mouse
    dinner roll = a yo-yo
    butter (1 tsp.) = a Scrabble tile
    fruit (1 c.) = a tennis ball
    cooked pasta (1/2 c.) = a golf ball
    fish (3 oz.) = a checkbook
    poultry (3 oz.) = a deck of playing cards

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