Do you weight EVERYTHING?

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  • FitnessPalWorks
    FitnessPalWorks Posts: 1,128 Member
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    For those that have a food scale, do you weight EVERYTHING?

    I weigh my meats, fresh veggies and fresh fruit, because they aren't always the same as is listed in the database.
    Also, sometimes they are listed in grams on here when I've weighed it in oz so have to calculate online... no big deal.
    Other than that, if it's in the database and the macros match, I don't bother.
    Be aware that SOME listings in the database are incorrect, and you may have to search for the correct listing or input your own for your own use.

    Hope that helps.
  • tameejean
    tameejean Posts: 197 Member
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    I have a digital scale and when I eat at home, I weigh most things, except anything that is a pre packaged serving size, like a Larabar. It doesn't bother me too bad if I can't weigh something, but it does become a it of an obsession. I have noticed that I'm pretty good at eyeballing now though. I'll grab what I think is a serving and put it on my scale and I'm usually right on the dot.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    I guess I didn't really answer your question earlier- I weigh everything except for pre-portioned food, like tortillas. There was a time when I weighed EVERYTHING but it got out-of-control logging 1.04 slices of bread to account for differences, and I realized those things were just going to be my margin of error. I weigh fruit usually, but only the edible portion (like I probably would have cut the apple's core out first), but make some judgement calls- like I don't weigh oranges because I like to eat the slices in the rind so I'm not going to dissect them to weigh them first. And I almost never weigh bananas because they're on the go food, so I just try to choose a conservative choice (as in not be delusionally choosing 'small banana' when it's not).

    I've found protein powder scoops to be really unreliable getting you a correct portion, so that's a new one that I almost always weigh when I can. The amount of milk I put in my coffee was a shocker- I thought it was 1-2TBSP, turns out it's more like 2-2.5 oz. Peanut butter my visual estimations were off by about half.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    I weigh most things, yes, and I have obsessive compulsive traits (not disorder) as many people do, most mental health issues are a spectrum from 'normal'/ 'healthy' to disease state anyway. Anyone who totally separates themselves from that sort of behaviour is ignorant, everyone occasionally goes back to check they switched something off or check they locked the front door even when they know deep down they already did it occasionally.

    Being a problem is about time, place, frequency and how negatively it affects your life. Weighing does not mean I eat a diet that is unhealthy or lacking in variety, and it does not stop me eating out of the house. I am sure many others are the same. Plenty of people work in environments like pharmacies and laboratories where everything is weighed, measured and double checked, are all the staff OCD?

    Sorry for the rant but I really dislike ignorance and prejudice in mental health, it's not something we should be 'accusing' people of or instilling fear about. If you want to amateur diagnose at least have the decency to do some research.
  • sunside
    sunside Posts: 2 Member
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    I try to make the effot to weigh almost everything, I'm diabetic and it really helps when working out the amount of carbohydrates I am eating and thus the amount of insulin to inject. Meat and dairy and anything starchy are a must to weigh as far as i'm concerned, as it is very easy to go overboard with rice, potatoes and the like. Over the months I have listed generic foods much like the food data base on here. I know for instance that one of my winter staple side dish's of leek and cabbage steamed with chilli(tastes better then it sounds) will be less then 100 kcal for a 300g serving. I have found that when i stop weighing every thing then my portion size goes up quite quickly. It can be difficult when you eat out, so i would suggest alway fill up on the none starchy veg and then you cannot go to wrong.
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
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    I weigh every single thing that goes into my mouth, on the scale not in measuring cups. I weigh my almond milk, my sauces, my peanut butter...everything
  • Showmm
    Showmm Posts: 406 Member
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    I weigh about half my food. I don't weigh the non-starchy veg or salads. I estimate the size of my slice of bread and pre-cut things such as that. I weigh meat, cheese and other dairy products, grains and other fats like olive oil. If I think it makes a big difference, I'll weigh it to be certain of its size. But I can't be bothered to worry if it was 30g or 35g of cucumber in the salad with my lunch. The calorie difference is very minor and it would drive me INSANE to try and measure everything.

    However, after reading this thread, I do think there are probably a few extra things I should measure. I think I will weigh out a small pitcher of milk in the morning, and then use it throughout the day for my tea. And fruit is something I've usually eyeballed and perhaps should measure for a while just to make sure I'm not underestimating it.
  • niknak2308
    niknak2308 Posts: 315 Member
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    Once you get into the habit of weighing/measuring, it's very easy and takes almost no time. I definitely suggest doing it especially for beginners so you can learn proper portion control.

    I weigh and measure mostly everything even now. It really is no trouble to do it and gives me the peace of mind that I'm actually logging the correct portions.

    This!
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
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    If the pack says per slice/wrap then I go with it but if its says per 100g I weight 100 exactly
  • gotlouis
    gotlouis Posts: 6 Member
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    Even when I ate healthy, I found out I ate way too much because I wasn't losing weight so I started to weigh my food. After weighing it for a few months now, I can "eye" how much I can eat when a scale isn't around (ie. going out); but at home though, I still like to weigh my food just to be sure! :tongue:
  • Anzju
    Anzju Posts: 3
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    I've pretty much not been weighing anything I eat, I just guess it. "Yup that's a medium sized banana". I guess that way I can kinda cheat myself if I've eaten too much, which is not so good. But I tried weighing food the other day and my parents (I was visiting them for the holidays) looked at me like I was a mentally, crazed lunatic and joked and laughed at me. And then my Mum over coffee (I had HONEY and no sugar chocolate in it btw - does an anorexic person do this? Or someone on the way there? No.) tells me that she is afraid I'm going to become obsessive compulsive like this person we know cause I'm weighing some of my food and she doesnt want me to become an anorexic! And I was like "WTF!?". I eat all the time throughout the day and I've got lots of good bits of fat on me, I'm not even buff or heaps skinny.
    They both think me wanting to weigh my corn chips - which are super high in calories, was a dumb/weird/idiotic idea and that counting calories is bad? Is it really THAT bad? Its the only way that I can really see how much I eat, keep track of it and lose the weight that I want to lose. By eating 1200 calories a day I've already lost nearly 1.5kg in two weeks with not a lot of strenuous exercise. I cant understand why people are always down on me for wanting to go to the gym, or wanting to be buff, or fit or whatever it is that I want to be. I don't understand. My parents don't really exercise and they've got a bit of flab and their ok with it, but I dont want to look like that. I dont want a small tire around my waist.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    I've pretty much not been weighing anything I eat, I just guess it. "Yup that's a medium sized banana". I guess that way I can kinda cheat myself if I've eaten too much, which is not so good. But I tried weighing food the other day and my parents (I was visiting them for the holidays) looked at me like I was a mentally, crazed lunatic and joked and laughed at me. And then my Mum over coffee (I had HONEY and no sugar chocolate in it btw - does an anorexic person do this? Or someone on the way there? No.) tells me that she is afraid I'm going to become obsessive compulsive like this person we know cause I'm weighing some of my food and she doesnt want me to become an anorexic! And I was like "WTF!?". I eat all the time throughout the day and I've got lots of good bits of fat on me, I'm not even buff or heaps skinny.
    They both think me wanting to weigh my corn chips - which are super high in calories, was a dumb/weird/idiotic idea and that counting calories is bad? Is it really THAT bad? Its the only way that I can really see how much I eat, keep track of it and lose the weight that I want to lose. By eating 1200 calories a day I've already lost nearly 1.5kg in two weeks with not a lot of strenuous exercise. I cant understand why people are always down on me for wanting to go to the gym, or wanting to be buff, or fit or whatever it is that I want to be. I don't understand. My parents don't really exercise and they've got a bit of flab and their ok with it, but I dont want to look like that. I dont want a small tire around my waist.

    For this reason, I do not share almost anything about my nutrition/fitness/weight loss process with anyone, unless they are asking in the context of "wow you have done great! What are you doing?" I do not want any unsolicited advice or opinions. Its none of anybody else's beeswax. I would have guesstimated on the honey in my Mom's presence to avoid a conversation about it. I mean, dont act all weird and disappear off somewhere to secretly weigh your food when they're around, but if it's not that often I would just skip weighing those times. If you're stuck with them for a full week, just say something like "I am really not interested in your opinions on my food choices, unless you'd like to hear my opinion on everything that goes in your mouth for the next week" ...
    Okay, maybe something like that minus like 4 degrees of b*tchy, but you get the idea. Don't let people get in your head.
  • Corkline
    Corkline Posts: 107
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    I use my digital scale instead of measuring cups anymore. I just put my plate on the scale and zero it out as I add stuff..works like a charm.

    This is me. Also, the person that said 8 fl oz of water isn't 8 oz, weight and volume are two different things.

    I love my scale because its teaching me portions and portion control. Eventually, I'll be able to do it on the fly, but right now I'm weighing everything, including apples and bananas.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    So far, I haven't purchased a food scale. I use the weight showing on the package or measuring cups/spoons and sometimes just estimate.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    No. I don't weigh fruit. In Weight Watchers, you don't even count fruit. I log it, but I use the medium or large fruit option, I don't get the weight or the actual measurement. I'll probably be more exact when/if I get closer to goal. Right now my challenge is too many "who cares?" days, not being off a few grams on my measurements.
  • FitnessPalWorks
    FitnessPalWorks Posts: 1,128 Member
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    For this reason, I do not share almost anything about my nutrition/fitness/weight loss process with anyone, unless they are asking in the context of "wow you have done great! What are you doing?" I do not want any unsolicited advice or opinions. Its none of anybody else's beeswax.

    Exactly, Bean.... and precisely why I just had to change my "About Me" section. I got sick of (privately) writing and re-writing WHY my diary wasn't open..... so now my answer is open to all. LOL
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Thanks guys. I will see how this goes. Need to start seeing that scale move again!

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