why do you use a scale to weigh food?

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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    :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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    My idea of a serving is to eat until I feel physically ill, so the scale helps.
  • veganashley
    veganashley Posts: 70 Member
    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
    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
    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
    because I want to log accurately.
  • MerlinWilliams
    MerlinWilliams Posts: 92 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    You use a scale? DAMN, I knew I could trust the store.
  • veganashley
    veganashley Posts: 70 Member
    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.
    Of course. My point is that the scoop included with the container measures a larger portion than advertised. I know that 22 grams is the correct serving. And that's why I weigh it, rather than relying on the scoop! Because the scoop is wrong, evne though "1 scoop" is supposed to be a serving, according to the label.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Is there something wrong with old people using scales? It's just a more accurate way to measure things. My grandma used a scale for baking and cooking. You go ahead and guesstimate. I :heart: my scale.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    I have a blind spot. I am incapable of estimating well. I don't weigh every single time, and I don't use a digital scale, but without some standard to go by, I am way off. Would you be comfortable buying gas from a place where a guy estimates how many gallons went into your car?
  • d_Mode
    d_Mode Posts: 880 Member
    Because I'm diabetic...and it helps control my carb intake as well as caloric intake.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I usually weigh my cereal but was getting a little slack and just eyeballing it to where I thought it filled the bowl to. I haven't weighed it for some weeks. This morning I pour out the amount and out of curiosity I thought I would weigh it to see how my eyeballing was going...............not good at all. What was suppose to be 45 grams was actually 78 grams. This makes quite a difference to calorie intake over a week or so. Back to weighing for me.
  • rn000
    rn000 Posts: 20 Member
    So you get an accurate reading of your calories, which is important to know so you are not over/under eating.
  • DannyG7685
    DannyG7685 Posts: 7
    I don't use a scale to weigh myself, I don't care about how much I weigh, I go by body fat %. I could be 185 lbs at 5'5" but if I'm at single digit body fat % (My goal, still got 5% to go) I'm happy. The scale on my food is VERY important to get an accurate reading so that I can maintain body fat %
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I use a scale, measuring cups and spoons depending on the food. Just today I used the scale to weigh an avocado. They are all different sizes and I want an accurate number for my food log. Cheese is another good example of a food I always weigh.
  • supergirljen
    supergirljen Posts: 98
    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.

    So THAT is why I get so many fewer servings out of a bag of chips!! (I just thought my husband was sneaking them!) Well I guess I will be measuring the chips now.

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