You're probably eating more than you think.
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This is a great video showing the inaccuracies and how the calories add up when measuring v weighing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
YES! This is the video that made me go out and get a scale the next day.
Wow omg! No more guessing for me. Im taking the time to measure by grams!!! And yes! I always lick the peanut butter spoon! Holy Hannah!!!0 -
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I measure most things on a food scale, well sweet potatoes, my avocado halves, chicken, yoghurt... I do not weigh out my baby plum tomatoes or log my mustard, almond milk in coffee and condiments though, but then I figure I don't need to be too OCD since I am not striving to lose weight. Probably I do not even need to be weighing things now, but it is a force of habit, plus helps me see what my macros are in terms of protein and fat.0
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This is a great video showing the inaccuracies and how the calories add up when measuring v weighinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
YES! This is the video that made me go out and get a scale the next day.
Wow omg! No more guessing for me. Im taking the time to measure by grams!!! And yes! I always lick the peanut butter spoon! Holy Hannah!!!
Even protein powder, don't trust their measuring scoop.
Majority on friends list checked after I found how short changed I was with the scoop compared to weight, they all found they needed to use a lot more - none of us were getting the protein we could/should/wanted.0 -
I understand being frustrated with weight loss, but honestly, 2-3 weeks is nothing to get so upset about - I have been stalled for over 2 years - now that is something to tear my hair out over! My husband suggested my body was superefficient with its inbuilt thermostat and just readjusted to whatever I was eating/expending. But honestly compelled me to admit I was doing something really wrong, except I didn't know what.
I can totally understand frustration with weight loss - but I am not sure why that is being taken out on us and our group.I apologize, but can you understand the frustration that I have? It's been going good and the last 2-3 weeks..nothing
Now, after joining this group only a couple of weeks back, I believe my learning has been tremendous. I found I was guesstimating my activity level, hence my BMR; I was, eating all wrong - either too little at 1200 cals or too much out of some misplaced rebellion, eating too much carbs or too little carbs. Basically this group has made me question my approach and to start from first principles - and that has actually erased my frustration and give me a more positive game plan.
If the body doesn't respond the way we want it to, then I think that rather than blaming the science or the understanding of it, a better approach would be to learn how to make the science work for you - and to reach out to people to help, and there are plenty of those in this group.0 -
For those who mentioned upthread about eating in Indian restaurants - well, I'd also suggest that you don't go by the Indian dishes in the MFP database. I am an Indian and what put me off logging calories was the sheer unavailability of caloric information for different Indian dishes. So when someone pointed out MFP to me and said it had an incredible repository of information on Indian dishes, I was thrilled. But I quickly realized that this doesn't work either. Every Indian has a different way of cooking a dish - I am sure that is true the world over, but with some dishes the variations are huge. One dal (lentil) could have more oil, one could have less, one could use more water towhich then thins out the dal, one could use less. So calorie information is simply all over the place. And as pointed out, much of the database goes by volumetric information, not weight, so there is error there too. Some just say "serving" - so that's useless without the weight details.
I have been using the recipe builder myself but it only works for my own recipes, so even when I eat out at an Indian restaurant I know it is probably going to be double the calories of home-made. I am not suggesting that anyone gives up eating out, but that using the MFP database for information may not work out.
Eating tandoori (barbecued) chicken, kababs, - those would be easier to estimate, based on weight or eyeballing size. These are usually marinated in yoghurt based marinades and so they are not too heavy on the added fat. The breads - if they are white, will have white flour, so you could ask for a whole-meal roti and estimate that based on weight Rice in the form of pulao/biriyani will have used oil/ghee while flavouring - maybe around 1-2 tbsp for 1 cup of raw (not boiled rice). Dals and curries - much trickier, because Indian restaurants that cater to non-Indians use a lot of cream and sugar, to dampen the spicy/savoury blast.
For those who want to try Indian food at home - there are many ready-to-eat packets (the kind you microwave and eat) Kitchens of India, TastyBite, MTR brands - these are not bad at all in flavour and their packets might have nutritional data that gives you something to work with.0 -
Even protein powder, don't trust their measuring scoop.
Majority on friends list checked after I found how short changed I was with the scoop compared to weight, they all found they needed to use a lot more - none of us were getting the protein we could/should/wanted.
Yep I found this out recently too. Bummer!0 -
I needed this. Thanks.0
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I quit weighing my food for a while and just started doing it again several months ago. I get really disordered about it, which is why I needed to quit, even though I've gotten really fat.
Here was me at Chipotle: get salsas on the side, bust out my pocket scale from my purse, open the lid of the bowl, tare it on my scale, take off the guacamole, weigh that and record it, the chicken, weigh and record, the beans, etc., etc. Then I put everything back together and added my fat-free cheese slice and fat-free dressing packet also produced from my purse. My dining companions must have loved me. Looking back, I'd rather be fat than go back to that.
So my question is, for you guys who are really really anal like I was about weighing everything, did you pick apart your food at restaurants to weigh each component? If not, what did you do?0 -
So my question is, for you guys who are really really anal like I was about weighing everything, did you pick apart your food at restaurants to weigh each component? If not, what did you do?
For restaurants I would go with whatever they have posted (no food scale), perhaps adjust it based on eyeballing, and if my progress runs into issues I would consider examining the frequency at which I'm eating out and consider reducing it to 1 to 2 meals/week to minimize the potential error, provided that adjustment makes sense in terms of lifestyle/etc.
The intent of the original post is simply to say that IF you are having problems/stalled, examine your tracking and weighing. Many people can lose just fine, eating at a restaurant a couple times/week without weighing it/etc.0 -
I wish I'd read this when you originally posted it.
I failed hard on Primal Diet for exactly this reason. I wasn't eating candy, cakes, or bread, how could I be gaining weight?
Recently, and for the first time ever, I weighed my butter.
What I thought was 100 calories of butter was.... wait for it.... over 700 calories worth of butter.
I also started weighing fast food. 6 ounces of rice from Panda Express? No, they often gave me over 10 ounces.
Mcdonalds fries? A Large french fry is usually 50% heavier than the serving size on the nutrition chart.
Places like in-n-out and habit are even worse.
I'm bringing a food scale with me from now on.
Thank you.0 -
I wish I'd read this when you originally posted it.
I failed hard on Primal Diet for exactly this reason. I wasn't eating candy, cakes, or bread, how could I be gaining weight?
Recently, and for the first time ever, I weighed my butter.
What I thought was 100 calories of butter was.... wait for it.... over 700 calories worth of butter.
I also started weighing fast food. 6 ounces of rice from Panda Express? No, they often gave me over 10 ounces.
Mcdonalds fries? A Large french fry is usually 50% heavier than the serving size on the nutrition chart.
Places like in-n-out and habit are even worse.
I'm bringing a food scale with me from now on.
Thank you.
Actually, this is something SIdeSteel and I have been discussing recently. While we are not anti-fast food by any stretch of the imagination, we do think it can be an added variable in unintentional inaccurate logging.
Your comments about Panda Express and McDonalds fries pretty much is at the crux of what we were discussing. Plus, with places like Subway, there is the extra mayo and other items that are used that cannot be accurate based on the nutritional information just by the nature of how the food items are made.
We are not saying not to eat there, or even saying that you need to take a scale, just that a high proportion of fast/restaurant food can significantly throw logging accuracy off and wipe out a perceived deficit.
This can one of the reasons that people's calculated TDEE based on actual results, does not appear to be in line with the online calculators or expectations and their targets have to be set lower than would be expected/desired.0 -
This is a great video showing the inaccuracies and how the calories add up when measuring v weighinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
Wow.. That really woke me up. I put my 1/2 cup of oatmeal on the scale thinking it was 40 grams and it was 45 grams. I realize that I have been channeling the "Dark Side of the Force"
Thanks!0 -
Bump for future reference. After reading what other people are experiencing, I think it's time for me to look carefully at portion sizes. (Oh peanut butter, you are my delicious betrayal).
Does anyone have recommendations for good food scales? Less expensive options would be particularly appreciated.
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Bump for future reference. After reading what other people are experiencing, I think it's time for me to look carefully at portion sizes. (Oh peanut butter, you are my delicious betrayal).
Does anyone have recommendations for good food scales? Less expensive options would be particularly appreciated.
Walmart actually has a digital with glass top that can be zero'd out and allowed decent heavy amount on it. I only checked to about 6 ozs for accuracy, and repeatability on measurements, it was good.
But problem with cheap, i could see variability in quality control. At least the way digital works, it shouldn't start reading off as time goes on, it'll just break.0 -
This post was a "game changer" for me!0
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This thread helped me get the scale moving in the direction I want again.
I tightened up my food diary and planned ahead more, estimated less and added in all the things I may have overlooked before. Eye balling can work if you put the work in first to measure accurately.
Just to make sure I slightly upped my activity to and it seems to be working so far.
Its good to know I'm not obsessed and if I am there are a whole load of people like be obsessing to try an reach there goals. mine is to lower my bf% which is currently 25% surprisingly I feel an look good so I'm enjoying the whole process despite frustrations along the way. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread, I'm sure ill be back when I stall again lol!0 -
I tightened up my food diary and planned ahead more,
Well said! ^^^ this!0 -
This is a great video showing the inaccuracies and how the calories add up when measuring v weighinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
OK, I've just been blown away. I watched the video. I went out and got the digital scale I was planning on (I'd been using an old analog one that was more approximation than anything). And did the oatmeal test. I usually have 1/2 cup of oatmeal a day which is supposed to be 150 calories. That is based though on 40g. A full 1/2 cup of oatmeal was 52g, not 40g. Which would be 195 calories. Do this a couple of times a day, every day a week, and you've got a big problem.
I've done great so far, still averaging about 1.5 pounds loss since January. But what would it have been had I known that? I'm sure posting that on my news feed for all my friends. Thanks for the video and this thread.
ETA: I bought the Sharper Image scale at Bed, Bath and Beyond for about $25. It says it can go to 11 pounds. I haven't tested its accuracy at the 0-5g level yet. But it does count in 1 gram increments very nicely once you get above a certain level, I know that.0 -
Great post. I recently dug out my "old" scale to see for myself as well...my "guesstimations" were pretty good on the most part.
(I always guess what it weighs before I weigh it) but that being said...in my diary you notice "frozen fruit" in my breakfast smoothie..always figured 2 servings as on the bag 3/4cup is one or 140g...well now I put 200 grams on my scale and wham...much more then 1.5 cups..but that being said I do log everything and very rarely go over (maybe a day but under most weeks) and I have it set to 1lb a week where in reality I have been loosing .5lb a week. so I know my "guesses" are off.
I will definately be investing in a digital scale this weekend...the analog one scares me.
I am used to this tho grew up with a diabetic in the house so we always had scales to measure his food to ensure he was well controlled.
I have to concur as well with the database here...typcially way off on values and I often correct or build my own. I have gotten in the habbit of actually using the MFP app on my phone and scanning in the bar code on the food where I can.0 -
Great post. I recently dug out my "old" scale to see for myself as well...my "guesstimations" were pretty good on the most part.
(I always guess what it weighs before I weigh it) but that being said...in my diary you notice "frozen fruit" in my breakfast smoothie..always figured 2 servings as on the bag 3/4cup is one or 140g...well now I put 200 grams on my scale and wham...much more then 1.5 cups..but that being said I do log everything and very rarely go over (maybe a day but under most weeks) and I have it set to 1lb a week where in reality I have been loosing .5lb a week. so I know my "guesses" are off.
I will definately be investing in a digital scale this weekend...the analog one scares me.
I am used to this tho grew up with a diabetic in the house so we always had scales to measure his food to ensure he was well controlled.
I have to concur as well with the database here...typcially way off on values and I often correct or build my own. I have gotten in the habbit of actually using the MFP app on my phone and scanning in the bar code on the food where I can.
I literally just scanned one myself a few minutes ago, and scarily, it was wrong. The wrong 'version' came up.0 -
I literally just scanned one myself a few minutes ago, and scarily, it was wrong. The wrong 'version' came up.
I found that too the other night...scanned Layes perogie flavored chips and it came up ketcup..but I do check the lables to ensure accuracy as well.0 -
Didn't wait till the weekend I bought a digital scale today that measures to within .1oz up to 5lbs. It comes with a bowl and the scale nets it out. Has a function to keep weighing items without having to reset etc. Didn't get the one with the carb/protien etc measurement.
My meat "guesstimate" was bang on...4oz cut it bang on then added another 1.6 cause I was hungry
Potatoes not so much 4oz is a lot less then I thought
Veggies I didn't really care about.
Hopefully I will see a bigger decrease in my weight and measurments.0 -
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I bought a digital scale and started measuring. Such a difference. My oatmeal portions were almost double. No more eyeballing it. I just can't believe how off I was. Thanks for the tips. I hope to start lossing again, because this 2 year stall is annoying! Thanks all.0
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I bought a digital scale and started measuring. Such a difference. My oatmeal portions were almost double. No more eyeballing it. I just can't believe how off I was. Thanks for the tips. I hope to start lossing again, because this 2 year stall is annoying! Thanks all.
How funny. My oatmeal portions were way off too!
The scale is an eye opener!0 -
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I bought a digital scale and started measuring. Such a difference. My oatmeal portions were almost double. No more eyeballing it. I just can't believe how off I was. Thanks for the tips. I hope to start lossing again, because this 2 year stall is annoying! Thanks all.
How funny. My oatmeal portions were way off too!
The scale is an eye opener!
OMG! Yes! I purchased a scale yesterday and the first thing I tried was my daily oatmeal portion! :noway: :noway: I am still stunned. Second I tried spaghetti pasta...yeah...lets just say I have been wayyyyyyyyyy off for a long time about pasta. OH MY! So grateful for finding this group! I am learning a lot just reading thru the pinned threads.0 -
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I am such a noob sometimes...jeez
I have my scale and it came with the nice little bowl to put the food in...and all these nice little features that allows it to go from g to oz, a zero button and a few other buttons...didn't really think about them...
I was measuring my fruit this morning in that nice little aforementioned bowl to dump into my smoothie cup then made a mistake and put my yogurt in next...damn it...now my protien powder will stick...jeez...
So I was like eh I will just keep adding the stuff and keep track of what weigh what so as I go to the protien powder I hit one of those "other buttons"....AMG:mad: it zero'd out my yogurt...then I am like wait a minute..that's what that is for..nice...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Then I realize cripes why not just put it in my smoothie cup and dirty one less dish....
I love my scale...gonna read up on the rest of the buttons on it now...:drinker: who knows what I will find that could be useful.0
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