Eat, Train, Progress.

Join

You're probably eating more than you think.

Options
1…89111314

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    The biggest culprit for me was Pasta. I bought a digital scale from Walmart for $19.99...and I actually weighed out a serving and got about 8 or 9 pieces of Penne LOL.

    Was that cooked with water weight added, or pre-cooked dry that the label is talking about?

    Gotta ask, because another thread showed up a thought regarding that being missed for many foods that have water content when raw, but of course lose some when cooked.

    And it is a bummer isn't it. What's really fun is find old packaging and see how the serving size was bigger in the past sometimes, but they made it smaller either to play in to the smaller calorie game, or to reduce package size while keeping servings the same for cost game.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    Options
    I believe it was cooked......but drained...if that makes any sense LOL.
  • selinafzr
    selinafzr Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Weighing pasta was a harrowing, tragic experience for me. ;)

    I can relate to this tragic experience...

    Thought I'd just have a small baked potato with cheese and butter for my dinner tonight after a bit of a glut yesterday.

    Decided to be conciencoius for once, so weighed the teeny potato, miniscule glob of butter and sliver of cheese. 467 calorie total!

    :sad:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    I believe it was cooked......but drained...if that makes any sense LOL.

    So much heavier than dry pasta the serving size is based on.

    Might weigh the dry stuff to see how many you could have gotten.
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
    Options
    Out of curiosity I weighed out 2 oz. of dry pasta, cooked it and then weighed it again and it was nearly 4.6 ounces then.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,754 Member
    Options
    Out of curiosity I weighed out 2 oz. of dry pasta, cooked it and then weighed it again and it was nearly 4.6 ounces then.

    Thanks for saving me the trouble. I have been grokking on this concept for a few days now. Dry wt. vs. cooked wts.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Options
    bump
  • Jamie22184
    Jamie22184 Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    Great post! Keeping for reference.
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
    Options
    So you're supposed to weight pasta AFTER you've cooked it? Does the same go for brown rice?
  • joycloete
    joycloete Posts: 22
    Options
    I didn't see it elsewhere but a helpful hint for weighing things like yogurt or peanut butter that stick to the spoon or whatever is to put the whole container on the scale and zero it out. As you take it out you'll have a negative number on the scale which is how much you've actually removed from the container. That way when there's a spoonful for the bowl and a spoonful for me I have a more accurate representation of how much I've actually taken out of the jar.

    This is a GREAT tip!
  • jackielou867
    jackielou867 Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    I admit it... I eye-ball most of my food. But, I log everything that goes in my mouth. The only time I do quick calories is if I give myself a break and go to the buffet. No way to track all that.

    I've been kind of unfocused as of late though, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn I'm eating more than I think I am.

    You can track a buffet, maybe not 100% but I have gotten pretty good at it, drives hubby crazy though as it takes me about a half hour. I also managed to reduce from approx. 1800 per trip to approx. 1000 per trip by sticking to fish (baked not fried) salads (not the seafood one) veggies, only a spoonful of anything cheesy or saucy. I usually end up with 2 plates and just one thing of the desert stand.
  • jackielou867
    jackielou867 Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    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.

    All my portions were off too pre scale.
    Now I make the portion sizes I log relevant to certain pots or utensils, so I can visualize what a portion looks like if I am out somewhere. Like my portion of peanut butter is a teaspoon, my portion of the yogurt I use is 5 tablespoons, an eggcup full of my seed/nut mix is 25g, I have a little pot at work that just holds 100ml of milk, I use that for my coffee. Makes life and logging a lot easier :-)
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    So you're supposed to weight pasta AFTER you've cooked it? Does the same go for brown rice?

    I would weigh both before and make sure you use the dry weight calorie values.
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
    Options
    So you're supposed to weight pasta AFTER you've cooked it? Does the same go for brown rice?

    I would weigh both before and make sure you use the dry weight calorie values.

    Thanks. :smile:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    So you're supposed to weight pasta AFTER you've cooked it? Does the same go for brown rice?

    No.

    If you found an entry for a cooked anything that water is added to, or water could be cooked out of - it was user entered - by someone that doesn't understand the concept of very different water weights being possible after cooking by whoever is making a dish the way they want it.
  • Arydria
    Arydria Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    WOW!! Thank you for the video. I will now be more diligent in weighing my food. I knew to level out my scoops (and used a knife) but I never knew they didn't really mean a 1/2 cup of oatmeal.

    I always underestimate my calories, knowing there's creep in there (the nibble from my husband's plate, the taste while cooking). Never knew what it meant in terms of calories. Never licking the peanut butter spoon again!!

    Thanks for the great advice (from all posters)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    WOW!! Thank you for the video. I will now be more diligent in weighing my food. I knew to level out my scoops (and used a knife) but I never knew they didn't really mean a 1/2 cup of oatmeal.

    I always underestimate my calories, knowing there's creep in there (the nibble from my husband's plate, the taste while cooking). Never knew what it meant in terms of calories. Never licking the peanut butter spoon again!!

    Thanks for the great advice (from all posters)

    If you zero out the spoon on the scale, then weigh the PB, then yes you do lick every last delicious taste off.
  • hotlipsliz
    hotlipsliz Posts: 36
    Options
    Another great topic, thanks guys! So glad I joined this group, very helpful information. :)
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Options
    The biggest culprit for me was Pasta. I bought a digital scale from Walmart for $19.99...and I actually weighed out a serving and got about 8 or 9 pieces of Penne LOL.

    Weighing pasta was a harrowing, tragic experience for me. ;)

    That and fried rice.

    Sad days those were.

    This is me. :bigsmile: :sad:
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Options
    Bump

Categories