The importance of food scales and logging!!!

zoemcquaid
zoemcquaid Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So basically, I have only recently just started logging my food intake to try and help with my weight loss.
I posted a topic a few days ago because I just didn't know why i wasn't losing any weight, when I truly felt like i was eating at or even beneath my deficit. A few wonderful people told me to buy some scales, and log absolutely everything!!

Well, I've bought the scales online and I am just waiting for them to turn up. Today I have eaten pretty simple things which can easily be logged into my food diary without the need for a scale.
So I've just finished logging my lunch, and I have nearly hit my limit for today!!
It has literally just clicked that, even though for all these months I thought i was doing well and eating at a deficit, I really haven't been and this is the reason for the lack of weight loss.

This has made me even more determined to weigh and track everything that I eat.

So for everyone thinking they don't need scales, unless you have been doing this a long time and can truly guesstimate, buy some scales and start logging your foods!!! :laugh:

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    amen to that...I believe most people will be very surprised if and when they start weighing food.

    I have been for 6months and the only thing I can eyeball well is marble cheese...as long as it's crackerbarrel...:laugh:

    anything else...nope not yet...even those little tricks of deck of cards = 4oz of meat...yah okay...not really.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    CHEERSSSSSS!!!! for you! glad you got some solid advice and even more glad you were open minded enough to take it.

    ~best wishes on your next chapter!
  • AwesomeGuy37
    AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
    They are life-savers for measuring calorie dense foods like oil, mayo, and cheese. When I first bought one I measured everything obsessively. Don't worry, I no longer weigh my lettuce.:smile:
  • lsorci919
    lsorci919 Posts: 772 Member
    Yup!

    Someone posted this in another thread

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    When I started using a food scale, I was SHOCKED with how small portion sizes were for many of my snacks (spinach artichoke dip, curses!). I was also really surprised with how many vegetables I could eat. I really make better choices now. Weighing sauces and dressings is so much easier now too. Instead of restraining myself and then going overboard, I've been using the food scale to calculate exactly 1 serving of unhealthy foods, which usually is enough to feel like I got a treat anyway. :smile:
  • zoemcquaid
    zoemcquaid Posts: 34 Member
    I just can't wait for them to turn up! :laugh: I've written myself a food list, and I'm going shopping tonight.
    I feel really positive now! :D

    This may seem like a silly question, but as for foods like mayo, butter, salad dressings ... do i just spoon it out and pop it onto the scales??
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
    +1 for the food scale. Even pre-packaged stuff is misleading. For example, the label on the bread I eat says 1 slice = 34g. Even though the slices all LOOK like they're the same size, the scale says otherwise. Not a single slice in the loaf weighed 34g!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I just can't wait for them to turn up! :laugh: I've written myself a food list, and I'm going shopping tonight.
    I feel really positive now! :D

    This may seem like a silly question, but as for foods like mayo, butter, salad dressings ... do i just spoon it out and pop it onto the scales??

    I actually put my knife, bowl etc on the scale, turn it on and it comes to zero then I put on my butter etc...

    Or if it's mayo in Canada it's in ML so I use a spoon only for that.
  • RagingThespian
    RagingThespian Posts: 21 Member
    Me, personally, I use teaspoon/tablespoon for measuring butter, mayo, dressing. I also use online conversion tools a lot. ex. 1 oz = 6 tsp.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Me, personally, I use teaspoon/tablespoon for measuring butter, mayo, dressing. I also use online conversion tools a lot. ex. 1 oz = 6 tsp.

    mayo and dressing perhaps as they are liquids or semi liquids..but butter...1tbsp is not 15g per the package....
  • merisaOct3
    merisaOct3 Posts: 197 Member
    When I started using a food scale, I was SHOCKED with how small portion sizes were for many of my snacks (spinach artichoke dip, curses!). I was also really surprised with how many vegetables I could eat.

    I have a great "lightened up" spinach artichoke dip I made soon after starting MFP! Instead of marinated artichokes, use the ones in brine/water, and instead of mayo and cream cheese, use a dab of greek yogurt or light sour cream and neufchatel cheese. I got it down to about 77 cal per serving (and they're huge servings)!
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
    yes. Had the same "aha" moment when I actually started measuring my food. Curses on a serving size of granola...
  • pkhernandez4
    pkhernandez4 Posts: 3
    I was wondering why I wasn't losing but I think your on to something with weighing my food. I have to go get a scale. I've lost 13 lbs but have been stuck. Then again, I have just started working out again due to some health issues so maybe that will help move that scale. I know I am losing inches because I'm back into pants I haven't been able to wear in a year. My biggest hurdle is that since I found out I have CLL I have been craving chocolate in any form. I know it's emotional eating to sooth my anger at being sick. Thanks for the reminder to weigh everything.
  • glowgirl14
    glowgirl14 Posts: 200 Member
    I don't weigh my knife/spoon, but I do put my plate on the scale when I'm putting things on. Zero the scale out between everything I put on, and jot the weight down so I can log. If I'm putting peanut butter on bread, I put the plate and bread on the scale and zero it out...then add peanut butter until my serving is what I want.

    Also things like cereal, snacks, etc...it is amazing how much difference between "15 pieces" or "half a cup" and the actual serving in grams. (I convert everything to grams, because it's a smaller margin for error than ounces. It's only a pain until you can do the conversions in your head. :)
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
    I put this somewhere else, and I got it from someone on MFP: I put the jar of peanut butter, yogurt, etc. on the scale, zero out, and then use the negative number that comes up as I remove peanut butter, yogurt, etc. from the container. I find it easier.
  • kpchefai
    kpchefai Posts: 54 Member
    I definitely have to agree with this. I bought a scale last week and it has already made a difference. I had stalled and was not losing for about 3 weeks. I started weighing my food and dropped almost 2lbs. I was underestimating almost everything but especially meats and cheeses. If I lose that much this week I think I will reevaluate my calories and probably go up a bit as I'm looking for 1lb/week but only time will tell! I was tempted to bring my scale to the restaurant we ate at last night but I didn't want to embarrass my fiancé : )
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    Ditto on weighing solids making a huge difference. If I eat cottage cheese with greek yogurt I put the bowl on the scale then turn it on which zeros it out, then first add the yogurt and then add the cottage cheese. Increasing my math skills along with my weight loss!

    I also put a piece of wax paper on the scale for some things, then start dropping bits of whatever on the wax paper until I'm at the amount I want/serving size. I weigh sun dried tomatoes, croutons and gorgonzola cheese crumbles for my salads like this for instance, then dump all three on my salad at once.

    A few things have turned out to be a bigger serving than I was taking when I was guessing, but not many!
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member

    I have a great "lightened up" spinach artichoke dip I made soon after starting MFP! Instead of marinated artichokes, use the ones in brine/water, and instead of mayo and cream cheese, use a dab of greek yogurt or light sour cream and neufchatel cheese. I got it down to about 77 cal per serving (and they're huge servings)!

    Must do. Must do. I was eating Costco artichoke spinach dip, which is 84 calories for 2 measly tbsp.

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