Importance of a food scale!!

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deannam315
deannam315 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just wanted to throw out there how important it is to use a food scale!! I used to measure either by naked eye or a measuring cup. Well, when I actually bought a scale, I discover that the 1/3 of a cup ("30" grams) of trail mix (whole foods but blend) is actually around 55 grams. BIG difference. It has also worked beautifully in weighing all my proteins and what not. I'm much more confident now knowing I'm actually being accurate now.
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Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    I can not begin to stress how correct you are. The actual weighing of all my food is one of the biggest things that helped my weight loss. Not weighing food is why there are so many people around here "not losing weight on 1200 calories". The fact of the matter is they are spot guessing sizes or using measuring cups and are actually eating WAY more then they think. Even prepackaged servings can be incorrect. I eat greek yogurt bites that say 1 serving is 9 bites (40g). If I weigh them 40 grams is actually 5 bites not nine. Almost a 40% difference in calories.
  • deannam315
    deannam315 Posts: 9 Member
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    I'm in the same boat. I make all my food ahead of time so I did 1/3 of a cup in baggies but it looked like WAY too much, I checked, and it was nearly doubled. Protein? I used to eat a chicken breast thinking it was one serving (4 ounces), I was eating about 9-12 ounces. Ignorance is NOT bliss.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    Yup...count me as a believer. I THOUGHT I knew about how many calories was going into my gob every day...but each morning when I stepped on the scale...SURPRISE. Not anymore. Also little things like condiments and bubble gum...add up quickly.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Yup...count me as a believer. I THOUGHT I knew about how many calories was going into my gob every day...but each morning when I stepped on the scale...SURPRISE. Not anymore. Also little things like condiments and bubble gum...add up quickly.
    That's another thing people don't realize. Most condiments have calories. If you are the kind of person that dumps ketchup on everything, it adds up. Most bbq sauce is 70 calories for 2 tbsp which is less then half of what most people use. Peanut butter, mayo, sriacha, all that stuff has calories!
  • 1pandabear
    1pandabear Posts: 336 Member
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    Question: So do you put your salad on a scale, tare it and then pour on dressing so you know the weight of the dressing? I have been using a tablespoon to measure.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Question: So do you put your salad on a scale, tare it and then pour on dressing so you know the weight of the dressing? I have been using a tablespoon to measure.
    Either that or I put the bottle of dressing on the scale. tare. then apply the dressing and put the bottle back on the scale. The negative number will be the weight of the dressing used.
  • 1pandabear
    1pandabear Posts: 336 Member
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    Question: So do you put your salad on a scale, tare it and then pour on dressing so you know the weight of the dressing? I have been using a tablespoon to measure.
    Either that or I put the bottle of dressing on the scale. tare. then apply the dressing and put the bottle back on the scale. The negative number will be the weight of the dressing used.

    Thanks. The scale method sounds easier than what I have been doing with a tablespoon and a spatula :-)
  • deannam315
    deannam315 Posts: 9 Member
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    For salad dressing or any condiment, I have a little plastic dish that is very light and I just tare it and then do my condiments. Little tiny changes can save an immense amount if calories.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    pretty keen to get one once i move out in september. what ive been doing (volume measuring/estimating) is working for me but itd be nice to be able to narrow it down
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
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    I carry my food scale around with me like it's my baby. To my boyfriend's house. My mom's house. Et cetera! The only place I don't take it to is to restaurants (on the rare occasion that I happen to go to one - lol). I've been known to sleep with it under my pillow. Ok. All jokes aside. Best. Invention. Ever.
  • trapperanne
    trapperanne Posts: 76 Member
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    Yes, the scale has become my friend.
  • KimiSteinbach
    KimiSteinbach Posts: 224 Member
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    I weigh it all!!! I never did and never lost a lb. now they are coming off!!!
  • queenb39
    queenb39 Posts: 54 Member
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    Food scales are terrific. I could not do it without one. You are absolutely Right :happy:
  • FraggleRockerFitnessLover
    FraggleRockerFitnessLover Posts: 307
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    Oddly enough the way I got my food scale was as is. One of the biggest *****es in the ICU for some reason sent me a kudos card with a $25 dollar gift card, so, I purchased this. I think about her from time to time and wonder what she would think knowing that's what I purchased. She is not Heath Healthy. I noticed how much more meat you can have, I always underestimated portions with meat.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    Yep. The best tool for weight loss!! :drinker:
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,137 Member
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    Tonight I brought home a small veggie pita from Extreme Pita. I brought up the nutrition info, unwrapped the pita, and weighed it. Guess what? Not a "small" pita at 275g.

    For salad dressing, I put my salad on the scale then turn it on. When it reads zero, I add however many millilitres of dressing (depends on how big the salad is). For PB, the jar goes on the scale, turn it on, scoop out my 15g. My tare button doesn't work.
  • MarliQQ
    MarliQQ Posts: 112 Member
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    I must admit, I do not have a food scale and do understand why it would be a necessity for a lot of ppl. I however, only use measuring cups and I honestly don't plan on purchasing one, because right now even if I am over estimating it appears to not have affected my weight loss. I lost 50 pounds with my measuring cups within 6 months--which is my halfway point--so I have another 50 to go and currently at around1650 cals daily--or should I say, what I estimate to be 1650.....
  • CallMeRuPaul
    CallMeRuPaul Posts: 151 Member
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    I concur!:bigsmile:
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    Yep! When I first started I was like "LOL, I don't need a food scale, I can use measuring cups!" Turns out, I was eating nearly twice the amount of jelly as the serving and FOUR TIMES as much hummus! I'm so glad I got one, they're so cheap and oh so useful!
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I must admit, I do not have a food scale and do understand why it would be a necessity for a lot of ppl. I however, only use measuring cups and I honestly don't plan on purchasing one, because right now even if I am over estimating it appears to not have affected my weight loss. I lost 50 pounds with my measuring cups within 6 months--which is my halfway point--so I have another 50 to go and currently at around1650 cals daily--or should I say, what I estimate to be 1650.....

    As of right now, you haven't had to measure food because your deficit can be smaller and you can still lose weight. However, as you get closer to your goal weight, extra calories will start counting more and more because you'll be working with a smaller deficit. You may not need one right now, but as you approach your goal weight, you probably will.

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