Just got smacked across the face!!!!

Isakizza
Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Wow! :noway:

So I just recently bought a food scale and used it for the first time yesterday. OMG... reality check!!!! I've been overeating on eggs, avocados, nuts, chips, and who knows what else!

I was able to lose 60+ lbs with using measuring cups/spoons and eyeballing portions along with exercise. It worked very well for me in the beginning. However this year my weight loss has stalled and I just couldn't figure out why. I was stubborn to buy a food scale thinking I knew my portions. Soo wrong!
Now that I can be more accurate with my portions, I hope this will help push me towards my goal!!!

Have you experienced this?
Did you noticed a difference in weight loss once you started using a food scale?



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Replies

  • arnold824
    arnold824 Posts: 52
    Wow! :noway:

    So I just recently bought a food scale and used it for the first time yesterday. OMG... reality check!!!! I've been overeating on eggs, avocados, nuts, chips, and who knows what else!

    I was able to lose 60+ lbs with using measuring cups/spoons and eyeballing portions along with exercise. It worked very well for me in the beginning. However this year my weight loss has stalled and I just couldn't figure out why. I was stubborn to buy a food scale thinking I knew my portions. Soo wrong!
    Now that I can be more accurate with my portions, I hope this will help push me towards my goal!!!

    Have you experienced this?
    Did you noticed a difference in weight loss once you started using a food scale?

    21525558.png

    I'm new to this site but yeah I did notice difference when I measure the food I eat, when I don't use scales and just estimate what the right portion would be, I would end up thinking a little more, a little more and end up with 1.5x the portion I need
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    Yes. The first few weeks I did without one. The week after I got one I lost nearly 3lbs. Lol the weight has been coming off at a much faster clip now that I have been weighing my food. I still use measuring spoons, but will tare them on the scale to get accurate amounts.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Yep - there were things I was over on, but others that I found I could have more of when I used the scale for a more accurate measurement. Either way, it's win win for being more accurate and getting closer to you goals! :smile:
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Not really. Some things have a few more calories when weighed, but others had less. None of it was a huge difference for me.

    A lot of people have had your experience, though. :)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    It's a great tool for a reality check, for sure. I don't use mine much. I prefer to just pick the largest egg in the dropdown, the largest banana, and use visual estimations (deck of cards, finger, tennis ball, etc.) for most things. I know I'm underestimating but that's ok. If I'm not happy with my losses I can aim for a lower number or break out the scale again for another reality check.
  • catsmeat
    catsmeat Posts: 11 Member
    Weighing portions on an accurate scale, for my money, is the only way to go. Some people do ok with eyeballing, but for those folks who "mysteriously" plateau or can't seem to lose, this is the answer.

    Some things I weigh every time, like yoghurt in a bowl because it's easy to put the bowl on the scale and spoon your yoghurt into it. Other things I only have to weigh once if the amount used is consistent, e.g. if a cup of cooked, ground turkey is always x grams, I can just use the cup without the scale afterwards.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Yes I also noticed this when I first started weighing.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I like to know what I am eating and in what amounts.
  • cecesquats
    cecesquats Posts: 166 Member
    i've lost almost 20 pounds so far without exercising and it would have been impossible without measuring my food :)
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Yes. The first few weeks I did without one. The week after I got one I lost nearly 3lbs. Lol the weight has been coming off at a much faster clip now that I have been weighing my food. I still use measuring spoons, but will tare them on the scale to get accurate amounts.

    Awesome!
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Yep - there were things I was over on, but others that I found I could have more of when I used the scale for a more accurate measurement. Either way, it's win win for being more accurate and getting closer to you goals! :smile:

    Yeah I noticed that when it came to my apples, I could've had two instead of the one I was assuming was correct.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Not really. Some things have a few more calories when weighed, but others had less. None of it was a huge difference for me.

    A lot of people have had your experience, though. :)

    I guess everyone finds what works best for them. I'm thinking I'll give a good two weeks and see if I truly see a difference.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Weighing portions on an accurate scale, for my money, is the only way to go. Some people do ok with eyeballing, but for those folks who "mysteriously" plateau or can't seem to lose, this is the answer.

    Some things I weigh every time, like yoghurt in a bowl because it's easy to put the bowl on the scale and spoon your yoghurt into it. Other things I only have to weigh once if the amount used is consistent, e.g. if a cup of cooked, ground turkey is always x grams, I can just use the cup without the scale afterwards.

    Exactly! I have "plateaued" but now I'm thinking it wasn't really a plateau. I just need a better way of measuring my portions.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    It does seem a little anal to weigh all my food. My husband thinks I'm ridiculous! But I'm thinking I may only need to do this for a while so I can get used to what my portions should be.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    If you do a little surfing, you'll find lots of references to research studies that show overweight folks tend to underestimate our food intake. So you are not alone, you are "normal." That's why we MUST weigh and measure and recheck ourselves periodically.
  • lighteningjeanne855
    lighteningjeanne855 Posts: 566 Member
    It does seem a little anal to weigh all my food. My husband thinks I'm ridiculous! But I'm thinking I may only need to do this for a while so I can get used to what my portions should be.

    Don't let his comments deter you.
    Eventually, he will appreciate the results of your dedication!

    Best Wishes!
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    I use to weigh my cheese. Now I am pretty good at eyeballing it. I don't think it is ridiculous. We have to do what we have to do. I also weigh spaghetti noodles. Anything that is a trigger food.
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    Mostly use the scale for things that are hard to measure. Especially the high calorie things.

    Peanut butter.
    Salad dressing.
    ice-cream
    Anything from a jar or bottle.


    Just put the jar on there and subtract the amount of one serving (or how many I'm having). Then keep taking little bits out until it hits the right number.

    I was actually using LESS peanut butter before using the scale, because I didn't want to go over.
  • divediva2
    divediva2 Posts: 297 Member
    I use mine daily and I have trained my hubby to weigh my portions when he is cooking. I am pretty uptight about numbers so weighing makes sense to me.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    I'm not surprised but I actually found I was overestimating.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Mostly use the scale for things that are hard to measure. Especially the high calorie things.

    Peanut butter.
    Salad dressing.
    ice-cream
    Anything from a jar or bottle.


    Just put the jar on there and subtract the amount of one serving (or how many I'm having). Then keep taking little bits out until it hits the right number.

    I was actually using LESS peanut butter before using the scale, because I didn't want to go over.

    Didn't even think of putting the jar on the scale and spooning out what I need!!!! Thanks!
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    Right around 80% of people underestimate how much they eat. I completely underestimated how much I ate until I started using a food scale. The 8 ounce chicken breast suddenly turned into 13, the 1/2 cup ice cream was actually 2 servings in gram weight, and OMG did I overeat cereal.

    So yes, I got smacked as well.
  • amysmeyer
    amysmeyer Posts: 3 Member
    Absolutely LOVE my scale and spoons/cups etc.! It had been a huge eye opener in the beginning - Now, it's second nature and often I stop before I get to the "serving" size because it looks like enough; I don't need the full serving of some foods. I have a little more to go, but the other thing that has helped me was having step-goals. Instead of aiming for fifty pounds and many inches to go; I've made interim goals. Just six pounds to my next level and four dress sizes gone!
  • amysmeyer
    amysmeyer Posts: 3 Member
    Absolutely LOVE my scale and spoons/cups etc.! It had been a huge eye opener in the beginning - Now, it's second nature and often I stop before I get to the "serving" size because it looks like enough; I don't need the full serving of some foods. I have a little more to go, but the other thing that has helped me was having step-goals. Instead of aiming for fifty pounds and many inches to go; I've made interim goals. Just six pounds to my next level and four dress sizes gone!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Oh, most definitely. Congratulations on coming to terms with one of the most important learning moments you can have when it comes to weight loss.
  • tinwaleet
    tinwaleet Posts: 16 Member
    Oh yes same experience when I started with the balance was so shocked by what is really 2 oz of spaguetti (dry), was such a reality check :O))) Glad you did your post may help others too.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Right around 80% of people underestimate how much they eat. I completely underestimated how much I ate until I started using a food scale. The 8 ounce chicken breast suddenly turned into 13, the 1/2 cup ice cream was actually 2 servings in gram weight, and OMG did I overeat cereal.

    So yes, I got smacked as well.

    lol... my "4 oz" serving of chicken breast was actually about 7!
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    So just finished weighing my last meal of the day.... I WAS overeating!!!!
    I'm starrrvin' right about now, lol.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    So just finished weighing my last meal of the day.... I WAS overeating!!!!
    I'm starrrvin' right about now, lol.

    Here's where the benefit comes in. You'll actually know how much/little you're eating and can accurately adjust your calories north a bit if you need to. If you were seriously doubling your portions before and were "plateaued" or maintaining, then you may be able to start losing by simply dropping 500 calories from where you (really) were before. I'm not sure I'm clear here though.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    So just finished weighing my last meal of the day.... I WAS overeating!!!!
    I'm starrrvin' right about now, lol.

    Here's where the benefit comes in. You'll actually know how much/little you're eating and can accurately adjust your calories north a bit if you need to. If you were seriously doubling your portions before and were "plateaued" or maintaining, then you may be able to start losing by simply dropping 500 calories from where you (really) were before. I'm not sure I'm clear here though.

    Okay I get that. I'm gonna do a little math and see just how much I might have been eating before to get an idea of what my intake actually was pre-weighing.

    I have been maintaining all year.

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