Food Scales, do you have one?

gailygail99
gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
I have a food scale and would DIE without it! I bought one the first week i started using MFP. I got in on Amazon for $25 and it is a life saver. I didnt know what a "serving" was before I had my scale. If a serving is 15grams, I will weigh out 15grams. No exceptions or guestimates. If I am going to eat some strawberries and you can put it in as "2 large" or by the ounce, I will throw those bad boys right on that scale and weigh 'em up!!

Just wanted to see who else has a food scale and if you love it as much as I do.
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Replies

  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
    I just got one!
  • ickybella
    ickybella Posts: 1,438 Member
    I have one! We got ours for 10 pounds and I had a slight panic attack when the battery died, haha! I ended up stocking up on scale batteries, just so I'd never have to deal with that again. I weigh everything. It makes people think I'm obsessive and maybe I am, but it's been working for me.
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    it works for me too. i weigh everything too! haha. i hope my battery never dies! i never thought about that. yikes, now i'm scared! lol :cry:
  • Gary1977
    Gary1977 Posts: 804 Member
    I don't have one yet, but plan to on my next payday. I'm tired of the guess work and tbh it makes me a little paranoid.:grumble:
  • allanaaron
    allanaaron Posts: 43 Member
    I lost 120 lbs using my scale to weigh and cups and such to measure. I stopped doing it, because I got so good eyeballing food weights, so what happened? I gained 80 lbs back. Now that I found Myfitnesspal I'm back on track, weighing with my lovely scale and starting to lose again. I love my scale.
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    I don't have one yet, but plan to on my next payday. I'm tired of the guess work and tbh it makes me a little paranoid.:grumble:

    oh it will help so much. i would never know a true serving without it. it really makes a difference. good luck to you! :wink:
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    I lost 120 lbs using my scale to weigh and cups and such to measure. I stopped doing it, because I got so good eyeballing food weights, so what happened? I gained 80 lbs back. Now that I found Myfitnesspal I'm back on track, weighing with my lovely scale and starting to lose again. I love my scale.

    i hear ya!! glad youre back on track with your scale. i love my scale and my measuring cups and spoons. i almost want to carry my tablespoon in my purse! ha ha! :laugh:
  • rachypompa
    rachypompa Posts: 653 Member
    I weigh every morsel too, my hubby rolls his eyes, when I plod over to the dinner table with my scales to weigh everything out, I am a bit obsessive but it works for me ...!
  • SquishyVicki
    SquishyVicki Posts: 280 Member
    I use mine everyday and could not live without them!! I did a little experiment and tried to 'weigh' food without them - e.g. guessing what 30g of porridge oats are and I was wrong every time and always over....no wonder I wasn't loosing an weight!! :smile:
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
    When I first started I borrowed my sons scale as he had done the HCG diet and you have to have a scale. I ordered one for myself when after a month he decided to do the diet again and wanted his scale back.. I tried to call him an indian giver and say mommy NEEDS her scale.. Instead I ordered him a new one!!! Can't be without my scale!!


    url=http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker]4925355.png[/url]
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • meggiemaye
    meggiemaye Posts: 117
    Hey all! I'm considering purchasing on at Bed Bath & Beyond but I wasn't sure what the point is...it seems to me like a lot of foods say, you know, "One cup" or whatever as the measurement, and then you're going to have to put it in a measuring cup to weigh it anyway, so when does it really get used? I can't remember ever seeing something that was a serving by the gram! I'd love some examples. :happy:
  • teebeegeebee
    teebeegeebee Posts: 218 Member
    yes we do

    the scary thing is what is a portion when you compare that to a percieved portion

    now i weigh most things out and then use them as a reality check to ask myself do i need to eat it ?
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    Hey all! I'm considering purchasing on at Bed Bath & Beyond but I wasn't sure what the point is...it seems to me like a lot of foods say, you know, "One cup" or whatever as the measurement, and then you're going to have to put it in a measuring cup to weigh it anyway, so when does it really get used? I can't remember ever seeing something that was a serving by the gram! I'd love some examples. :happy:

    everything will show grams on it just about. it might say that a serving is 1/2 cup but it will also show you the equivalent in grams. what if it is something big or long or just wont fit into a cup.

    or what if it is a chicken breast and you want 3 ounces and you have a chicken breast and you THINK that it is 3 ounces. you put it on the scale and it's 5 ounces, so you almost have 2 whole servings.

    i am telling you, it makes a HUGE difference.

    i weighed out 2 ounces of dry pasta yesterday. i put a glass on the scale and then hit the tare button, i had it on ounces as well. i put my spaghetti in it untill it showed me 2 ounces, and let me tell you, it was not a lot.

    you will be surprised as to what a serving really is.
  • meggiemaye
    meggiemaye Posts: 117
    Sunds great! I'm really excited now. :smile:
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    Scales are definitely useful, not just for dieting but for consistent amounts when cooking.

    I ignore what the manufacturer says is a 'serving'. If they are in a 'health' war with competitors, one will use a smaller serving just to claim lower calories.

    That's why I found the 'per 100g' more useful than the 'per 37g' or 'per 1/3 cup' serving. I control my portions but weigh everything and calculate the calories.
  • celticcat63
    celticcat63 Posts: 8 Member
    We got our first scale 4 years ago when my husband found out he was diabetic. I got complacent about weighing things and thought I was good at eyeballing amounts. Man was I wrong! We both began gaining, now our scale goes to the table for dinner every night, I utilized it when cooking and when we make our breakfasts and lunches as well. I even take it when we are traveling along with measuring spoons and cups. I don't go as far as taking it into restraunts but use it the rest of the time.

    I have found it very useful when cooking as well. I have never been a by the recipie girl. But now I do measure and write down what I am putting into recipies. This helps when I put them in the reicpie tool to calculate calories, etc. per serving. Like so many have said I am a little obsessive but that's ok.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    I have this food scale: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

    I use it for everything except salad dressing and other liquids.

    It's especially useful for things that are not shaped evenly so cup measures are not very accurate.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    luckily i have a few digital scales that are usually used for weighing out medicinal items. I think i will start using them for food now. just wish they were a little bigger
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Digital food scales are a must! I love mine, I'm a soapmaker so I originally bought it for weighing my oils and lye but it's a great multitasker!
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    I have this food scale: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

    I use it for everything except salad dressing and other liquids.

    It's especially useful for things that are not shaped evenly so cup measures are not very accurate.

    i have the same one in red! :happy:
  • fpueblo
    fpueblo Posts: 241 Member
    I have one I just wish it were digital I keep thinking I'm either not getting enough or getting too much of a serving
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    I have one I just wish it were digital I keep thinking I'm either not getting enough or getting too much of a serving

    digital is def the way to go. i got mine on Amazon.com and it was only $25
  • westcoastSW
    westcoastSW Posts: 320 Member
    Mine (non-digital) was $6 + shipping ($8 total) on Amazon -- best investment I've ever made! I just keep it on the counter above the kitchen sink and weigh anything that I'm not already sure on the calories for. Fruit, meat, pasta, granola, and snack things like peanuts or almonds are things that I weigh daily.

    Highly recommend :smile:
  • Thexplodingirl
    Thexplodingirl Posts: 80
    It's a MUST in my Ppbook. I wish they had one discreet enough to sneak into a restaurant with me.sure there's apps, but what do you eat that is smaller than your phone (that isn't already pre packaged) anyway?
  • shellybeelee
    shellybeelee Posts: 64
    I have one.. i am so obsessed with it lol I have to weigh everything out. Most of the time I actually end up with more food then I would have 'eyeballed'.... unless its something that I really like lol
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I have had my food scales for years now and I'd be lost without them!

    Granted that before signing up here all I used to use them for was to weigh my ingredients when I was baking!!!

    Now I use them to weigh my evening portion of carbs so I don't have too huge a portion...
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    Hey all! I'm considering purchasing on at Bed Bath & Beyond but I wasn't sure what the point is...it seems to me like a lot of foods say, you know, "One cup" or whatever as the measurement, and then you're going to have to put it in a measuring cup to weigh it anyway, so when does it really get used? I can't remember ever seeing something that was a serving by the gram! I'd love some examples. :happy:

    If you look right next to the 1 cup in parenthesis there is the grams. You would rather weigh grams because I've notice that the cups are usually off the mark. Example I've found: Sometimes the cup serving is 1/4 but when you weigh it out in grams it actually equals 1/3 cup. Strange but I've seen it.

    If I've counted the calories as consume I would to really have eaten them.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Yes and I have learned a few things along the way.

    My eyes are bigger than my stomach. I think I want a full plate of pasta, but when I measure it out it is always MORE than enough.

    I usually under guestimate the amount of food, which is just as bad as over estimating.

    When I measure I use the grams on some things. Like when it says "1 slice" or 1/2 cup........it usually has the G next to it, so I will change my digital scale (which I picked up at Ross for $8) and use that number. I have increased the food I get to eat sometimes with this process.

    Good luck!:flowerforyou:
  • capricorn144
    capricorn144 Posts: 335 Member
    I lost 120 lbs using my scale to weigh and cups and such to measure. I stopped doing it, because I got so good eyeballing food weights, so what happened? I gained 80 lbs back. Now that I found Myfitnesspal I'm back on track, weighing with my lovely scale and starting to lose again. I love my scale.

    This is one if not THE most important things to do to NEVER have to start over again.

    It has been my downfall each time I have reached Goal Weight and NEVER maintained.
    I can't say it to myself enough. You have to stay on top of portion sizes or you go back to square one and do it all again!

    thanks for the reminder! This is a most important tool!:smile:
  • niknak0508
    niknak0508 Posts: 425 Member
    I had my boyfriend get a food scale for me for my birthday coming up, lol. I am so excited about it. I am confident it will help me to lose weight and eat well portioned meals. Thankfully, he is extremely supportive and is going to allow me to help portion his meals also! It will be interesting to see how that adds to the daily tracking of calories and exercise! I can't wait!
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