Get a scale people!

Options
kissedbythesunshine
kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started using a food scale and I am just amazed at how much food I was eating vs how much I "thought" I was eating. If you are seriously wanting to lose some weight then this is the way to go. Eyeballing it is so way off. I was one of those people who thought weighing every little thing was ridiculous and would take up too much of my time. Boy are my eyes opened now to how essential this simple and lost cost piece of equipment is to weight loss. You're welcome:)
«1

Replies

  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
    Options
    Agreed. It makes all the difference!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Truth.
  • StacyJanJ
    StacyJanJ Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    Totally agree!! I use mine all the time!!
  • heatherlewisis
    heatherlewisis Posts: 118 Member
    Options
    I use mine every day!
  • bmayes2014
    bmayes2014 Posts: 232 Member
    Options
    I just got one too because of MFP. I kept reading here that it was essential. I wasn't really that far off with my estimates prior to owning one. I was just overeating in general (completely aware that I was overeating) which was stopping my weight loss. One thing is has taught me is more about portion sizes and portion control. yaaay for scales!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Options
    kissedbythesunshine wrote: »
    I just started using a food scale and I am just amazed at how much food I was eating vs how much I "thought" I was eating. If you are seriously wanting to lose some weight then this is the way to go. Eyeballing it is so way off. I was one of those people who thought weighing every little thing was ridiculous and would take up too much of my time. Boy are my eyes opened now to how essential this simple and lost cost piece of equipment is to weight loss. You're welcome:)

    Once you're used to weighing food you'll find that it doesn't take up that much extra time. For instance instead of weighing peanut butter I put the bread on the scale, zero it out, and then add peanut butter directly to the slice of bread. There are no extra steps necessary and no extra things to clean up.
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    Yeah... It's one of many weight loss tools. If I start having issues losing weight (with the tools I already employ), I may consider it.
  • holly_roman
    holly_roman Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    I have a scale, been using it and logging everything....still stuck at the same lb for 3 weeks. *Sigh* Was an eye opener when I saw the food portions though. I used to think about 2oz of pork was 4....boy was I wrong. I could have been eating twice what I thought. I also didn't realize how LITTLE 2oz of pasta was..pasta is pretty much off my list of food items now.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    A scale is very eye-opening!

    Just be sure to pay attention to your portions and get an idea of how to eat without a scale. Don't get so hooked on it that you require a scale and computer in order to know how to eat. Use it as a crutch. It really stinks when you find that you're incapable of eating without a scale and computer, lol. I know! :)
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
    Options
    I know it sounds boring, but I pretty much eat the same meals all the time, cause I know how many calories are in them. How do you weigh your food, I mean, I've never done it. Are you talking about weighing chicken, for example, without added ingredients? Excuse the dumb question.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    rocknlotsofrolls wrote: »
    I know it sounds boring, but I pretty much eat the same meals all the time, cause I know how many calories are in them. How do you weigh your food, I mean, I've never done it. Are you talking about weighing chicken, for example, without added ingredients? Excuse the dumb question.

    The best way to tell how many calories are in a food, though, is to start with the actual quantity -- the weight. If you're eating chicken, you would weigh the chicken (as well as any added ingredients).
  • joshuajdouce
    joshuajdouce Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    Totally agree food scale has helped me start drop those last few stubborn pounds
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    I won't go so far as to say that they're essential for weight loss, but I was one of those people who thought it'd be super difficult and obsessive to use a food scale. Boy was I wrong! Personally, I actually find it faster than trying to round up a bunch of measuring cups and spoons and cram food into them. Plus there are fewer dishes to clean up afterwards. And who doesn't want to feel like a mad scientist at breakfast?
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Options
    Yes very important! I need to get a new one maybe digital. My scale is so old the tray is cracking.
  • Traveler120
    Traveler120 Posts: 712 Member
    Options
    I can't do it. Reading labels is enough for me.
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
    Options
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    And who doesn't want to feel like a mad scientist at breakfast?

    +1

  • cdudley628
    cdudley628 Posts: 547 Member
    Options
    I guess I was really surprised by some of the one serving foods I was eating and going by the labels for a bit. Then I decided to weigh and realized that if I was eating those to get me to my calorie goal, or even 100 calories under, I was most likely going over my calorie goal. Some thing are 1.03 servings, some are 1.3 servings. I rarely find food that is under the serving size on the package.
  • Bogditzy
    Bogditzy Posts: 110 Member
    Options
    I weight everything (when needed) or scan products. 100% must have if planning on loosing weight in my opinion. Got a scale at work as well ;)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    I won't go so far as to say that they're essential for weight loss, but I was one of those people who thought it'd be super difficult and obsessive to use a food scale. Boy was I wrong! Personally, I actually find it faster than trying to round up a bunch of measuring cups and spoons and cram food into them. Plus there are fewer dishes to clean up afterwards. And who doesn't want to feel like a mad scientist at breakfast?

    That's the thing that gets me, honestly.. People think it's obsessive to use a food scale. I found that it's the opposite. It gives me peace of mind, and knowing exactly how much I eat pretty much prevents all the worrying about not losing that you see every day on the boards... You weigh your food, you know you're accurate, you KNOW why you're not losing (you ate too much last week, or you didn't but then you know it's just water weight, whatever, but at least you know it's not because you're underestimating your food intake).
    cdudley628 wrote: »
    I guess I was really surprised by some of the one serving foods I was eating and going by the labels for a bit. Then I decided to weigh and realized that if I was eating those to get me to my calorie goal, or even 100 calories under, I was most likely going over my calorie goal. Some thing are 1.03 servings, some are 1.3 servings. I rarely find food that is under the serving size on the package.

    Yeah. I've eaten things that were 50-80 calories off.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,534 Member
    Options
    So, question. I don't use a food scale, and I do estimate some things (meat mostly). I've been losing at exactly the rate that MFP predicts I will, with no issues. Does this just mean that I'm really good at estimating, or is it still worth it to get a digital scale?

Categories