Food scales - Too lazy?

imnotyourpal
imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I am.

I usually estimate the foods I need to (and always over-estimate, just to be safe). Am I the only one not willing to weigh everything?

Also, is it bad that I over-estimate to err on the side of caution? I don't think the calories that may not actually exist will result in me eating too little to lose. I never have a huge deficit over my normal 500.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
    Lord Kelvin one said "to measure is to know". If you don't want to know, keep estimating
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
    As long as I'm not under-estimating, I really don't care to know. Just wondering if there is anyone else not willing to be so extreme.

    Also curious about the calories I'm logging that might not actually exist with the "safe" over-estimates.
  • frenchielover
    frenchielover Posts: 44
    There are a lot of people that do measure everything. Personally, I don't. Never have, never will. There are many visuals that you can use to get really close to the exact ounce. A deck of cards, the size of your fist....etc. I personally think its nuts and not needed. What....are you going to go to a bbq at a friends house or out to eat at a fancy restaurant and whip a food scale out of your purse? No! Or at least...I hope not. The stares would be hilarious........

    So many items have the nutritional value on them anyways....its almost impossible to go miscalculate.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I'll weigh things every once in a while to double check but 99% of the time, guesstimating/eye-balling works for me! My approach to this weight loss/fitness journey this time around is to live every day like I would for the rest of my life and not take it so seriously that I'll end up failing like I have in the past because it's too restrictive. And weighing/measuring every bit of food is not something I want to do now or anytime in the future...
  • SUSANB37
    SUSANB37 Posts: 61 Member
    I try to weigh my foods because I'm still new at this and not always sure I'm "eyeballing" accurately. But I know that I won't be measuring forever.
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    I don't measure EVERYTHING, but I do weight certain things (especially meats). I also use measuring cups for portions. Portion control is a huge struggle for me, so weighing and measuring is very important to me, personally.
  • vegout2
    vegout2 Posts: 14
    I weight calorie dense foods every so often so that I keep my perspective of what is a sensible amount, other than that I go by portion size and keep and eye on the processed foods as they are often packed full of hidden fats and sugars. so long as I continue to have a slow sustained weight loss then I'm happy
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    There are a lot of people that do measure everything. Personally, I don't. Never have, never will. There are many visuals that you can use to get really close to the exact ounce. A deck of cards, the size of your fist....etc. I personally think its nuts and not needed. What....are you going to go to a bbq at a friends house or out to eat at a fancy restaurant and whip a food scale out of your purse? No! Or at least...I hope not. The stares would be hilarious........

    So many items have the nutritional value on them anyways....its almost impossible to go miscalculate.
    Uh, no. Measuring and weighing at home makes it so that you learn what portions are correct so that you CAN accurately eyeball things when you are out and about.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I can easily eyeball somethings and be near spot-on, such as pasta, rice, and meats. Other things I have to measure because I always underestimate-this is especially true for oils and cereals for some reason. If you don't want to weigh things and it is working for you, then keep doing what you are doing. I tried eyeballing in the past and it eventually made me 30 pounds overweight, so I think I'll stick with weighing. ;)
  • Jenscan
    Jenscan Posts: 694 Member
    I'm an eyeballer. I measure, but don't weigh. Everyone's going to have a different answer for this question, and there is no right or wrong.
  • Teeladog
    Teeladog Posts: 157 Member
    I weigh and measure periodically. At this point, for example, I know what a cup of cereal is by how much it fills up my bowl and I know how many slices are in an ounce of cheese. I think you need to measure occasionally to keep everything "honest" but I don't obsess about it. I know where to fill up my bowl to get a cup of soup so I am not going to measure it every time.

    Of course, I am about to change my dishes so I am going to have to remeasure everything again...
  • frenchielover
    frenchielover Posts: 44
    LOL Pitt.....relax.
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    I don't bother and have come from 237 lbs without weighing and measuring things.

    I may have had a certain guide like measuring once in a certain bowl and marking visually by where the oatmeal came up to the flowers in the bowl or whatever...but weighing and measuring is not realistically real life and long term stuff.

    Do you think I am going to go to Applebees and bring my food scale or measuring cups or whatever and look like some diet dork? NO...what I am going to do is make smarter healthier choices and maybe even look at the online nutritional menu before I head out the door or just wing it and make good decisions and even if I don't I have to live with it and make up for it later on down the line with less the next day or some extra exercise the next day.

    I really cannot be bothered.
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    Uh, no. Measuring and weighing at home makes it so that you learn what portions are correct so that you CAN accurately eyeball things when you are out and about.

    At home foods are not hidden with tons of extras like sodium or sauces or sugars so even if you measure at home and take that knowledge to a night out to what end?????

    Being able to eyeball 1T or 1 cup worth of something at home or out is not the same if there is different ingredients or additives in it anyway.
  • My3Rayz
    My3Rayz Posts: 373
    bet you didn't know ppl were gonna throw down over this topic huh?!?!?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Are you making progress or not? If you are, then you're probably fine. If you're not and you want to try to zero in on the issue, you might benefit from weighing everything.
  • choughton01
    choughton01 Posts: 68 Member
    how do you comment on quote
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
    bet you didn't know ppl were gonna throw down over this topic huh?!?!?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    ::cackle!!::

    I'm not new to losing weight. I dropped 75 pounds before and am looking to lose another 40. I didn't count calories or weigh anything the first time around....just worked out religiously and ate small amounts of healthy things.

    Taso 42's answer was the best, I think (and I'll let ya know, I just joined MFP a week ago, maybe less). I was just curious about others here.

    ETA - I have, however, always been an estimator of portions since I'm very familiar with the foods I eat (not a huge variety).
  • VanessaFaith
    VanessaFaith Posts: 171 Member
    how do you comment on quote

    Click on quote and type in your comment :-)
  • monkeysmum
    monkeysmum Posts: 522 Member
    i did measure some things when i first started and i was very surprised how little pasta was in a portion and how a fairly big potato baked was only 300g now i just eyeball and usually aim for less than i think to be on safe side and i avoid pasta and rice as i really cannot stick to 1 portion i love them too much they are treat foods for me

    as long as it works for you do it however you prefer they is no right or wrong
  • Soccer_Chick
    Soccer_Chick Posts: 204 Member
    Wow! This is so exciting! I am going straight to Target after work to buy a food scale. I always suspected that I needed one, I think my estimator is way off. Can't wait!!
  • monkeefun
    monkeefun Posts: 271 Member
    Hubby just bought me a food scale last week! :) I've been estimating and trying to eye ball things right along, which is fine, but I want to KNOW that I'm accurate in my counts. I'm not paranoid about it - if we go out or go to a friends' house or what have you, estimating is fine for me. But for when I'm eating at home, even measuring out a cup of cottage cheese or anything, I want to KNOW I'm eating the right amount. I feel better about it that way, rather than over or underestimating everything all the time! :)
  • enchanted428
    enchanted428 Posts: 8
    weighing my food has definitely taught me a lesson on food portion. you could always just stare at a deck of cards and HOPE its right but wouldn't you feel better knowing your eating the right size/portion? Also, if you read the back of a cereal box it will say '3/4 cups OR 42 grams will equal 3 grams of fat and 100 calories' WELL if you measure it in a cup and then weigh it you will see weighing is MUCH more accurate!
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    Uh, no. Measuring and weighing at home makes it so that you learn what portions are correct so that you CAN accurately eyeball things when you are out and about.

    At home foods are not hidden with tons of extras like sodium or sauces or sugars so even if you measure at home and take that knowledge to a night out to what end?????

    Being able to eyeball 1T or 1 cup worth of something at home or out is not the same if there is different ingredients or additives in it anyway.
    Obviously. I never said I thought what i ate out is the exact same as what I eat at home. But knowing what a cup looks like, and knowing what 4ozs looks like helps me to eat the correct amounts of foods when I am out instead of eating an entire plate of crap.

    Hey, if not measuring works for people, great. Everyone needs to do what works for them. But measuring things at home is certainly not "crazy".
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    LOL Pitt.....relax.
    Well, you probably shouldn't call people crazy for doing things that work for them. Just a suggestion.
  • tammykoon
    tammykoon Posts: 298 Member
    I have to weigh and measure. I am still learning what a "real" portion size is. When you go from eating half of a 16 inch pizza to 3 oz. of chicken that's quite a change! But, if your system is working for you then stick to it! Someday I may trust my eye to tell me, but that's not going to be anytime soon.
  • Brandon74
    Brandon74 Posts: 453 Member
    I just now started to weigh and measure my food out, after not doing it at all. I was eyeballing it, or just being lazy and not doing it. I haven't really lost much more weight in a long time, and so I needed to do something. It actually makes me feel like I am more committed to weight loss and fitness now by doing it.
  • frenchielover
    frenchielover Posts: 44
    LOL Pitt.....relax.
    Well, you probably shouldn't call people crazy for doing things that work for them. Just a suggestion.

    Wow Pitt...I believe I said it would be nuts to whip out a food scale at a fancy restaurant, not that you, Pitt, are nuts, or anyone else for that matter. Its a matter of opinion and I do believe I, like everyone else, am entitled to mine and can share it freely. It would probably be best for you and I to end this conversation as general comments are clearly highly offensive to you.
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
    There are a lot of people that do measure everything. Personally, I don't. Never have, never will. There are many visuals that you can use to get really close to the exact ounce. A deck of cards, the size of your fist....etc. I personally think its nuts and not needed. What....are you going to go to a bbq at a friends house or out to eat at a fancy restaurant and whip a food scale out of your purse? No! Or at least...I hope not. The stares would be hilarious........

    So many items have the nutritional value on them anyways....its almost impossible to go miscalculate.
    Uh, no. Measuring and weighing at home makes it so that you learn what portions are correct so that you CAN accurately eyeball things when you are out and about.
    Sorry, you didn't call it crazy, you called it nuts. "There are a lot of people that do measure everything. Personally, I don't. Never have, never will. There are many visuals that you can use to get really close to the exact ounce. A deck of cards, the size of your fist....etc. I personally think its nuts and not needed.

    Look, I am not offended, I am just saying that you may want to watch what you say about what works for oether people. If you don't want to measure and estimating all the time works for you, that is awesome. I just don't think measuring my portions at home is nuts.
  • l3ugjuice
    l3ugjuice Posts: 233
    I am.

    I usually estimate the foods I need to (and always over-estimate, just to be safe). Am I the only one not willing to weigh everything?

    Also, is it bad that I over-estimate to err on the side of caution? I don't think the calories that may not actually exist will result in me eating too little to lose. I never have a huge deficit over my normal 500.

    Thoughts?

    I started out measuring and weighing everything, but now I just basically estimate it. For the time being, that's working out fine for me. If/when my weight loss becomes less regular, I'll revisit this decision.
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