Weighting everything to the ounce. So discouraging.

I have a digital scale on my kitchen counter, it takes zero extra time or effort to press a button then put the food on the scale. Be sure to examine portions when you weight them, that's how you learn what an ounce of shredded cheese/meat/whatever looks like. I plan on continuing to count calories/portions after I've reached my goal until I'm absolutely convinced I've internalized portion sizes.

dcdcdcdenisedcdcdc wrote: »

I just read one blog. OMG I'm new to this forum. It's so shocking. Really, is that what you do? Weigh everything to the ounce? It's so discouraging. Diet.

So you have a choice. Continue on whatever diet you think works (which probably isn't since you've looked here), or take the steps you need to to be successful. Success isn't for everyone because they aren't WILLING to do what it takes for it to happen. If not, that's how life goes and you can either complain about non success or do what it takes to achieve it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I always thought weighing everything sounded ridiculous, too. Until I tried it, got into the swing of it, and the kilos started coming off. Now I feel bereft because I'm on a big overseas trip and I left my scale at home. Weighing is seriously easy. When it comes to meat, I weigh it as I portion it out for freezing. Everything else I weigh in the process of cooking, which is so mindlessly easy that I don't even have to think about it anymore.

I have a food scale, I initially bought it about 3-4 months ago in the midst of a two-week "stall" (which wasn't even really a stall - just a brief pause). I barely use it - really just for when I'm eating particularly calorie-dense foods like Doritos or salted peanuts. Otherwise I eyeball, has worked for me.

Gisel2015 wrote: »

RoseTheWarrior wrote: »

I honestly don't understand people's issues with weighing/measuring and logging. This takes me maybe 5 minutes in an entire day. The app makes this so easy. For weighing, put your plate on the scale. Tare, add food. Tare, add food, tare add food. Eat. Once you have better visual ques to what an appropriate portion looks like, you can get rid of the scale if you don't want to use it, and bring it back out if your weight starts to creep up again.

Many years ago, I lost a bunch of weight. But then I stalled about 25 lbs from my ultimate goal. I know now it's because I did not have an awesome tool like this app. I weighed food, but had no easy way to get calorie info, or to track everything efficiently. I honestly KNOW now I'll reach my ultimate goal weight this time, thanks to my food scale and this app. I've lost 58 lbs since Sep 1/15, so I'm sure it works

Well it doesn't work that way for everybody. I have been doing it for almost 6 years and I still find it annoying and time consuming. I don't use the app, so I have to weight everything, log it in a piece of paper and then when I have the time enter it in the database. I am a PC person, I don't do apps.

And it takes more than 5 minutes in an entire day unless you eat only one meal. I cook three meals a day for me and my husband, so yes it is time consuming, especially if you have a lot of ingredients to weigh (big salads anyone?), or if you are preparing a big recipe, or if you are using new ingredients that you have to look for in the database (and sometimes are not there so you have to manually enter them).

So happy that it works fine for you, but I honestly don't understand why some people don't understand that others do have issues with weighing/measuring and logging.

I use a pc too and once you add recipes they are always there,as for entries you have to enter yourself.most of the time they will stay on your list of foods,especially if you eat those foods often so it takes less time that way.

Gisel2015 wrote: »

@CharlieBeansmomTracey

Yes, I know but I change my recipes all the time, as I add, delete, replace items and/or change the amounts, and I also change the foods that eat daily. I have a problem with people saying that it takes 5 minutes a day to weigh and log the food, unless you eat the same thing all the time and in the same amounts. It doesn't work that way for many people, and certainly not for me.

I dont eat the same thing all the time and I too tweak my recipes from time to time. It doesnt take me that long to weigh food,Ive been doing it almost 2 years though too so that may be the difference.once you weigh foods sometimes it makes it easier to eyeball a portion,but not always.the only way it takes me a little more time is if Im having or making a big meal. I just weigh and write everything down,then I enter it into MFP.it really doesnt take much time. now when you come to a entry that isnt correct I just look for another one that is. if none of them are I will take the one that is closest and edit it(you can do that unless it has a green check mark),and enter the proper info. makes it a lot easier that way too. It should not take a long time to weigh food,once you get the hang of it its actually a lot quicker.not to mention weighing food is more accurate and with so little left to lose i have to be as accurate as I can. that can be the difference between losing and a plateau or even gaining weight

xbowhunter wrote: »

I don't own a food scale. I will probably get beat up for that... LOL

I estimate the best that I can & it's working. I have 5lbs more to go to get to my goal. If I happen to stall I may have to spring for one but for now I refuse to weigh my food...

I use measuring cups and my eyeballs and lose about 2-3 lb per week, so yes, it's doable.

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

@CharlieBeansmomTracey

Yes, I know but I change my recipes all the time, as I add, delete, replace items and/or change the amounts, and I also change the foods that eat daily. I have a problem with people saying that it takes 5 minutes a day to weigh and log the food, unless you eat the same thing all the time and in the same amounts. It doesn't work that way for many people, and certainly not for me.

I dont eat the same thing all the time and I too tweak my recipes from time to time. It doesnt take me that long to weigh food,Ive been doing it almost 2 years though too so that may be the difference.once you weigh foods sometimes it makes it easier to eyeball a portion,but not always.the only way it takes me a little more time is if Im having or making a big meal. I just weigh and write everything down,then I enter it into MFP.it really doesnt take much time. now when you come to a entry that isnt correct I just look for another one that is. if none of them are I will take the one that is closest and edit it(you can do that unless it has a green check mark),and enter the proper info. makes it a lot easier that way too. It should not take a long time to weigh food,once you get the hang of it its actually a lot quicker.not to mention weighing food is more accurate and with so little left to lose i have to be as accurate as I can. that can be the difference between losing and a plateau or even gaining weight

Thank you for your ideas; I have been doing this for 6 years and in maintenance for 5 and half years, so I know all the tricks.

I lost my weight (14 lbs) without at scale, I just use one for the macros. I still don't like it and find it annoying, so I take breaks quite often.

triciatichu wrote: »

I feel conflicted. My first response is that weighing all of my food would be a really good way to chase me away from a diet. It would be tedious and soul-sucking. But, looking at the comparison of the almonds and how much 28 grams differed from a 1/4 cup makes me wonder. I don't own a scale, but I may compromise and purchase one to match my measurements against the weight.

Do you have any issue with measuring things when you make a recipe? Is that soul sucking and tedious? If not, then frankly it is not really that different weighing your food. If it is, well, then do the best you can with eyeballing and other measuring options. It can be done, the thing is, if you stall, then you know that the first place people will look is logging issue which a scale greatly reduces.

KnM0107 wrote: »

I have never owned a good scale and now that I am in maintenance, I rarely log at all.

I had to work through a lot of issues with ocd just to be able to log while I was losing. For me, adding in weighing all my food would have been detrimental to my success mentally. I understand why people use a food scale and I even understand how people could even like it. I just wish people could understand my side of it. Oh well, I am at goal so it doesn't really matter who gets it.

Op: Do what you need to do for your own mental and physical well being. Scales are very beneficial to some and the most accurate way to judge intake, but you don't have to use one to be successful.

I get it! I think it's awesome you had success without weighing your food.