Weighing food

Options
alexisstoops
alexisstoops Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hate weighing food, don't have a scale, and don't really have the time to do so in general. I usually just eyeball or use measuring cups. Is it possible to lose the intended amount of weight without weighing?
«13

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
    Options
    depends on how good you are at estimating portions. most people suck azz at it.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    It's possible but the closer you get to your goal, the more difficult it may become to lose without a food scale. Just remember, if you go weeks without losing you're not plateauting; you're eating too much.
  • SugarySweetheart
    SugarySweetheart Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    Do what works for you. Everyone has different preferences. For ACCURACY, weigh on a food scale.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    alexisstoops wrote: »
    I hate weighing food, don't have a scale, and don't really have the time to do so in general. I usually just eyeball or use measuring cups. Is it possible to lose the intended amount of weight without weighing?

    I lost the bulk of my weight without a food scale, so I won't sat it's impossible. But I did have to put up with a slower rate of loss and more frequent stalls because of it. Once I got down to about the last 15 pounds, though, nothing but a food scale worked for me. I couldn't get it done with measuring cups and eyeballing anymore. I wish I'd bought a food scale earlier. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. But your mileage may vary.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    Options
    Do it your way until you plateau, then buy a scale :smiley: and learn to love it!
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Options
    I've never weighed or measured a thing, and successfully lost all the weight I needed to lose. It's a useful tool for many people, but not strictly necessary. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit, no matter how you get there.
  • evildeadedd
    evildeadedd Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    Is it possible? Sure, likely? Not really. We are overweight because you are naturally not any good at "eyeballing" portions. The bigger you are the more room there is for logging inaccuracies. When you have 100+ to lose then eyeballing and guessing can lead to losses for a while. The trouble comes after losing 20 pounds or so 9 out of 10 people will "stall" if they are not accurate with their logging. Then they come on the forums saying calorie counting isn't working. Only to be told to be more accurate with their logging.
    I will honestly tell you I think you are wasting your time with this app of you are not willing to be accurate. Try and find one of the woo diets (Adkins, south beach, paleo, keto) that restricts your calories in a different way.
    I am morbidly obese because I am garbage at knowing what a portion of food looks like. The food scale is the only thing that keeps me in a deficit.
  • garbanzalo
    garbanzalo Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    Reduce your target calories by couple of hundred and do not eat back exercise calories. The combination will help you even if you with your guesstimation.

    Once you start tracking, if your log shows you are within your calorie deficit and you are still not losing weight, reduce the target further. If you are losing weight, you are golden.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,051 Member
    Options
    It takes me two minutes per meal to weigh and log my food. It is the only way I can manage my weight effectively.

    It was easy to lose weight when I had a lot of weight to lose, but now that I'm in my healthy weight range, I don't have room for error so it is necessary for me.
  • 1shark1bite
    1shark1bite Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    I measure all my food and do some estimating. When I'm cutting fat I eat the same thing almost everyday, Saturday night is my treat meal. If you eat the same and your not losing weight then it is easy to cut back on something to get your weigh loss started again.
  • alexisstoops
    alexisstoops Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    I don't own a scale and don't really want to buy one. It's easier for me to just use a measuring cup to scoop out whatever food I'm eating (nuts, hummus, ect). I've lost about 12 pounds in a month by doing this. 5'9, 175 starting out, 163 currently. I just didn't know if I could continue to do this as I get closer to my goal of 145/150 lbs. I've been eating about 100-200 calories less than I'm allowed to and don't eat back calories burned.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,051 Member
    Options
    Do what works for you, but to say it's too time-consuming or complicated is just not true.
  • LaceyBirds
    LaceyBirds Posts: 451 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    alexisstoops wrote: »
    I hate weighing food, don't have a scale, and don't really have the time to do so in general. I usually just eyeball or use measuring cups. Is it possible to lose the intended amount of weight without weighing?

    Not being snarky, but, if you don't have a food scale, how can you know you hate weighing food?

    Anyway, I started off thinking a scale would be a pain, but, in fact, it is easier. Example:

    (1) I am going to have a bowl of cereal. I pull a bowl and a measuring cup from the cupboard, pour the cereal into the measuring cup, then into the bowl. The measuring cup may hold a few more grams or a few less grams than 8 ounces because I have heaped it a little high or low, so not exact. I now have to wash the bowl and the measuring cup.

    or

    (2) I pull a bowl from the cupboard, put it on the scale, and pour the cereal into the bowl. The LED readout shows exactly the amount of grams/ounces in the bowl. I now have one bowl to wash.

    It's that simple for me. How do you know how much that chicken breast you are eating weighs? My eyeballing is still not great, especially with non-uniform items like ice cream (which I have eaten the entire time I've been using MFP - over a year).

    Give it a try - I think you, like me, like so many others I have read about on MFP, will find it is much easier, cleaner and quicker than using measuring cups.

    Forgot to add, I have lost 74 pounds, 53 of them since starting MFP.
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 408 Member
    Options
    You can have my food scale, when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

    But seriously, I have perfectionist tendencies. Using the scale satisfies my need to optimize my weight loss opportunities.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Options
    alexisstoops wrote: »
    I don't own a scale and don't really want to buy one. It's easier for me to just use a measuring cup to scoop out whatever food I'm eating (nuts, hummus, ect). I've lost about 12 pounds in a month by doing this. 5'9, 175 starting out, 163 currently. I just didn't know if I could continue to do this as I get closer to my goal of 145/150 lbs. I've been eating about 100-200 calories less than I'm allowed to and don't eat back calories burned.

    I'm female, 5'7" started 195, down to 145 and never weighed or measured a thing. I don't even currently log (tho I have utilized that in the past). Logging and/or weighing and measuring can be useful tools, but they are not strictly necessary. If you are getting good results without it, you can certainly continue. You may find that it becomes more difficult to lose by eyeballing as you get closer to goal, or maybe not. You'll know if your weight loss stops that you need to either start weighing or measuring more precisely, or try another strategy. Whatever you do, it's best if it's something you can do permanently. Full disclosure - I eat LCHF, which helps regulate my appetite so I lose and maintain weight without having to log/weigh/measure. It works for me and is a way of eating that makes me feel better (and cleared my chronic eczema) so I know it's something I can do for life. You have to figure out what works for you.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    Options
    So you don't have one but somehow you know that it's more difficult than using measuring cups. OK.

    Seems to me like you've made up your mind. Don't understand the point of this thread.

  • alexisstoops
    alexisstoops Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    So you don't have one but somehow you know that it's more difficult than using measuring cups. OK.

    Seems to me like you've made up your mind. Don't understand the point of this thread.



    -Like I said, I was just wondering if it was possible to continue losing weight without using a scale. You don't need to post on this thread if you are going to be negative or rude for no reason.
  • celadontea
    celadontea Posts: 335 Member
    Options
    I started using my food scale (8$ one from amazon) and it is making a world of difference. I highly recommend it.
  • quatermore
    quatermore Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    The poster was neither rude or negative; they were factual and blunt. No, you don't need a scale to lose weight. Congrats on your weight loss, keep it up! I, on the other hand, need the scale to keep me honest and accurate.

Categories