measuring without a scale

sammy_c_read
sammy_c_read Posts: 22 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
how would y'all go about measuring without a scale? like maybe using your hand? sometimes we don't have access to a scale and it makes it hard to determine things

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Don't fill measuring cups and spoons to the top and If you are not losing, fill them even less.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Doesn't sound like measuring.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    edited May 2016
    I actually tried that this morning just to see what would happen. I always see people say how they only eat a "handful" of nuts, so I put what I thought was one serving of almonds (28g) into my hand and it actually ended up being 14g. Hand sizes can help, but someone with far bigger hands than I have would have ended up with a lot more almonds. I forgot where I read this, but it was something along the lines of:
    • A fist/cupped hand for cereal, vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice, etc.
    • Palm for meat.
    • Tip of thumb for a teaspoon of peanut butter or oils.
    • Handful for nuts, chips, pretzels, candy, and other snack foods.

    Note: I cannot account for the accuracy of this and use my food scale for everything.
  • freakymistkd
    freakymistkd Posts: 586 Member
    It's a pretty big eye opener if you go from measuring by sight to using a scale. I found that that one serve of cereal I was thinking I was having actually turned out to be 1.5 - 2 serves when I weighed it. And I found that to be the case with almost everything I ate
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
    synacious wrote: »
    I actually tried that this morning just to see what would happen. I always see people say how they only eat a "handful" of nuts, so I put what I thought was one serving of almonds (28g) into my hand and it actually ended up being 14g. Hand sizes can help, but someone with far bigger hands than I have would have ended up with a lot more almonds. I forgot where I read this, but it was something along the lines of:
    • A fist/cupped hand for cereal, vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice, etc.
    • Palm for meat.
    • Tip of thumb for a teaspoon of peanut butter or oils.
    • Handful for nuts, chips, pretzels, candy, and other snack foods.

    Note: I cannot account for the accuracy of this and use my food scale for everything.

    I'm one of those people where if I went by that hand guesstimating, I would be extremely over calories. :neutral: I have very large hands for a 5'5 female.
  • fraserkr
    fraserkr Posts: 110 Member
    scjamieson644 wrote: »
    how would y'all go about measuring without a scale? like maybe using your hand? sometimes we don't have access to a scale and it makes it hard to determine things

    what kind of situations are you thinking about? eating at a restaurant? at a party? I think the general idea is that we learn how much food is in a serving of our favorite foods and over time you can eyeball it. But I still measure or weigh foods when I am disciplined about tracking calories.
  • fraserkr
    fraserkr Posts: 110 Member
    RosieRose7673 wrote: »
    synacious wrote: »
    I actually tried that this morning just to see what would happen. I always see people say how they only eat a "handful" of nuts, so I put what I thought was one serving of almonds (28g) into my hand and it actually ended up being 14g. Hand sizes can help, but someone with far bigger hands than I have would have ended up with a lot more almonds. I forgot where I read this, but it was something along the lines of:
    • A fist/cupped hand for cereal, vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice, etc.
    • Palm for meat.
    • Tip of thumb for a teaspoon of peanut butter or oils.
    • Handful for nuts, chips, pretzels, candy, and other snack foods.

    Note: I cannot account for the accuracy of this and use my food scale for everything.

    I'm one of those people where if I went by that hand guesstimating, I would be extremely over calories. :neutral: I have very large hands for a 5'5 female.

    Here's a chart with the comparisons described by RosieRose: http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/wallet-portion-control-size-guide
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