learning how to use a food scale

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prettigirl01
prettigirl01 Posts: 548 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
so I just purchased a food scale about 2 weeks ago and its fun and easy to use but I don't know if im logging correctly. if I have something that's 6.27grams how would I log that on here? on the app I don't see where I can put in exact weight. also should I measure foods before or after its cooked or does it matter? are there any videos somewhere that you would suggest that would show me how to properly use one? thanks

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  • scottrey
    scottrey Posts: 18 Member
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    You have to search for an entry option for the food that will allow you to change the portion unit of measure to grams. For example, when I log pepperjack cheese I had to search for it, and then pick one that had the option to swap the servings measure to grams, then I enter the number of grams for servings. My diary is open, so you can take a look to see how I use a food scale.

    Of course, you need to make sure that you are choosing a food option that matches the nutritional data for what you're actually eating.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    edited February 2017
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    1. When you search for the food in the database, search for "carrots grams" for instance. Add that "grams" to make sure you come up with an appropriate entry.
    2. If need be, round the weight. 6.27 would round to 6 grams.
    3. It's more accurate to weigh raw when possible. Food loses or gains different amounts of water weight depending on how long it's cooked, so after is never as accurate. Sometimes, that isn't possible, so choose the cooking method that you used: "pork chop baked" for instance.
    4. There are many things that it's easier to negatively weigh. My peanut butter, as example. I put the jar on the scale and zero it. I scoop out what I want and the negative weight shown is how much I'm eating.

    AND ~~ Congratulations!!! It takes a bit to get used to, but then it becomes second nature. I accidentally weighed my son's sandwich the other day, just out of habit. lol
  • dejavuohlala
    dejavuohlala Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Round up to nearest gram, when you put food in your diary search the food and it must often give you a choice 100gm or1 gr, if you are having say 30 gr then chose 1 gr and put 3o of those. Hope that helps.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,872 Member
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    In addition to tips above: If you don't see a database entry at first that's in grams, try the drop-down on the quantity (1 oz or 1 cup or whatever). Sometimes the first-listed option isn't the first one, and you can find a "100g" option, for example (so your 6.27g would be .0627 servings of 100 grams). The green-checked items are especially likely to have some grams options, and the entries in ounces also fairly likely to have grams in the drop-down.

    Once you have some of your regular foods in your recent/frequent lists, you won't have to do as much searching and checking. :)

    For actual tips on using the scale efficiently, read the main post in this thread:

    Weighing Food Takes Too Long And is OBSESSIVE!

    I swear that thread is really food weighing tips - I wrote it, and that was a clickbait title. ;)

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