Weighing food? Tracking everything?

morganhharris
morganhharris Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I am new to the weight loss world and I was curious about different things that I have heard. I have heard and seen many people weigh out all of their meals. Is this beneficial? How do you keep track of all of that? Also do you track everything or just main meals?
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Replies

  • fuzzylop72
    fuzzylop72 Posts: 651 Member
    I track most things. The main exceptions are items which every time I weigh them, it's the same weight. This at least makes my incoming calories reasonably accurate. Unfortunately, my calorie burn is really off since not everything gets logged. However, for a long time I didn't weigh everything, and that was fine too even when I wasn't really getting any exercise.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Everything gets tracked if it has calories. Everything I eat at home, barring a few exemptions (single serve cups of yogurt, lettuce for salads) gets weighed. Some people can get away without weighing their food, but most will end up underestimating...even using measuring cups over a scale can be inaccurate.

    If you ever find a point where you don't lose for several weeks, having a complete diary will help you pinpoint places where you can tighten up.
  • Sam29a
    Sam29a Posts: 201 Member
    I have been weighing out pretty much everything (except spices, black tea/coffee, water) for a couple of years now. This is the only thing that has worked for me and having done it so long, it has now become second nature and no effort at all.

    I went a couple of months last year when I couldn't weigh my food and had to rely on food cooked by someone else, I really struggled with that as it's so difficult to guesstimate how many calories something has.

    I have MFP on my laptop, phone, and my tablet. As soon as I've eaten, or whilst I'm plating up, I add in the amounts. I eat a lot of the same foods, so it's very quick and easy to add to my diary.

  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I track almost everything, with the exceptions being spices I use in cooking, diet drinks (diet coke etc), black tea/coffee, sugar free gum (rarely have it, if at all).

    Everything else is weighed (solids/semi-solids) or measured (liquids). I weigh the food raw/dry as this is more accurate than weighing after cooking imo

    It's beneficial as it makes my logging more accurate so I'm more aware of my intake. This helps me achieve my goals better. I pre log all my food - Monday to Friday I have the same daily menu, making planning and prep easy. Prelogging alsp helps me plan my day with a macro breakdown suited to my goals.

    If I didn't account for everything, or weigh and measure everything, I wouldn't really know how much I was eating and I'd only be doing myself a disservice.

    This for me too. I do however guesstimate meals when I eat out by finding as meal already in the database which appears to most resemble what I have eaten. I just choose an entry that is at the higher end of the average calories rather than the lower though.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Just starting out it is very useful to track everything you consume so you can learn appropriate portion sizes and make sure you are meeting your goals better. A food scale is also helpful to making sure you get the right amount of something especially something calorie dense like peanut butter. You may not need to track and weigh everything forever but the more you track here the faster and easier it gets.
    People can lose weight without tracking or weighing anything. A food diary and food scale are tools that many find helpful though. How, or if, you use the tools is up to you. If you are not losing at the rate you want being more accurate and using these tools can be very valuable.

    Some of us prelog our food for the whole day and then eat what we logged. So if I logged 113 g of yogurt I would weigh out that amount into a dish before I ate it.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10621050/how-to-use-the-usda-food-database-mfp-food-database-for-accurate-logging/p1
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I track everything except water and gum. Including vitamins, medications, spices/seasonings, “zero” calorie foods, etc.

    I weigh or measure everything in some capacity. I weigh most things. The exception is something like where I’m eating half a bag of veggies or salad (and know I’ll eat the other half tomorrow).

    I measure liquids.

    My recipes I enter the total finished weight of the recipe as the number of servings and then log my number of servings as however much my actual serving weighed.

    I estimate when I’m eating at a restaurant or situation where I’m unsure.

    I tend to eat a lot of the same things. Using recipes, creating meals and foods, and using frequent or recent entries makes all of this relatively painless. It takes a bit to get it set, but then it’s easy - like it takes some time to enter a recipe, but then logging the recipe after that is easy. And you can modify recipes that you make a lot for whatever brand or however much of a particular ingredient you’re using this time.

    I log everything because when I don’t and I think I’m keeping track of what I’m eating and really being careful - I’m usually eating at least 500 calories more than I think. So I have found that logging needs to work for me (and it does).
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    I normally weigh (measuring cup for liquids) about 90% of my food. I use the "eyeball" method for a few extremely low calorie foods that are used sparingly (Italian parsly in spaghetti, spinach leaves for a sandwich etc) as if I am off by even 1/2 cup on spinach leaves that's a whopping 5 calories. I am on vacation and most of my meals are restaurants - so I'm doing best guesses based on experience. I do log everything the best I can, including vitamins, 1 sun-dried tomato potato chip (gross - so I only had 1 chip), condiments. All the little stuff can add up quickly.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited July 2018
    sardelsa wrote: »
    MelanieCN77 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    MelanieCN77 wrote: »
    If you're not going to track everything, I'm not sure of the point of tracking anything.

    Why? I track just main sources of protein somedays.. it is useful for me. Also sometimes I use MFP as a food diary and just add food as I go and estimate. I'm not saying this works for most people or the OP but just because you are not 100% accurate doesn't mean it is not worth tracking for some people.

    In terms of the "weight loss world" as OP stated, half tracking wouldn't do much good at all.

    I'm not sure what you mean, maybe if you could clarify. There are plenty of people that lose weight without tracking, half tracking, etc. I understand the importance of accuracy but there are different ways to use this app.

    Exactly this, of course, if you are new, tracking is the best way to start since it will teach you what a real portion is, but after many years, you can easily estimate your portions. I half track myself....I'll track everything before supper and I leave myself 1000 calories for supper and I usually estimate my portions to around that number. I've been doing this method for a couple of years and I've been able to cut and bulk succesfully each time so I disagree with MelanieCN77 saying that "In terms of the "weight loss world" as OP stated, half tracking wouldn't do much good at all." unless I misunderstood her point entirely.
  • PumpkinPeril
    PumpkinPeril Posts: 22 Member
    I weigh most everything (even prepackaged items) to avoid unexpected surprises.

    For example:
    One serving of my oats for oatmeal is stated as 1/2c(40g) on the packaging. I scoop out the oats with a level 1/2 cup and put it in my bowl on the scale and it weighs 52g.

    So before I was assuming I was eating 1 portion of oats but actually eating 1.25 portions.

    Peanutbutter broke my heart ;-;

    So accurate measuring by weight should give you a (more) accurate trend in results on your journey.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    As we know from research, there are some people who can get away with eyeballing and not tracking, but most people's portions will creep up with time. The hypothalamus pushes most of us to regain. With all that said, yes I pretty mush weigh and measure everything precooked. If on an prepping for work, I will weigh precooked, them portion by eyeball. Since I am eating the food over a several day span, the calories come out in the end. OP, it's not about day to day balance. It's about week to week. Month to month. I did not realize that when i started weighing and logging and nearly drove myself crazy trying robget each prep meal within a few grams of each other.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,920 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »
    As we know from research, there are some people who can get away with eyeballing and not tracking, but most people's portions will creep up with time. The hypothalamus pushes most of us to regain. With all that said, yes I pretty mush weigh and measure everything precooked. If on an prepping for work, I will weigh precooked, them portion by eyeball. Since I am eating the food over a several day span, the calories come out in the end. OP, it's not about day to day balance. It's about week to week. Month to month. I did not realize that when i started weighing and logging and nearly drove myself crazy trying robget each prep meal within a few grams of each other.

    This! When I was losing weight I was having a warm lunch at the office canteen every day. Ok, the displayed calories were completely off, but I found a way to make it work. Every now and then I'd fill a portion of food into plastic cups and weight it to see if my portion size was still about right. Every single time the portions had crept up, by often up to 50%. Now, this was mostly Indian food, lots of lovely rice and subzis, with lots of calories. So yes, I could not control it even though the serving spoons were the same every day.
  • KatyCSTinPNW
    KatyCSTinPNW Posts: 28 Member
    morganhharris wrote: »
    Hello! I am new to the weight loss world and I was curious about different things that I have heard. I have heard and seen many people weigh out all of their meals. Is this beneficial? How do you keep track of all of that? Also do you track everything or just main meals?

    Welcome!!

    I know others swear by it but I do not weigh my food. I use measuring cups for some things. Some things I guesstimate.

    I do however log every single thing I eat (except spices). Once you get started it’s really no trouble. I’ve been loosing weight pretty steadily since I started. I guess if If I wasn’t loosing any weight I would consider a scale.
  • FeelingAlive
    FeelingAlive Posts: 117 Member
    My personal opinion is that everything should be weighed in the beginning to help you navigate around portion sizes and calorie content. I weighed everything except for spices for about six months until I felt confident enough to guess my meals. I have lost weight steadily and successfully because I am good at guessing measurements (I work in a laboratory after all) but this isn't necessarily easy or possible for anyone else. Weigh every solid, measure every liquid, and become acquainted with the different food sources and their respective calorie content. You will know soon enough if you need to continue with it after a few months or not, but it really helps to remove the ambiguity around how much you're truly consuming.
  • Sandie020
    Sandie020 Posts: 53 Member
    I weigh everything even packaged food I find this way I get a complete look at what I am eating and so far its been working for me and I can see exactly what my calorie intake is
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    edited July 2018
    If I'm losing at my expected rate, I only weigh some things (meat, peanut butter, avocado - basically the most calorie dense stuff and protein to make sure I'm meeting my goal). I don't bother weighing packaged stuff.

    If I'm feeling 'stuck' or not losing at the rate I should be, I tighten it up and weigh most everything for a while.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    I do and I don't. I weigh things at home usually, so much I can guesstimate if I'm out. I now know, almost exactly what a 28g serving of chips looks like. I still weigh at home but I'm sure I get it close when I'm out so I log 1 serving. I know that two handfuls of goldfish is exactly one serving. I like single serve things, like string cheese or yogurt cups. Easier to log. I weigh protein powder every time, because two scoops is never 28g. I use the palm estimation method for meat though, I don't weigh it raw and weighing it cooks screws up everything. I do use measuring cups for rice. I use my brain for pasta - if there are 8 servings in this pot, I can spoon it into four meal containers to save and four bowls equally, and it's all a serving. That's all an eyeball.

    I do measure everything in some way, shape, or form, but not always on the scale.
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
    I weigh everything. I use the recipe builder and the meal saver facility a lot, that way I can log quicker and easier - don't have to enter all the ingredients all the time. For example, today I cooked a roast pork dinner. That meal is saved in my meals so I click on it and it lists everything under dinner. I then check weigh my portions when I cook it and it is quick to adjust. I prelog every morning, takes 5 mins, and just adjust when I actually weigh during the meal prep. Once you are in the groove it really is quite quick and avoids xalorie drift - I am reaching the end of my weight loss and every calorie seems to count.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited July 2018
    I track everything and weigh/measure everything that "needs" to be measured but that's NOT everything that I eat/drink.

    I often use generic and general portion size estimates for fruit and veggies (and other things) rather than weigh or measure them precisely.

    Has worked well enough for me to lose 44# in 30 months; 6 months in a deficit and 24 months in maintenance.
  • Mrsindepenant1
    Mrsindepenant1 Posts: 196 Member
    I purchased a cheap scale for the kitchen and weigh everything. My guessing was way off. I’m finding it beneficial so far and find I can long pretty accurately. I also log everything. A piece of gum is still 5 calories. That way if I’m not loosing I can go back and find out why.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Later on down the line, everyone will find a way to keep an eye on their intake that suits them, but I really do think for anyone new to counting calories, starting by logging everything is the best education you could give yourself.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,148 Member
    edited July 2018
    For me, it's not only more accurate to weigh everything (when eating at home), it's also easier.

    I just do it on autopilot, and use tricks like putting a container (of peanut butter or whatever) on the scale, removing a portion, and reading the negative; or putting a plate on the scale, zeroing, and sequentially adding ingredients (tortilla, read, note, zero; mustard, read, note, zero; cheese, read, note, zero . . . .). I note on a junk mail envelope back, then log en masse later.

    If I weighed some things and not others, I'd forget more often than just making it automatic. And I'd have more dishes to wash if I used cup/spoon measures.

    Once it's a routine, it adds pretty close to zero time to prep, and a few minutes to log. Works for me, and got me through 50+ pounds of weight loss and 2+ years of maintenance so far.

    Other things work for others. {shrug}
  • jdubois5351
    jdubois5351 Posts: 460 Member
    I weigh everything, if at all possible. Haven't been to a restaurant since I've started out, and the times I ate at my mom's or at a friend's house, I interrogated them what their recipe contained and then did my best to guess. I'm very, very bad at guessing weights and portion sizes, so without scales, I couldn't do it. I also religiously log everything that passes my lips, except for water/coffee and spices. I find it no hassle at all.
  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,115 Member
    I try to weigh and track everything except drinks (coffee and dilute juice) but there will come a time when I will need to. I don't find it too onerous providing the bar code scanner works. I also find it works best for me when I pre plan, if I don't I either don't log everything or end up eating too much.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 978 Member
    Jackie9003 wrote: »
    I try to weigh and track everything except drinks (coffee and dilute juice) but there will come a time when I will need to. I don't find it too onerous providing the bar code scanner works. I also find it works best for me when I pre plan, if I don't I either don't log everything or end up eating too much.

    I do exactly the same. I can't be bothered to do drinks every time, but I know that I can if my progress stalls.
  • mrslynda
    mrslynda Posts: 50 Member
    At the momement I am weighing all the food I cook and prepare. I do most of my own cooking, and we mostly eat/cook from home. Exceptions so far are, when I got takeaway, except I did weigh my pizza, to see how the slices went. When my husband made us burgers, I logged how much mince he used, eg 500g makes four patties, the label of the buns, I know they won't weigh much more than stated, and estimated the sauces and salad. We have had one work barbecue, I guesstimated the bread ( two slices of the bread we get weighs between 75-85g) the bacon (probably over estimated as we don't have it often) and recorded the meat patties as per label.

    Not even a dieting thing, I tend to question food. For example, one of my kids is fussy , so I want to know if she is eating a new food. For example a different brand of sausages. Or even myself, I like to know so I can maybe buy the product or make it myself.

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