You don't use a food scale?
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sarahlucindac wrote: »Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the food scale - my best friend and worst enemy.
I’ve lost 40 lbs so far and for the first 25-30, I used measuring cups and “eyeballing”, and it worked fine - until it didn’t. The scale refused to budge for almost a month and I had no idea that I had been sabotaging myself. I posted in the forums here for help and this thread’s OP - quiksylver, chimed in about food scales. I was sure that I was logging accurately and my thought process was “well I’ve lost weight so far, so my logging must be accurate”. Wrong!! I had lost a significant amount of weight so far, my calorie needs had changed and that meant that a “few extra” calories not logged accurately added up even more since I needed a larger deficit now in order to maintain my rate of loss (set to 1.5 lbs/week). A smaller person needs fewer calories.
So I purchased a food scale. The very first day, I realized that there were several hundred extra calories sneaking their way into my day. Several hundred!! On some days, as many as 400-500 calories that would have been unaccounted for.
The main culprits for me were things like ice cream, mayo, coffee creamer, salad dressings, etc. I had been measuring my ice cream in a measuring cup and learned that I was getting almost 33% more in each “serving”. It was a sad day that I realized I did not know what a portion of ice cream looks like, lol 😢 😂
There were also some foods that I was shorting myself on like cereal, Mac and cheese (wooohooo!!), and deli meat. But in the end, I was eating way more than I thought.
Since picking up the food scale and becoming more accurate about what I’m consuming, I’ve had massive success. The scale has been going down consistently every week.
Another bonus to the food scale is it keeps me from randomly grazing and snacking because I don’t want to have to bother pulling out the food scale for just 2 or 3 grapes, for example. When I eat, it’s deliberate and everything is weighed.
Getting a food scale was some of the best advice I’ve received - thank you quiksylver!
This post needs to be a sticky...And posted in every forum! @sarahlucindac - thank you! (and @quiksylver296 too)5 -
renovagirl wrote: »sarahlucindac wrote: »Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the food scale - my best friend and worst enemy.
I’ve lost 40 lbs so far and for the first 25-30, I used measuring cups and “eyeballing”, and it worked fine - until it didn’t. The scale refused to budge for almost a month and I had no idea that I had been sabotaging myself. I posted in the forums here for help and this thread’s OP - quiksylver, chimed in about food scales. I was sure that I was logging accurately and my thought process was “well I’ve lost weight so far, so my logging must be accurate”. Wrong!! I had lost a significant amount of weight so far, my calorie needs had changed and that meant that a “few extra” calories not logged accurately added up even more since I needed a larger deficit now in order to maintain my rate of loss (set to 1.5 lbs/week). A smaller person needs fewer calories.
So I purchased a food scale. The very first day, I realized that there were several hundred extra calories sneaking their way into my day. Several hundred!! On some days, as many as 400-500 calories that would have been unaccounted for.
The main culprits for me were things like ice cream, mayo, coffee creamer, salad dressings, etc. I had been measuring my ice cream in a measuring cup and learned that I was getting almost 33% more in each “serving”. It was a sad day that I realized I did not know what a portion of ice cream looks like, lol 😢 😂
There were also some foods that I was shorting myself on like cereal, Mac and cheese (wooohooo!!), and deli meat. But in the end, I was eating way more than I thought.
Since picking up the food scale and becoming more accurate about what I’m consuming, I’ve had massive success. The scale has been going down consistently every week.
Another bonus to the food scale is it keeps me from randomly grazing and snacking because I don’t want to have to bother pulling out the food scale for just 2 or 3 grapes, for example. When I eat, it’s deliberate and everything is weighed.
Getting a food scale was some of the best advice I’ve received - thank you quiksylver!
This post needs to be a sticky...And posted in every forum! @sarahlucindac - thank you! (and @quiksylver296 too)
Daw, thanks! Where do you think it would be most helpful for me to repost this? General health? Just another one in Getting started maybe?1 -
sarahlucindac wrote: »renovagirl wrote: »sarahlucindac wrote: »Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the food scale - my best friend and worst enemy.
I’ve lost 40 lbs so far and for the first 25-30, I used measuring cups and “eyeballing”, and it worked fine - until it didn’t. The scale refused to budge for almost a month and I had no idea that I had been sabotaging myself. I posted in the forums here for help and this thread’s OP - quiksylver, chimed in about food scales. I was sure that I was logging accurately and my thought process was “well I’ve lost weight so far, so my logging must be accurate”. Wrong!! I had lost a significant amount of weight so far, my calorie needs had changed and that meant that a “few extra” calories not logged accurately added up even more since I needed a larger deficit now in order to maintain my rate of loss (set to 1.5 lbs/week). A smaller person needs fewer calories.
So I purchased a food scale. The very first day, I realized that there were several hundred extra calories sneaking their way into my day. Several hundred!! On some days, as many as 400-500 calories that would have been unaccounted for.
The main culprits for me were things like ice cream, mayo, coffee creamer, salad dressings, etc. I had been measuring my ice cream in a measuring cup and learned that I was getting almost 33% more in each “serving”. It was a sad day that I realized I did not know what a portion of ice cream looks like, lol 😢 😂
There were also some foods that I was shorting myself on like cereal, Mac and cheese (wooohooo!!), and deli meat. But in the end, I was eating way more than I thought.
Since picking up the food scale and becoming more accurate about what I’m consuming, I’ve had massive success. The scale has been going down consistently every week.
Another bonus to the food scale is it keeps me from randomly grazing and snacking because I don’t want to have to bother pulling out the food scale for just 2 or 3 grapes, for example. When I eat, it’s deliberate and everything is weighed.
Getting a food scale was some of the best advice I’ve received - thank you quiksylver!
This post needs to be a sticky...And posted in every forum! @sarahlucindac - thank you! (and @quiksylver296 too)
Daw, thanks! Where do you think it would be most helpful for me to repost this? General health? Just another one in Getting started maybe?
Not sure it matters.
Did you do it already, @sarahlucindac? Can you share the title, or link? I wanna comment on it!1 -
Oh man! I needed to see this post today. I weighed items like my apples, or servings out of a larger container, but I was not weighing items like my 100 calorie pack of almonds and the tortillas from the package. I just counted those things as one. I had tuna and crackers for lunch and there was a substantial difference in just that. Also, I had been going for coffee at a shop and just asking them to add a little cream. I am pretty sure my estimate was way too low. Back to coffee at home.
Just FYI - my almonds calorie count was 15% higher than stated on the package. I realize that is only 15 calories, but it adds up all day and week long.9 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »sarahlucindac wrote: »renovagirl wrote: »sarahlucindac wrote: »Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the food scale - my best friend and worst enemy.
I’ve lost 40 lbs so far and for the first 25-30, I used measuring cups and “eyeballing”, and it worked fine - until it didn’t. The scale refused to budge for almost a month and I had no idea that I had been sabotaging myself. I posted in the forums here for help and this thread’s OP - quiksylver, chimed in about food scales. I was sure that I was logging accurately and my thought process was “well I’ve lost weight so far, so my logging must be accurate”. Wrong!! I had lost a significant amount of weight so far, my calorie needs had changed and that meant that a “few extra” calories not logged accurately added up even more since I needed a larger deficit now in order to maintain my rate of loss (set to 1.5 lbs/week). A smaller person needs fewer calories.
So I purchased a food scale. The very first day, I realized that there were several hundred extra calories sneaking their way into my day. Several hundred!! On some days, as many as 400-500 calories that would have been unaccounted for.
The main culprits for me were things like ice cream, mayo, coffee creamer, salad dressings, etc. I had been measuring my ice cream in a measuring cup and learned that I was getting almost 33% more in each “serving”. It was a sad day that I realized I did not know what a portion of ice cream looks like, lol 😢 😂
There were also some foods that I was shorting myself on like cereal, Mac and cheese (wooohooo!!), and deli meat. But in the end, I was eating way more than I thought.
Since picking up the food scale and becoming more accurate about what I’m consuming, I’ve had massive success. The scale has been going down consistently every week.
Another bonus to the food scale is it keeps me from randomly grazing and snacking because I don’t want to have to bother pulling out the food scale for just 2 or 3 grapes, for example. When I eat, it’s deliberate and everything is weighed.
Getting a food scale was some of the best advice I’ve received - thank you quiksylver!
This post needs to be a sticky...And posted in every forum! @sarahlucindac - thank you! (and @quiksylver296 too)
Daw, thanks! Where do you think it would be most helpful for me to repost this? General health? Just another one in Getting started maybe?
Not sure it matters.
Did you do it already, @sarahlucindac? Can you share the title, or link? I wanna comment on it!
I haven’t yet but I’ll post here when I do! Just short on time lately. I’ll get it up tomorrow
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Great info!!!!!2
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Friday bump.0
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Ok I reposted it! It’s in General health, fitness, and diet. Titled “How I stopped kidding myself” 😂6
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sarahlucindac wrote: »Ok I reposted it! It’s in General health, fitness, and diet. Titled “How I stopped kidding myself” 😂
Found it!!! Super great! 👍🏻2 -
Bump1
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But does anyone carry a personal scale? I have a gram scale that I use for measuring spices and coffee at home that I could stick in my pocket.0
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Great post.
I think where I need to change is by weighing items I have been counting as slices etc.
Eye opener!6 -
No, actually, I don't. I did once upon a time, but it got tedious. I will say here I am not anti-food scale. It can be a valuable tool, especially starting out. I have one, but I find using a guide I learned from Bill Phillips (Body for Life) has always done right by me. Lean meats are a portion the size of my palm. Good carbs (vegs, etc) are about the volume of my clenched fist (roughly 1 1/2 cups). I eat clean, absolutely no processed foods or processed sugars. I log my meals but I don't stress about calories (in fact, I find I am usually well under my calorie goal). I use that as a guide, just as I use the scale as a guide. My big thing is quality of food. A grilled chicken breast will be different than one covered in sugar rich sauce fried in butter. They may weigh the same, but carry different ingredients. Oh yes, I might add, using smaller plates has helped tremendously.2
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LeGypsyRov wrote: »No, actually, I don't. I did once upon a time, but it got tedious. I will say here I am not anti-food scale. It can be a valuable tool, especially starting out. I have one, but I find using a guide I learned from Bill Phillips (Body for Life) has always done right by me. Lean meats are a portion the size of my palm. Good carbs (vegs, etc) are about the volume of my clenched fist (roughly 1 1/2 cups). I eat clean, absolutely no processed foods or processed sugars. I log my meals but I don't stress about calories (in fact, I find I am usually well under my calorie goal). I use that as a guide, just as I use the scale as a guide. My big thing is quality of food. A grilled chicken breast will be different than one covered in sugar rich sauce fried in butter. They may weigh the same, but carry different ingredients. Oh yes, I might add, using smaller plates has helped tremendously.
Congratulations on finding something that works for you! I would still argue that most people (myself included) need a food scale to stay honest with themselves. Also, “clean eating” would be difficult for me as I think I would end up feeling too restricted and end up binging. I like to know that I can eat absolutely anything as long as it fits within my calorie goal.
To each their own, though! Cheers 🍻2 -
sarahlucindac wrote: »Congratulations on finding something that works for you! I would still argue that most people (myself included) need a food scale to stay honest with themselves. Also, “clean eating” would be difficult for me as I think I would end up feeling too restricted and end up binging. I like to know that I can eat absolutely anything as long as it fits within my calorie goal.
To each their own, though! Cheers 🍻
Agreed! It was invaluable when I was first starting out. Just offering an additional venue for those who might get discouraged.0 -
So many threads out there. Bump.2
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I always try to use a scale when I can. Living on campus at uni and having to have my meals in the cafeteria makes it hard though lol I try to overestimate the cals instead of underestimate, so I'm still losing weight. Food scales make things so much easier though0
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Some do. I don't. Personal preference.1
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