Another reason to use digital scales for your food!

amdahwd
amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
This morning I measured out my 3/4 cup cereal as I always do, very carefu not to pack it. I then decided to use my scales to weigh it. A serving is supposed to be 30 g and I had 43 g. That is almost a 50% increase in calories. What if that were to happen with just 1 food at each meal. Could add up to a lot of extra calories quickly! From now on, if there is a weight portion listed, that is what I wll be using.

Replies

  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    Might have to invest in some digital scales for weighing food then lol. We got some nasty old scales which you have to adjust yourself if you start using dishes and such. It's probably reading everything wrong with the amount of weight that's been put on it over the years.
  • cekeys
    cekeys Posts: 397 Member
    Just to be sure, you did zero out your measuring cup before you added the cereal, right?
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    That's why I say "a food scale" is your best tool for losing weight. If you don't have one and are not losing, this is probably why.:wink:
  • hope516
    hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Yep!!!
  • amdahwd
    amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
    Yes, I zeroed out the scales before I weighed the cereal and my bowls only weight 3 grams anyway. :)
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    Measuring cups are only good for liquids. You are really selling yourself short if you are not using a scale for solid foods.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    Yeah! Watch this!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY&list=FLYFRpUyMQ83umEl-24Gh2tA&index=1&feature=plpp_video
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    wow good to know!!!
  • jktjcca
    jktjcca Posts: 62
    SO true, thanks for sharing!
  • jogdog
    jogdog Posts: 89 Member
    After my aunt told me about this issue between using measuring cups and the scale, I went out and bought a cheap little manual scale to try it out. The $5 I spent on that food scale was worth it!! I was overeating and not even knowing I was! I was following the measuring cup as exactly as I could. All I use now is the scale for every solid and solid-ish food. I can't believe I was in the dark for so long! Thinking about splurging on a digital food scale to make things a little easier.
  • amdahwd
    amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
    I had the cheap scales already and used them sporadically, but the digital scales are so much better because you have no guessing - it is right on the number.
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    amdahwd wrote:
    A serving is supposed to be 30 g and I had 43 g. ...
    From now on, if there is a weight portion listed, that is what I wll be using.

    You appear to be suggesting that your portions will be as stated by the manufacturer. But we can eat any portion we like as long as we're within our calorie budget.

    Did I understand you correctly?
  • amdahwd
    amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
    The box said a serving was 3/4 cup (30 g) for 110 calories. I measured out 3/4 cup (intending to eat the recommended serving and log the 110 calories), but when I weighed the 3/4 cup, it actually was 43 g (meaning it should have been 157.66 calories). Without the scales, I would have eaten the amount I measured out and logged in the 110 calories, and would have actually eaten way more calories. If I did this at every meal with just 1 food, that could be several hundred calories a day I was overeating and thinking I was staying within my calorie budget.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    I love/hate my little $20 scale. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Like with cheese, for example:sad:
  • Breadbar
    Breadbar Posts: 334 Member
    I was clueless - thanks so much for this post! I have a good quality digital scale which will now get far more use.
    I understand that everything is an estimate - including my hrm, but I want to arrive at the most accurate estimate possible.
    Fewer calories eaten of a better measured food leaves more calories available for my next selection!
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    amdahwd wrote:
    I measured out 3/4 cup (intending to eat the recommended serving and log the 110 calories)

    I understand you now. You aren't a slave to the manufacturer portion, you were just choosing to use it. Thanks.

    I agree with you, every kitchen should have food scales. Weighing is good for sensitive recipes like pastry and desserts too. If you don't have scales, you don't have the choice to be accurate.

    Incidentally, a lot of people don't seem to be aware that on our database you can use the down-arrow to the right of the serving size. You can use the down arrow to make the serving '1 g".
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Can't agree more, it annoys me immensely that so many foods are listed in the database as "Per Cup" - unless it's a liquid measure, or something finely grained like sugar or rice, it is totally useless.

    Hint for Americans, most British foods are listed in grams on here and on their packets (usually / 100g on the database, which you can change to /g) because we've never done your "cup" thing - so if you cannot find a per gram listing for for example onions, try adding the name of one of our major supermarkets for instance Sainsburys or Tesco to your search - and you'll bring up products (even fresh fruit and veg) listed as grams rather than cups. :smile:
  • whiplashpcw
    whiplashpcw Posts: 125 Member
    That's why I asked for one for my birthday this month. I know that is the best way to get the right amounts.

    16632880.png
  • ❤_veggies_rock_❤
    ❤_veggies_rock_❤ Posts: 43
    13142164.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

    I love having a digital scale, I still use my liquid measuring cups & my dry measuring utensils though as some items may measure as 1 cup but not be the actual 8 oz equaling 1-cup. Salad for example weighs in at 2oz but fills a serving cup equal to 2 cups or more (unpacked of course) personal serving sizes are easier to decide too if you want 1 cup or if you want ounces of an item & then for even lighter items like herbs your grams are very useful

    I love the digital scale too because you can add a plate or bowl to it & zero that out to "0" before you add ingredients :)
  • Erica122883
    Erica122883 Posts: 2
    I use a digital scale for my food. I find that I have the same problem with liquids as my measuring cups seem to be inconsistent as well. I have a TERRIBLE time losing weight, and with the combination of the digital scale and My Fitness Pal I have lost 17 lbs since January 9!!! Of course I have really stepped up my exercise routine, but I never before learned how to track and focus on NET calories. Also, I use grams for a lot of things vs. oz as it's a smaller unit of measurement. I love (and hate) my digital scale!!
  • monharri
    monharri Posts: 78
    good post. didn't know all of this.
  • ❤_veggies_rock_❤
    ❤_veggies_rock_❤ Posts: 43
    what I meant as my example is 1cup of salad in a measuring cup is not the same as 1 cup (8oz) by the scale...
  • hollyjeanw
    hollyjeanw Posts: 16
    I got mine in response to a birthday request too :) I use it religiously.
  • eamconnor
    eamconnor Posts: 130 Member
    This reminds me of the time some French friends came over for a cookie-baking party. I supplied the basic ingredients and equipment; guests supplied any exotic ingredients for a recipe of their choosing. Well...their recipe was in French (of course), used metric calculations, and of course, specified weight, not volume, for ingredients. Talk about lost in translation. But the flourless chocolate torte was divine.
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    Just got mine yesterday for this very reason.
  • samm916
    samm916 Posts: 1 Member
    Look what I found today, this should make it easier for everyone. For 15.00 this is amazing.

    Multi-Function Digital Measuring Cup Scale with LCD Display and Temperature Measurement



    http://www.dailysteals.com/?utm_source=DailySteals.com+-+Deal+of+the+Day&utm_campaign=bf1debe417-3_14_2012_Wen_5_Deals_3_13_2012&utm_medium=email
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