Weighing food....your thoughts??

happydayzz
happydayzz Posts: 64 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So recently I've purchased a kitchen scale from Walmart. ($20-it's a really good one). And now I'm eager to weigh EVERYTHING, hahah. :) Do you guys weigh your food as well? Or do you just guesstimate it?

I noticed several differences between calories when I weighed it and when I went by estimating. Ex: A gala apple, which livestrong, MFP, and caloriecount.com said was 55 calories for 1 small apple. But it was actually 80 calories(For 154 grams). I had thought it was less because it said "small apple", but when I weighed it, its weight was equal to that of an apple that was 80 calories! :) *epiphany*

Or...am I hopelessly confused? Insights, anyone?? :)

Thanks to all that respond!
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Replies

  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,250 Member
    Last night was the first night I weighed something because it was listed in oz. Most things I eat that need measuring are in cups or tablespoon measurements.
  • barbara4599
    barbara4599 Posts: 114 Member
    I've only been here a few weeks - and YES! I weigh everything. I really don't trust myself to estimate portion sizes yet. Eventually I will have to wean myself off the scale.
  • tsaarloos
    tsaarloos Posts: 58 Member
    I totally weigh and measure everything! I am the person who will make a small bowl of something to eat, but then take an extra heaping spoonful as I'm putting it away...so measuring for me is almost a MUST. I do try to estimate 1st, just incase I'm some place I can't weigh it. I say whatever works for you- is Good! :smile:
  • valerierackly74
    valerierackly74 Posts: 59 Member
    i weigh things. i keep my scales on the counter top and quickly pop most things in there before eating. you get good after a bit though because you learn that a apple or pear is a lot heavier than you think. and other stuff like potatoe portions and rice. i was really suprised how heavy and the difference in actual fruit and veg weights and what is small medium and large portions of things. its a real eye opener.
  • bzgl40
    bzgl40 Posts: 69 Member
    I weight nearly everything. I don't get into weighing fruit and veggies much though. If I didn't I would overeat something for sure. I weigh over using measuring cups as well since it is easier. I love my scale.
  • kittyfrost
    kittyfrost Posts: 54
    Definitely helpful. I use them most of the time, unless I can eyeball the portion size.
  • Jori7071
    Jori7071 Posts: 19 Member
    I don't have a scale and so I haven't been weighing anything, I do use measuring cups because most of your "sides" will say, half cup of this or whole cup of that. The only questionable part for me is the meat portions. I am not much of a meat eater so I always go on the small side. I am loosing so I am not sweating it but I have already decided that if I platau-a scale is on the top of my "fix it" list.:smooched:
  • monicaroozo
    monicaroozo Posts: 200
    i have a scale and use it mostly to to weigh poultry, meats and fruits. try measuring your greens... you may be surprised in how much MORE of that you get per serving!! i do not use it daily, but found the purchase well worth it.
  • MariaMariaM
    MariaMariaM Posts: 1,322 Member
    I weight and portion everything. I have gotten pretty good at eye balling if I can't weight or measure something. And if I have to guess, I never select the smallest option on mfp.
  • lizzielou67
    lizzielou67 Posts: 35
    I've been weighing my food for ages. I'm diabetic and take my insulin according to how many carbs I'm eating. I can get an exact count for fruits, veggie, and meat this way.

    I have a scale that gives you multiple pieces of information (including carbs, calories, fat etc.) for everything you weigh. I has a "code" that yo enter when you put something on it. It also has a "calculator" that you can use to measure things that have a nutritional label. So if I eat cereal, I type in the serving size (in grams) and the carbs (or you can do calories, fat etc.) that the box says it has in that serviging size.

    I love it!! It really helps with portion control as well.
  • cheesy_blasters
    cheesy_blasters Posts: 283 Member
    I just started weighing mine and I found the same thing! Sometimes I had been guessing too much, other times too little. It's a good way to figure out portion size (and how much I need to eat to feel full).
  • beccapink
    beccapink Posts: 28
    I want to get one too ! i do weight watchers and my fitness pal , how do you like yours ?:drinker:
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    I don't own a scale and I have a pretty good visual memory about things I eat often (I know right away what 3/4c cereal and 1/2c milk look like in a bowl, for example), but I'll run anything I'm unsure about through a measuring cup or spoon before I eat it.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I have a scale but haven't taken the plunge and removed it from the box yet. But 99% of the stuff I eat is already portioned anyway. Like I eat 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli with dinner every night. If I have 3/5 tonight because I guessed wrong-it'll work out because tomorrow I'll have the 2/5. I record 1/2 bag every night-so it's a wash. I don't measure much that I eat-But I also kind of assume my actual intake is a couple hundred calories more than what my log shows. If/when my lacksadaisical approach stops working, perhaps I'll bust the scale out of the box and give it a whirl.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    I weigh everything I eat. Even when I was using measuring cups and spoons, I was still over/underestimating... how do you get a bunch of mixed vegetables to sit in a 1 cup measuring cup? If there's one big piece of broccoli in it, it fills the cup! I feel so much more comfortable using a kitchen scale.
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    People without scales often say "measuring food weight won't help me".

    People with scales often say "measuring food weight helps me".
  • Anonymou5
    Anonymou5 Posts: 92
    I never weigh or count calories, I just eat foods low in calories and high in protein and fibre. For instance I had steak and vegetables. There was so many vegetables I had to use two plates, one for the meat and one for the veg.

    I think if you eat rice and other grains, wheat products weighing is probably pretty relevant
  • redfroggie
    redfroggie Posts: 591 Member
    I use a scale and measuring cups. I am amazed at what a serving is and can understand how people under estimate the calories they eat. Over time you will be able to eyeball a portion size.
  • AmeChops
    AmeChops Posts: 744 Member
    At the beginning I weighed everything religiously...now I've got to the stage where I know what 80g of broccoli, 120g of chicken breast, 40g of cheese looks like and I figure that a couple of calories here and there won't be too much of an issue
  • seamadden
    seamadden Posts: 46 Member
    I try to weigh most of my food that doesn't come in single serving sizes, and if I don't it's just because I feel comfortable enough at this stage to know how much it weighs by how much of the container it fills (I always use the same for the same foods)
    So, yes! Weigh everything!! If you don't know how much is there you won't know how many calories are in it :-)
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Weigh everything. Measuring cups are inaccurate.

    I used a measuring cup for my cereal. Found out I could eat A LOT more than what fit into the 'cup' if I weighed it.

    Another one is rice. Found out that 1/3 cup of rice was actually more like 2.5 servings when I actually weighed what was in the measuring cup.

    Always weigh. It isn't accurate otherwise.
  • yuckidah
    yuckidah Posts: 290 Member
    Yep. Crucial to weigh everything imo.
  • kb_CG_wife
    kb_CG_wife Posts: 181 Member
    Right now I only use measuring cups and spoons, but now that I'm reading all of these posts, I'm definately considering a scale now :)
  • sazzyp1973
    sazzyp1973 Posts: 517 Member
    yes, I do tend to weigh. Certainly breakfast cereal, my portion is a lot smaller now but still as filling.
  • Sepheara
    Sepheara Posts: 208 Member
    I weigh everything, even my drinks lol
  • auntygill
    auntygill Posts: 108 Member
    I have to weigh everything as i know i would go over , we dont weigh in cups in the uk so its either grams or oz for me and my scales are always out ready , and i use the app on my android phone all the while. i love that app .

    I soon found out that if i guesstimated on the Weightwatchers plan that i would be miles over , so i weigh everything , i even measure my wine out on a saturday at home.!!!! A bit anul i know but it helps me.:wink:
  • twinmom430
    twinmom430 Posts: 457 Member
    I weight everything, except veggies. I never realized how much I was over-estimating a servicing size and a few calories here or there really adds up.
  • mandylooo
    mandylooo Posts: 456 Member
    So recently I've purchased a kitchen scale from Walmart. ($20-it's a really good one). And now I'm eager to weigh EVERYTHING, hahah. :) Do you guys weigh your food as well? Or do you just guesstimate it?

    I noticed several differences between calories when I weighed it and when I went by estimating. Ex: A gala apple, which livestrong, MFP, and caloriecount.com said was 55 calories for 1 small apple. But it was actually 80 calories(For 154 grams). I had thought it was less because it said "small apple", but when I weighed it, its weight was equal to that of an apple that was 80 calories! :) *epiphany*

    Or...am I hopelessly confused? Insights, anyone?? :)

    Thanks to all that respond!

    The problem with natural products is that their calorie content is going to vary , so even when you weigh them, all you're getting is an approximation. Without analysing the apple, you do not know how much of its weightis water, how much fibre, how much fructose etc.

    I think using a scale is good for many things and most of the time does produce greater accuracy in calorie calculation, but it cannot be 100% accurate.
  • SusanLovesToEat
    SusanLovesToEat Posts: 213 Member
    I don't weigh things but it would probably help. Sometimes I see the calorie posts on different diaries and I know they are wrong so perhaps everyone could use a good scale to start off with.

    Even though I don't weigh things I measure oil and liquids. When I started, as I had portion control issues, I measured the amounts in all of my glasses and the size of my flatware spoons so now its easy to spoon things out without measuring.
  • Bobbi_N
    Bobbi_N Posts: 49 Member
    I just started my getting fit program and using this site on Wednesday. Yesterday, I decided I don't really want to try to guesstimate my portions for my diary entries and went to Wal-Mart and bought the same scale. I used it for dinner last night and I actually felt better about the logging I did with it, knowing it was as accurate as I could make it.

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