How accurate are you?

Simple question, as I get work towards my goal I wonder how accurate others are in the portion size. Do you measure everything out exactly? Estimate based on something in particular? A bit of both? Any thoughts would be great thanks.
«13

Replies

  • jasbookworm
    jasbookworm Posts: 14 Member
    The bowls that I own are a little over 1 cup so with a lot of things, I eat 1 bowl or half a bowl. My measuring cups would get super dirty if I had to use them everytime. -_- Try to look for containers around your house that are close to 1/2 cup or a cup
  • Lesliecs
    Lesliecs Posts: 930 Member
    I've been on MFP for almost a year now and I still weigh and measure almost everything. Mainly because I don't trust myself, even now, to be able to eyeball stuff. Doesn't take that much extra time and helps keep me "honest"!
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
    I use a measuring cup for everything since I don't trust myself to estimate portion sizes correctly.
  • mitchipooo
    mitchipooo Posts: 85 Member
    I don't weigh or measure things but I'm pretty good at eyeballing things. I do tend to enter things at 10 - 15% more just in case my eyeball is not as good as I think it is!
  • deaddivya
    deaddivya Posts: 102
    Sadly, I can't measure everything I eat as I don't have a kitchen scale, so I estimate everything. But I always log a little more than I think I ate, just to be sure.
  • PrayerofAmity
    PrayerofAmity Posts: 176 Member
    Measuring how much fits into the dishes you use most helps or, where you can, measure out the serving size portions as you get them in the door and put them in sandwich baggies. That way you don't need to measure like mad each time you eat. Then there are the tips like...1 serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards, or one serving of cheese is the size of your thumb. Those are actually more accurate than you would think.
  • ReinaLorenz
    ReinaLorenz Posts: 88 Member
    buy a kitchen scale...and use it!!!!
  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,438 Member
    If it is an item I am new to eating/drinking or the container/plate I'm using for it isn't one I am familiar with, I will measure out the amount. But working in a chemical lab and having to be so precise with measurements, I have gotten really good at eyeballing amounts. After I see it measured out once and I don't change the vessel I'm measuring it into, I can eyeball it after the first time. I will on occasion, double check my eyeballing and find that I am spot on.
  • Lets just say I have a new food scale and it's already worn out.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I used to measure everything but now I tend to just eyeball things. I've measured things after I've eye balled it and it turns out i'm usually pretty spot on now.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    if you don't measure accurately or be honest about your serving sizes, you likely won't get results. It kinda defeats the purpose.
  • mikewpg1ca
    mikewpg1ca Posts: 86 Member
    I measure everything, because when I eyeball, I find I'm off.
  • mewaybright
    mewaybright Posts: 240 Member
    Measure and weigh almost all of it... Unless I am out at a resturant... then I guess it but I have gotten pretty good at the guess since weighing things for a year plus.
  • Caitlinhappymeal
    Caitlinhappymeal Posts: 185 Member
    measure and weigh everything within my power, accept when eating out and then its a guestimate xx
  • JanSmelly
    JanSmelly Posts: 143 Member
    I have a pretty good idea of a serving size without weighing.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    I measure things or estimate from the size of the package (i.e. package contains 5 pork steaks and weighs 4.35 lbs, so if I eat a whole pork steak it will be about 4.35*16/5=13.92.... and I log 14 oz of pork blade steak. Is it exact? no, but it's pretty close.

    for cardio, i actually look up actual miles on google of any route walked/ran and time myself, so that i can log it as close as possible for average mph and adjust the time to fit the actual miles.

    ...but then i'm neurotic.
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    I measure the first few times, then when I'm used to seeing it in the bowl, or pan, or cup, I can tell easily how much it is. Photographic memory. :drinker:
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
    I measure "loose" stuff like nuts and dried fruit. Otherwise, I'd eat lots of 'em with wild abandon. I can eyeball the big ticket items like fish and chicken pretty well. Also, I like brightly colored kitchen gadgets made by Kuhn Rikon. OXO makes a handy measurer/scooper for loose stuff that combines measuring tbsp., up to 2oz, up to 1/4 cup, and up to60 mil.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I'll admit it - I just guess. When I started, I said if estimating didn't work, I would get a scale and be more careful. But I lost the weight with no problems.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    I try to get it right within 20%.
    Even exact portions can vary. Because I am such a pig, my portions tend to be larger:bigsmile:
    And guess what? My MFP numbers were off, so I had to tweak them to find that effective zone.
    Do what works for you.
    Good Luck!
  • CopyCat97
    CopyCat97 Posts: 75 Member
    I tend to be as accurate as possible. Probably my OCD side of thinking. But sometimes I go "eh, close enough".
  • AmyM713
    AmyM713 Posts: 594 Member
    I measure every thing and when I can't I hate it!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    With meat/cheese/unprocessed grains, I weigh, unless it's something discrete like a chicken leg, in which case I use the entries. I figure that a bit of +/- will average out over time.

    With veggies, I tend to use a 1 lb package and just write down 1 lb of veggies.

    With fruits/processed grains, they tend to come in discrete quantities so I'll write down, for example, half a cantaloupe, two slices of bread.

    With liquids, I have checked my glasses and know where 1 cup, 2 cups, etc are so I don't have to measure every time.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    People think I am strange when I tell them I still use a kitchen scale to weight most things. Even in "maintenance/life mode". I estimate when I go out to eat but if I eat at home I am pretty accurate. I guestimate the most on veggies. Don't think eating too much broccoli is bad.
  • cyberskirt
    cyberskirt Posts: 218
    I have scales and measuring cups. I learned to pre-portion my meats etc for sandwhiches and meals. From there I learned how much my bowls and cups held of a particular food (where a cup was etc).

    It helped that I figured out I'm pretty good at off the cuff weighing and measuring thanks to 7 years of making dog food and having to portion and weight it as I put it into baggies and freeze it. (go figure that I had learned to control, portion and ensure my dogs were eating healthy for 7 years before I realised I should be doing this for me too!!!)

    But I get as exacting as possible. I want to make sure I'm not going over and sabotaging my efforts here!
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    I got a digital food scale and weigh most everything. I used to measure but find the scale more accurate and easier to use.
    I am not obsessive about small things though, I don't stress over 20 calories like I used to.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I use a scale when I cook and eyeball when I eat out.

    I don't bother measuring/weighing spices, onions, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, or vinegar.

    I also don't measure oil, I eyeball it. It is close enough for me. And I only use oil in salad dressing or when I am sauteeing, so I imaging some stays in the pan, so I don't need to be perfect.

    I also don't bother with logging a splash of something most of the time. I might add a tiny bit of coconut water to my water. Or a bit of almond milk in my tea. It adds up to an ounce or 2 typically and that works out to about 15 calories at the worst case so not enough to trouble myself with.
  • mnowens
    mnowens Posts: 71
    I've been on MFP for almost a year now and I still weigh and measure almost everything. Mainly because I don't trust myself, even now, to be able to eyeball stuff. Doesn't take that much extra time and helps keep me "honest"!

    This exactly. I'm so worried I'll underestimate how much I'm eating.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    measuring cups/spoons are very inaccurate. i use a digital scale for everything. that probably adds about 30 seconds to my meal prep time.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    I weigh everything, including liquids. I use the generic entries in MFP whenever possible, since they have a ton of different measurements, and I almost always set it to the 100g setting to enter the weights.

    I have noticed that for some foods I am getting good at estimating the amount I expect to see on the scale, but I'm not going to stop weighing things for a long, long time. 30 years of no concept of portion control is not going to just go away in a few months.