Food Scale

[Nancy Rivers 24]

I'm attempting to start journaling the food I'm eating and calculating Protein, fat, carbs, and calories. Already today I discovered that I believe I will need to get a food scale as a couple of the foods I was trying to look up gave serving sizes in ounces - even though I was counting out pieces (blueberries, grape tomatoes, baby carrots).

Does anyone use a scale for measuring their food? If so, which one?

[Tiffykins 672]

Some people find them useful. I personally never weighed my food consistently. The only reason is because my stomach holds food by volume (measuring cups) and not weight in ounces or grams. Some food has different weight vs. volume, and it does come down to some guestimations.

[weho 103]

Yeah, as Tiffy said, I was told to measure volume vs. weight too. It is good that you are doing this now. You seem so motivated and organized. You are going to do very well after your surgery!

[foxgirl74 5]

I do use a scale for some things so I can count my calories better. Like meat, I had no idea I was way over estimating how many ounces I was eating and starting freaking out. As for the scale, I just bought the cheap 5 dollar one from Target and it works just fine. I don't use it or rely on it enough to invest in anything more then what I have, but I do like knowing I have it when I need it and keeping my calories and intake more accurate.

[Nancy Rivers 24]

Thanks. I'm just trying to get into the habit of tracking my food - and that's hard to do if you don't measure it seems.

[Dawn 16]

I did in the begining! I used my WW scale but I haven't done it since like 4 months post!

[kellyw74 258]

My nut says to measure not weigh.

Good luck!

Kelly

[pattimomof3nj 21]

I weigh things like meat, tuna, dense Proteins. I measure things like fruits, veggies, Pasta and rice (when i chose to eat those). There are just some things that need to be weighed and some the need to be measured, know what i mean. Take 2 oz of strawberries and a 1/2 cup of strawberries, very different. Or 2 oz of tuna or 1/2 cup of packed tuna.

I got the biggest loser scale from Bed Bath & Beyond with a 20% coupon, and have had it since I got my crap band in 2008!

Just my thoughts!

[Nancy Rivers 24]

Thanks again. I think it will help me for journaling on my own before I am put on the program since it is hard for me to guess at how much I am eating (I am terrible with estimates).

Some things are easier to weigh than measure - like patti was saying.

[lsereno 2,525]

I use my scale because I want to accurately track how much Protein I'm eating each day and that is easiest to measure per ounce. I also use it to measure ice that I blend in my Protein drinks so I can count that towards my 64 oz. per day requirement. . 4 oz. of ice= 1/2 cup of Water. I have a WW scale left over from my many years of WW.

Lynda

[Susanne 32]

For stomach content, volume is maybe better even though theoretically the same issue applies. A cup of whole strawberries weighs a lot less than if you cut them into quarters -- but that will also make a huge difference in your stomach. Whole, it's probably 5 to a cup, if you cut them, it's more like 10 and your stomach will surly feel that difference too.

For counting calories and logging food weighing is pretty much a must if you want to be accurate. With our small calorie amounts - I am shooting for 900 - 100 calories over or under has a much bigger impact than in a 2000 calorie diet (2.2x as much, LOL)

With my Protein, if I use 3 scoops and compare it to the weight, I am about 30% calories over -- I don't mind the extra Protein, but it also is big calorie hit.

Same with Cereal - 1 cup from a fresh box is much less than 1 cup from the bottom of the box which has much smaller pieces.

With "loose" items or calorie dense items, I would not go without weighing it. Plus, for me it makes less of a mess. I have big yogurt containers so if I weigh out a portion, I don't have any additional dishes like measuring cups. I use the spoon I eat with and spoon it into the dessert bowl that is sitting on the scale.

If eye-balling it works for you, that's great. For me, I am too much of a virgo to accept this "unknown".