Does anyone use a scale for portion control?
I am thinking about getting one to measure meats and nuts; for me its hard to judge a ounce of nuts and such,,
A lot of the calorie counters use a scale for portion control. I don't. I don't really measure either, I rely on eyeballing portion sizes. It may not be perfect, but it works for me. So, if weighing works for you, I say go for it!
I do use a scale, and also measuring cups/spoons for anything other than non-starchy vegetables. I find I get a bad case of portion creep if I don't--the first day it is a true cup, the 2nd day a cup and a bit, 3rd cup and a quarter, and by the end of the week I'm up to 2 cups.
I've been doing this for years, and yes, I still need to. I have to manage my intake closely or I find I start to gain again. I'm holding onto a 100+ pound weight loss, and it is a priority for me. After a while, it becomes pretty routine.
That is a good question Kathy. I am a calorie counter and i sometimes wonder...especially about things that REALLY count. LIke nuts and meat. I could easily see me thinking it was a 4 oz peice of steak when it was actually way more. And nuts, i am terrible with...a couple here, a couple there...then by the end of the day, how many nuts did i have? I hate to guess wtih something so high in fat and calories...even if they are good for you. So i think i will look into getting one, just to get some basic gauges down.
I use one, like Glory, for things that I like too well, like pasta and measuring cups for nuts, cereal, etc. Stacy, maybe you could measure out your potion of nuts, and then pick at those? I tend just to have them on my cereal and be done for the day. And I put them away in the cupboard, because if I saw them, I'd be eating them. I used to measure the milk I put on my cereal, but when I realized that 1/2 cup was almost too much, I stopped, and just count it as 1/2 cup. I don't weigh/measure non-starchy veggies or fruit unless it's for a recipe....
Like others, I use scales for protein and carbs. I can't eyeball rice and pasta, I go completely over the top! I got my scales for Christmas, they're beautiful!!!
Oooh...I really like the pink scales kykaree has! I have an Escali Penduline scale that mounts on the wall and I use it for nearly every single thing I eat. For example, when I'm counting the calories in grapes, the size can make a big difference in what is considered a "portion". Some black grapes are almost the size of my thumb! This way I know for sure the exact number of calories they contain. I weigh everything in grams and use the nutritional information from www.nutritiondata.com
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