Weight Watchers - How necessary do you think a kitchen scale is for WW?

I've only been doing WW for 3 days, and one thing that gets me is the ounces of meat especially deli meat. I'd like to be more precise with my portions, but I'm not sure a scale is necessary. Any thoughts?

I weigh EVERYTHING. I believe it's the only way to accurately know what I'm eating. It's surprising to see the differences when you start weighing foods.

Um, if you don't weigh your food, how do you know the portion size, for example meat, fruit, etc....For me, I weigh everything....If I don't weigh it, for example dry granola, I measure it....this lets me know that my portions are really the serving size listed. Good luck :hug:

I weigh or measure most foods.

A scale has been absolutely essential for me. I suffer from uncalibrated eyeballs -- I STILL can't assess proper portion sizes so I weigh or measure everything out according to my plan requirements...
They aren't that expensive and last forever. If it helps you stay accurate, why not get one?

Kira

Necessary? No (but convenient, yes)

Even today there are many people who follow Weight Watcher's and other food plans without one. Before I had one, I measured out deli meat and other foods by estimation (and it worked well, as long as I was honest with my estimation). For example, with deli meat I'd divide it up at home into equal portions and then calculate the serving size by using math and estimation. Say I bought half a pound of sliced smoked turkey (8 oz). At home, I'd divide the meat into 8 equal (1 oz) or 4 equal (2 oz) portions and put each portion in individual ziploc bags. Then on the bag in a permanent marker, I'd write the point information (or calorie or exchange information, depending on what diet I was following. I learned the "tip" from another Weight Watcher's member when WW was still an exchange plan).

Of course, doing it that way, each portion wasn't exactly one ounce. One bag might weigh 1.1 oz and the other might weigh .9 ounce, but it all evens out, because I knew the original, starting weight. There are other ways to estimate ounce size (3 ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards), but they're even less precise (many people succeed on guesstimation, you've just got to be relentlessly and rigidly honest with yourself. You can fudge the system until your portions are way off reality).

That being said, I LOVE my food scale. So much so that I think I'd grab it first if the house were on fire (after hubby and the cat of course). I bought my first one at a Weight Watcher's meeting (At least 8 years ago, and I think more like 10 or more, definitely before I met my husband 8 years ago) for about $35. I especially love the "zero" feature. It resets the readout to zero so you can weigh the next item without removing the previous (so you can weigh your whole meal, food by food using the same bowl, dish or pate.

This year I finally broke down and bought a new scale (I'd been using duct tape to keep the batteries in my old scale after the battery coverplate broke several years ago). I still couldn't part with my old scale so now it's in the craftroom for measuring out polymer clay, yarn and other materials for craft projects.

I have been thinking about getting a food scale for a while now but wasn't sure if I should buy the Weight Watcher's scale or a normal food scale at a kitchen store. Are there benefits to the WW food scale besides the points? Is there a particular scale that you guys would suggest purchasing?

I have the Good Cook brand and love it. It is digital, and has a nice big bowl/tray with it. It measures interchangeably in ounces or grams, which is handy, too.

I made it a long way without the scale. But I recommend getting it eventually. I love it, I find it easier than measuring cups for things like cereal. And it's awesome for meat. I found out when I got it that I've been way off in my estimate of how much 3 oz of chicken was; I was charging myself double points. Yes, that's right, I got MORE food with the scale.

I have the WW scale, but I rarely use the points option. I think a scale from somewhere else would be just as good. Things to look for: measures in oz or grams, allows you to measure in your own container. Many scales come with a bowl that you can choose to use or not (the ww scale does not have one), but some scales require you to use their bowl. I like to just put the plate, bowl, whatever I'm going to use on the scale, press "zero" and then weigh my food

I bought a scale (I like the Salton brand) after realizing that my portion sizes were drastically off. I also stocked up on several nice, glass measuring cups to use as everyday serving dishes for side items to take the guessing out of that, too!

Find one that has a good size bowl for measuring. I have a cheapy one that has a small square bowl and a measuring cup. Neither are very convienent for meausring bulky things.

I have a scale and use it often. It wasn't an expensive one but does the job!

You MUST get scale. Invest in the digital.

I weigh and measure everything! It's the only way to be certain you are staying within your points.

I asked the same question when I first started and got much the same feedback, so I went and bought the WW one - and I love it! I don't use it ALL the time, but it is very helpful in getting accurate portion sizes. I found I was underestimating the points in certain things, but underestimating the points in others. It helps me better eyeball portion sizes when I don't have access to the scale.

I never used a scale until recently and now I'm drooling over the even cooler digital scales. I have an old Pampered Chef one that you can adjust for different containers, it works, but the digital ones are much nicer.

My digital allows me to use any container, which is handy when measuring all the ingredients for a meal. It has a button that allows you to set for zero so that the weight of the empty dish is not calculated into the food weight. LOVE it!

I can only say this: the filet mignon that I was CONVINCED was no more than 4 oz...was over 7 oz. Luckily I had enough points to move around and still have the filet I was so looking forward to!

i weigh everything! my weight watchers leader has it drilled into us guessers are messers and she is s right. the weeks i eyeball portions i get very little loss, and the weeks i'm strict i feel fantastic.
i just have a small cheap kitchen scale, i'm using the proper weight watchers one as a reward for my 14lb loss (thats a milestone here in ireland cos it equals a stone) have a while to go to get it but i cant wait!

I used one religiously at first until I knew exactly what 4 ounces of meat looked like, or 2 ounces of pasta, etc. I rarely use it now, but I'm still losing. If I'm trying a new food I will measure it. Mine was 7 bucks at WalMart.

I do not use a scale, but I do measure things and I am honest about it. If I hit a long plateau and can't figure out why I'm not losing, I may get a scale, but if I had one now I'd just be obsessed with it and I'd feel like I could never eat anything unless I weighed it. As far as lunch meats go, I get the packaged ones and eat one serving.

I bought a scale to measure meat and I love it! I bought the Biggest Loser scale from Bed Bath and Beyond for 19.99 and haven't had a problem.

I think a scale is essential (at least for me) with the Weight Watchers program. Being able to weigh all my foods really does take the guesswork out of tracking, especially if it's something that is difficult to put in a cup measure! I don't even know what I did before I had the scale. I absolutely believe that it's key in keeping me honest/accurate on portion sizes.

I bought a cheapo scale at first then almost right away wished I had gotten a decent digital one. The digital one I have now doesn't have a bowl, so you can put your plate/bowl/etc. on it. And since it's digital you can re-zero it after each thing you add. I weight everything now, but it doesn't take any more time than just putting the food on my plate.

I echo what others say about a scale, if I don't use one, my portions end up being more than they should be. I use a WW scale but I know you can buy some cheaper digital ones that don't have Weight Watchers on them! It's handy because you can switch between ounzes or grams. Sometimes when you eyeball stuff you make the portion more than you should and try to justify it...but with a scale, you can't cheat!

I would not be without mine.

I find that I use my scale much more than I ever thought I would. I weigh all my meats and it's invaluable to me! It''s something I couldn't do WW without.

I can't get one here, but I look forward to buying one in the states. I used measuring cups when I can..and eye things now..but I am sure a scale would help me.

I've only been doing WW for 3 days, and one thing that gets me is the ounces of meat especially deli meat. I'd like to be more precise with my portions, but I'm not sure a scale is necessary. Any thoughts?

I weigh everything. I just portioned out an entire box of Special K Chocolate delight tonight. I weighed them into 3.1 ounce servings and put them into snack sized zip lock bags. it is very depressing to see how SMALL 3.1 ounces of cereal really is...BUT..cereal is meant to be a PART of a meal (I would say breakfast but I often eat it for dinner!) So I guess with the milk and maybe fruit or yogurt, it is really plenty. But really, I would normally eat like 4 times that amount without weighing it.

I bought a really cheap plastic scale at Walmart for like 4 dollars...and quickly threw it out. Spend the money. Get a digital, you can't go wrong on the numbers. I didn't but the WW brand one because I didn't want to spend 40 dollars, I think I got mine at Target for like 20. Mine is always on the counter. I don't put it away anywhere.

Thanks for all the info, next week when I go for my weigh in and my meeting, I'm buying the digital scale.....

A scale and measuring cups and spoons are absolutely necessary for portion control. I weigh everything, meat, cereal, nuts, cheese, fruit, etc.

I have a digital one and use it quite often. For instance, the bag will say a serving of chips is one ounce or 15 chips. Now, we all know that those chips range from the size of a quarter to the size of a dollar bill. lol! That's where a scale comes in handy.

I bought mine today at WW.

A scale has been absolutely essential for me. I suffer from uncalibrated eyeballs -- I STILL can't assess proper portion sizes so I weigh or measure everything out according to my plan requirements...
They aren't that expensive and last forever. If it helps you stay accurate, why not get one?

Kira



I suffer from the same disease as Kira - I use a scale for EVERYTHING. I totally recommend it.

I can't get one here, but I look forward to buying one in the states. I used measuring cups when I can..and eye things now..but I am sure a scale would help me.

that's funny. the scale I bought here in the Netherlands is from a German company. in fact even the labeling was all in German. Are you on a military base or something? I have an extra one I could send you if you want.