So I've been moving along thinking I was eating 1200 calories per day now for about 12 weeks, counting every meal and snack... I finally got a food scale a couple of weeks ago, before I was going with cups, tablespoons, package info,etc... I started out weighing meats, fruits, veggies, pasta (because I knew the cup thing wasn't working there!), things like that.

This week I started weighing things I normally use a measuring cup or spoon for -yogurt, rice, trail mix, granola, coffee creamer (the one tbsp I allow myself...), peanut butter, fat free caramel apple dip that I eat several nights per week, etc...

My yogurt was pretty darn close, actually a little under most of the time.

My rice had almost an entire serving extra - 32 grams, 45 g is a serving... That is over 100 calories!

My trail mix varied from 20-80 over calories per 1/8 c I was measuring out... And I was sometimes eating a small trail mix snack twice per day at work...

My granola, also pretty darn close - within a gram or so up or down...

I was consuming 10 extra calories per day in coffee creamer, small number until I looked at the fact that I have one cup of coffee every single day...

My peanut butter was very inconsistent - luckily I didn't eat it much...

My caramel apple dip that I rated at around 50 calories based on my tbsp was actually closer to 75 cals...

I've been succeeding - I lost 1.8 pounds since my last official weigh in two weeks ago,17 total. In looking back at the calories I've tracked the last three months I now realize that I lost that weight eating more calories than I thought... So this week I've been eating the 1200 I thought I was eating before because I've weighed out everything, and I worry about slowing my metabolism down and hurting my progress... I'm thinking about moving up to 1300 - my feeling is that it can't hurt me, I've probably been really eating that all along on average and just didn't realize it...

I just had a small trail mix snack at 3:20 and am already hungry again... Could be really hungry, could be stress hungry...

It was probably a little startling to realize you were eating more than you thought but, if you were doing well, why mess with it I think you'd be doing fine to just go ahead and adjust your calorie goal number to meet what you were actually getting.

Wow, incredible the difference between measuring and actually weighing, huh? Good thing you figured it out now.

they way i see it is..i am not going to starve myself to make an extra 100 or 200 calorie deficit.

anything under 1600 calories for me is a pain to work with. eating 5-6 meals, get over 160g of protein while keeping carbs under 100g...*whew*

so i just try to do 1700-1750 at least. if i dont get the deficit i want..oh well..i just have to get more active.

and i dont know how i can live without my scale. i mean how can i eat 12grams of peanut butter using a spoon!!!! :-)

I just got a scale too! I have had it for two days and can't figure out how I survived without it. What I love most is that nutrition info is stored in the scale for tons of things so I now have calories on hand for veggies and fruits.

Great post. Thanks!

Speaking of peanut butter, I actually measured out 2 level tbs. once just to see how much it is. It is not very much

Your post shows why a scale is such a valuable tool and also how we have lost sight of what a portion size really is.

Good job on figuring it out

I also round the scoop, and I know I need to get more accurate. I also need a new scale, a digital scale. Any recommendations? I love the idea of the scale having a food database.

I have an Oxo slimline scale with a slide out display so it isn't blocked by the container sitting on it. It doesn't have a food database, but I love it... Switches easily from lbs to kg, accurate, compact - slides right under my napkin holder...

I have a pretty exhaustive spreadsheet with most of the food I eat in it already, so I went for compact over database.

Mine is a chefmate. I got it for $50 at Target. I spent a long time walking around the store debating on spending that much money. (I'm cheap!) It was the best purchase ever! (Next to my bike and my weight scale). It has a little booklet with codes for tons of foods like fruit & veggies. The pages are even laminated so it can hang out in the kitchen with no harm done.

I can't believe how I stared with writing down what I eat to see how I'm doing, to counting calories, to finding this website to weighing everything I eat in about a six week time frame. But it's working, I'm dropping pounds/inches like mad since I've started this!

Thanks Shannon and Cdiem, I'll look and see if I can find those. The database isn't essential, but it's certainly a cool idea.

I love the perspective my scale has given me. I'm always pushing weighing foods on other people trying to diet and they never get it.

I guess I need to go out and buy a scale, I usually round too

You know... I went horrible wrong with cereal. I realized I was eating over 200 calories more cereal per serving than I thought! And its my comfort food so sometimes I was dishing up several bowls a day... Arent you glad you started weighing now?

I am very glad I started weighing! It makes me much more confident to move the calories up to 1300... I'm less afraid that I'm missing something...