Food Scale Questions (for those that have them)

I was sitting here thinking about food scales (I just saw mine) and curious as to how others interact with them and how dependent they are on their food scale. 

I usually use mine every day.

I weight meat, cheese, chips/crackers...things that are by weight, more or less, as opposed to per cup...I don't typically measure fruit or veggies.

I work at home. :)

People see me at home weight stuff (hubbie, mom, friends) and they think it's a great idea.

I used to hide it, but don't anymore. It's my life and if it helps me, who cares what others think!

Going out to eat is still hard for me. I do it so little that when I do, I don't usually behave. Guess that's why I'm paying for it now being 30 pounds over weight. I'm still learning and trying to change.

I learned that I was way off in my guesses. I love my scale now!  

 

I just ordered a food scale and I can't "weight" to get it!  I am anticipating that I have been off on many things I have logged...higher and lower!  I'm all for accuracy!

I just ordered one from Target. Chefmate http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=DX41 0201?ie=UTF8&asin=B000LWPZDO I'm very excited. I have a hard time with measurements and portion control, a food scale will definitely make my life easier.

I have one that I bought on Walmart, but it's one of those cheap that is only good if you're weighing a potato, you know?

I bought a $30 one at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I probably don't use it as much as I could/should, but I do use it for measuring out cereals and snacks, etc.   I used to have a huge bowl of dry cereal as a snack in the evening and figured it wasn't too high in calories since I wasn't using milk.  Silly me it was like 3 servings and over 300 calories. 

I have been trying to use the scale to help me judge proper servings of foods because I do eat out a lot.  It has helped me makes better judgements about the servings I am getting at restaurants. 

I'm not worried about using it in front of people, and like to keep it on the counter to help me remember to measure.

• How often do you use your food scale?  Do you have to measure everything or only certain foods?
  • I use it every day.  I measure just about everything, including ingredients for recipes.
    
• Do you pre-measure your food to take for lunch or do you dare take a food scale to work and leave it in your desk drawer?  If you have one to work, what do your co-workers think?
  
  • Premeasure.  But I travel for work a lot so usually lunch is in a restaurant
    
• When most people see you weighing your food, what is their first reaction?  Do you try and hide it from other people that you weigh your food or do you try to explain to them why you are doing so?
  • Well DBF doesnt think much of anything about it, just something that goes along with counting calories.  Coworkers who see my scale are usually along the lines of "wow you really are serious..."  I dont try to hide it.
    
• When you go out to eat, does it cross your mind that you are unable to weigh your food and do you find yourself wondering how many ounces/grams this entree really is?  If so, does this bother you?
  • Yes I always wonder this. I even looked into buying a miniscale (but that just makes me look like a drug dealer) and they are kinda expensive so I didnt get one.  It does bother me that I cant weigh my food...but oh well...I usually only eat half or less of whatever entree anyway
    
• When you first bought your food scale, how far off did you realize you were previously when you were only estimating the size of the food that you were eating?
  
  • Way far off.  Especially with stuff like cereal.
    

I don't use mine all that often.  I use it for chips, some frozen "bag" food, and shredded cheese.  More solid things like meat I can look at and guess pretty close to the correct weight.  I cook/bake a lot so I feel I can look at volumes and know "that's a cup" or "that's a tablespoon."  Vegetables have too little in them for it to matter if I'm off a little in what I log.  After a while you learn what one oz of corn chips looks like and at least then in a restaurant you can guess how much chips and salsa you had.  The only thing that really surprised me was how little a serving of cheese is.

Original Post by undertherainbow:

I was sitting here thinking about food scales (I just saw mine) and curious as to how others interact with them and how dependent they are on their food scale. So, a few questions for those with food scales:

• How often do you use your food scale? Do you have to measure everything or only certain foods?
• Do you pre-measure your food to take for lunch or do you dare take a food scale to work and leave it in your desk drawer? If you have one to work, what do your co-workers think?
• When most people see you weighing your food, what is their first reaction? Do you try and hide it from other people that you weigh your food or do you try to explain to them why you are doing so?
• When you go out to eat, does it cross your mind that you are unable to weigh your food and do you find yourself wondering how many ounces/grams this entree really is? If so, does this bother you?
• When you first bought your food scale, how far off did you realize you were previously when you were only estimating the size of the food that you were eating?

I'd love to hear from other food scale owners on their take on their food scale!

I'll answer the ones that apply to me:

• How often do you use your food scale? Do you have to measure everything or only certain foods?
  • When I first got it I measured absolutely everything. Now I only use it on foods that are very calorie dense or I don't eat often (and therefore am not comfortable estimating.)
    
• Do you pre-measure your food to take for lunch or do you dare take a food scale to work and leave it in your desk drawer? If you have one to work, what do your co-workers think?
• When most people see you weighing your food, what is their first reaction? Do you try and hide it from other people that you weigh your food or do you try to explain to them why you are doing so?
  • I don't work but my family thought it was VERY weird and they were even a little worried for my mental health. I'll be honest. It was awkward. But I just had to ignore them. They've gotten used to it. I simply say "I'm watching my portion sizes; it's more accurate than a measuring cup."
    
• When you go out to eat, does it cross your mind that you are unable to weigh your food and do you find yourself wondering how many ounces/grams this entree really is? If so, does this bother you?
  • I find that weighing food at home makes me better able to visually estimate the weight/calories of a food. Sometimes I wish I could weigh a piece of meat or something but it's simply not practical so I don't worry about it.
    
• When you first bought your food scale, how far off did you realize you were previously when you were only estimating the size of the food that you were eating?
  • It varied. On high calorie things (peanut butter) I was WAY, WAY underestimating the serving sizes. On low calorie things (melon) I was definitely overestimating the calories. I found that milk I had a habit of overpouring, and chips I always took 3/4ths of a serving (instead of the full serving that I logged) because I was afraid that I would go OVER the serving.

Overall.. unless you have an ED or are at risk of developing an ED.. get a food scale. Mine cost 13 bucks.

How often do you use your food scale?  Do you have to measure everything or only certain foods?

Only when I am dieting, and only for things that are difficult to eye, like potatoes or meat.

Do you pre-measure your food to take for lunch or do you dare take a food scale to work and leave it in your desk drawer?  If you have one to work, what do your co-workers think? 

I've taken it to school before and used it in the dining hall. A couple of times someone I knew saw me weighing. I'm very thin so my explanation that "I'm watching my weight" is confusing or alrming to them. I'm just super health concious, not psyhco!

When most people see you weighing your food, what is their first reaction?  Do you try and hide it from other people that you weigh your food or do you try to explain to them why you are doing so?

There reaction is either confusion, alarm or being really crepped out. Most people don't take to well to  it, and most are completely unsupportive. I've tried explaining to a few people, but they think it's strange and usually whatever friendships we have suffer.

When you go out to eat, does it cross your mind that you are unable to weigh your food and do you find yourself wondering how many ounces/grams this entree really is?  If so, does this bother you?

It bothers me, but I'm also pretty good at eyeing portion sizes.

When you first bought your food scale, how far off did you realize you were previously when you were only estimating the size of the food that you were eating? 

I bought it at the same time I started caring, so I was never really off. Before dieting I didn't even know what a calorie was!

I have to move my scale or something...I just don't use it like I thought I would.

I'm sure once I figured out how to use it confidently, it would be a big help.

• How often do you use your food scale?  Do you have to measure everything or only certain foods?  - every day. certain foods so I can log the correct weight.
• Do you pre-measure your food to take for lunch or do you dare take a food scale to work and leave it in your desk drawer?  If you have one to work, what do your co-workers think?  I pre-measure.
• When most people see you weighing your food, what is their first reaction?  Do you try and hide it from other people that you weigh your food or do you try to explain to them why you are doing so?  doesn't apply.
• When you go out to eat, does it cross your mind that you are unable to weigh your food and do you find yourself wondering how many ounces/grams this entree really is?  If so, does this bother you? - i don't eat out often and when i do, usually once a month I eat whatever I want to eat, no matter if it's unhealthy, fattening, high cal, I go with the intent of eating what I like without worries.
• When you first bought your food scale, how far off did you realize you were previously when you were only estimating the size of the food that you were eating? - pretty acurate.