you think you measured right?

[Inatic]

Short video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

[Amy]

I will send this to everyone I know!! Thanks Ileen! :thumb:

[Erik]

I've seen that.

Something to definitely be aware of.

I think I'll send that out as well.

[Espi]

Would you know I was equally shocked when discovering the opposite. Had thought to use 10g of butter and I was mostly only using 5 grams! Somehow butter had escaped my attention.. now I weigh the package 'back' after adding the small pat of it to the pan.
Reminds me: another free tip.
Don't skimp on postponing to get a new non-stick skillet when your old one starts sticking. I'm in need of more butter for omelettes now it starts sticking after 3-4 months of heavy duty use!

[Noel Clark]

that blows :dry:

[sarahlou]

Excellent point and I will offer another one. Dieters too often trust labels on packaging and the labels can be wrong. Case in point I like Wild Wood original tofu-veggie burgers (Wild Wood is a reputable company by the way). The nutritional label claimed each burger (2 per package by the way) was 110 calories. I emailed the company after noticing that the nutritional info on their website said each burger was 180 calories! I was told the info on the website was correct and that the printed labels were incorrect. If you ate two burgers thinking you were eating 220 calories, in reality you consumed 360 calories.

[Cindy Day]

Tryin' to tell me somfin? :oops:

:lol:

Eyes wide open!

[Lyn]

that blows :dry:

Word! :dry: I want my ignorance back.

[Patricia]

I always measured out 40g. H never said 1/2 cup...he said 40grams...
either way, I also never measure 1/2c with a rounded cup...that's just common sense.

[Ali]

Devil's advocate. If you are not losing weight, you need to reduce portion size...no matter what measuring method you use. Just be consistent.

I haven't measured food for months. :innocent:

[donnajo]

Denial people Denial. :icanthearyou: If I am not losing weight it is not my fault. It is the foods fault. :lol:

[donnajo]

Devil's advocate. If you are not losing weight, you need to reduce portion size...no matter what measuring method you use. Just be consistent.

I haven't measured food for months. :innocent:

But what is your goal right now? Do you do that when dieting?

I find if in maintenance I can eyeball ...but if I want to lose I need to track.

[soontobefit]

Wow...I think I am ok. Maybe i only over-measure my oats...that is it. Everything else is a digital scale! Starting tomorrow morning, I am weighing my oats too! Never knew it would make that much of a difference

[vtchick]

I'm SO glad I use my scale...wow. :unsure:

[SusanF]

That's a very cool little video.

I actually weighed out some cereal the other day (I was thinking of having it for PWO). The measured amount (in grams) was a way smaller serving that the 3/4 cup or whatever the box said. That was very eye-opening.

Needless to say, I didn't have the cereal - went for something with way more volume :lol:

[Maria]

Wow...I think I am ok. Maybe i only over-measure my oats...that is it. Everything else is a digital scale! Starting tomorrow morning, I am weighing my oats too! Never knew it would make that much of a difference

I just checked on my oat bran.
Calorieking states that one cup is 3.3 oz...well, it weighed out to be 5 1/8.

[Fitwolf]

:dry:

now I have to buy a digital food scale.

I like analog!

[Inatic]

That's a very cool little video.

I actually weighed out some cereal the other day (I was thinking of having it for PWO). The measured amount (in grams) was a way smaller serving that the 3/4 cup or whatever the box said. That was very eye-opening.

Needless to say, I didn't have the cereal - went for something with way more volume :lol:

my kindda gal! :thumb:

[Ali]

But what is your goal right now? Do you do that when dieting?

I find if in maintenance I can eyeball ...but if I want to lose I need to track.

I'm not dieting. I've done that when dieting, yes. Not with Erik, though.

[Erik]

I'm not dieting. I've done that when dieting, yes. Not with Erik, though.

:lol:

[Cass]

Devil's advocate. If you are not losing weight, you need to reduce portion size...no matter what measuring method you use. Just be consistent.

I haven't measured food for months. :innocent:
:yeahthat:

[Ali]

:lol:

What you laughing at, Mister?

[Noel Clark]

I weighed my oats this morning

:dry: I can't decide whether I am happy that Ileen posted this or if I want to kill her now.

[Erik]

I weighed my oats this morning

:dry: I can't decide whether I am happy that Ileen posted this or if I want to kill her now.

How did it differ?

I am going to start using gram measurements for everything in programs.

A side effect is that I will teach Americans to use the metric system.

Double whammy! :D

[Noel Clark]

How did it differ?

I am going to start using gram measurements for everything in programs.

A side effect is that I will teach Americans to use the metric system.

Double whammy! :D
It differed in that I was eating more than 40g :dry: Even when i take a level 1/2 cup scoop....I was ticked :lol: Just like in that dumb video, it was slightly below the scoop. I am not happy about this bahahaha

So this whole time erik, I have been eating 100s of calories more than you wanted

bahahahahahahaaha

[Erik]

:dry:

Time for me to update my programs.

I'm including that clip in all new client emails.

[Ali]

:dry:

Time for me to update my programs.

I'm including that clip in all new client emails.


Ya, but if she (anyone) were gaining too much...or someone was starving...you would adjust...that's my point.

[donnajo]

Ya, but if she (anyone) were gaining too much...or someone was starving...you would adjust...that's my point.


So you are saying it is all relative and does not matter because you would just adjust portion up or down. Makes sense.

Measuring every little thing for the rest of my life seems obsessive and not flexible. I guess when dieting I can see that but to maintain you need to learn to incorporate portion control so that you can eat out and live life.

[Erik]

So you are saying it is all relative and does not matter because you would just adjust portion up or down. Makes sense.

Right.

You simply adjust a consistent means of measuring.



Measuring every little thing for the rest of my life seems obsessive and not flexible. I guess when dieting I can see that but to maintain you need to learn to incorporate portion control so that you can eat out and live life.


I don't see that.

It takes me 10 seconds to measure something.

Put bowl on scale
Zero scale (1second)
Put chicken in bowl
Read measurement (1 second)
Eat chicken

Compared to

Put bowl on counter
Put chicken in bowl
Eat chicken

If you are trying to achieve something "specific" with your physique, you need to know how much you're eating. If you're not trying to achieve anything specific and are just well, doing nothing, then yeah, who cares?

[donnajo]

Right.

You simply adjust a consistent means of measuring.




I don't see that.

It takes me 10 seconds to measure something.

Put bowl on scale
Zero scale (1second)
Put chicken in bowl
Read measurement (1 second)
Eat chicken

Compared to

Put bowl on counter
Put chicken in bowl
Eat chicken

:lol: I get that for at home.

I meant when you are at maintenance and not dieting you don't want to bring your scale to a restaurant or something. And then even at home I have no trouble with maintenance and eyeballing. I use the hand , fist thing for protein and carbs. Thumb tip for fat. I have been able to maintain successfully this way.

But when I diet I would measure everything. Yes.

[Ali]

That's what I do for maintenance...no measuring. When I begin to diet...cut stuff out...reduce portion size, etc. Then, FINALLY...last straw...and when things fail to work...you need to know what you are doing. You have to measure.

This is a last step for a lot of people. And a lot of mainstream people will never need to do that. It's hard enough for them to just keep the junk out of their food.

If I told one of my friends here in Muskegon that they needed to eat the same menu over and over again and measure every bit of it...they would not do it. I'd just get this....> :blink: "Whatever, you are crazy. I don't need to look like you." And indeed, people have said that to me.

Just depends on your goals. Plus...I am so not regimented...

[Erik]

:lol: I get that for at home.

I meant when you are at maintenance and not dieting you don't want to bring your scale to a restaurant or something.

Anyone who brings a scale to a restaurant should be beaten with their scale.

It's easy to eat on plan when eating out if you want to. Make the best choices of what's presented to you, don't overeat/eyeball portions.

You're eating 35-42 meals per week. It's not like the above happens all that often.

[Inatic]

I weighed my oats this morning

:dry: I can't decide whether I am happy that Ileen posted this or if I want to kill her now.

:oops:

:cardio:

[Erik]

So 1 cup of oats measured dry is about 80g?

[Noel Clark]

So 1 cup of oats measured dry is about 80g?
yes

[mackie]

Word! :dry: I want my ignorance back.
:funny:

[mackie]

Anyone who brings a scale to a restaurant should be beaten with their scale.


:lol:

:yeahthat:

[Cindy Day]

So 1 cup of oats measured dry is about 80g?
Well, according to the vid, it's well under the rim of that 1 cup.

However, to expand on Ali's line of thinking-- if one is measuring a 1/2 cup of oats (level, slightly rounded or even heaping) and they are doing it consistently AND getting results, not need to measure it out and cut them down to an exact 40g, right?

Logical to me. However if one is all over the place as to where/how the 1/2 cup is measured, then they wouldn't know how much to adjust if they are stalled. Am I right? or am I right? ;)

[mackie]

Well, according to the vid, it's well under the rim of that 1 cup.

However, to expand on Ali's line of thinking-- if one is measuring a 1/2 cup of oats (level, slightly rounded or even heaping) and they are doing it consistently AND getting results, not need to measure it out and cut them down to an exact 40g, right?

Logical to me. However if one is all over the place as to where/how the 1/2 cup is measured, then they wouldn't know how much to adjust if they are stalled. Am I right? or am I right? ;)
You are right and you are right.

..according to my mcbook anyway... for whatever that's worth. :lol:

[Erik]

I'm converting to grams.

[Espi]

Grams for the win!

I must say that i agree with Ali. For most people, weighing food shouldn't be necessary and eye balling is enough (though highly recommended for starchy foods like rice). But if you do measure your food , go by weight, not volume.

[darrensbaby]

Okay so I measure everything and have been for a while.
But never really worried about measuring things like broccoli.
1 cup of fibrous veg = ??
since I use frozen....is that 1 cup frozen or 1 cup thawed (it is a measurable difference)
and yes Erik, I realize I probably should have asked you this a few weeks ago but darn it I wanted my broccoli:shakeithappy:

[Espi]

Whenever I use frozen food (nearly every day), I subtract to the nearest 5g . If the frozen food weighs like 183 grams then I assume 180 gram thawed.
For veggies I am never really very specific: it's mostly that I aim for 250 to 300g.

[soontobefit]

You should see how diligent I am at my measurements now...and I thought I was diligent before!!! :P

[Ana]

Okay so I measure everything and have been for a while.
But never really worried about measuring things like broccoli.
1 cup of fibrous veg = ??
since I use frozen....is that 1 cup frozen or 1 cup thawed (it is a measurable difference)
and yes Erik, I realize I probably should have asked you this a few weeks ago but darn it I wanted my broccoli:shakeithappy:
Pretty sure you have no issues with broccoli.
I measure mine cooked but it's veg many don't measure at all

[Audrey]

I've always measured my oats and other carbs in grams, not cup. Mainly because it gives you a consistent measurement (always the same number of grams), and I actually find it easier/quicker to use the digital scale rather than putting stuff in a cup (or 1/2 cup). I do agree with Lite that whatever measurement you choose, as long as it is consistent, then it shouldn't matter as much.

As a aside, my 1/2 cup of oats is a lot more than 40g (about 50g or so) :p

As for veggies, it doesn't really matter as much, unless you eat the stuff by the truckload. I think eyeballing is fine... it is not like 5-10 more grams of veggies are going to make a noticeable difference in your results.

[Erik]

I weighed my normal 1 cup of oatmeal (which is supposedly to be 80g). Turns out it was 105g.

30% more. :lol3:

To grams it is. :lol:

[Ana]

I weighed my normal 1 cup of oatmeal (which is supposedly to be 80g). Turns out it was 105g.

30% more. :lol3:

To grams it is. :lol:
I'm going to start weighing this too

[Ali]

But look...we were all losing on way more food than you thought! :thumb: :lol:

[Ali]

Ok, my 1/3 cup of oats weighs 1.1 ounces. What is it supposed to be? There's no way I'm lowering it. :crying:

I don't even think I have anything that measures in grams. :unsure:

[Erik]

Ok, my 1/3 cup of oats weighs 1.1 ounces. What is it supposed to be? There's no way I'm lowering it. :crying:

I don't even think I have anything that measures in grams. :unsure:

27g (0.95 oz)

How did you measure the PB I told you to eat? :uhuh:

[synergyb3]

That's an eyeopener! :eek:

[Ali]

27g (0.95 oz)

How did you measure the PB I told you to eat? :uhuh:

Figured out how many grams were in a teaspoon. It's close. :lol: :shrug: Hey, get off me...it worked, didn't it? And besides...I don't think I had peanut butter for a lot of the time. Usually raw nuts. :nod: And i never weighed those..it's like 6 almonds. :lol:

You hate me, don't you? :lol:

[Erik]

Figured out how many grams were in a teaspoon. It's close. :lol:

:uhuh:



:shrug: Hey, get off me...it worked, didn't it?

Touche



And besides...I don't think I had peanut butter for a lot of the time. Usually raw nuts. :nod: And i never weighed those..it's like 6 almonds. :lol:

You hate me, don't you? :lol:

Yes

[Ali]

Who you calling a touche?

:cheeky:

[Erik]

The phrase touché is often used in popular culture and general conversation—for example, in an argument or debate. If one person presents an argument and another delivers a clever or apt response, the first person may respond with "touché" as a way of acknowledging a good response.

[Ali]

The phrase touché is often used in popular culture and general conversation—for example, in an argument or debate. If one person presents an argument and another delivers a clever or apt response, the first person may respond with "touché" as a way of acknowledging a good response.


:funny:

dork.

[Inatic]

Figured out how many grams were in a teaspoon. ...I don't think I had peanut butter for a lot of the time. Usually raw nuts. :nod: And i never weighed those..it's like 6 almonds. :lol:

You hate me, don't you? :lol:

I often chose sliced almonds. Teaspoons of pb is pure TORTURE.. why bother :lol:

my bowl of oats is gonna get smaller. :bawling:

can i delelte this thread :lol:

[Erik]

can i delelte this thread :lol:

:lol3:

It's all Ileen's fault.

[Inatic]

:lol3:

It's all Ileen's fault.


:cardio:

[jlb001]

I am SOOOOOOOOOO guilty of that peanut butter thing. worse thing is....I use a normal spoon. Well past tense. I'm not doing nutbutters right now. thank goodness.

Not so much on the oats. I do measure in a measuring cup, but heaping full.

[Ali]

I am SOOOOOOOOOO guilty of that peanut butter thing. worse thing is....I use a normal spoon. Well past tense. I'm not doing nutbutters right now. thank goodness.

Not so much on the oats. I do measure in a measuring cup, but heaping full.


:lol:

:finger:

[jlb001]

omg...I left out the NOT part. LMAO

too funny.

[Anca]

Oh great... now I'm going to have to buy a digital food scale, aren't I? :rolleyes: I doubt my "spring" one will cut it for X grams of peanut butter. :sad:
I can't wait to get my first gram-based menu.
:suicide:

[Erik]

Oh great... now I'm going to have to buy a digital food scale, aren't I? :rolleyes: I doubt my "spring" one will cut it for X grams of peanut butter. :sad:
I can't wait to get my first gram-based menu.
:suicide:

:lol:

Happy shopping.

[Espi]

LMAO. Yanno, I used to have a sig with 'metric fundamentalist' in it.. so, finally the US is going metric! Yay!

Weighed off my butter again this morning. 6g it was. Still shaking my head why I thought it was 10g so often.

[Sportsgirl]

LMAO. Yanno, I used to have a sig with 'metric fundamentalist' in it.. so, finally the US is going metric! Yay!



LOL. Don't count on it.

I've been measuring everything (by weight) since the beginning of the year. All my meat is measured raw before being cooked and things like rice, lentils are measured dry. The only thing I measure in volume is liquids.

I even measure my protein powder now :oops: You'll be surprised how 1 scoop often isn't equal to the specified serving size in grams.

[SusanF]

LOL. Don't count on it.

I've been measuring everything (by weight) since the beginning of the year. All my meat is measured raw before being cooked and things like rice, lentils are measured dry. The only thing I measure in volume is liquids.

I even measure my protein powder now :oops: You'll be surprised how 1 scoop often isn't equal to the specified serving size in grams.

:yeahthat:

I measure everything except my veggies.

[Anca]

Silly question: how do you put on PB or messy dry stuff such as protein powder on the scale? Do you cover it with plastic wrap or something? Or do you just wipe it off after every single weighing? :grrr:

[Erik]

Silly question: how do you put on PB or messy dry stuff such as protein powder on the scale? Do you cover it with plastic wrap or something? Or do you just wipe it off after every single weighing? :grrr:

You put whatever it's going in on the scale then zero the scale and then add the item.

Two more points for digital.

[jaleena]

Silly question: how do you put on PB or messy dry stuff such as protein powder on the scale? Do you cover it with plastic wrap or something? Or do you just wipe it off after every single weighing? :grrr:
Either what Erik said, or with PB, you can put the whole jar on the scale and subtract the amount you want.

[Erik]

Either what Erik said, or with PB, you can put the whole jar on the scale and subtract the amount you want.

Right.

With PB, I just put the lid on the scale, zero it, and then put the PB in the lid and eat up with a spoon. :D

[Espi]

That messy stuff like pb leaves too much on the spoon to weigh what's going into a bowl. Going by weight change in the jar itself is easier.
Put the jar on the scale,
put it on zero,
take the jar off
take about a t(b)sp worth,
put the jar back to see what the difference is
if I took too much, add something back, if it's not enough, scoop out a bit more
Same for the butter but then I mostly do this with a knife.


In most cases I don't bother too much if the difference is small, but I always try to make note of the exact amount in my 'FoodDatabase' , and may perhaps change something elsewhere later in the day to make it match better if I'm feeling like playing the 'hit the daily target calories' game.

[Maria]

Just put a plate on the scale, then turn the scale on and put your food on it.
It is not rocket science.

[Espi]

Not rocket science but there are easy ways and more difficult ways of doing it.
Easy = weigh the rice when still raw, so you can cook the exact portion. Unless you're cooking for more people and you find it easier to weigh the cooked rice and throw out what you don't need.

Easy = weigh the pb jar before and after taking out the pb with a spoon as otherwise the pb that gets on the spoon is 'unweighed'. Are you going to rinse off that pb or.. like so many do: not count/weigh the pb but still lick it off.

Or, when you eat food that is very hard to 'crack'. A week ago I had mussels on my high kcal day. Two whopping kg of mussels left me with around 1kg of shells and 1 kg of meat. You got to be kidding when you think I was going to de-shell them one by one, weigh them and then eat them? Nope.. ate them when still piping hot and just weighed the empty shells after having weighed the mussels before.

You might want to do the same for e.g. pistachio nuts, but I've found it easier to create a separate entry into my food program in which I enter the nutrition data including the shells. 100g pistachio nuts incl. shells leave me with around 45g actual pistachio nuts. So, I just multiplied the data for 100g pistachio nuts by 0.45. Why? Because then I can weigh out the pistachio nuts and go eat quietly without worrying about eating too many.

The difference is that I mostly buy mussels and will eat all of it. For nuts, like pistachios, you're mostly taking a handful, so it's good to know how much food you're getting when they are still in the shell.

[Anca]

Thanks guys! This helps! :bbump2: