How do you measure your food?

[brewstate]

I had been doing JUDDD for a while and have had a fair amount of success, but I was wondering how everyone else measures the true value of their food because I think I may have been doing it "wrong" this entire time and didn't know it.

Obviously if the package is labeled with serving sizes etc I can do that no problem but I've started to wonder about meat and pasta and salads etc that are so variable in calories. Do you weigh everything you eat? Is the meat, pasta, etc supposed to be weighed before cooking or after?

Really I'm just curious how everyone else measures or calculates how much they are eating.

Typically I eyeball (I'm pretty good though) and then overestimate my estimate but I know I could do better.

[KeirasMom]

I weigh and measure everything, and it's raw when I weigh.

[dawnyama]

I have been on hcg,so I have a kitchen scale (we are only allowed 3.5 oz of raw meat at a time). So, yes, I do weigh my meat when it is raw. I am sooo not good at eyeballing. Even with the deck of cards or tennis ball sized portions tricks. Other things, I don't worry too much about. Others have weighed their apples or strawberries, but I am not that anal. Depends on how dedicated you are! If you want to keep count of your calories--you HAVE to track. The only way you can do that is by weighing. When I was doing JUDDD, I just kept my DDs low (I was on hcg so I know what 500 calories a day is!) and my UDs high. Didn't track. And I lost weight!!!

I am on another hcg round, so I am not currently doing JUDDD, but plan on being back here before too long.

[Carly]

I use measuring cups and measuring spoons when ever possible on DDs. I really eye ball on UDs and over estimate too, but I don't really have an issue with over eating on UDs. Things like rice or pasta usually say something like 1 cup uncooked or half cup cooked. For fish I tell the guy at the market that I want 3 separate packages of a 1/4 of a pound. He weighs it out separately and wraps it separately and I usually freeze 2 packages for other DDs. On DDs I use to use WW or LC frozen dinners since there are several varieties under 200 calories and you know exactly what your getting. I don't know if that helps. I don't have a kitchen scale and fear I may become too obsessive if I get one.

[SoHappy]

I'm one of the anal ones, sometimes. When my weight is within my designated * OK * range, I'm far more likely to be more relaxed about the true measure of my calories, which is often the reason my weight seems to float up as often as it does, I think. I enjoy those Free Days and those casual guess-timating days about as much as anybody here. LOL

When I'm needing to bring my weight down several pounds, I'm darned anal on my DDs, and semi-anal on my UDs. I measure all liquid and *gooshy* stuff, and weigh everything else. I don't have a kitchen scale as such, but do use a small postal scale from back when I did a lot of ebay sales. It's accurate, and it makes this all work smoothly for me.

I'm about ready to start into my third year of JUDDD, and I've found out for myself that the more casual I am, the fatter I am, and the more true and accurate I am, the slimmer I can become with that little extra effort. More than worth it for me.

[piratejenny]

Weigh, weigh, weigh!

I don't even trust measuring cups/spoons, except for liquids...some stuff is to fluffy/easy to compress/chunky to measure accurately. For example, have you ever noticed that a serving size of croutons is 2 tablespoons?

[Carly]

Originally Posted by piratejenny

Weigh, weigh, weigh!

I don't even trust measuring cups/spoons, except for liquids...some stuff is to fluffy/easy to compress/chunky to measure accurately. For example, have you ever noticed that a serving size of croutons is 2 tablespoons?

I have and that's rediculous! I only buy stuff like that, when it says
10 pieces= X.

Or 2oz of crackers?!? Why??? I just refuse to buy those since plenty of brands say 13 crackers for 110 caloies.

I was anorexic when I was younger and worry about the kitchen scale and how that may effect me. I totally see the value in it, but right now I just don't want to risk it. I worry that my total fasting on DDs could lead to old ways, but it doesn't seem to be an issue so far. I enjoy my UDs. In the past I think I would have done DD, DD, DD, MD, DD, DD, etc. I've been temped to do 2 DDs in a row "just to see" but I don't want to destroy my metabolism any further. That is part of the JUDDD magic and the healing for me.

[RebeccaSimpson]

I've noticed the other day that raw veggies have less calories then cooked ones. Well, that's what cronometer says. It is a different from 30cals, which is quite a lot when you are supposed to have 500cals. I'm also not so sure if we can trust those calorie counters. I guess sometimes we eat around 50cals more or less, withour knowing.

[Whitlin']

I admire your careful attention, but am so different from most I guess. I never weigh a thing and just go with my measuring cups, or "eyeing" things (sometimes holding the measuring cup near for comparison, but not committing to the point I would have to wash it, lol!). I try to "eye" the ideal of 3 ounces of meat/fish the best I can, for instance, and move on.

I always input into an online calorie counter, which I'm sure has errors within its listings anyway that I wouldn't catch, as Rebecca says. I truly need that efficiency plus sodium knowledge, though, so since I am aware I am already giving up some accuracy, I guess exact measuring becomes less urgent.

And, frankly I add in restaurant foods sometimes. Even from strict chains, they are very likely to have slightly different cals depending upon location. I've been known to scrape some of a condiment off if I felt one place was too generous, and so if I can even catch something by "eyeball" then I'm sure the discrepancies are worse than I think.

[brewstate]

Very interesting prospective. I do have a food scale although I can't say I use it very often. Luckily there are 5 of us in my family so know I'm cooking a 20 oz roast and I equally divide it, I'm going to have roughly a 4 ounce piece. I think I could do better, I'm sure, but I find that is is mostly UD's that I'm trying to figure out what to do about as almost everything I eat on DD's is actually prepackaged or so low in calories that a little leeway won't kill me (was that a 24 calorie medium cucumber or a 34 calories large cucumber? )

I love seeing what everyone else is doing and hope I can pick some tips up along the way.

[shirlc]

I believe in weighing most of the time, and I'm anal enough to weigh fruits and veggies. Sometimes if I have something that I just can't figure out the calories on, I'll go to an online tracker and look at a few different entries and kind of average what I find there.

[Scotty]

I weigh everything, except those things that work best by volume. Have for 12 years. I put it into ******.

I weigh meat usually after cooking. Fish sometimes before, sometimes after. I weigh veggies before cooking.

[zipp2play]

I measure everything. Measuring cups and spoons and like Carly, I don't buy it if is states OZ as a serving size.

[synger]

I weigh some things, and eyeball others. 1/2 cup of broccoli or 3/4 cup isn't going to make that much difference even on a Down Day. 6 oz of chicken vs 3 oz will.

2 Tbs of cream vs 1 tsp makes a difference. 2 cups of lettuce vs 1 cup won't.

[adillenal]

I have a kitchen digital scale that I use. During cantaloupe season, I would weigh 16 ounce portions and then I could eat out of that bag all day without worrying about calories since I had already factored in 16 ounces.
I measure HWC cream with my measuring spoons. Two t per cup of coffee.
I measure the spaghetti sauce in a 1/2 cup metal mesuring cup and I know it isn't designed for liquids but it works for me.
I also weigh zucchini on DD's but don't really worry about it on UD's. I guestimate on UD's for veggies a lot of the time.

[b_lou_who]

I weigh and measure everything.
Pretty much don't eat packaged food, so I do my weights, put recipe in an online tracker and calculate exactly.