Weighing is the most accurate way to measure or calculate portion size. You can purchase a kitchen scale at most big box stores or online. We suggest investing in a digital scale as opposed to an old fashioned spring-loaded scale. The digital scales are easier to use and more accurate.
Research has shown that people consistently eat more food when offered larger portions. So portion control is important when you're trying to lose weight and keep it off. A portion is the amount of food you put on your plate, while a serving is an exact amount of food.
If you're embarking on a meal plan to lose weight, using a digital food scale will ensure you're not consuming more calories than you think you are. If you're logging your food intake on an app, weighing food portions will allow you to accurately track your calorie intake.
Daily weight fluctuation is normal. The average adult's weight fluctuates up to 5 or 6 pounds per day. It all comes down to what and when you eat, drink, exercise, and even sleep. Read on to learn more about how these factors affect the scale and when to weigh yourself for the most accurate results.
They require an average of 2,800 calories per day to maintain their weight and up to 3,000 if they're active. To lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week, moderately active young men should consume 2,300–2,500 calories daily. Energy needs decrease as men age.
Vegetables and salads: A fist-sized portion for women and two fist-sized portions for men. High-carb foods: One cupped-hand portion for women and two for men — such as whole grains and starchy vegetables. High-fat foods: One thumb-sized portion for women and two for men — such as butter, oils and nuts.
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups of vegetables. 6-10 ounces of grain, 1/2 from whole grains. 3 cups of nonfat or low-fat dairy foods. 5-7 ounces of protein (meat, beans, and seafood) each day.
You can also use your hand to measure food portions of meat and produce. For example, a single 3-ounce serving of chicken, beef, or fish is roughly the size of your palm. A 1-cup serving of fruit or vegetables is roughly the size of your closed fist. A single serving of cheese is about the size of your thumb.
Gather some objects whose weights are known to you. Good household objects include hand weights. Or look to your kitchen, where packages of dry food are printed with weight measurements of their contents. You can also use containers of water (a gallon of water weighs 8.35 pounds).
The recommended single portion of chicken is 3-4 ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards. Some people use the palm of their hand as a guide. Depending on the vendor, some chicken breasts are twice or even three times the size of a recommended serving.
Cooked items are often listed as having fewer calories than raw items, yet the process of cooking meat gelatinizes the collagen protein in meat, making it easier to chew and digest—so cooked meat has more calories than raw.
A food scale will show you that the portion you thought was four ounces may actually weigh eight ounces. Food scales are best for meat, which should weigh in at 3 ounces per serving, and cheese, 1.5 ounces per serving. Cups are best for cooked pasta or rice — a serving is 1/2 cup — and fruits and vegetables.
The Right Way to Weigh In
- Use your scale every morning (the best time to weigh yourself) after you empty your bladder, wearing as little clothing as possible.
- Place your scale on a hard, even surface—no carpeting.
- Stand still, with your weight distributed evenly on both feet.
Half a pound (0.5) is 8 oz. A quarter pound (0.25) is 4 oz.
For example, for people who eat meat, the amount recommended as part of a healthy meal is 3 to 4 ounces – it will look about the same size as a deck of cards.
In general, meat, poultry and fish will shrink about 25 percent when cooked. Sixteen ounces (1 pound) of raw boneless, skinless chicken breast will therefore yield about 12 ounces of cooked chicken.
| Values for cooked (roasted) product |
|---|
| Nutrient | Skinless, boneless breast | Whole Chicken, meat and skin |
| Calories | 165 | 239 |
| Protein (grams) | 31 | 24 |
| Total fat (grams) | 3.6 | 13.4 |
On average, 4 ounces of lean raw ground beef becomes 3 ounces (about 85 grams) of cooked meat,” Dr.
If you don't want to enter in a recipe, because it's a pain, you can always weigh the whole pan of raw veggies, then weigh after it's cooked and figure what it shrunk by.
You have to measure it cooked or raw, and each will be accurate. Water doesn't have calories, but it expands the rice. 1 cup of raw rice actually makes about 3 cups of cooked rice. I usually use cooked rice in my food journal, because it's easier to measure how much I've taken.
This would provide approximately 80-100 calories and 15-20 grams of carbohydrate. How do I measure pasta? Pasta can be measured before or after cooking. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that pasta doubles in size and weight when it is cooked.
Weigh the meat when it's uncooked, or look at the total amount contained in the package. After it's cooked, re-weigh it, and then divide this new weight by the number of servings you wanted, based upon it's raw weight. Then just portion it out.
