Portion control is an important factor when trying diet for weight loss. According to SparkPeople.com, people have an unrealistic idea of what portion sizes should be. By weighing the food you eat, you are guaranteeing the number of calories you are consuming. Food scales come in a variety of shapes and styles. Some are even pocket-sized to take with you at work or out to eat. A food scale is a great way to learn portion sizes and stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Step 1
Review the food items you are planning to eat. Ensure that a nutritional label is provided. If the food doesn't have a label, you can browse the Internet to see if places like CalorieKing.com or NutritionData.com have the data available (see Resources). These online tools are especially helpful for homemade recipes.
Step 2
Locate the serving size on the food package.
Step 3
Place a small amount of food onto the scale. Place a piece of wax paper down to keep the scale clean. When using raw meats, weigh a dish, place the meat in the dish, and subtract the weight of the dish from the total number.
Step 4
Add or remove food until you reach the ounces or grams that equal one serving of the food. Continue doing this until you have a serving of each food item.
Step 5
Prepare snacks ahead of time. For example, wash and weigh fresh produce as soon as you bring it home from the store. Put it in individual packages that you can easily grab when you are hungry. Having something healthy and prepackaged on hand will ensure that you do not experience weak moments during hunger.
Step 6
Continue weighing food until you learn to recognize a serving without using the scale. Practice by putting what you think is one serving onto a plate and then weighing it to see how accurate you were.
Things You'll Need
- Food scale
- Wax paper
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