The importance of the food scale

My food scale is by far the most used tool I have in my kitchen. I came across a YouTube video a while back while researching macro counting that really opened my eyes to the absolute need to weigh my food over measuring it if I want to properly track my nutrients and calories. 

Experiment a little - measure out a scoop of protein powder which should be easy right? They give you the one serving scoop in the container when you buy it! Now weigh the scoop you measured out that is supposed to be exactly the serving amount. Now see how many grams you've measured out under or over the serving size. It's so easy to pack too much protein powder (or anything really) when measuring vs weighing! I did this little experiment when I first started weighing my food and 9 out of 10 times I was measuring out at least 5 grams too much protein powder! No big deal right? Ehh not so much - if there's 37 grams of protein powder in a serving and 150 calories a serving and you have 2 scoops of protein powder a day rounding up 10 grams that's an extra 40 calories right there! And that's just for something as little as protein powder. The average person that doesn't use a food scale underestimates their daily food intake as much as 500 calories a day! Which can obviously be a huge detriment when trying to stay on track and reach goals. Also underestimating food canes silt wash away an hour of hard work and calories burned working out!

Even something as simple as an apple can differ as much as 30 calories depending on the size of it! Go into My Fitness Pal and track an apple - you'll see there's pre-set options in there anywhere from 242 grams to 100 grams with an 80 calorie difference between them!

Over time you'll begin to eye out what the correct measurements are of the foods you normally eat so some people only use a scale to kick start their awareness. Then there are some people who find the need to go so far and carry around a travel food scale to measure food out at restaurants! Personally when I can't weigh my food I try and eyeball it - or plan my week in advance and save the meal I can't weigh out as my cheat meal for the week so I don't have to worry about it. All in all knowledge and awareness is key to setting yourself up to crush your goals - whatever they are!