Gaahhhhh!!! I am so frickin’ frustrated with Ecto! It totally ruined my day today. I spent hours and hours messing with it, and it’s still not working properly! 
So, after publishing my breakfast post, everything seemed fine and dandy with Ecto, so I canceled my appointment with the Genuis Bar and went along with my day. I had lots to do, so I was happy that I didn’t need to take a trip to the Apple store.
Mid-morning, I snacked on a No-Bake Bar, an apple, and a refill of iced coffee.
Then, I headed out to run some errands around town. First, I visited a local consignment shop to see if I could make a little money off some of my old clothing. The shop ended up taking 3 pairs of pants and a cute top, so hopefully, they will sell.
Then, I stopped by the bank, dry cleaners, CVS, Good Health, and finally the gym. I’m so used to taking public transportation or walking to run my errands, but I think this driving thing might work out for me. 
Workout
At the gym, I ran 3.53 miles in 30 minutes (8:29 pace). I really pushed myself and varied my speeds from 6.5 – 7.5 mph, so I felt like I was hauling-ass at times! After my run, I jumped on the elliptical for 30 minutes and caught up with my magazine reading. I’m so behind, especially with my celebrity gossip! (I didn’t know JT and Jessica Biel were back together!?!)
Lunch
Lunch was something special this afternoon! 
Inspired by Rose’s Cheesy Sweet Potato Stew with Kale, I threw together my own creation: Pumpkin-Butternut Squash Soup with Kale. I wanted to add cheese to the recipe like Rose, but we were all out! 
We are never, ever out of cheese!?! I was bummed, but my soup still turned out yummy.
Pumpkin-Butternut Squash Soup with Kale
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup frozen butternut squash
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup non-fat milk
- 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta
- Handful of chopped kale
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- S & P
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan
- Cook over medium-high heat
- Top with raisins and walnuts (optional)
- Enjoy!
This was a good bowl of soup and it was so, so, so filling! I was actually sort of surprised that it satisfied me like it did. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
After lunch, I enjoyed a couple of Date Nut Rolls that I purchased at Good Health.
These things are so delicious! I could have easily eaten a bunch more!
After lunch, I tried to blog, but Ecto blew up again. I made another appointment with the Genius Bar and drove down, but after spending almost 2 hours at Apple, the Geniuses had no luck fixing it. (I might try a different Apple store tomorrow.)
Measuring Cups: Friend or Foe?
When I first lost weight, reducing my portion sizes was key to losing the pounds. I wasn’t eating unhealthy foods; I was just eating too much of them.
Even today, I still use measuring cups and spoons to portion high-calorie foods, like peanut butter, or ones that are easy to overestimate, like cereal or oats. In fact, I leave a 1/2 cup measuring cup in my oats to remind me of a “proper” portion size each morning when I make my oatmeal.
Last week, the folks at OpenSky sent me a food scale to test out, so I did a little experiment to see how accurate I am with my oat measurements. It turns out that I overestimate quite a bit! What can I say, I really like oatmeal!
After zeroing the scale with the measuring cup on top, my usual scoop of oats weighed 53 grams, which was 13 grams more than a 1/2 cup is supposed to be (1/2 cup = 40 grams).
When I leveled off the measuring cup, I was still 4 grams over.
I finally removed enough oats to weigh 40 grams.
If you look closely, the oats are actually below the lip of the 1/2 cup measuring cup. I guess this is why food scales are much more accurate!
So, the reason that I did this little experiment was not to obsess about grams or calories. Instead, I wanted to see how accurate I am with my trusty measurement cups. Apparently, I have a heavy hand with the oats! Even still, I don’t plan to measure my oats every morning, but this food scale was a great reminder of portion size. It’s a really great tool to own, especially if you’re looking to lose weight.
Do you use a food scale? If so, what has your experience been with it?
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I haven’t used a food scale but it is on my Birthday list! I would like to use it for meat portions. I have no idea what “the size of my fist” is in terms of a chunk of meat.
I have to say that measuring has definitely been more accurate than measuring!!
I LOVE how your eats are always so healthy, varied, and EASYYY. That soup looks yummy and something I can def whip up after an 11 hour work day. BTW I use measuring spoons/cups only for my oats and cooking…I’ve been having trouble with portion control so maybe I should use them throughout the day! :/
and good luck with ecto…
damn frustrations. tomorrow is a NEW day and remember, keep calm and love pugs !!
I got a food scale when I was avidly counting calories to be more accurate. I usually only use it now when weighing ingredients for cooking, especially baking where accuracy is imperative. It kind of made me crazy weighing everything and ultimately, I stopped counting calories.
I’d love to experiment with a food scale but I could see that it could turn out bad for me. That’s scary! I always measure oats and other cereals.
I recently bought a food scale to bake with, for accuracy. I haven’t started weighing my every day foods/meals because I think it would be way too easy to become obsessed. Since we can only ballpark on the number of calories we need in a given day (even if we have had our BMR tested, like I have), I think not being overzealous with weighing food is good. Plus, I think too often numbers become the dictator of how people eat instead of holding on to and strengthening our intuitive eating.
I just got a food scale within the past month and absolutely love it! I thought I was portioning right but it has helped me alot—especially with starches like pasta, potatoes and such. I try to measure everything within reason but don’t beat myself up if I can’t
Sorry about all your Ecto issues- I hope you can figure them out tomorrow (without spending your whole day dealing with it!). I use Blogo on my mac, I don’t know if it’s better than Ecto though- probably not, but something to consider.
I’ve never had a food scale but I’m kind of bummed to know that my 1/2 cup of oats could be more than a serving- especially because I may or may not add a little more than 1/2 a cup haha
I measure chicken breasts with my food scale, but stick with cups and spoons for cereal, flour, outs, etc… I’m pretty sure I eat more cereal than I think I do, but like your oats I think I’m doing ok with my Special K Protein Plus
I have a food scale and love it; I use it mostly for recipes in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice book. And sometimes just for random things because it’s fun.
Do you think the fact that the measuring cup is a heart has anything to do with the difference? I wonder how a regular cup would pan out.
Have a good night!
super cute measuring cup. I findthat measuring makes life easier.
I weigh almost everything. I have two food scales and use them constantly! I got started using them when I started Weight Watchers years ago and I never stopped.
I definitely am known to obsess about the food scale. My roommate told me to stop using it because I was a bit out of control. I measure my oats in the morning still just to not dirty a measuring cup (still need to know how much dry to liquid to use!) but I’ve put it away for all other things!
I used to be consumed with measuring, but rarely measure now unless following a recipe. I have never used a food scale. Amazing how measuring was still larger portions!
I don’t usually measure anything anymore unless I am baking. THe reason is I had become so overwhelmed with measuring everything that it consumed my life. Now I know what the right portion looks like so I just guesstimate everything. i have found that I lost more weight this way and being more specific with my workouts than by working out for hours on end and measuring everything. I don’t stress about it anymore or anything!
I use a food scale for meat and pasta since they are so easy to guess wrong. I don’t worry so much about my oats. But I love my scale.
I need to get a food scale for my bread making. Volume is far less accurate and it really depends on how densely packed the ingredients are.
I know for flour there are two methods of measuring: 1) scoop the flour out with measuring cup and level it off. 2) scoop the flour with a separate spoon or scooper and pour the flour into the measuring cup then level it off. Method 2 always has less mass because the flour is loosened up a bit as it is poured into the measuring cup so it is less dense.
The same probably applies to oats.
Very interesting! I hardly use measuring cups. Love that pic of Murphy looking at the treat.
I’ve recently made the same discovery you have. I thought I’d been eating a serving of oatmeal each morning and it was actually closer to two. Eep! I find the food scale keeps me honest. I mean, I can ram a lot of ice cream into a 1/2 cup, but I can’t change the number on the scale.
I’ve never used a food scale, but I use measuring cups and spoons all the time. Now I wonder how my portions really “measure up!” It would be interesting to find out, but I’ve been maintaining my weight for awhile, so I wouldn’t want to weigh everything. I do know that I definitely go overboard without the measuring cups, though!
I use both measuring cups and a food scale. I am sure I am heavy handed when it comes to my morning Kashi Go Lean Crunch, but that’s okay. I primarily use the scale for foods I need to eat in moderation. I find it shocking how quickly the “serving size” number comes up on the scale when measuring out chips/pretzels and other foods that I can easily eat too much of.
On a different topic, thank you for recommending the Furminator. I’ve been using it on our English bulldog and while she still sheds, the amount seems to be less.
I use a measuring cup for liquids and a food scale for non-liquids because I have found that the grams per measuring cup serving is usually inaccurate (as you found with your oats), on the overestimating side. Like commenter #70, I too am amazed at how quickly the serving size amount comes up on the scale with cereal, granola, etc. It’s too bad I eat most of those foods straight out of the box. Whoops. =X
That’s really funny because I was just asking my friend, a nutrionist and dietician, yesterday about her food scale for recommendations. I would like to start using one soon!
I use one. I actually was very surprised by pb. I would normally use a tbsp to measure it out, but when I put it on my scale I realized how heavy handed I actually was. I love my scale. It is obsessive, but it does make me accountable.
I use a food scale and my measurements are pretty accurate. I just make sure I always level off my measuring cups.
Oh goodness, I definitely have a heavy hand with measuring oats!! I’m ok with it right now but if I was ever trying to cut down on portions then I would measure more accurately. It’s sometimes such a reality check when you do experiments like these!
p.s. I want one of those date rolls!!
Seems like a lot of people are having trouble with Ecto – bummer
Hope your problems are resolved soon.
I only use a food scale for baking, but your demonstration makes me think that I should test out some of my common measurements … hmm …
scales, food scales – all scales – they are too confusing to me! i always hated math.
I probably have a heavy hand with my morning oats, too, and I already use 2/3 cup! I think a food scale would be a very good investment, but not for someone with already obsessive tendencies. I’m really sorry you’re having Ecto issues – ugh. Hope tomorrow’s blogging goes a little smoother =)
hi tina! where is the consignment store you went to? my closet could definitely use a cleaning as well. thanks!
I use both. Cups for American recipes and a scale for European ones, measured in grams. Thing is, with cups, it depends on the volume of the food, i.e. if something is already cut, chopped, blended…and a gram is a gram is a gram. And converting cups to grams also depends on the volume and experience showed me that it really doesn’t always work. But the point is, cups or a scale are a good reference/comparison tool, even when one under/overestimates.
I vary between a food scale and cups – I used to be obsessive with food scales and everything had to be exactly to the gram, so I’m more of a cup user now (which is weird, cos hardly anyone uses cups in England – the blogs have polluted me!! :p), but I’ll use scales for some stuff. A mix works well!
I’m not quite at maintenance (or at least I have maintained my current weight for over a year but it is a little off the weight I would like to be!!) but I really want to move away from the mentality of weighing *everything* so my . Measuring cups are a bit weird to me because in Ireland most recipe are grams but I got some anyway because I use so many US recipes. I’m kind of using a mixture of both now…I think I will always weigh out things like pasta and rice because they are *so* easy to overestimate, and pasta shapes are awkward in a measuring cup anyway
After I wrote this I just noticed Freya above me saying the same thing about “cup confusion” on this side of the Atlantic.
Talk about not knowing celebrity gossip – I didn’t even know Jessica Biel and JT had broken up?!
And good luck sorting out the Ecto issues!!
do you think this could simply be a “faulty” measuring cup? Do you think other brands of measuring cups could be more accurate???
Wow! I’m shocked? I was wondering how you knew only to have 1/2 cup of oats? I thought oats were good for you so I always make 3/4 cup! That’s A LOT if I’m only supposed to have 1/2 cup. Yikes! Thanks for the information, it’s always SO helpful!
The only thing I measure is oats or oat bran but not for portion control, I measure them to make sure I get the right liquid to oats ratio. I have been down the long hard road of fearing a couple of grams of oats and it is a very dangerous road for me. I have spent days obsessing over eating 40 grams of oats vs. 45 grams of oats and that is just not healthy. Now, I listen to my body. Our bodies really do know what and how much to eat and learning to trust that has been the most valuable lesson I have ever learned about food. A scale or measuring cup does not know how hungry I am, how much I have exercised that day or if I just simply woke up hungry. Only my body knows all of that so I just listen to it.
Although I do use measuring spoons and cups, I don’t yet own a food scale. It’s on my list of kitchen gadgets to buy, not only for measuring proper food portions, but also for baking. Various recipe magazines (like Cooking Light) are beginning to list ingredients by weight for better accuracy.
Your soup looks delish!
Yikes! The measuring thing has me kind of freaked out. I measure everything to make sure I have the right portions, but knowing that the measuring cups/serving size recommendations could actually be overestimates is scary! I may have to invest in a food scale.
In the uk we don’t have recipes in cups, always in grams so I’ve always used a food scale when cooking / baking. But since finding american recipes I’ve brought some cups so I don;t have to convert the recipes. I too find that a cup gives more of the ingredient than acurate weighing will. Wierd!
Also, it must have been a disaster to be out of cheese, well I know it would have been for me! Helen x
I thought i would just add my perspective as I am in recovery from my ED. I still measure my oats and cereal, just to avoid underestimation or overestimation. However, during my illness, I got obsessive with the kitchen scale. I was weight everything, even fruits and veggies! So for me, a scale is not necessary. I do see that if your goal is to lose weight, then eating the proper amounts of things is part of the appropriate plan. But I haven’t weighed a bit of food in over 2 years, and have maintained my weight within a healthy range. And I eat things like oats and cereal everyday. So I do not believe that those flucuations in grams do not affect us as much as we can come to believe.
Sorry I do NOT believe the flucuations in grams have an effect on weight**
I don’t have a food scale, but I do have one listed on my registry!
Very interesting that you had to fill below the lip of the measuring cup to measure out the appropriate amount of oats. I also use measuring cups for just a few things, like oatmeal and cereal.
i’ve never used a food scale but this seems like a really good test to do. I think thats why when begining to lose weight calorie counting/measuring is a good idea b/c it shows us just how much we are over eating when we think we are eating ‘normal’.
thanks for posting this! it was pretty interesting…are you going to continue using the scale?
I’ve been wanting to check out a consignment shop for a while – have a ton of clothes I think would sell. Which one did you go to?
Just tried the egg white patty in the microwave method this morning for the first time – loved it!!!
I do the same thing and measure out things like cereal that I could always eat twice as much of or PB. When I counted calories to lose weight, I measured everything and it got to be a bit tiresome. On another note, I ran the exact same mileage and average pace last night… weeirdd
My husband calls me little miss measuring spoons. I do measure, especially the high calorie stuff because that is where the calories get ya. I also keep track of calories, which I know a lot of people have a problem with, but I do it as a guide to maintain. Yes, I know that weight vs. volume is very different, but I use both of these methods as a guide. When I started using the food scale, I realized that I really was going over the calories I thought I was getting from the measuring cups. I am completely comfortable with knowing that I am hitting a good range for myself. The only time that I feel like a food scale is really important is when it comes to baking things like bread. Other than that, I just use it to measure things that aren’t quite as easy to use a spoon or a cup for.
I use measuring cups and spoons too and actually usually purposefully round the top of my 1/2 cup oatmeal scoop. It keeps me fuller longer and I’d definitely rather do that than eat a candy bar or something bad later!
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