Using Calorie Counting Scales
Long gone are the days of relying solely on a little pamphlet with minuscule print to find out how many calories were in a certain food. Technology can now do it all for you in the form of a calorie-counting scale. You still need the little pamphlet to program any foods not included with the scale, but most models come with a fine array of foods already programmed in. Using calorie-counting scales can be a breeze with a few simple steps.
Instructions
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Review the foods that are already programmed in. Some of the more advanced scales, like the one listed in Resources, already include more than 500 food ingredients. Unless you eat very strange and uncommon fare, such scales will already have a lot of what you need.
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Add new foods as needed. When you find your scale is still lacking refined wheat germ shards or other less-common foods, follow the instruction manual to provide a new entry. Use the little calorie-counting pamphlets that are often sold at supermarkets or health stores, or find charts online (like the one in Resources).
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Prepare food for weighing. Before you put any food item on the scale, remove any excess baggage. Peel an orange or banana. Snip any roots growing out of potato eyes. Remove heavy packaging and labels. Only weigh the portion of food that is going to be used, such as 2 tbsp. of flour instead of the whole sack. Use a piece of cellophane, wax paper or other lightweight item between the food and the scale.
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Place only one type of food on the scale at a time. Your scale will not be able to compute several different food items at the same time, unless it is made specifically to do so. Weigh each ingredient separately before you mix them together.
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Maintain the scale properly to keep it functional. Keep the display, platform and little crevices clean. Don't get the scale wet. Make sure batteries are fresh and any cords are not damaged or frayed.
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Tips & Warnings
Place your scale on a sturdy, flat surface--like a clean kitchen counter--to ensure accurate results. Some scales will come with a tare weight option, which will allow you to deduct the weight of any container your food may be in.
Don't throw the scale out the window if the digital display goes haywire. Try changing the battery or shutting it off and resetting it instead. Don't lie to the machine. A calorie-counting scale will be if no use if you pile it with sugar but punch in a reading for flour. You are fooling nobody--not even yourself.
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Ryn Gargulinski
