This product was mentioned in 45 comments, with an average of 2.69 upvotes
Not sure if this is allowed but I just bought a scale from Amazon that I am incredibly happy with. I was like you, really wanting one but thinking I couldn't afford it. Obviously idk your finances, but I found this one was waaaaay cheaper than I thought they were. It's ten dollars and it has seriously revolutionized CICO for me. Plus its ultra slim and nice!!!
Like the other dude said, you download Myfitnesspal and get yourself a food scale. Getting obese happens because of a choice in lifestyle. Losing weight when you've got a lot to lose happens fast and isn't all that hard. When you get into the lower "normal" BMI and keeping weight off requires a change in lifestyle. You need to weigh out portions. You'll find out really fast that your bowl of cereal isn't the 120 calories it says in the box, because you have 3 servings in there so it's 360 calories, and you don't put one serving of milk in there, you put 3, etc. Shit just adds up.
You're probably fine to target like 1800 calories/day, if you're really short, maybe fewer. If buying food and weighing it is really killing you, go to the frozen food section and get a bunch of lean cuisine boxes, or something similar. They're about 300 calories a piece, so you can eat like 6 a day. That's not really sustainable for price, but it might get you started. The first week or so is the worst. Just get a plan for 10 days and really try to stick with it, if you get that far, you're doing well.
I was at MEPS and these two marine recruits were getting chewed out for not losing weight. Practically everyone during the movement tests was obese and a few guys had to get taped. Show your commitment to this process by getting fit.
You're welcome. You can find scales cheap at kitchen stores, walmart, amazon, grocery stores, etc. Even something like this would be perfect to use.
$12.50 on Amazon. For how important it is, food scales are about the cheapest "dieting" implements you can buy. Aside from food tracking apps, which are usually free.
Limited-time deal: GreaterGoods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces (Ash Grey) [link] this is the one I got a while ago and it’s been my life saver
This one from Amazon is what I’ve been using for the past 6 months and it’s awesome. $8.95 before tax and shipping. It’s very thin and lightweight but can hold a lot. It has multiple measurements and you can set it up to hold a bowl, zero out the weight, and then only weigh the ingredients you add. I use it every day and highly recommend!
It looks like this particular one won’t be in stock until January 10, but you can still order it now (if you’re in the US, that is, not sure about other countries) and it will be delivered after.
So I think I just have a shitty scale. Bought it because it had 30k reviews. Just weighed a 4 oz stick of butter it came up 3.7 oz. Then put a glass down, it was 409 grams, put mushrooms in it went up to 423. So I probably do have around 15g that's pretty frustrating. Don't buy this scale folks. [link]
Here’s a super cheap kitchen scale I found on Amazon, similar to the one I have but even cheaper. GreaterGoods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces (Ash Grey) [link]
This one fit my tight budget. $9
I put on my dinner plate then tare. As I'm dishing out my servings into the dinner plate, I can tare between items and toggle through the different weight units. It does pounds, ounces, grams, milliliters & fluid ounces so you don't have to do the math from pounds...
Anyway. Cheap, functional and does not take up much room if you have little space
I use this scale GreaterGoods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces (Grey) [link]
I don't weigh everything but I like it for portioning nuts and making hamburger patties from bulk ground beef
I use this one, and it works great:
I must have remembered wrong as it's $9 but still pretty close lol it works really well for soylent and coffee portions. I'm not sure how accurate the fl. oz. measurement is but I've been using 6oz less when I make 3 400cal portions and it comes out pretty close to the bottled version. [link]
Hey you should really get a food scale sooner rather than later! It helps me immensely with controlling my portions and making sure my calorie counts are accurate. Here's the one I have:
It's ten bucks. Just get it.
Don't bother with the test strips. Total waste of money. Get a digital kitchen scale and start weighing your food. Personally, I log everything in a notebook I keep next to the scale. It's a really easy way to keep a food diary. Don't worry about peaks, valleys and plateaus - you'll see them a lot. Just stick with the program and you'll get results. Carbs are a hard limit @ 20g. Protein is a goal, but it's not necessary to hit it every day. Fat is filler for satiety. I tend to only eat when I'm hungry, not because it's time to eat (mixed nuts w/ no peanuts are a great snack). Just get to know your body and listen to what it needs. It gets easier, believe me.
food scales don't really take up that much space.
this is an example of something good. You'll want something with a flat, level surface so you can weigh just about every kind of bowl/plate. the problem with some leveled scales is that they aren't always accurate (and ofc, always measure your food on a level surface).
I bought this one and I love it.
So, the good news is that you can totally have an impressive transformation by August. Bad news? Probably not going to involve seeing a 100-lb. drop on the scale. But, trust me, it does't need to.
There's a learning curve involved in going keto. If you think this is the right path for you, you need to take a little time to educate yourself about how to do it well. Then, you need to make a plan. Last step? Follow that plan with all the determination you've got.
Here are some recommendations to help you learn and get you going:
---
*Generated by [Keto Calculator](https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com) 9.13*
27/M/5'7" | CW 250 | 39% BF | Mostly sedentary
* 1816 kcal Goal, a 20% deficit. (838 min, 2269 max)
* 20g Carbohydrates
* 122g Protein (92g min, 151g max)
* 139g Fat (30g min, 189g max)
----
Also, remember:
Diet and exercise are two separate things that serve different purposes. Making big changes in one at the same time as the other can be very hard if you don't have the time and energy it takes to make both those changes. It's OK to start by focusing on the diet half first until you feel comfortable with it. You can also start incorporating more movement (walk more, take stairs, etc.) before starting a formal workout program.
Good luck. You CAN have an amazing transformation by August.
This is $10: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Kitchen-Scale-Food-Multifunction/dp/B01JTDG084/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1526912253&sr=1-6&keywords=food+scale
No reason to not have a food scale if you want one.
As other people are poiting out, you're quite petite so you need to be in TIGHT CONTROL of the calories, because you need to go way down in order to lose weight. So you can't afford to trust the reported kcal for meals in programs.
In order to lose 1lb a week you'd need to do 1150kcal/day. Thats 115g protein/51g fats/57g carbs at 40/40/20%. You can use the protein for your exercise and you want little carbs. People don't recommend under 1200, but right now it's splitting hairs.
You need a food scale like this one kitchen food scale (dark? here). You will use the food scale along with a site like myfitnesspal (where you will set the kcal and macronutrients amount to meet daily and you will track your intake), the USDA food database and the nutritional info on the package of what you eat. You want to be honest and accurate with your tracking. You should stay away from receipts and eat dead simple things. Rice, chicken, in a plate. One yougurt. 30gr of cheese. This. That. You will log everything in MFP and you'll only eat to meet the targets you set. You need very basic regular food in the specified amounts.
You also should have as much data as possible about your weight, because you're going to compare your progress with your intake so you can know if its working and what adjustments to make. So you'll weight yourself every morning after going to the bathroom but before drinking or eating. And you'll log that into an app like Libra (Android) or Weight Diary (iOS). You will just step in, log the number, and absolutely give no importance or meaning at all to that number, because that number is absolutely inaccurate and meaningless. Bodies are not in a constant state, their weight is fluid. Weight loss is tracked comparing and averaging those numbers over time.
If you do that for 3 weeks, you'll have specific data to look at, but most very likely you'll be on a path to lose those 25lb in 4-6months.
I got a kitchen scale from Amazon and it's like 10 bucks. It's pretty nice, I've been using it for a couple of months now. [link]
Dopnyc's Pizza Tools Buying Guide (1 of 2)
An Infrared Thermometer
In recent years, the prices on infrared thermometers have dropped dramatically. IR thermometers are all made in China, and, for the most part, all work. Sometimes you hear of someone getting a defective unit, but defects don't seem to be related either to brand or to price. One brand isn't necessarily better than another, unless you spend a boatload of money- which I don't recommend doing. When shopping for an IR thermometer, look for the cheapest model with the temperature range that fits your needs. For NY style pizza in a home oven, this typically means a thermometer that goes up to 380C/716F. If you have a Neapolitan capable oven, then you'll want to go up to at least 900F for measuring the hearth, and, if you wish to measure the dome, something in the 1300F range will do, but most people don't measure Neapolitan dome temps.
The market is fairly volatile, with individual models going up and down in price almost daily, so I'm not going to post any links, but, if you look on Amazon, you should find something in the $10 realm. For those outside the U.S., Dealextreme has a wide selection as well, with very similar pricing and free shipping. Since most of the items are shipped from China, Dealextreme can involve very long shipping times.
A digital scale
Pros: Cheap, reasonable 11 lb capacity, sufficiently accurate, pretty, slimline/easily stored Cons: Small- large pots and pans will cover the display
Pros: Very high capacity, Scale seems to settle on weight a bit faster than cheaper scales, can be calibrated, will accommodate very wide pans Cons: Expensive, bulky, a little ugly
If you decide to purchase a MyWeigh, look for a better deal on ebay.
A pizza cutter
Many years ago, I bought a pizza cutter at a dollar store, and it has served me well. It's basically a knockoff of this:
This is the cutter that I frequently see at distributors.
I've held this in my hand, and it has a nice balanced feel. At $20, is it 20 times better than my dollar cutter? Probably not. If you're shopping at a distributor (like Restaurant Depot), you might want to get it there, since I'm sure it will be cheaper.
A digital timer
I haven't bought a digital timer in about 25 years, but, from the ones that I've used, I definitely prefer one with numbers rather than arrows that allow to you click up or down, since the numbers allow for much faster entry.
This one seems to get good reviews and the price is right:
Pinch Dash Smidgen Measuring Spoons
This might border on being optional, but when I talk about adding a 'dash' of oregano in my sauce recipe, these measuring spoons are what I'm talking about.
Spoodle/Flat measuring cup
The longer a skin sits on the peel the more likely it's going to start sticking, so anything that expedites the topping process is useful, and a spoodle/flat measuring cup can sauce the pie in a fraction of time a spoon can. I use a dollar store (see a trend here? ;) ) version of the measuring cups above. Ideally, you'll want a measuring cup or spoodle that matches the volume that you put on the pizza, so it takes one scoop, but that's not always practical. The variety of sizes you can get with measuring cups can be useful in this regard- and considerably cheaper. I wouldn't recommend these:
The price is right, and the reviews are high, but don't be tempted- the welds on these handles are notorious for failing.
A Wood Peel
Wood to launch, metal to turn/retrieve. Limiting the use of the wood peel only to the launch keeps it from getting grease on it. Grease seals the wood and prevents it from absorbing moisture from the dough, which, in turn, causes it to stick faster.
A good peel is surprisingly hard to find. Most of the peels on the market are way to heavy and thick and are improperly tapered. A good lightweight peel will be tapered all the way from the tip of the handle to the tip of the blade. Like this:
This is a 2d export of a 3d model that I created of my peel. I believe my peel is an American Metalcraft, but the newer American Metalcraft peels are a bit clunkier than this. For what's available, they're not horrible
This is one of the many items that you're liable to get a far better price on at a distributor.
A note about sizing. When you first start out making pizza at home, the tendency is to buy small. Small stone/steel and a small peel. As your game improves, though, you will absolutely want to make pizza for your friends, and, to do this effectively, you'll want the largest equipment your oven can handle. You'll want to size your wood peel to your stone/steel, but try to future proof everything by going big.
With all of these tools, I'm trying to present a lower budget option. If you feel like you absolutely have to go with a smaller peel, this looks acceptable:
It is plywood, and plywood is typically made with formaldehyde based glue, which isn't food safe, but I'm hoping that this particular plywood is formaldehyde free.
Whatever peel you go with, make absolutely sure that it's unfinished, as any kind of finish will promote sticking.
Important note: Never get your peel wet. Ever. If it gets dirty, just sand it down a bit with some medium grit sandpaper.
A Metal Turning Peel
When turning a pizza, you want a small metal peel- about 2/3rds the diameter of the pizza. I use this for 17" pies:
If you're working with smaller pies, the smaller version could suffice:
If you've got a wood fired oven, this is the turning peel to get:
although I'd check prices on other sites, since $100 feels a little steep
A wire rack for cooling
Most people that bake will have a wire rack, but, just in case you don't, this is the one I use:
My older rack incorporated the feet into the grid, but this welds the feet on, which creates more nooks and crannies for food to get wedged into. Unfortunately, it seems like all racks are made this way these days. If someone stumbles on a sturdy stainless steel rack of this size that incorporates the feet into the grid, please let me know.
Pizza Pans
Have I mentioned that you should never cut your pizza on a peel? :) This is what you cut pizza on:
Not to sound like a broken record, but this is another item that you'll find at a distributor at a far lower price. The other advantage to purchasing these pans at a brick and mortar is that being 100% aluminum, they can get dinged pretty easily during shipping.
Proofing Containers
Proofing containers get their own post
A Baking Stone/Steel Plate/Aluminum
A steel plate is ideal, but only if your oven is a good candidate
If you're oven only goes to 500F, 3/4"ish aluminum plate is your best option
As of today, 18 x 18 x .625 (the thinnest I'd go) is less than $100 shipped. Considering what this can do for a 500F oven, I think it's well worth it. Like steel, aluminum can be sourced locally for considerably savings.
There are very few scenarios where baking stones are ideal, but, I know that there are folks that are going to buy them anyway, so here are a few good options:
If your oven can fit it, there's this:
otherwise, there's this:
This used to be very competitively priced (in the $23 range), but it appears they are sold out. If you're shopping for a baking stone, I'd check to see if they have more in stock.
The smell referenced in some of the reviews concerns me, but I think it should be resolved with a soak in baking soda and/or a run through the cleaning cycle (after thoroughly drying it first in a warm oven).
Lastly, the link I posted to above is for sourcing your own steel plate, which is going to be drastically less expensive than buying one online. That said, this ebay seller seems pretty reasonable:
Pros: 1/2", 16" wide, better price than the big guys Cons: 16" is still not ideal, unknown condition- you'll most likely have to season it yourself. Edit:This is only reasonably priced if you're in the Northeast.
(continued)
I use this one. Gets the job done.
I bet you're fine, but I like to measure. I got these disgustingly cute spoons at New England Cheese and every time I use them I feel all happy. And an inexpensive digital kitchen scale will really help you for getting the salt right on a cheese, which is important. Here's one for $14.
Again, it depends on your goals. Personally, I think this is a much better option. It gives you protein and healthy fats (and sounds tastier than plain old corn anyway!). That said, do remember that weight loss is a simple mathematical function of eating at a calorie deficit. If you haven't already, calculate your TDEE here, then subtract 300-500 calories to create a deficit. Track your calories (accurately and honestly - don't just guesstimate) in an app like MyFitnessPal so that you've always got an idea of what your "balance" is for the day. Consider getting a cheap food scale so that you can weigh things for accurate tracking. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. This one is currently less than $10 on Amazon.
Best of luck!
> [link]
Oh by scale I meant to weigh myself. I have a really awesome scale from amazon that works incredibly. Thank you tho :)
There are so many on Amazon for less than $10. I use this guy which I love because it's so thin but has lovely big numbers.
I have a Greater Goods food scale that I got on Amazon and I love it. It’s on sale right now for $9.95 too which is a great deal!
I use one from Greater Goods, because they care about their workers, give back to charity, and have paperless starting guides. I got mine on Amazon.
Here’s the scale I bought: [link] it’s very tiny and should easily fit in a backpack, it’s definitely easier to haul around than a set of cups!
I'm 6' tall. After high school 8 years ago it took me around 3 or 4 years to go from 180lbs to 250lbs, where I stayed for quite some time. Afew months after quarantine started I got tired of being overweight and getting grossed out when looking at myself in the mirror, so about halfway through May I started walking around 10 miles a week (on average) and I cut my caloric intake from who knows how much every day to around 1300. Since then I have lost 25lbs, and I'm still going down. There have been times where I go way over my calorie limit (visiting mom, for example), so I just make sure to walk more that week.
I thought the same thing as you for a long time so I would quickly lose motivation and give up, bit you can't do that. You have to stick with it.
Here are 3 things I recommend:
Eat This Much - Automatic meal planner.
Super handy if you like planning ahead. The app can also give you notifications like "mark meals as eaten", "plan out your meals", "record your weight", etc.
MyFitnessPal - Calorie tracker.
Tracks calories, nutrition, exercise, weight, etc. Also has meal plans, workout routines, etc. for subscribers.
Food scale (here's the one I got) - very useful for making sure you're not eating more than you should be, and for entering precise and accurate amounts into your calorie tracker.
Scale - Absolute must.
I went with this one from Renpho because it connects to the companion Renpho app on your phone over Bluetooth and tracks your weight automatically. It also makes estimates of other body information such as BMI, muscle weight, fat-free weight, protein, etc. using contact pads on your feet. I can't speak for the accuracy, and I take it with a large grain of salt, but it does provide an estimate that I can use to get a better idea of my general body health.
I hope this helps you my friend, and good luck.
definitely invest in a food scale! they’re really cheap off of amazon and it has really helped me to not overeat
Amazon for $10 =]
In that case, it seems like he has a really good appetite and may just not be storing much fat, yet (which is normal). A couple things I would do is get a small scale and a tape measure, just to track if he's growing, and just record the numbers in a note on your phone or simple Excel spreadsheet, along with how much he's eating, so you don't have to rely on your memory to spot any trends if he never grows or starts losing weight.
The scale I use is this one, currently $8.50 on Amazon, and a flexible tape measure like this, currently $4.85. I also second making sure he doesn't have intestinal parasites, which is something I would do even if he wasn't showing any symptoms, as infections like coccidia are extremely common and easy to spread within clutches. (Most vet clinics in my area will do a fecal test for under $20).
All that said, there's nothing from your post which would make me think there's something wrong with your dragon. Tracking the babies for the first couple of months is just something I do for peace of mind.
Good luck!
Edit: Here's an article about determining if your bearded dragon is underweight (though the method mostly applies to adults), as well as some tips for getting them to gain some weight. "2 Surefire Ways To Make a Bearded Dragon Gain Weight And Fatten Them Up"
A digital food scale is best, like this one: [link]
Check out the MyFitnessPal app and get a food scale and log everything. You'll get an idea of how much food you need and it'll get easier. [link]
I like this one, easy to store and clean [link]
We just bought this one to replace this one. It worked well for us for 3 or 4 years, but it's starting to go on the fritz a little. The design also makes it a pain to clean, or to read the grams when weighing things in a big bowl. My parents have this one and the top part of their scale is removable, which is really annoying!
Thank you! I will try this! Its a kitchen scale I bought off of amazon, [link] --- .1 oz/1 gm accuracy.
Ok I broke down and ordered one.
Get the Encore. Ideally a cheap $10 scale but I've found with experience that I can consistently eyeball it well enough with the scoop which came with something I bought. $12 kettle. $15.50 Clever dripper if it's cheap enough and some $6 papers (or off brand instore somewhere cheaper) or a $11.50 french press.
If you can get the Encore at 70, and just the kettle and brewer (no scale) that's just under 100.
Edit. I forgot you'd need to weigh the water to get the proportions correct and consistent, and would need a scale for that but, because water has many special magic properties you can just measure it 500ml=500g etc, so a cheap $1 plastic jug could also work.
I personally like this one [link]
Digital Kitchen Scale/Food Scale - Ultra Slim, Multifunction, Easy to Clean, Large Display (grey) [link]