Food Weight vs Food Volume-which is correct (so freakin confused!!)
So I’m confused about the food weight vs food volume issue. My nutritionist told me yesterday to go by volume because that would fill me up with more food. But that doesn’t make sense to me, here was my email to her this morning (waiting for her reply). In the interim, can someone please offer some advice:
I’m still confused regarding food weight versus food volume. Typically, what I’ve been doing is weighing my “solids", i.e meats, on a scale. If it weighs less than 2 oz, then I’m good. But I know that the same slice of turkey that weighs 2 ounces on my scale will not fit into a 2 ounce container. Or that if I measure soup in a 2 ounce container, it may weigh much less if measured on the scale. So which is the correct method? Should I weigh my food on a scale, or measure it in a container?
~Regena from SC: /Surgery Weight 317/Highest Weight 321
So there are two factors at play. Your sleeve has a volume restriction which you should be concious of with regards to volume. Early out, you have trouble with feeling fullness because of the healing process. So you want to be sure you don't over fill your sleeve and then feel sick because of it.
The second factor is caloric intake. This is where weight comes in. If you want to track your calories then this is necessary.
In general, I still use both. Especially when eating out when I can't measure everything. I don't have to break out the measuring cups as often as I'm getting pretty good at eyeballing volume and understanding my level of fullness.
It can be confusing, but it is always best to under eat the volume of your sleeve. You will feel better (too full is no bueno) and you will get used to less being normal. At least that is my experience.
Hope that helps.
Terry
The second factor is caloric intake. This is where weight comes in. If you want to track your calories then this is necessary.
In general, I still use both. Especially when eating out when I can't measure everything. I don't have to break out the measuring cups as often as I'm getting pretty good at eyeballing volume and understanding my level of fullness.
It can be confusing, but it is always best to under eat the volume of your sleeve. You will feel better (too full is no bueno) and you will get used to less being normal. At least that is my experience.
Hope that helps.
Terry
HW 420 SW 369 Pre-Op -51 lbs; M1-19;M2-15;M3-14;M4 -14;M5-13; M6- 14;M7-14;M8-10;M9-11;M10-11;M11-9;M12-7;M13-7;M14-5; M15-7; M16-8. M17-3. M18-6; M19-5. Goal of 200 (220 Lost) Reached Month 15. Goal of 180 (240 lost) reached at 18 months 10 days on 4/.20/13. 57% body weight lost@180. Now on maintenance. Low weight 169.
Beyond Goal
These days I weigh proteins and use volume measures for some loose things to serving sizes so that I can enter them in my food log. So I don't use volume measurement for solid proteins. That said, I'm really cautious not to eat too much volume. If it looks like too much, then I most likely will not eat it all. A few times with over eating and I don't want to do that again.
Here are some examples:
Egg beaters - volume (because that is how the serving is expressed)
Tuna - weight
Yogurt - volume (usually just the volume in the container.
Meat - weight
Lavash - (I use Joseph's oat and flax) - portion size (1/4 sheet) as that is how the servings are measured.
I can't imagine trying to stuff something like a lavash into a measuring cup
but when I have something like that, I usually control the contents to a small amount and I'm cautious not to overeat.
Hope that helps. It gets a lot easier as you go along. You'll begin to see how much food you have on the plate as it relates to volume. For me, my stomach seems about the size of a quest protein bar. Those fill me up to the top without going over. So in my mind, I'm always referencing that as a mental sizer.
Here are some examples:
Egg beaters - volume (because that is how the serving is expressed)
Tuna - weight
Yogurt - volume (usually just the volume in the container.
Meat - weight
Lavash - (I use Joseph's oat and flax) - portion size (1/4 sheet) as that is how the servings are measured.
I can't imagine trying to stuff something like a lavash into a measuring cup
but when I have something like that, I usually control the contents to a small amount and I'm cautious not to overeat.Hope that helps. It gets a lot easier as you go along. You'll begin to see how much food you have on the plate as it relates to volume. For me, my stomach seems about the size of a quest protein bar. Those fill me up to the top without going over. So in my mind, I'm always referencing that as a mental sizer.
HW 420 SW 369 Pre-Op -51 lbs; M1-19;M2-15;M3-14;M4 -14;M5-13; M6- 14;M7-14;M8-10;M9-11;M10-11;M11-9;M12-7;M13-7;M14-5; M15-7; M16-8. M17-3. M18-6; M19-5. Goal of 200 (220 Lost) Reached Month 15. Goal of 180 (240 lost) reached at 18 months 10 days on 4/.20/13. 57% body weight lost@180. Now on maintenance. Low weight 169.
Beyond Goal
"Hey Terry 
"
blackegi, I usually weigh my food on scale such as meats, veggies, most everything unless it is a liquid then I use a measuring cup. You can consume more liquids at time but I cant see cutting up meat and putting it into a measuring cup as the meat "weighs" more and you world more likely be over in oz. Just my opinion and that's what works for me but everyone is different. Good Luck!
"blackegi, I usually weigh my food on scale such as meats, veggies, most everything unless it is a liquid then I use a measuring cup. You can consume more liquids at time but I cant see cutting up meat and putting it into a measuring cup as the meat "weighs" more and you world more likely be over in oz. Just my opinion and that's what works for me but everyone is different. Good Luck!
(VSG) HW, 346 SW, 341 CW 176.2 GW, 165 
I had the exact same question for my surgeon and nutritionist. Their answers were that the sleeve holds a "volume of food". Now, dependent on the size of your sleeve, the size of the stomach around the pylorus they left all come into play. How long the food stays there is also important to consider.
So, for liquids and softer foods you are better measuring volume - i.e. 1/4 cup, or 2oz container. For proteins such as meat, fish and cheeses, you should weigh them. Reason being, 2oz of cooked, ground turkey (for example) may be 1/2 cup. You get lots of protein and not so many calories and importantly, no carbs, but you also risk stretching your sleeve or the bottom of your stomach, or getting food stuck in your esophagus.
I put my container on the scale and start scooping food in. Whatever I hit first - 2oz or the top of the container, that's where I stop.
So, for liquids and softer foods you are better measuring volume - i.e. 1/4 cup, or 2oz container. For proteins such as meat, fish and cheeses, you should weigh them. Reason being, 2oz of cooked, ground turkey (for example) may be 1/2 cup. You get lots of protein and not so many calories and importantly, no carbs, but you also risk stretching your sleeve or the bottom of your stomach, or getting food stuck in your esophagus.
I put my container on the scale and start scooping food in. Whatever I hit first - 2oz or the top of the container, that's where I stop.
"I put my container on the scale and start scooping food in. Whatever I hit first - 2oz or the top of the container, that's where I stop."
That's how I have been measuring. I glad to hear that is fine.
That's how I have been measuring. I glad to hear that is fine.
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Surgery 10/15/12 - HW-263lbs GW-150lbs CW- 170.8
I've always used a scale for solids like meats, measuring cups or spoons for liquids or squishy foods...don't really see what the difference is....to me ounces are ounces...maybe I'm missing something here....but as long as you are weighing it out and stopping eating before you get full, you should be fine. Even in maintenance, I usually stay under 4 ounces for a total meal or 8 ounces for liquids....sometimes I eyeball certain foods that I eat all the time and know what they are....
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Mitchell Roslin VSG 5/12/11
What weighs more, a pound of gold or a pound of feathers? Obviously they weigh the same, but a pound of gold is the size of a pack of cigarettes and a pound of feathers is a bed pillow. If the feathers and the gold were food choices and you needed to consume a pound, you'd likely have to eat the gold since you could never fit a bed pillow into your sleeve.
It's relative, but that's what I was trying to say about volume. Your sleeve has physical size restraints. Two ounces of something dense and heavy might fit, but two ounces of something fluffy and big might not.
It's relative, but that's what I was trying to say about volume. Your sleeve has physical size restraints. Two ounces of something dense and heavy might fit, but two ounces of something fluffy and big might not.
As stated and oz is not an oz! That is were I get messed. I'm trying to
track calories. Some items give info based on liquid oz and some give
info based on volume oz.. They don't say which and when it comes to calories it can make a BIG difference.
track calories. Some items give info based on liquid oz and some give
info based on volume oz.. They don't say which and when it comes to calories it can make a BIG difference.
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
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