How a food scale can help you lose weight

At the slim age of 23, in the late 70’s I went to a Weight-Watchers presentation with a few of my best office pals for 2 reasons;

Reason # 1 - It was held during lunch hours in the big fancy executive conference hall on floor 52 – the observation level of the bank tower I worked in – the free low-fact snacks and drinks they served was.

Reason # 2 - Most of my friends were older than me by 5 years or so and 2 of them were new mothers seeking ways to lose the last stubborn, 15 to 25 lbs of post-pregnancy flab off their tummy and hips.

Before the hour long show started, came the telling part. We were asked to fill out a 3 page questionnaire that asked our name, age, height, weight, food preferences and personal eating habits, plus a few questions on what we perceived as average portion sizes compared to a good size portion - so forth and so on. When done - we placed them in alphabetized boxes to match up with the 1st letter of surname.

At the end of the hour long show came the expose – about 48 survey forms in that hour were reviewed by 1 in a 4 person panel made up of busy beaver weight loss experts and dietitians’ who did brief analysis and wrote commentary on each form and filed them back in the same box for pick up on your way out. Mine was one of the very few marked as - no need for weight loss program at this time, but come back to see us in your 30’s! The others were less humorous and listed appropriate programs and all 4 diet gurus highly suggested buying a food scale to learn portion control. Contrary to prior beliefs, using your palm to measure portion is dubious and can vary between palm sizes and personal conjectures.

Scale cost and weighing efforts – pays back in fewer pounds and dollar gains!

One of the 2 new mothers purchased a food scale - the latest 1979 model, a small awkward square-shaped metal unit, with detachable measure tray that is placed on a sensor platform to trigger a gold-tone-mono-chrome display at the bottom. She spent only $10 dollars and it cost her 30 lbs in 3 months, she ate much of the same foods as before her diet program, but at modest prices of measure! She ate 6 small well portioned meals and 3 snacks per day, so she never really felt hungry!

Another office pal later purchased a food scale mid-way through her 8 month long engagement when Wedding plan stress made her binge eat and gain18 lbs between her initial dress fitting and a 2nd fitting 6 weeks later. The seamstress had to let out a full inch at the waist and the tight-pinching cap sleeves. At a 3rd almost final fit – 5 weeks later, she was down by 11 lbs and counting. This time the seamstress tucked in ¾ of an inch - ultimately she looked slim & trim on camera and off when the big day came!