Using a Pocket Scale For Nutrition Portion Control Tutorial and Review

A good scale can be a “dieters” best friend. In this case, I am talking about a kitchen or food scale. I use to be resistant to using a food scale, but now I find it the easiest way to accurately log food intake and control portion sizes. I love that a food scale allows me to measure my portions without making any extra dirty dishes! It also trains my eye to better estimate my portion size as this method shows me what my measured portions look like in my own plates and bowls.

In this tutorial, I use a Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale. I received this scale from Smart Weigh for review purposes. This post also includes affiliate links in the Where to Purchase section, if you click on these links and make a purchase through Amazon, Feeling Fit, Bit by Bit receives a modest commission.

Tutorial: How to Use a Pocket Scale as an Accurate Nutrition Tracking Tool:

As you can see from the above demonstration: A scale with the “tare” function makes it easy to accurately log portions even for dishes that contain a variety of items. The “tare” sets the scale to zero with an object on the scale so you can weigh each item one by one. In the demonstration, I use the scale to track how he serving in grams for my Greek yogurt, walnuts, agave and cherries breakfast. Simply tare after you track each item to see the weight of the next item added. Easy!

Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale Review

Product Details (From Smart Weigh):

Features – the top500 is strong, accurate, fast, and user-friendly; will work great for any of your mailing, jewelry, reloading, and cooking need

Functions – this scale can double up as a postal scale; the pcs function gives you an accurate count and the hold function will lock weight readings

Design – features a clear LCD screen lit by a bright blue backlight; will display readings in g, OZ, OZT, dwt, GN, and CT

Precision – manufactured with high precision sensors to provide the most accurate weight readings; weighs up to 500 grams in 0.01 Increments

Includes – 2 AAA batteries with a two minute auto shut off feature; the tare function will provide a net weight

My Experience Using Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale:

I like that the Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale is so compact. It has a footprint much smaller than my old food scale. This makes it convenient for travel if you want to weigh your food portions while away from home.

I admit it is smaller than ideal for a kitchen scale, I would prefer something large enough that I could set a plate on it and still see the measures. This scale works well for a bowl as demonstrated and can work reasonably well with a plate. However, this scale is also great for many non-nutritional purposes including:

Counting small objects like coins, beads, craft items, etc (as long as one unit weighs enough) through the counter function. The counter could also be used to count food items like olives, nuts, cupcakes or whatever. It works best if the counted items are of fairly uniform size.
Weighing mail or packages (as long as they are smaller than 500 grams).
Making home made toiletries or personal care items.

The scale has four buttons that are conveniently placed. I have trouble reading the writing on the buttons and I wasn’t able to read the instruction manual either. The instruction manual was a tiny brochure containing several languages (it is about 4″ tall and 3″ wide). My biggest criticism of this product is with the instruction manual.

Otherwise, the Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale is an affordable, compact scale that seems to work well in the kitchen, the craft room or the office.

Where to Purchase Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale:

Smart Weigh Digital Pro Pocket Scale is available at Amazon.com: Product listing on Amazon

Also on Feeling Fit, Bit by Bit:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.