Cheese counting... am I crazy?!

I have a food scale that I weigh everything out in so I know I am getting the EXACT amount I need... Well on atkins websight it says:
"You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube."
- I'm having trouble with this because I am weighing my cheese by the oz, and I feel like 1 oz is A LOT of cheese... way way more than a 1 inch cube...
I know that my other food has been weighed out correctly... so am I going crazy or have people thought the same thing?

It does seem like it depends on the cheese. I try to make sure the portion is closer to how a prepackaged individually wrapped serving would look like. I believe 1 oz. Is 28 grams....but most cheeses like string cheese, American, babybel, laughing cow average about 20 grams in my findings...perhaps this is why it seems like a lot?

i weigh mine. it's the best way to ensure consistency.

Are you measuring shredded cheese?

1 oz of cheese (cheddar) is visually equal to 4 die (plural for dice). That is more than one cube or slice.
You can google 1 oz of cheese and see the images results for it.

I know that most wrapped american singles have a small amount of filler to help keep their form. Maybe they are referencing the equal carb count, not necessarily the physical size. Weigh a cellophane wrapped slice and see the difference. I love my scale and couldn't do this with out it. As long as you are consistant with your measuring you should be good.

Hey SamEatsLess, the plural of die is dice, not vice versa. One die, four dice.

And different cheeses have different densities, so yeah, they'll look different.

Wow, you're telling me that this book is telling you to eat a certain amount of cheese and no more? Am I the only person who sees how crazy this is? Count calories and do not sweat the small stuff.

Ah the joy of the random troll...

Personally I don't weigh or measure at all, I just approximate. When I get an 8oz block of cheese I'll notch it at halves, then halves again, and assume its close enough to 2 oz that I'm good. I think the book saying to imagine a 1" cube is because most people imagine an inch is closer to 1 1/2" (which seems closer to legit to me) so giving a smaller approximation ensures that it doesn't get an oversized estimate.

Good for you to weigh everything!

I weigh everything unless it is dressing, oils, etc. And no offense to Diablo, but after looking at his diet calendar(which I hope is either a joke or sarcasm), I wouldn't rely on his opinion. I would rather eat healthy foods in healthy quantities than live on fruity pebbles, ice cream, and chicken nuggets.

Why do you think his diet calendar is a "joke or sarcasm"...?

He's apparently gaining and losing the weight he wants, at the rate he wants. Do you have any evidence that his diet is negatively affecting either his health or his goals?

I ask because, frankly, he's correct. The delivery may be brusque, but as long as you meet macro- and micro-nutrient sufficiency, and stay within your calorie limits, ice cream or chicken nuggets are not going to directly interfere with the ultimate goal, whether it's fat loss or muscle gain. Of course, staying within those goals and meeting your nutrient needs necessarily means that processed foods are going to be eaten in moderation (if at all) but there's no need to exclude them completely. Flexible dieting in fact tends to have a much better long-term success rate than more rigid plans that exclude entire macronutrients or food groups.

If you choose to avoid certain classes of foods regardless of portion size, and regardless of the rest of your diet, as a strategy that helps you stay compliant with your goals, that's fine - but for most people (metabolic disorders or other certain diseases excepted) it is not necessary to lose body fat or optimize your health.

I am sorry if I offended. We can all debate on which diet is better,healthier,effective, etc. And you are correct in saying that everyone can eat whatever they choose. You will notice that he was the one that gave his opinion on Atkins first, so it is only fair that someone can do the same for his diet. I doubt anyone serious about weight loss and eating healthier is going to say that eating next to no veggies but mostly junk(fruity pebbles, pizza, chicken nuggets, McDs quarter pounders, ice cream, and Cadbury creme eggs) is going to say that is a healthy way of eating. Just saying.

No need to apologize, I'm interested in discussing, not arguing

And you're right - a balanced diet of mostly whole and less processed foods is probably a better way to get your micronutrients, rather than a multi- supplement on top of a diet of processed foods. But even on that, the jury is still out afaik.

I also agree with you that if someone is asking about how to comply with the Atkins protocol, because that's what they've already decided to try, it's not all that helpful to tell them just to forget Atkins...

Agreed. I must say that I was a bit shocked when I saw the diet calendar. It read like my 14 year old son's food wish list! LOL Good thing he doesn't come to this website because that was a wishlist that would go unfulfilled!

I think 1 oz is too much for me most of the time. I don't think you are required to eat the full amount if your not comfortable eating that much. If you are then what a treat!

I have to ditto Sierra on this one. Her descriptions are much more well thought out than mine That is all.

I am doing a more extreme diet to showcase that what you eat is irrelevant when it comes to losing bodyfat. Eating processed foods keeps me on track and all of my health parameters have improved. Losing bodyfat is of the utmost importance. I have lost 24 lbs. of it in 70 days. I get my vitamins, fiber, and enough fat and protein to remain healthy. People villify certain foods but if they keep you on track for the long haul, are they really unhealthy? I have only gone over my maintenance calories 3 times in 72 days. Two of those were planned.

I too believe people should try to get a good amount of whole foods, fruits, veggies, etc, but they should not avoid foods that they love. This only leads to being less happy with your diet and eventually having a binge day or weekend. You can fit in anything you like. This is a lifestlye, do you really want to go through life being so restrictive. Now that I know that certain foods are not the enemy but total calories, I am much happier.

I started out running less than half a mile and can now run 8-10 miles non-stop. My abs are coming in nicely and my strength is still high. Am I going to fall over dead because of this diet? Not a chance.

Also, like I said, I am not advocating everyone eat this amount of "junk" food, I am just proving that it can be done while getting leaner and healthier. Anyone can have the daily treat while remaining on track and being happier with their diet. I have been dieting for 12 years and I am getting results now faster than ever because I have no reason to binge or have a cheat day that would always set me back.

Also, you can LOL at my diet, but you cannot laugh at my results.