New to food scale! Help!

Jonestiarra2013
Jonestiarra2013 Posts: 143 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Good morning! I just purchased a food scale for the first time and I have no idea how to calculate the food I eat. For example I just weighed a piece of chicken and it's 3.2 ounces but a serving size is 4oz how do I enter that?

Replies

  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Go to the drop down next to the item in MFP and choose by oz - then enter 3.2.
  • Jonestiarra2013
    Jonestiarra2013 Posts: 143 Member
    thanks!
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    It's better to weigh in grams. More accurate.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    It's better to weigh in grams. More accurate.

    And let go of the idea of "serving size". Weigh your food and log the amount you actually eat.
  • escschwartz
    escschwartz Posts: 18 Member
    Also, pay attention to whether you are weighing before or after cooking compared to the entry in the database. I always specify cooked or raw when looking up a food to enter since 4 oz raw might be 3.2 oz cooked. I agree with the "weigh in grams" comment.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    @Jonestiarra2013 Great advice from everyone above.
    I offer up my generic reply that it is a group of links to various posts by MFP alumni.
    Logging Accurately
    Important Posts to Read
    A guide to get you started on your path to Sexypants.
    You're probably eating more than you think.

    As a general concept In the Message Boards you will find that most Boards will have some Announcement (closed) posts.
    As an example in the Getting Started you will see one called Most Helpful Posts - Getting Started (Must Reads)

    Most Helpful Posts - General Diet and Weight Loss Help (Must Reads)

    Most Helpful Posts - Food and Nutrition (Must Reads)

    Seems like a lot of information - Take it in small steps and you will find that one or two of the posts become your Go To.[/quote]
  • RogerToo
    RogerToo Posts: 16,157 Member
    Jonestiarra2013 wrote: »
    Good morning! I just purchased a food scale for the first time and I have no idea how to calculate the food I eat. For example I just weighed a piece of chicken and it's 3.2 ounces but a serving size is 4oz how do I enter that?

    Hi
    FWIW I aim for three ounces of Skinless boneless baked (Roasted) Chicken Breast. Avoid The breaded and fried chicken. I also look at the Sodium content for example, Deli meats are generally high sodium. If I do not have any home baked chicken then I have been known to use canned Chicken Breast. A 5 ounce can of valley fresh brand water pack totals up to 113 calories and 650 mg of sodium, and 22.5 grams of protein. I tend to use things like that with a 90 calorie wrap, Lite Mayo and No Sugar Added Sweet Relish at 0 calories per serving as a Chicken Salad.

    I do find that the Canned items are easy to work out when entering them. That makes it easier if the information is not in the MFP foods database.

    The Local ShopRite Grocery Store Whole cooked chicken also has nutrition information on its label.

    Good Luck
    Roger
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    It's better to weigh in grams. More accurate.

    Hi
    I also find that working in grams is more accurate.
    If I use Ounces Is can often add or subtract several grams with no change in the ounces reading due to it only have one digit after the decimal point.

    Have a Nice Day
    Roger
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    RogerToo wrote: »
    Jonestiarra2013 wrote: »
    Good morning! I just purchased a food scale for the first time and I have no idea how to calculate the food I eat. For example I just weighed a piece of chicken and it's 3.2 ounces but a serving size is 4oz how do I enter that?

    Hi
    FWIW I aim for three ounces of Skinless boneless baked (Roasted) Chicken Breast. Avoid The breaded and fried chicken. I also look at the Sodium content for example, Deli meats are generally high sodium. If I do not have any home baked chicken then I have been known to use canned Chicken Breast. A 5 ounce can of valley fresh brand water pack totals up to 113 calories and 650 mg of sodium, and 22.5 grams of protein. I tend to use things like that with a 90 calorie wrap, Lite Mayo and No Sugar Added Sweet Relish at 0 calories per serving as a Chicken Salad.

    I do find that the Canned items are easy to work out when entering them. That makes it easier if the information is not in the MFP foods database.

    The Local ShopRite Grocery Store Whole cooked chicken also has nutrition information on its label.

    Good Luck
    Roger

    Why does OP have to avoid breaded and fried chicken? Sodium is fine unless there is an underlying medical condition.

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