These measurement units make me want to scream!

NYCNika
NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It wastes so much time when I try to add food.

"1 FILET of cod" I guess I can choose the biggest filet out there if they are all the same. What is that?

"1 cup of cantalope." I don't have time to be stuffing it into cups!!!! Should I puree it first?

GRAMS, PLEASE PEOPLE! Not 1 CONTAINERS, or a stupid cups (unless it is a baking ingredient or a liquid), not filet, not 1 burger patty...

The whole point of this tracking thing is about precision.
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Replies

  • littlebre33
    littlebre33 Posts: 318
    i'm definately one who measures in cups or the "one fillet". I have 2 young children and i find trying to weigh things is more time consuming. I find it easier to guesstimate in cups than in grams. Everyone uses their own method I guess
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I agree.

    I quit logging food on MFP because it was such a pain to try to guess which entry matched my weighed food the best.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    I just adjust in the 'number of servings' area to get close to the amount I had been eating. Or you could find another entry for your food item (most foods have dozens of options) and choose the best one for yourself. Or even make your own entry.
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    Have to agree with OP, I use grammes only and not volume / size. i do correct other entries into grammes if it is in portions, servings etc

    I think most people can do the maths and multiply up or divide down by moving a decimal point
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    I haven't had much trouble finding items and measurements close to my own. I have measuring cups and spoons, also a simple scale that weighs ounces and grams. For things like 1 filet, I can usually look on the package to see if the calorie counts are close to those entered into the database. If not, I enter my own.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Agreed. One handful is NOT a unit of measurement.

    I hardly ever use the database for food any more. I've created a lot of my own foods even for things that are really common.
  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
    It wastes so much time when I try to add food.

    "1 FILET of cod" I guess I can choose the biggest filet out there if they are all the same. What is that?

    "1 cup of cantalope." I don't have time to be stuffing it into cups!!!! Should I puree it first?

    GRAMS, PLEASE PEOPLE! Not 1 CONTAINERS, or a stupid cups (unless it is a baking ingredient or a liquid), not filet, not 1 burger patty...

    The whole point of this tracking thing is about precision.

    I agree completely! There's a reason I went out of my way to get a food scale that measured in grams!
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    Yep, Keep looking for the entry you want. Sometimes in the dropdown menu the unit changes to ounces or grams. Then you select, say, 1 ounce, and make your serving size the actual amount you eat like six. That way you get a six ounce portion rather than one cup or one filet.

    Maybe when I get better at estimating I'll stop measuring. My estimates can't be trusted and they add up.

    For the most part the database is the most convenient aspect of MFP. Saves me having to enter all the stuff from the package label.
  • strflt
    strflt Posts: 29 Member
    Sorry, but I don't own a scale! And volume is much more easily estimated by me than weight if I don't have measuring cups in my back pocket. It would be nice if someone could go back and add a measurement to a food item once it's in, so nothing has to stay only as originally entered. It would present options at least.

    Plus, metric doesn't mean anything to me. When it comes to food, the only measurement I seem able to reckon by is customary units.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    My scale only weighs in ounces
  • lotushead
    lotushead Posts: 200 Member
    Agreed! I'd be lost without my kitchen scale. I convert everything to grams whether it's from the database or google searches. Mass in grams. Volume in ounces. Simple Chemistry.
  • agraves18
    agraves18 Posts: 30 Member
    I guess a lot and use the drop down menu. If it is close to the calories on the box then I go with it.
  • DeniseMCronin
    DeniseMCronin Posts: 27 Member
    Yup I feel the same so I use http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/118/2 to create the foods that I use often because I find people have entered the data incorrectly sometimes too. I add everything in grams & use the decimal point. Seems obvious but.......stupid is as stupid does
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    It wastes so much time when I try to add food.

    "1 FILET of cod" I guess I can choose the biggest filet out there if they are all the same. What is that?

    "1 cup of cantalope." I don't have time to be stuffing it into cups!!!! Should I puree it first?

    GRAMS, PLEASE PEOPLE! Not 1 CONTAINERS, or a stupid cups (unless it is a baking ingredient or a liquid), not filet, not 1 burger patty...

    The whole point of this tracking thing is about precision.

    Wow, someone needs to relax... If you don't like it, why don't you add your own measurements? That way you can be as precise as you want...
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    I haven't had much trouble finding items and measurements close to my own. I have measuring cups and spoons, also a simple scale that weighs ounces and grams. For things like 1 filet, I can usually look on the package to see if the calorie counts are close to those entered into the database. If not, I enter my own.

    This. It's not all that hard, and I don't feel it inconveniences me all that much.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'm very frustrated at times too. Two days ago it took me 10 minutes to enter 7 ounces of potatoes. Ridiculous!

    Or I'm going to measure something in grams... and I can only see the weight in ounces (I bookmarked a converter). Or I count in ounces, but the entered value is in 1/2 cup, so I have to go back to the box to see how many grams they say are in 1/2 cup, then convert the ounces to grams. Seriously a pain in the butt.

    I can think of so many ways to improve this site, first one being a standardized way of entering things, that would remove extra entries and give you the option of entering weight in ounces or grams.
  • dearprudence78
    dearprudence78 Posts: 27
    I've gotten to the point where I use the "create your own food" tool. Yes, it's time consuming but once it's in the system it's there for good. I put in 1 oz of whatever I'm eating and adjust the amount to match how much I'm eating. I actually use my name as the brand name so it's easier to find.

    FYI for the poster who stated their scale only weighed in ounces - one ounce equals 28 grams, roughly.
  • Wantingtolose1
    Wantingtolose1 Posts: 139 Member
    I have an app called carbs and cals and it shows you pictures of the food on a plate with all different portion sizes and you can pick which one you portion relates to and then it works out the calories. I use this when I can't measure something.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    It wastes so much time when I try to add food.

    "1 FILET of cod" I guess I can choose the biggest filet out there if they are all the same. What is that?

    "1 cup of cantalope." I don't have time to be stuffing it into cups!!!! Should I puree it first?

    GRAMS, PLEASE PEOPLE! Not 1 CONTAINERS, or a stupid cups (unless it is a baking ingredient or a liquid), not filet, not 1 burger patty...

    The whole point of this tracking thing is about precision.

    Wow, someone needs to relax... If you don't like it, why don't you add your own measurements? That way you can be as precise as you want...

    That's for sure!
  • Jasmine_James
    Jasmine_James Posts: 188 Member
    I am always amazed at how many options are available in the database -- and when they are not, I take a minute or two to get the accurate information and then add it to the database. I have a lot of standard meals saved for myself. It's so great for me because I have this library of things I eat and their nutritional information always on hand, whether I am on my computer or using my iPhone. Personally, I love it.
  • adam1885282
    adam1885282 Posts: 135 Member
    I'm with the original poster about grams, grams, grams! Of course, I'll also use ounces; ounces of whiskey, ounces of vodka, etc.

    I like that I can enter my own foods but I also wish people would stop entering the same basic items in 20 different ways. For example, there are multiple, multiple entries for carrots. There's one that's actually useful becuase it includes the full list of measurement options, grams, ounces, "one large," "one cup," etc.

    Whatever.
  • adam1885282
    adam1885282 Posts: 135 Member
    I guess a lot and use the drop down menu. If it is close to the calories on the box then I go with it.

    You've been a member since 2012 and have lost 1 pound. Maybe you've just reset you ticker, none of my business. But accurate, not perfect, measurement is important IMO.
  • felcandy
    felcandy Posts: 228 Member
    I am so with you, it is incredibly frustrating!!

    i have a food scale and weigh almost everything and match it to the calories on the box/internet/mfp-average

    if i cant find it, i just enter in quick calories.... but that wont work now that i am starting to focus on my macros
  • Mom0819
    Mom0819 Posts: 82 Member
    Google "oz to grams" or anything you want to convert - a handy little converter comes up as the first entry. I use it all the time.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    While I find things like "1 filet" to be annoying, cups have worked for me.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    I couldn't agree with you more. I will "add" an item in MFP just to get the grams as the preferred unit of measuring. WTF is 8 large strawberries, a medium banana.. Isnt "size" all relative to what your comparing it to?
  • meFreshwater
    meFreshwater Posts: 46 Member
    I'd love for the items to have both ounce and gram, or cup volume measures. Metric doesn't work for me, and it isn't easy to convert if I'm logging from my phone app. I also agree that there is no need for a dozen entries for one food, just differing in whether the name brand is on the first or second line, or other minor details in the title. Isn't anyone monitoring or cleaning up the database?
  • GiddyNZ
    GiddyNZ Posts: 136 Member
    As handy as "oz to grams" calculators are, it's a pain in the butt to bring one up every time you need to enter food.. an ounce is quite a large unit of measurement.. ie 28.35 grams.. how on earth do you measure smaller amounts of food with any accuracy??
  • sgrubby
    sgrubby Posts: 103 Member
    Google "oz to grams" or anything you want to convert - a handy little converter comes up as the first entry. I use it all the time.
    Even easier, just use the calculator on your cell phone and multiply the number of ounces by 28.35.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    While I find things like "1 filet" to be annoying, cups have worked for me.
    If you've ever weighed the actual measurement, the cup size is usually MORE than the weight size. I used to eat a 1/2 cup of ice cream until i finally invested in a food scale... My 1/2 cup is now more like 1/3 to 3/8 of a cup, not the 1/2 cup i was eating.

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