portion size

IMO, a food scale is essential to properly counting calories. I use mine for everything that isn't a liquid.

You'd be surprised how far wrong you can go with measuring cups and the like.

I have this scale and am quite happy with it, although I have seen many posts from folks on teh forums who have less expensive scales that they also love: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Scale/dp/B001N0D7GA

You definitely need a scale, because in our society we have no idea of portion size. Iit's really important to weigh and measure so you get an idea of what one-half cup of something, or three ounces of something, looks like. For the first few weeks, I even weighed each apple, because "medium" and "large" are so indefinite. After a few weeks, you'll do better at estimating.

Absolutely! It is amazing how much we do not know about portion size! A digital scale can be bought pretty economically at store like Target of (ick) Walmart, or on line with Amazon.
I also fully love the heart rate monitor I bought at Target, New Balance. They are all different in measurng etc so you should figure out what heart monitor would best fit your level of exercise

I have a scale, but I don't use it. I am lazy. I don't want to get it dirty. lol. I use the "deck of cards" to size things up. For me, I was the person who ate WAY too much, so I have cut my portions in 1/2 and it is working for me. I was eating over 3000 calroies a day, no joke. I was way out of control. lol

also wanted to ask a question on portion size, In the food diary when it says 1 cup how much is that in oz, grams?

For example 1cup of brocolli

It would all depend on how finely it's cut or whether it's whole and whether it's raw or cooked. Think of the difference between 1 Cup of sugar cubes vs. 1 Cup of granulated sugar vs. 1 Cup of powdered sugar. They'd have wildly different weight due to the difference in air space around the sugar in the cup.

My scale came with a book that lists calories per ounce in most common foods. Here's another place you can find things by the ounce: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2356/2

On many food pacakges, the gram measurement will be listed next to the cup measurement in parentheses. Not everyone enters that into MFP's database though.