Posted by u/calisthenics_only·9 days ago·Hot Take

Why does MyFitnessPal ignore raw vs cooked weights? I'm so frustrated.

TL;DR: MyFitnessPal doesn't distinguish between raw and cooked weights, making it hard to track macros accurately. Anyone else frustrated with this?

I've been using MyFitnessPal for a while now, and as someone who loves to experiment with bodyweight training and nutrition, I need accurate tracking. My biggest issue? The app completely ignores the difference between raw and cooked weights for foods, and honestly, it's driving me insane!

When I track something like chicken breast, I want to know if I'm logging it raw or cooked, since the weight changes after cooking. I mean, if I put in 100 grams of raw chicken, it's not going to have the same caloric content after it's been cooked and lost water weight! This is critical for keeping my macros on point. I'm all about precision, and it feels like MFP just dismisses this vital detail.

I tried Cronometer for a bit, which I found to be more accurate with its food database, but it felt a bit clunky for daily tracking. I really want MyFitnessPal to step it up! The user experience is nice, but I need them to understand how food changes as it's prepared. It feels like I'm constantly playing guessing games with my intake. Anyone else feeling this frustration or found a workaround?

If anyone has suggestions on how to better track my macros in MFP without losing my mind over raw vs cooked weights, I'm all ears. Let's keep pushing towards our fitness goals without the unnecessary headaches.

8 comments

Comments

u/vegan_powerlift22·8 days ago

I switched to Nutrola too! I'm a busy vegan lifter, and their voice logging feature is a lifesaver. Just say what you ate and it logs it for you, which is super handy when I'm meal prepping on the go. Honestly, I was surprised by how much easier it made tracking my meals.

u/recipequeen44·8 days ago

I get your frustration with MyFitnessPal. The raw vs cooked weight debate is real, especially when it comes to protein sources like chicken. When I prep meals for my clients, I always make sure to specify whether it's raw or cooked in the database, but MFP just doesn't do that well. If you're looking for something more precise, maybe try Cronometer again. Their food database is much more reliable for tracking macros and micros.

u/creatine_supremacy·8 days ago

If you're looking for something that considers cooking methods better, check out Cronometer. They have a lot of solid data, especially for tracking micros. I like how they break things down. I get why MFP is comfy, but sometimes we gotta evolve, fam.

u/depressedlifter·8 days ago

Honestly, I feel like MFP is just stuck in the past. Like, how hard is it to update a food tracker? I once logged 150g of cooked rice thinking I was tracking raw, and let me tell you, my macros went haywire. This shit is exhausting, man.

u/runningfromcardio·8 days ago

Facts! I used to stress over MFP's inaccuracies, but then I just focused on strength training and let the numbers chill a bit. Tracking macros is good, but I try to enjoy my workouts too. You could also look into using something like MacroFactor. I heard their algorithm just works for most people

u/bro_split_bro_420·4 days ago

Dude, I've been there. But switching from MFP just feels like a lot, ya know? I'm all about my gains, but I also just want my food entries to be simple. Maybe I'll try Nutrola if I keep losing my mind, but for now, I'm sticking to what I know.

u/midwest_lifter·8 days ago

I hear you on the weight difference, but I kind of like how MFP has my food list dialed in. Yeah, the raw vs cooked thing is annoying, but I've been using it for so long that switching feels like a hassle. Paywall creep is wild though, so I get the frustration.

u/squat_to_pizza·8 days ago

Bro, I feel your pain. You ever try logging those chicken breasts, and then they're magically lighter after cooking? It's like, did they go on a diet? 😂 I switched to Nutrola recently because their photo logging is super quick. Just snap a pic and done, no more guessing games about weights. Plus, it has no ads, so I can scroll in peace while drooling over recipes.