2 servings in ONE can of tuna??? Anyone ever had just 1?
Okay, I am trying calorie counting for the next seven days, if for no other reason than to really get a baseline for what I am actually consuming daily. I figure if I need to have the most facts available if this is going to work long-term.
I was eating lunch. I had some rotini pasta, not more than a cup, and tuna... Of course I ate the whole can.
Does anyone actually just eat one serving, or do most people just suck it up and write down the two servings? Just wondering....
Oh, and if anyone has any great ideas for keeping track while not driving yourself crazy, that would be great. I started The daily plate just to check it out, but if there is something better, I would love to hear it.
I had to laugh at your subject line. Since I don't really care for it much, I can stretch that dang can out to four servings. (But don't ask me about a box of pasta now ...) ha!
GOOD LUCK! I'm finding it hard, as a former WW member, to have to count the calories in my vegetables, since they were always "free" points-wise.
you had double the calories, so yes you should count it. 1 can of tuna can feed my whole family of 4 with some left over. Now a pan of brownies or cookies is a whole different story
Light tuna packed in water isn't that bad for you so I do end up eating the whole can (I LOVE tuna) and I count it as two servings when I log my calories.
I'm not a huge fan of tuna so I can make it last but I use sparkpeople and 411fit (I keep changing which I like better) This week I have been writing things down instead of logging it online it seems to be working better lol
When I make tuna salad, I add a tiny bit of mayo, red wine vinegar, tomatoes, peas (think tuna casserole and it's not as weird), and sometimes celery. The veggies bulk it up, so I get two nice, thick sandwiches from one can (not trying to be a brat about it...promise )
The "serving size" thing is just a guide(at least that's what I tell myself!) and so I eat whatever portion I want and log the associated amount of calories for it. For instance, I love soba noodles. Soba noodles are often sold in bundles, and the serving size is usually 1/2 a bundle for 200 calories. I'll boil the whole bundle and eat it in a big bowl of soup and count it as 400 calories with no guilt involved. As long as the total amount of calories fits into my plan so I can meet my daily calorie goal, it's all good.
I only use the serving size as a way to measure the calories, not to determine how much I'm going to eat. I might eat more or less than the can "tells" me is a serving size.
As for tuna specifically, it depends how I'm using it. If I'm using it in a pasta, potato, or vegetable salad with a lot of other ingredients, I'm likely to eat less tuna than the can says is a serving. However, if I'm eating it alone or in a recipe with few filler ingredients, I might eat the whole can myself.
By the way, although it may sound weird, tuna makes a great substitute for ground beef in spaghetti sauce or sloppy joes.
Thanks Everyone! I am sure I will get used to this, but It has been a LONG time since I have taken more than just a glance at the nutrition label.
I am going to get this down, I am just suffering an eye opening day!
Thanks again.
If its your snack or meal all by itself, I count it was one can. As do body builders and athletes who love the stuff for it's small volume and huge protein content. But I think its "two" servings for things like tuna melts, salads, eat. Then you obviously wanna stick to half the can.
to me it is not about 1/2 or the whole can. it is counting the calories you eat. if you need the 3oz of protein, go for it. there is a lot of bang for the buck in tuna being so low in calories per oz.
AND you have to count the calories of whatever you add to it.
Another thing to be careful of is the number of servings. Often you have to ignore that completely, because they'll say "about 2" which can be anything from 1.5 to almost 3.
Also, if you have a food scale it's more accurate to calculate by the gram weight listed for the serving size than the volume measurement. I've measured things out to the gram weight stated on the label, and the volume doesn't always jive very well. It'll say 1/2 cup for 30g for example, and when I weigh out 30g there's no way it's filling a 1/2 cup measure. It's more like 1/3 cup.
The weight measure is always the more accurate one (because the labs verifying the calorie count would have used gram weight).
I'm not saying that you can't lose weight if you don't have a food scale. Estimation works pretty well, but with high calorie foods especially, it's a lot easier to underestimate the calorie content.