fruits & veggies, calorie counting, and avocados

Brianna_george03

I have been having a hard time with getting enough calories with the amount of cardio and strength training exercise I do. Part of it is I eat LOTS of fruits and veggies which are low calorie. Most of what I have been reading says that it is better to NOT count fruit and veggies as part of your daily calorie count. Anyhow, I have been really enjoying avocados as a snack, but they have a high fat count. I know it is good fat, but what do you think, does an avocado count as a fruit you don't COUNT in calories and fat? I have a hard time comprehending them as a free food...lettuce I see, avocados not so much....

Thoughts?

superwmn

I would count avocados

Charmagne

platoon

Definitely count an avocado. If you eat those without limit, you'd never lose weight...

A good rule to follow would be if the veggie/fruit/nut has fat, then count it...

Good luck on your journey! :-)

brityn

what's the reason you don't count fruit and veggie calories? I count everything as everything has some calories in it and it all adds up in the end. Anyway. Just wondering why you don't

Mindful_Trent

I count everything, including fruits and veggies. Most fruits are NOT very low-calorie (a medium apple is about 80 calories, I think?), and there are plenty of veggies that are not super low-cal either (broccoli, starchy-veggies, etc.). These can really add up over the course of the day.

I see no reason not to count everything - this way I can look back on my food diary and know exactly what I'm eating - fruits, veggies and everything else.

For higher calorie, healthy foods to add to your diet: legumes, starchy veggies (potatoes are great for you without all the butter/bacon/etc. added!), eggs, nuts/seeds, olive oil, avacado (healthy fat, as you mentioned), dairy, whole grains (steel-cut oats, quinoa, barley), lean proteins, etc.

erickirb

Count it all. Fruit is actually quite high in calories due to the sugar content. If you are having trouble eating enough try nut butters with fruit and cheese with the veggies. This will increase the caloric content and you will still get your fruit and veggies.

TheNewJessieMae

Fruits have carbs, which is HIGH natural sugars. Increase your protien with these items.

TheNewJessieMae

Count it all. Fruit is actually quite high in calories due to the sugar content. If you are having trouble eating enough try nut butters with fruit and cheese with the veggies. This will increase the caloric content and you will still get your fruit and veggies.

oops we must have hit send at the same time!! lol

smuehlbauer

I count everything that I eat or drink (other than water/diet soda)
I use to eat a lot of avocado until I realized how much fat and calories were in them.
Everything in moderation.
Good fat is still fat.
Good calories are still calories.

deshaine

what's the reason you don't count fruit and veggie calories? I count everything as everything has some calories in it and it all adds up in the end. Anyway. Just wondering why you don't

Some people say this because it takes more calories to physically eat the veggie/fruit that it has calories in it, called: negative calories. But reality is: too much of a good things is bad.

Too much lettuce and you get... well... loose in the loo...
Too much bread and you get the opposite effect...

Count everything and eat in moderation.

GL... HTH.

HidyleDidyle

I was looking on Wikipedia regarding the negative calorie thing, and found that the idea doesn't have any scientific basis. Everything has calories, except water (and apparently diet soda), and only water actually provides negative calories since your body burns fuel processing the water. So, I count everything.

brityn

Some people say this because it takes more calories to physically eat the veggie/fruit that it has calories in it, called: negative calories. But reality is: too much of a good things is bad.

Too much lettuce and you get... well... loose in the loo...
Too much bread and you get the opposite effect...

Count everything and eat in moderation.

GL... HTH.
[/quote]

Negative calories? I don't believe that at all. If you ate 2000 calories of celery even though you only need 1200 calories a day, you'll still gain weight. Any over indulgence will result in weight gain, whether it's butter or vegetables.

rml_16

I have been having a hard time with getting enough calories with the amount of cardio and strength training exercise I do. Part of it is I eat LOTS of fruits and veggies which are low calorie. Most of what I have been reading says that it is better to NOT count fruit and veggies as part of your daily calorie count. Anyhow, I have been really enjoying avocados as a snack, but they have a high fat count. I know it is good fat, but what do you think, does an avocado count as a fruit you don't COUNT in calories and fat? I have a hard time comprehending them as a free food...lettuce I see, avocados not so much....

Thoughts?

For calorie counting, I count fruits and vegetables. On Weight Watchers, I don't count the 0-point veggies (avocados are not 0 points).

You can very easily eat WAY over your calories in fruits and veggies. I think you're doing yourself a disservice not counting them. Just eat fewer and fill your calories with whole grains and proteins, as well.

deshaine

Negative calories? I don't believe that at all. If you ate 2000 calories of celery even though you only need 1200 calories a day, you'll still gain weight. Any over indulgence will result in weight gain, whether it's butter or vegetables.

I don't disagree with you... :drinker: but that is what "some" people say, and that's the "logic" :noway: that "some" people use.

That is why I said "some people" and "count everything and eat in moderation"... :flowerforyou:

Ely82010

what's the reason you don't count fruit and veggie calories? I count everything as everything has some calories in it and it all adds up in the end. Anyway. Just wondering why you don't

I was thinking the same thing. I count everything that I eat, including vegetables, salads, and fruits. Everything adds up, specially the carbs.

We should not cheat ourselves to "free" calories. If at the end of the day we still have some left, then we can add a treat or two.

Brianna_george03

Thanks everyone. I should probably add that I HAVE been counting all fruits and veggies as calories eaten, but was wondering about this thought that I have read on with veggies being free calories.

josh816

Congrats on loosing 30 lbs so far. Awesome job.