Do you count fruits and veggies?

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Nathmich2
Nathmich2 Posts: 9 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Do you add in calories for fruits and vegetables? Or do you consider them "free"? I nosh on peaches, watermelon, apples, carrots, and bananas the most.
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  • Ervie317
    Ervie317 Posts: 179 Member
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    I count them because fruits and some veggies are full of sugar and I think that those sugar calories should be counted. I count every single thing that I eat.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Log them and see just how many calories you're eating. You may be surprised.
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
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    Yes, I log almost everything except water because I drink about 1.5 gallons per day. No way am I going to input every time I finish a glass!

    I love to eat broccoli, but as healthy as it is, one cup is about 30 calories. If I have two cups with a baked potato (normal lunch), that is 170 calories vs. 110 if I didn't count the broccoli.

    My exception might be the few banana peppers I put on my sandwich or the few I toss in the stir fry when I'm counting all of the other veggies.

    Just try counting everything for a few days or a week and see how much it adds up. Especially the fruit.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    If a food contains calories, I count it. I do not log coffee, tea, spices, herbs, etc. I think this idea of "free food" comes from Weight Watchers." but I don't get it.. Besides wanting an accurate calorie count for the day/week, I like to see how I'm doing getting the right nutrients: calcium, iron, vitamins, fiber, etc.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Yes, fruit is healthy and amazing but it does have calories.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Everything counts.
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
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    I log everything. Even things like chamomile tea with no sweetner. Peaches are around 66 calories, apples around 100 calories. That adds up.

    Plus anything you put in your mouth contributes to your macronutient ratio and vitamin intake. You're just shortchanging your ability to make good choices if you don't have all the data.

    (Disclaimer: I'm a software developer so I'm sort of a nerd about collecting and analyzing info. MOAR CHARTS!)
  • onelovejenn
    onelovejenn Posts: 49
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    I log EVERYTHING that passes my lips, excluding 0 calorie things.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Absolutely log them!!! Although they're healthy, they are not 'free foods'.....they contain calories!!!
  • jephry
    jephry Posts: 55 Member
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    The only thing I do not log is water...and I should probably be logging that as well.
  • momtokgo
    momtokgo Posts: 446 Member
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    I count all the fruit I eat, every single peice, and most veggies. If I take a few carrot sticks to much on, I don't always log it. Fruts and veggies sure do add up though, I usually eat a few hundred calories worth of them a day, if I didn't log them I would be way off on what my dailty total is.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I count EVERYTHING that goes past my lips. I think its a good habit to get into. :)
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Do you add in calories for fruits and vegetables? Or do you consider them "free"? I nosh on peaches, watermelon, apples, carrots, and bananas the most.

    Yes, because everything you have listed there (even the carrots) has lot of sugar. Which, by the way, is not unhealthy and each come with a generous dollop of nutrients and fiber and other good stuff, but none of them are anywhere near calorie-free.

    If you set yourself up for a 500 calorie deficit per day and ate one large peach (61 calories), one slice of watermelon (86 calories), one large apple (110 calories), 1 cup of carrots (52 calories) and one large banana (121 calories), you've eaten 430 unlogged calories and your deficit is now 70 calories.

    Net result: Your goal says you should lose 1 pound a week. Your actual weight loss would be closer to one pound every two months.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    I log EVERYTHING that passes my lips, excluding 0 calorie things.

    I even count those, because there are surprisingly few "0 calorie" things, and most everything comes with some level of nutrients that I also want to track. Cinnamon, for example - adding that to food helps me get iron and calcium. Not many calories, but there are beneficial nutrients in them.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
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    i count everything. i think if its gonna work we have to.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    Do they have calories?
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    Everything counts.

    In large amounts?
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
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    I weigh measure and meticulously log everything. By default I also tack on an extra 10 calories per week just to account for bugs I may eat in my sleep.
  • MamaKeeks
    MamaKeeks Posts: 234
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    Just an example - I just read that a large pear has approximately 23 grams of sugar - as much as a KitKat chocolate bar! Absolutely log them all!

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