Do you think it's necessary to log vegetable intake?

13

Replies

  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    I log absolutely everything... so yes I think it's necessary. Particularly as some vegetables are higher in calories than others but also because it isn't that difficult to have 80-100cals worth of vegetables on a plate if you are eating a high amount of veggies with your meal (which I tend to do if I'm going to have vegetables, may as well go all out!). It's still worth counting.
    If you count a coffee at 30 calories or a cookie at 60 calories, then I would log vegetables too even if they do only come out at 40-50 calories.
  • knkmfp
    knkmfp Posts: 295 Member
    Everything adds up over time. 50 calories a day not logged from veggie intake will add up. In one month, that's almost half a pound. In six months, that's 2.5 pounds and then in a year, that's 5 lbs.

    I definitely log all my veggies since I eat about 200-300 cals in them each day. It's up to you but I'd suggest you do.

    Only if you eat 50 calories over maintenance. If you're below, you won't gain, you might just lose slower.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Yep, it adds up. I log them.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I log everything, even gum

    Yup. Expecially if you are on a tight calorie budget. Eating a lot of veggies over the day can add up in the 100's of calories
  • chunkydunk714
    chunkydunk714 Posts: 784 Member
    I find it helpful

    When I decided to lose the weight this time, I tried my old WW program (points, free non starchy veg but counting fruit), and I wasn't losing at all.

    I started MFP, logged my veg and found I was eating about 200 cals a day worth that I wasn't logging with WW. 200 x a month (30 days) is 6000 calories!!! (almost 2 lbs)

    Now, I count EVERYTHING!!!

    From a fellow WW member, I love this advice. Thanks for sharing :)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Yes. But don't look back at my diary for examples...I was on vacation and just starting properly logging food again today...which includes 18 calories worth of red bell pepper, red onion and cilantro that I put on my tacos for dinner.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I log them...they add up for me! Sometimes I like to look at my Vitamin A, C, etc. too.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    This may sound like a stupid question, but I'm wondering if whether or not it makes that big of a difference in daily calories to log how many veggies we eat. I can understand logging fruits because they are high in sugar and contain more calories, but I feel like it's a waste of time to log that I ate 'an orange pepper and some spinach' with my lunch when it only added about 50 calories to my diary. Again I'm only talking about the CALORIES (I know it's good to keep track of everything we put in our mouths so we can look back and see past meals etc). I'm really just thinking about logging any meat I eat daily, or how much coconut oil I use etc, as I find these make the biggest difference in calories if you're trying to eat a certain amount. Any thoughts?

    I easily eat 300 calories, but usually more in just steamed and other plain veggies a day and cannot afford to not count them. But even if it was just 50 calories, I log them, because I promised myself to be honest. This means that everything gets logged; even the 4 calories for black coffee.....:o). Also, veggies have carbs....and I check those.
  • MacInCali
    MacInCali Posts: 1,012 Member
    As part of my lunch today, I had 94 grams of a red bell pepper (approximately half of a medium bell pepper).
    94 grams has 29 calories.
    Yes, veggies have calories.
    They add up.
    Count them.
  • btoeps74
    btoeps74 Posts: 167 Member
    I log everything......EVERYTHING. I even log the little things like chia seeds and flax seeds and vitamins. It may seem trivial in the moment, but it all adds up at the end of the day. Gum? Do they even have that in the food database?
  • danglarity
    danglarity Posts: 31 Member
    waste of time?

    it takes just a few seconds to log each food...at least for me.

    I log everything, even gum :laugh:

    YES! Me too...my gum adds 5 calories and I log my vitamins/supplements because combined they add 23 calories to my total (and that's only taking half the daily dose per day). I have to account for this everyday.
  • Kindone
    Kindone Posts: 138 Member
    One of the main reasons I log veggies is to make sure I am getting enough fiber and consuming enough veggies.

    And the calories do add up
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Vegetables have calories.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    waste of time?

    it takes just a few seconds to log each food...at least for me.

    I log everything, even gum :laugh:

    As do I
  • baileysmom4
    baileysmom4 Posts: 242 Member
    I log them when I have them as a serving. But if I'm just putting a piece of lettuce and a slice of tomato on a sandwich then I don't.
  • DivaMaria225
    DivaMaria225 Posts: 70 Member
    I find it helpful

    When I decided to lose the weight this time, I tried my old WW program (points, free non starchy veg but counting fruit), and I wasn't losing at all.

    I started MFP, logged my veg and found I was eating about 200 cals a day worth that I wasn't logging with WW. 200 x a month (30 days) is 6000 calories!!! (almost 2 lbs)

    Now, I count EVERYTHING!!!

    Youre right about logging everything,but I found when I stopped WW's, I stopped eating more fruit and veg,since it was going to be logged ! why eat a banana when you could have a cookie? Just saying
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    I don't always but most of the time I do.

    If I'm eating a salad with cheese, avocado, dressing, nuts...and I'm feeling lazy, I will just log the things that really count not the lettuce, tomatoes, onions...etc.

    And I lose just fine. :)
  • heidihorton
    heidihorton Posts: 110 Member
    I find it helpful

    When I decided to lose the weight this time, I tried my old WW program (points, free non starchy veg but counting fruit), and I wasn't losing at all.

    I started MFP, logged my veg and found I was eating about 200 cals a day worth that I wasn't logging with WW. 200 x a month (30 days) is 6000 calories!!! (almost 2 lbs)

    Now, I count EVERYTHING!!!


    I sooo agree, I eat about 150-250 calories a day in veggies! I always log my veggies.
  • heidihorton
    heidihorton Posts: 110 Member
    I log everything, too, because as others have already pointed out, it does add up. While our minds recognize vegetables as being low in calories, our bodies simply know the calories as being calories, and will handle them the same way, whether they come in the form of broccoli or french fries. I even log in my 10-calorie dose of multivitamins. LOL! :)

    Vitamins!! Me too lol. Mine are 20 cals though for the calcium chews :) thought I was alone on this
  • ShmareParks
    ShmareParks Posts: 88 Member
    ABSOLUTELY! There are a lot more calories in veggies than you think!!
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
    I do.

    There ARE calories, carbs, sugars, sodium, fiber and proteins. They all add up.

    You have to do what you feel is best but I write what I bite.

    Agreed!!
  • droneofvelvet
    droneofvelvet Posts: 290 Member
    Yes it is necessary if you take counting calories seriously. Speaking for myself, I could easily eat hundreds of calories in vegetables a day.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    Some days I have 300 calories of vegetables. So yeah....
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
    It depends on you and the reason you are logging.

    I am logging to track calories, as well as my average Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron consumption, among other things. My Vit A and Iron are usually low-ish, possibly because some foods in the database have N/A for micros. I have red meet when I crave it as it is probably my body saying I need iron. I don't think I've met my Vit A since I started. To use your example, oranges contain Vit C, pepper (I'm assuming capsicum?) contain Vit C, and spinach contains some iron (and calcium but not much of it is usable by the body). I've switched back to pineapple juice from orange juice, and my Vit C today mostly came from a 1/4 of a red capsicum.

    If I don't log almost everything, when I look back and see if I could (or need to) make a change the information I'm relying on isn't accurate. Combine that with my poor memory, and I wouldn't have a clue what to do and the logging would have been a waste of time other than to reach my current position - I wouldn't be able to use the past to do things differently in the future.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Yes, I log everything.
  • mwbulechek
    mwbulechek Posts: 162 Member
    Does not matter if it is cake or carrots, if I eat or drink it I log it.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Why not, unless it's like a pickle.
  • Xzombabe
    Xzombabe Posts: 7
    I log it because I can visually see if I need more veggies that particular day.
  • Danieltenor
    Danieltenor Posts: 11 Member
    It doesn't matter as long as you're consistent. Eat the same stuff and track your progress; even if you're not 100% accurate, you should be able to adjust your calories and adjust for the systemic error. I'd say don't count them because it's a pain in the butt to weigh your veggies and you don't want to do anything that discourages vegetable intake (the most bang for your back as far as calories are concerned).
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    All the little bits of this and that add up to a bunch of my meal or day's worth of calories allotted. If I don't keep track I inch up and overeat. It's also really easy to say "oh it's just ....." (whatever it is). That can sabotage me. I'm a good denier. Also measure and weigh things. It really does add up.

    Sometimes a cup of squash is over what I can have for the day. Depending on what vegetable you can or can't fit it in your lower calorie day sometimes.

    That said, I don't freak out if I'm within a hundred or 2 of my goal for the day. Especially when I'm set to cut calories and not maintain.

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