Important! Should I be counting my fruit calories??

deadbambi
deadbambi Posts: 368
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I eat about half a watermelon a day lately. (so good, like candy ahh) but the amount of watermelon I eat adds up to about 400+ calories (ouch!!)

My intake is 1200 calories. If 400 of that is watermelon, then how am I supposed to eat anything balanced all day long?

Is it bad if I don't count those calories?

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    You ate them - count them! It's 400 calories you're eating whether you count them or not - food doesn't magically not have calories if we don't put it in the log! Maybe 1200 is too low for you - or maybe 400 calories of watermelon is too much. Yum yum - still better to have 400 calories of delicious watermelon than a snickers bar - but count it!
  • deadbambi
    deadbambi Posts: 368
    there is no such thing as too much watermelon. lol!
    I never used to count my fruit OR my veggies. but I suppose I should start doing that :/
  • gogonunubean
    gogonunubean Posts: 160 Member
    Yup - a calorie is a calorie! It doesn't matter what source it is from. That said, it is better to have fruit than candy.

    400 calories might be a little much - watermelon is high is sugar - but watermelon season is so short, so why not enjoy it!
  • HopefulLeigh
    HopefulLeigh Posts: 363 Member
    I eat about half a watermelon a day lately. (so good, like candy ahh) but the amount of watermelon I eat adds up to about 400+ calories (ouch!!)

    My intake is 1200 calories. If 400 of that is watermelon, then how am I supposed to eat anything balanced all day long?

    Is it bad if I don't count those calories?

    400 calories x 7 days = 2,800 calories. 3,500 calories make a pound. You wouldn't drink 3 cokes and not count it. You wouldn't eat a loaded baked potato and not count it. You wouldn't eat a cheeseburger and not count it. So why would you not count fruit calories? By not counting them, you're just cheating yourself. There's no reason to be here if you're not going to be honest with yourself about how much you're eating.
  • BCSMama
    BCSMama Posts: 348
    I agree, it's best to count it. I also love me some watermelon, so I feel your pain. I will only eat it now after a meal; that way I'm not too hungry and will only eat a little. 1200 is pretty low; that's what MFP set for me too, but exercise more and you can eat those cals back if you want to. I usually eat some of my exercise calories back and have no problems eating watermelon everyday along with a balanced diet.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    You need to count BLTs (bites, licks, and tastes). If it goes in your mouth, it counts.
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    Of course you should log it. If you're concerned about eating a balanced diet on the remaining 800 calories, the solution is to eat less watermelon, not to pretend that you didn't eat it at all.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Of course you should log it. If you're concerned about eating a balanced diet on the remaining 800 calories, the solution is to eat less watermelon, not to pretend that you didn't eat it at all.

    Or eat more than 1200 calories.....
  • deadbambi
    deadbambi Posts: 368
    alright alright alright, i gotcha.
    some diets consider fruits and veggies as "cheat foods". like you can eat as many as you like without counting them. and that's what I've been doing, but as of late i've hit a bit of a plateau and I'm just wondring if it's because of the absurd amount of summer fruits i've been intaking and not counting.

    i'll start counting my fruits & veggies now :p
  • deadbambi
    deadbambi Posts: 368
    I eat 1200 cals a day because that's how my body can lose weight.
    i exercise and eat back my cals. but I can't up my intake. :P
  • jilliew
    jilliew Posts: 255 Member
    I have never understood why people ask this question. Why would you be on a site dedicated to counting calories if you're not going to count calories? :-/
  • kimmymayhall
    kimmymayhall Posts: 419 Member
    You should count all your calories. That's not to say you shouldn't enjoy the things you love, just make it fit in. I've been loving some watermelon this summer too, but that's a lot! It would be way too much sugar for me.
  • deadbambi
    deadbambi Posts: 368
    Why would I be on this site? To track my workouts and my general food intake. Like I said. some people's diets let them have as many fruits and veggies without counting them. But I understand that fruits have natural sugars and that I should be counting them.

    it was just a question lol
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    Fruit is candy bar from the earth. So, essentially, you're asking "Should I be counting that king size candy bar I just ate?"
    Treat fruit with respect, eat it sparingly. Eat more veg, get plenty of protein. That's a balanced diet.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I don't understand why you'd NOT track them? If you eat it, it still counts :)

    I love watermelon, but I still gotta log it!
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    alright alright alright, i gotcha.
    some diets consider fruits and veggies as "cheat foods". like you can eat as many as you like without counting them. and that's what I've been doing, but as of late i've hit a bit of a plateau and I'm just wondring if it's because of the absurd amount of summer fruits i've been intaking and not counting.

    i'll start counting my fruits & veggies now :p
    When it comes to diets like Weight Watchers, where fruits and vegetables are "free," the amount of food you're allowed before the fruits/vegetables comes to a pretty low calorie amount, so that when those "free" foods are added in, the total is something closer to what you might see people eating on this site. But if you're not restricting yourself to those WW numbers in the first place, then those foods can't really be free anymore.

    Besides, I think that sort of plan might be the reason I've seen so many people fail on Weight Watchers; they eat a lot more calories than they mean to without even realizing it since they're being told it's totally fine.
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