Counting Fruits and Vegetables

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carlaat
carlaat Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
I have a friend that's using another fitness program to lose weight. The program she's using does not require her to count fruits and veggies as calories/points. All fruits and veggies are considered free foods. I am seriously thinking about NOT logging my daily intake of fruits and veggies into myfitnesspal. Do you count your fruits and vegetables as calories?

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  • gordiess
    gordiess Posts: 1
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    I don't add my fruits or veggies for the day. Only if I add yogurt, honey, cheese, oil, etc... However, if your eating fruit/veggie high in carb's like a banana or yams I do add. Entirely up to you. If you know that a high carb intake is what your eating everyday than I would add it to see where you stand in calorie intake for the day. You can then adjust where you need to.
  • carlaat
    carlaat Posts: 5
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    Thank You!
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I have a friend that's using another fitness program to lose weight. The program she's using does not require her to count fruits and veggies as calories/points. All fruits and veggies are considered free foods. I am seriously thinking about NOT logging my daily intake of fruits and veggies into myfitnesspal. Do you count your fruits and vegetables as calories?

    Yes they are calories and if you are on a calorie deflect ... you wont know your numbers ... It's your personal choice not too though.... also I think you Weight Watchers does that ...

    Also for me I guess since all I really eat is veggies and meat ... there isn't much else for me to count.
  • Superbritt2drescu
    Superbritt2drescu Posts: 273 Member
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    They are calories, so yep I add them. :)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Calories are calories. One banana is 100 calories. Eat 5 of them and you've just killed your deficit if you eat your entire calorie goal in other food. Other systems that may call them "free" have other things built into their systems to counteract that (a limit on how many you can eat, reducing other foods to compensate, limiting fruit or vegetable choices to specific items, etc.)

    If you're going to count calories, you need to count all of them. Eating 1500 calories plus 500 calories in fruits and vegetables is still eating 2000 calories.
  • destinedwi
    destinedwi Posts: 11
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    I personally do add them. Although I generally try to stay under 150 carbs although honestly I don't generally stay under, but with my fruits and veggies I do allow them to go a little higher.
  • cally69
    cally69 Posts: 182 Member
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    Personally I count all fruit and the only veg I count are potatoes/peas/sweet corn. Since I don't eat back my exercise cals I reckon that gives me leeway on this and it encourages me to eat lots of veg!
    X
  • APstime
    APstime Posts: 1
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    You are only cheating yourself if you don't count fruits and vegies!
  • amruden
    amruden Posts: 228 Member
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    if ya bite it, write it...
    If ya nibble it, scribble it...
  • MelissaAnn1983
    MelissaAnn1983 Posts: 149 Member
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    I think that most programs tell you that fruits and veggies are free just to get you to eat them. So if you have a hard time adding them to your diet I say go for it and keep them free. But if you are use to them then add them. Of course you still need to remember that portion control is the key even if it comes to "free" foods. I don't recommend keep them "free" though. A calorie ate is still a calorie ate after all.
  • Inspired30
    Inspired30 Posts: 40 Member
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    I add them because I love sugar, so I found that I was trying to eat a lot of fruit to make up for cutting out the cookies, cakes, etc. Fruit can rack up in sugar too!
  • candledzynr10
    candledzynr10 Posts: 6
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    if ya bite it, write it...
    If ya nibble it, scribble it...
  • meeka472
    meeka472 Posts: 283 Member
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    If you eat it, you should count it otherwise you'll never know if you're going over you calorie limts.

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