Counting Fruit Calories

jenBarna
jenBarna Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
I have difficulty logging calories for fruit. This morning I rethought adding fruit to my breakfast because I didn't want to eat the additional calories. However I added them anyway because of the health benefits. I am considering not logging calories from fruits- does anyone have thoughts on this?
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Replies

  • beckystephens
    beckystephens Posts: 117 Member
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.
  • samlockey87
    samlockey87 Posts: 1
    yes defintely add them! I dont eat much fruit but eat ALOT of veg as they are lower in calories and natural sugars and I always get enough vitimins, mineral etc
  • melindadunston
    melindadunston Posts: 157
    Yes I have actually eaten a cookie before instead of a banana because they logged the same amount of calories. Terrible. I have stopped doing this. I know a banana is better than a cookie..lol
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.

    This ^^


    You should be logging everything. The only exception I can think of is negative calorie foods like celery.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
    Fruit may not be what pushes your calories so far over as to impede loss. I would still suggest holding yourself accountable and logging.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If you're on a calorie-based diet, log the calories.
  • myth4ever
    myth4ever Posts: 372
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.


    true
  • rnb1127
    rnb1127 Posts: 23 Member
    I agree with the response above, everything counts...I log the good AND the bad. Good luck!
  • zmarzouka
    zmarzouka Posts: 9
    I second what Becky has said, what's difficult in counting fruit calories?
  • CharMarieDavis
    CharMarieDavis Posts: 43
    Yes, you need to log fruit. And if you are looking for lower calorie and lower sugar fruit, it is best to stay with berries. (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries are also lower in sugar)
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    I add them. I want to make sure I'm getting all my vitamins.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.

    This ^^


    You should be logging everything. The only exception I can think of is negative calorie foods like celery.

    "negative calories" are a myth. The act of chewing does not negate the food you eat. I'd log everything, even if it has a very small amount of calories. This gives you an overall picture of intake, day to day, week to week.
  • lovinmyselfagain
    lovinmyselfagain Posts: 307 Member
    I log everything, fruit included. I even weigh them for accuracy. I have fruit and/or a vegetable at every meal, so not counting them would be misleading for my calories for the day. For me, calories are calories, no matter where they're from...
  • chiera88
    chiera88 Posts: 155
    sorry but you must! now that i've only got less than 15lbs to lose, i've set my goals to lose 1/2lb a week but since i wasn't logging fruits, i was actually eating at maintenance and didn't lose any weight. luckily i wasn't gaining either. but i was so confused until one day i realized the two bananas i was eating were 210 calories but i was only set for a 250 deficet.

    so go ahead and log them. i didn't want to for the same reason as you, if i log them, i'd rather just use my calories on something else...
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Just cos you don't log them doesn't mean the calories (and more importantly, sugars) somehow magically don't exist.

    If you want your food log to be at all accurate, to be something that you can review and see patterns, that you can ask the MFP community to comment on, then log everything.
  • apedeb09
    apedeb09 Posts: 805 Member
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.

    Exactly.
  • freew67
    freew67 Posts: 348 Member

    You should be logging everything. The only exception I can think of is negative calorie foods like celery.

    My exceptions are celery and pizza. I look at it this way, if you eat it you log it.

    http://freew67.blogspot.com/
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    if you eat the calories, you count the calories, if you don't log them what's the point of using a calorie counting system?
  • Mrshunts
    Mrshunts Posts: 160 Member
    on Weight Watchers they do not count most veggies and fruit.......

    but this isn't WW , so why wouldn't you....you must count EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth thats edible !
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Absolutely log them. It's how this site works - you log everything you eat. Your body will certainly "count" them, even if you haven't logged them! People say you'll never get fat on fruit, but you could easily overeat by having several pieces of fruit and not counting them. I understand you feeling reluctant to eat them if they're high in calories - I presume that's why Weight Watchers made fruit "free" on their plan - to encourage people to eat it. I make room in my calorie goal for fruit, because it's good for you. If you're worried about calories and/or sugar, you could try to eat more vegetables instead.
  • spippin73
    spippin73 Posts: 60
    Fruits and veggies are great, but regardless, they do contain calories that must be counted. Also, watch the sugar grams...they can add up. That's what I choose for a desert! Also, I love the benefits of the fiber they contain.
  • cbelt82
    cbelt82 Posts: 62
    This has always confused me too. Weight watchers counts Fruits and Veggies as 0 points because they found that people werent eating them because they didn't want to lose points. So confusing!
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
    I second what Becky has said, what's difficult in counting fruit calories?

    I have the same problem with fruit and veggies. I'm on weight watchers and they don't count fruits and veggies, so they encourage to eat as much as one wants. I'm finding however these extra fruits and veggies are slightly tipping my scale.
  • annachevlin1
    annachevlin1 Posts: 1 Member
    there is a web site called "calorie King" ... very easy to use... it gives you calories for everything ... including size of fruit ... like small , medium and large. and it has tools to measure the food , very much like weight watchers program
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    Why cut the fruit from the meal rather than eat less of something that isn't so beneficial (id est, have a tangerine but have a quarter of a bagel instead of a whole)?
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
    First I want to know what your motivation is behind not logging them? What is your thought process?
    And secondly, how much fruit are you eating??? IMO it has minimal calories, so adding them doesnt push me over the edge. Are there things you can take out of your eating routine and substitute for fruit.
    Everything in moderation.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    I add them. I want to make sure I'm getting all my vitamins.

    This. Fruit is good for you. I don't understand why so many people are scared to eat it. On average I eat about 3 to 4 servings a day.
  • Penfoldsplace
    Penfoldsplace Posts: 159
    Do what works for you. I set my calories lower than I need (1300) and don't count fruit and vegetables. This only works if you don't you don't go crazy and gorge on fruit but 2-3 portions works for me, anymore and I count it.

    If you have less to lose it might not work as well but for me I know that apples didn't make me fat, it was the crisps and cookies and chocolate. I find it easier for me personally not to count fruit as it saves time tracking and I am more likely to grab a piece of fruit when I am hungry as I don't have to think about it and track it. It helps me make better choices
  • MED2012COLORADO
    MED2012COLORADO Posts: 238
    Why wouldnt you? A calorie is a calorie despite where it came from. if your over on your calories you are going to gain weight. end of story.

    This ^^


    You should be logging everything. The only exception I can think of is negative calorie foods like celery.
    Noted :)

    "negative calories" are a myth. The act of chewing does not negate the food you eat. I'd log everything, even if it has a very small amount of calories. This gives you an overall picture of intake, day to day, week to week.
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
    If you eat it...log it. Not logging it doesn't make the calories go away :) Fruit is a good healthy part of your diet and should be counted and included. I wouldn't feel bad at all about eating it!

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