Counting vegetable calories!

MaraGollin
MaraGollin Posts: 3 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
The one thing that is a little disconcerting about this plan is that I have to count the calories for all the vegetables I eat! Usually, for lunch, when I bring it from home, I will have a Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine and a big bounty of vegetables: baby carrots, a roma tomato, bell pepper, 2 persian cucumbers from Trader Joes, etc. My calorie count from lunch seems to jump about 130 calories, just from eating these good for you things!

I'm not looking to eat a lot more than I already do, but I'd love to have a 100 calorie pringles or something like that and then have a 100 calorie little sweet treat in the afternoon, but I feel like then I'll waste those calories and I won't have enough left for my regular dinner!

Any feedback?

Thanks!

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Yes they count as in if your maintenance level is 1500 calories and you eat 2000 calories of veggies only (this would be a lot of food) you would gain weight. So if you want the afternoon snack go for a walk at lunch and log the exercise calories, if you burn 50 you get to eat 50 more.
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
    I count them. I know its hard but I do it so it is on my food diary. Some people don't count them. I am not worried if I eat a lot of veggies in the day and I end up going over a little in calories though. However, when you sit and eat a lot of one thing that is not good for you either. i am a believer in everything in moderation. So not a bag of pea pods but a serving of pea pods, a serving of carrots, a serving of.... Hope this helps

    Also, if you want to eat an extra 100 calories then go for a walk or something. does not take long for 100 calories burned :smile:
  • MassageGirlRC
    MassageGirlRC Posts: 8
    My husband and I have been using this program for a little over a month now with GREAT results. We don't count any vegetables. It messes up our daily nutritional values but its working for us.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    if you are counting calories, i am not sure why you wouldn't count them? unless you are doing another program were they are 'free' like weight watchers. :) it won't derail your progress but it might make it slower, and your calorie totals (and reports) definitely won't be accurate.
  • Wolfena
    Wolfena Posts: 1,570 Member
    Calories are calories... is there a reason you shouldn't count them?? If you don't log them, your daily nutrition will be missing other things that the vegetables would show as a positive to your diet (particularly fiber)

    Of course you want to eat healthy things, but if you're worried about counting your vegetables and not having enough calories for your 100 calorie snack, then maybe you need to make adjustments somewhere else (like more exercise)

    The purpose of the food diary is to calculate ALL of your food, not just the unhealthy ones that you eat.
  • kellycrow
    kellycrow Posts: 140
    Your goal should be to eat however many calories MFP says and to make them ALL healthy ones!! Not sure why you wouldn't count any calories...especially the excellent ones! Calories are calories, like others have said... but certainly count them... and strive for more!! Try to avoid as much of the processed crap ... i mean food... as possible. (and no, i am not perfect in that respoect either but it is my aim... :o) )
    :o)
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Calories = energy.

    The whole WW calories for fruits/veggies = 0 points seems ridiculous to me.

    Don't stop eating your fruits and veggies because they drive up your calories consumed count. Or actually, just replace the calories from the fruits/veggies you normally consume with cookies...now that's a balanced diet.

    Stop eating the Smart Ones/Lean Cuisines when you can (they're all processed crap) and instead turn your cucs and tomatoes into a healthy salad with spinach, chicken, egg, etc... much better source of calories and protein!
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
    I did WW and lost 40lbs with them. Certain veggies are 0 points if you eat a serving. If you go over on said servings then they add up. Just wanted to point that out.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    I guess I don't understand why you'd think you wouldn't count them. If I eat 4000 calories worth of vegetables every day, I'm going to gain weight (and I may be dead from all the fiber :laugh:).

    And you're right about 100 calorie packs of things being a total waste of calories... It takes a while to get the hang of actually eating *healthy* food versus food marketed as "diet" food. And you gotta do what you gotta do to transition. But, man oh man, it's so much better to eat 200 quality calories (half a a cup of frozen yogurt & 50g sliced strawberries sound good? That's about 100 cals. Half an apple and PB? That's about 130 cals. 2% greek yogurt -- the kind not full of artificial crap? 4oz is about 100 cals. I'm sure you get my point). If you really fuel your body with nutritious food, versus completely empty calories, you'll feel a whole lot more satisfied. Like I said, it takes a while.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    I did WW and lost 40lbs with them. Certain veggies are 0 points if you eat a serving. If you go over on said servings then they add up. Just wanted to point that out.

    Oh I've heard that it works. But if you eat a serving of 3 different vegetables that are each 0 points...you're still getting calories and it's still 0 points. So theoretically, you could eat 10 different vegetables (assuming there are that many) of 0 points vegetables and still have 0 points?

    I just think WW perpetuates the whole "negative calorie" food myth. And it honestly annoys me.
  • Families_R_Forever
    Families_R_Forever Posts: 630
    Calories are calories... is there a reason you shouldn't count them?? If you don't log them, your daily nutrition will be missing other things that the vegetables would show as a positive to your diet (particularly fiber)

    Of course you want to eat healthy things, but if you're worried about counting your vegetables and not having enough calories for your 100 calorie snack, then maybe you need to make adjustments somewhere else (like more exercise)

    The purpose of the food diary is to calculate ALL of your food, not just the unhealthy ones that you eat.

    NICELY SAID I was thinking the same thing...Cals are cals and will always be. It's all about which foods you choose. It should feel good to choose the veggies. You can have alot more veggies and healthly foods than the bad foods, so you will be more full. I was amazed to learn how many, lets say, strawberries I could have VS one cookie. It's all a choice...MFP has helped me to see the good choices. :flowerforyou:
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