Counting veg calories!

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EmilyW36
EmilyW36 Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
Hiya.
I was wondering if anyone else doesn't count the calories in vegetables. I am currently not counting them, but I was wondering if this is really giving me a disadvantage?
Thanks
Emily

Replies

  • ElizaJay143
    ElizaJay143 Posts: 52 Member
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    If you don't mind my asking, why don't you track them?

    This is the new Weight Watcher's approach, all vegetables are zero points. They figured out that even when they made them "free" people still weren't eating the daily recommended value anyway, but it at least encourages people to eat more of them.

    I guess it really depends on how much you're eating, in general, most people eat very little veggies and so the calories don't make a big impact, but if you're eating healthy, and veg makes up a large portion of your diet, those calories CAN and WILL make a difference, so it's worth tracking them.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Hiya.
    I was wondering if anyone else doesn't count the calories in vegetables. I am currently not counting them, but I was wondering if this is really giving me a disadvantage?
    Thanks
    Emily

    I count everything ...... veggies (depending upon what they are) can be 100's of calories. If I don't count these, I'm going to go over ... everyday.

    Weight Watcher's people don't count veggies.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I count all vegetables, but I can see the benefits of either choice. Are you losing the weight you expect to? One thing you could do is log all vegetables for a few days, see how many calories they add up to, and then make a decision from there whether it's worth logging them or not. Knowledge is power, and logging everything gives you more accurate data. However, I also think there are benefits to having a more relaxed, flexible approach.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    I track everything because I also want to know if I am getting enough fiber. Hard to reach my fiber goal without vegetables.
  • SteelLadybird
    SteelLadybird Posts: 39 Member
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    I count everything of calorific or nutritional value. Including suppliments.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    Vegetables have calories. A calorie is a unit of measurement, regardless of source they all count.
  • cally69
    cally69 Posts: 182 Member
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    Hi
    I only count potatoes, peas and sweet corn. I don't log all my other veggies ( and I eat lots) because I tend not to eat the majority of my exercise calories so I figure that gives me leeway. Seems to work for me..
  • katiethedetermined1
    katiethedetermined1 Posts: 68 Member
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    I log everything because it is the portion size that makes you overweight. Think if you ate carrots all day how much sugar that would be. Yes natural but it would still be too much and that makes you overweight. Just because it is good for you doesn't mean you should't log it.
  • fionahay
    fionahay Posts: 44
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    I never used to cause I figured that they'd never make me fat - but I still counted fruit, so my logic was kinda flawed.

    I changed my ways because I wanted my macro's to be accurate. I now include absolutely everything in my diary.
  • MaeRenee94
    MaeRenee94 Posts: 175
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    I count everything, usually thats the biggest part of my lunch
  • IbiH
    IbiH Posts: 250 Member
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    I'm a vegi, veggies made me who I didn't want to me. Now I control my portions and count the calories I am now a normal weight.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    It's a disadvantage of using the site and app and this program correctly sure.

    You need to eat less than what you burn, IF you want to lose weight. That may not be your purpose, perhaps just eating better.

    The burn part is already a guess based on your own potentially good or bad selection of activity level.
    The exercise you add in that increases that burn may or may not be very accurate.

    The you eating less at least has potential for logging correctly, if you log everything.

    So you'll have way to many variable to actually figure anything out with a basis on truth.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Hi Emily,

    unless you are living on water and air, then everything else contains calories. If you do not log all your calories then you are not going to keep an accurate log?

    In which case it would make no sense logging?
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    if you're doing close tracking, you should count everything. If you're being loose about it, you could skip counting straight lettuce, but should still track other vegetables. They have a not insignificant amount of carbohydrates if you eat enough of them. And of course you have to count any salad dressing.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    if your consistently eatng the same amount everyday and consistently not counting them i dont think it matters
  • kiwigal41
    kiwigal41 Posts: 1,059
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    I don't count my veges unless they are potatoes.....other than that, I don't eat many veges at all.....if I do, they are all raw such as cucumbers, tomatoes, yellow peppers etc....and these have very little in the way of calories....I don't eat corn, peas, beans, hardly any broccoli or cauliflower, no asparagus...the list goes on....seems to work for me as I eat so little of them anyway....
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    Vegetables have calories. A calorie is a unit of measurement, regardless of source they all count.

    Holy ****...mind blown!!!

    1307032252_atomic_bomb_mushroom_cloud_explosion.gif

    OP...I eat around 200-250 calories per day in veggies. When I was "dieting" I had a 500 calorie deficit in my diet for weight loss...if I hadn't counted veggies, I would have only had a 250 - 300 calorie deficit due to not counting those calories.
  • Monny287
    Monny287 Posts: 109
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    I count them, but I don't stress over the calories in vegetables as much as the vegetables in say...a sandwich.
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
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    Right now, I don't count veggies. I'm just coming off Weight Watchers, and I need a little wiggle room while I transition. Counting fruit is about all I can mentally handle at this point, but I eventually do want to track my veggies- if only to be able to really utilize the weekly summary tools.

    I'm roughly aware of the calories in some of the veggies I eat. I know that when I have brussels sprouts, I usually have about 140 calories worth. I just want to baby-step counting fruit/veggies for now.
  • EmilyW36
    EmilyW36 Posts: 3
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    Thank you! I don't count them because I have been following the weightwacthers plan. As some of you point out it ultimately depends on the results I am getting and how strick I want to be.

    To be honest I count anything that would be counted on the weightwatchers plan! I am fully aware that everything has a calorific value :smile:

    I think that I will complete this week not counting and start next week afresh...

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