Free Food

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patter10
patter10 Posts: 23 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When documenting your daily intake should you document fruits and vegetables? There are so many resources that refer to these items as free food and one should eat as many of them as possible guilt free.
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  • Fjcookie
    Fjcookie Posts: 48
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    Your title said free food... and I came here just to find out where to get some free food? lol

    But to answer your question, I would definitely count them because calories are calories. For example, bananas are at least 100 calories, if you ate plenty of those without counting them you may go over on your calories. Most days my caloric intake consists of mostly fruits and vegetables and I keep track of every one of them.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    The only "food" I don't count is sugar free gum. I also don't always count Tic Tacs or sugar free mints if I have less than 3 or 4. As was said, fruits and veggies can start to add up. I can maybe see not counting iceberg lettuce or celery, but not counting an apple or banana? That could be almost 300 calories (depending on the size) that you don't count.
  • femmefae
    femmefae Posts: 65 Member
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    Your title said free food... and I came here just to find out where to get some free food? lol

    Same haha
  • patter10
    patter10 Posts: 23 Member
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    Isn't the properties of these foods processed differently, ergo more usable calories that don't get stored as fat? Just asking.
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
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    Log them, especially fruit.

    I don't stress about, like, the lettuce on a sandwich or something, but outside of that I log all food consumed, fruits and vegetables included. All calories count, no matter where they come from.

    Today I will have eaten just over 200 calories worth of what you're calling "free food." That's 21lbs per year of additional weight loss that I wouldn't have. It makes a bigger difference than you might think.
  • kingtermite
    kingtermite Posts: 82 Member
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    Yes. Log ALL food (and drinks).

    It may be much better for you, but you don't know your true calorie intake if you don't log it.
  • Capt_Inzane
    Capt_Inzane Posts: 733 Member
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    I count everything that goes in my mouth. I figure it's fuel and fuel = calories so should be counted.
  • rubywoo123
    rubywoo123 Posts: 80
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    Your title said free food... and I came here just to find out where to get some free food? lol

    same. how bad HAHA
  • sevendredgers
    sevendredgers Posts: 1 Member
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    Yep me too LOL: where's the free stuff!

    I document almost everything.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Your title said free food... and I came here just to find out where to get some free food? lol

    Same haha

    Me too!

    TO patter10 - yes, you log everything. There are some diet plans that say that it's "free", like on weight watchers, but that is a dfifernt system
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Your title said free food... and I came here just to find out where to get some free food? lol


    This. I'm disappointed and so I'll be leaving now
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
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    There are so many resources that refer to these items as free food and one should eat as many of them as possible guilt free.

    Where are these resources?

    9 bananas is about 1000 calories.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    I'd log everything. Fruit can be very high calorie. Just because something is nutrient dense & good for you, doesn't mean their calories don't count.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
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    If you are tracking other macros you need to log them. Carbs and Fiber, etc...

    I log everything that I put in my mouth including drinks and mints. Keeps me accountable. I've been on that slippery slope before.... its easy to fall.
  • kiekokay
    kiekokay Posts: 101 Member
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    Isn't the properties of these foods processed differently, ergo more usable calories that don't get stored as fat? Just asking.

    This is my understanding as well. I do log fruits and vegetables, but don't stop myself from eating them due to caloric content. In other words, if I am at my calorie total for the day, I would not hesitate to eat a banana or some watermelon to avoid going over. I consider this an acceptable way to go over calories because they are "good" calories.
  • MeAnTtOBeThIn
    MeAnTtOBeThIn Posts: 22 Member
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    Only on weight watchers is most fruit and veggies considered free...and I spent much time taking advantage of that. Let me tell you...the weeks that I filled up on bananas and peaches, etc...I didn't lose as much. So that should say something about being "free". no get out of jail free card with weight loss :)
  • fat2strongbeth
    fat2strongbeth Posts: 735 Member
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    All foods, even fruits and veggies, have calories, so I record them.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
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    Aside from the calories, that's where a lot of your vitamins are coming from. Log 'em!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    They are free on other weight loss plans.

    This is a calorie counting website. If it has calories, it should be logged. That seems logical to me.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
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    Isn't the properties of these foods processed differently, ergo more usable calories that don't get stored as fat? Just asking.

    Maybe, maybe not. This week a study says you process some foods differently than others, so the calorie values for this is different than the calories in that, or the label is different from reality, etc. etc.
    Next week there will be a study that says something different, and the week after there will be another study that says something else.
    Log everything you eat. Eating 1500 calories of pizza a croutons, then eating 500 calories of strawberries does not mean you're only eating 1500 calories. By all means, eat your vegetables and fruits, but log them too.

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