Fruit, veg etc..calories?!

Options
Colettelynne
Colettelynne Posts: 2
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Hi all, just d/loaded MFP. Ok so my concern is that in the past when I've done slimming world and weight watchers, fruit and most veg' was 'free' . Having just inputted my lunch I've 'wasted' 200 cal's on 2 smallish bananas. I say wasted 'cos I'm not even a fruit fan! Even my beetroot added cal's, soooooooo how come they don't count on the sw and ww but 'cost' so much on here? :sad:

I'm tempted to just add other foods and one even bother adding fruit and veg'. :grumble:

Thoughts please?

Thank u

Replies

  • posherspice
    posherspice Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    Many fruits are high in calories and carbs - bananas are a case in point. Great to include them but in moderation, hence the need to count them - try berries which are much lower in cals. Veg is usually better 'value' too, but peas, sweetcorn etc can also add up.

    I can understand how on WW most veg are 'free' but I think making all fruit 'free' is a mistake!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Options
    Um.

    Here's what you said, rephrased.

    "Fruits and vegetables are too many calories, I can't believe I'm eating that many! I'm just planning on not tracking them and pretending I'm not eating them."

    Do you see the problem here?

    On weight watchers, they're free because the points are set low to account for most people eating some calories from fruit and veg. If you want to do weight watchers program, do that - if you want to use mfp, do that - but don't try and mix and match your favorite bits from different programs.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.

    ^ This
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    Options
    The best diet is to eat off the myplate guidelines. It's essentially the same thing as eating clean but it's not trendy. By following the guideliens you automatically should be reducing your sodium intake, increasing whole foods, and reducing processed foods.

    You will find if you "waste" your calories on fruits and especially vegetables, you will be fuller for longer and not want junk.

    Just like others mentioned, you do need fruits but they typically have higher calories and more sugar and carbs in them. things you need, but in moderation.

    Veggies, however, are almost impossible to overeat and exceed your calorie limits. You should be getting 2.5 cups of veggies per day and 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day. When you do this you don't want the junk.

    If you don't like plain bananas or plain veggies, spruce them up. Dip veggies in salsa or hummus (watch cals in hummus) and fruit - add to yogurt or something. If you like spicy foods try cucumber with hot sauce. No joke - it's my favorite snack.
  • lindustum
    lindustum Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    WW restricts you much more in your foods. Back when I had 19pts a day, one egg would have 1,5pts. Thus. I I ate 13 eggs, I would have reached my daily limit. Now with MFP (and I am doing the TDEE method), I can eat 21 eggs per day to reach my limit (1 egg = 88kcals, daily limit 1850).

    What WW does it sets you on a very limited calorie diet, in which additional fruits serve as the means to feel full. Instead of the protein filled eggs, I was shoveling sugar-filled apples inside me to feel full (but never satisfied). Which one I prefer is quite obvious.

    Also, bananas had 1-1.5pts back when I did it. Not ALL fruit were "free".
  • 820Resa
    820Resa Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    Using MFP is very different than WW. MFP allows you too look at overall nutrition in your diet whereas WW restricts a lot of some foods and not a lot of others and the point systems is based primarily on calories. Eating a lot of veggies will make you feel fuller longer because vegetables have generally much less calories than most other types of food (except peas, corn, and other starchy vegetables, read the nutrition labels always!). I personally eat on average 5-7 servings of vegetables a day and have 2.5 servings of fruit in my daily breakfast smoothie. The rest of my diet is lien proteins and whole grains when possible, though don't get me wrong, I still eat the "junk" food occasionally, but it is occasional and not daily. And the funny thing about that is I often have a hard time hitting my calorie goal because I pump myself so full of the good stuff that my body is satisfied and I often come in under calories, unless I have some cocktails. :drinker:

    It's really a matter of personal preference, but skipping on fruits and veggies, whether by not eating them or not logging them, will do far more harm than good.
  • cookiealbright
    cookiealbright Posts: 605 Member
    Options
    Why did you eat the bananas if you don't like them? I eat them when I have them, but only one per day. I swiched to berries and watermelon last week. This week I have apples. Eat what you like, but if you want to lose weight you have to count the calories. :flowerforyou:
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.
    ^^ THIS ^^
    fruits and veggies are good for you!!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Options
    Hi all, just d/loaded MFP. Ok so my concern is that in the past when I've done slimming world and weight watchers, fruit and most veg' was 'free' . Having just inputted my lunch I've 'wasted' 200 cal's on 2 smallish bananas. I say wasted 'cos I'm not even a fruit fan! Even my beetroot added cal's, soooooooo how come they don't count on the sw and ww but 'cost' so much on here? :sad:

    I'm tempted to just add other foods and one even bother adding fruit and veg'. :grumble:

    Thoughts please?

    Thank u

    Welcome. :smile:

    Fruits and vegetables are not calorie free. They are counted. Making a lifestyle change is about portion control and being ultra-conscious of what you are putting into your mouth. After all, most of us got fat being unconscious as to the amount of calories we were eating.

    You have become conscious to the fact that 2 bananas have over 200 calories (well, actually each banana generally has 110 calories, which is 220 total).

    Why have two bananas? Why not balance it out and have one banana and then some protein and veggies to balance it all out? :smile:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Options
    Many fruits are high in calories and carbs - bananas are a case in point. Great to include them but in moderation, hence the need to count them - try berries which are much lower in cals. Veg is usually better 'value' too, but peas, sweetcorn etc can also add up.

    I can understand how on WW most veg are 'free' but I think making all fruit 'free' is a mistake!

    No calories are free whether they be fruit or vegetables or anything else. Accountability means total honesty with logging your food and exercise.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQDZiGj6RY_S40s6dY1Amfb4jEOUXNk4_NB-En03HUIzlSU7uVh

    ....OP, WW and the like make fruit and veg "free" in order to get people to eat more of it for ^^^Nutrition^^^. Fruit and veg do have calories. Fruits in particular have a lot of sugar which makes them relatively calorie dense...but fruit is also chalk full of antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals your body needs. Fruit is also a good source of soluble fiber in the form of pectin. Soluble fiber is like the garbage truck that hauls the bad cholesterol out of your body.

    Also, with WW it is my understanding that they adjust other counts up slightly to account for "free" foods. Nothing is "free"
  • Colettelynne
    Options
    Thanks for all the feedback. Just to say, I'd already eaten my brunch (sarnie and 2 bananas) BEFORE I got the MFP app, hence the surprise at the bananas!
    :bigsmile:
  • ladyred316
    Options
    Just so you know, bananas are only good in moderation, just like almost everything else. Bananas have a ton of more sugar than other fruits. For breakfast, I generally have a fruit and veggie smoothie. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, a peach or apple, spinach, and carrots. I know the spinach and carrots sound gross, but the truth is you can't even taste them, all you can taste is fruit.
    For lunch try a spinach salad, with strawberries and blueberries and sliced raw almonds. I eat this for lunch a lot. If you stir it and squish the berries there's no need for dressing. Or even a tuna spinach salad with celery and mustard.
    I graze a lot during the day, and usually eat raw almonds or walnuts ( but only 1 serving over a few hours).
    I have never tried weight watchers, but a lot of my friends and co-workers that have tried it don't have much success. Good luck!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.

    thats pretty much it.

    No wasted calories when you are nourishing your body.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
    Options
    I've never figured out how the new WW Points + program works. Fruit is higher in calories than you'd know and if someone told me I could have unlimited amounts of something I'd eat probably 1200 calories that alone. I'm one of those that like to eat ALL THE FOOD.

    Yeah, count them. Then you'll realize what is worth the calories, and what isn't. Not only do bananas have more calories than I'd ever think, they make me HUNGRY (for mostly carbs and things I really shouldn't eat) all day if I eat one. Figured I'd rather supplement the potassium in pill form instead of feeling like eating my hands all day.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Options
    You ate food for nutrition, it wasn't wasted.
    ^^ THIS ^^
    fruits and veggies are good for you!!
    +1
This discussion has been closed.