To count or not to count...

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UnikittyRocks
UnikittyRocks Posts: 30 Member
edited January 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm new to MFP and am on a 1200 a day plan. I actually didn't go over my limit yesterday although I didn't count the fruits and veggies I ate throughout the day. My brief time in Weight Watchers taught me that in moderation, F&V are "free."
What is the general opinion on this? Am I right or am I cheating?? :o
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Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    You have to count everything.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    If you are going to count, you have to count EVERYTHING. That includes fruits and veggies.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    veg has calories, count it all!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Everything counts. Even eating while standing up.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    fruit and vegetables have calories and are not "free" …so yes, count everything...
  • Ooci
    Ooci Posts: 247 Member
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    Yes absolutely you must count. 1200 would mean you lose, 1300 might mean you plateau (though actually I don't think 1200 or 1300 really enough for most people)

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    The reason fruits and vegetables are "free" on Weight Watchers is because they are providing a big enough margin of error that you aren't likely to eat enough free stuff to go over it. If you want to do something similar here, set your daily calorie goal lower. But some people have their goal set at something like half a pound per week. For them, those free foods could prevent them from losing weight.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
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    Half of my daily calorie allotment frequently comes from fruits and veggies. Count them.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    I'm new to MFP and am on a 1200 a day plan. I actually didn't go over my limit yesterday although I didn't count the fruits and veggies I ate throughout the day. My brief time in Weight Watchers taught me that in moderation, F&V are "free."
    What is the general opinion on this? Am I right or am I cheating?? :o

    This is not Weight Watchers. Log everything you consume. Fruits and vegetables have calories that add up. Some fruits and vegetables are not as low calorie as you might think. A banana can be 100 calories for example.
    1200 a day is really low to start with. You might reconsider that number.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Everything counts - but unless you have a LOT to lose and are really small and old, you probably don't need 1200 calories but a lot more. If you have less than 20 lb to lose, then put your weekly loss for 1/2 lb, for 50-20 put it at 1lb. Faster is not better.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Lounmoun wrote: »
    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    I'm new to MFP and am on a 1200 a day plan. I actually didn't go over my limit yesterday although I didn't count the fruits and veggies I ate throughout the day. My brief time in Weight Watchers taught me that in moderation, F&V are "free."
    What is the general opinion on this? Am I right or am I cheating?? :o

    This is not Weight Watchers. Log everything you consume. Fruits and vegetables have calories that add up. Some fruits and vegetables are not as low calorie as you might think. A banana can be 100 calories for example.
    1200 a day is really low to start with. You might reconsider that number.

    Even so, if a person were to eat 12 bananas in a day, they would probably be pretty stuffed, and that would keep them within their calorie goals.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Everything counts. How do you know if you didn't go over? One banana averages 105-135 calories.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    1200 is a pretty low calorie plan, so on this amount you can probalby afford to have some 'free' fruit and veg and still be in a deficit overall. However, it would be advisable to re-check your goals - most people can lose weight eating more than 1200 calories, and then log everything you eat/drink.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    edited January 2015
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    I'm new to MFP and am on a 1200 a day plan. I actually didn't go over my limit yesterday although I didn't count the fruits and veggies I ate throughout the day. My brief time in Weight Watchers taught me that in moderation, F&V are "free."
    What is the general opinion on this? Am I right or am I cheating?? :o

    This is not Weight Watchers. Log everything you consume. Fruits and vegetables have calories that add up. Some fruits and vegetables are not as low calorie as you might think. A banana can be 100 calories for example.
    1200 a day is really low to start with. You might reconsider that number.

    Even so, if a person were to eat 12 bananas in a day, they would probably be pretty stuffed, and that would keep them within their calorie goals.

    :D The banana diet! Lol bustle.com/articles/40290-the-banana-diet-involves-eating-30-bananas-a-day-sounds-like-absolute-insanity
    My point was that some fruits and vegetables do have a good number of calories and can make a difference when you are trying not to exceed your calorie goal. If a person eats realistic meals with lots of different foods, they might underestimate what they are eating if they skip logging their fruits and vegetables.
    You can fill yourself up with bananas and lose weight of course. That isn't a very realistic scenario for many people though.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    If you're counting calories as your approach to lose weight, you need to count all of them.
  • UnikittyRocks
    UnikittyRocks Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies - I hadn't thought of the reason why WW could allow for the free F&V before. Makes sense.

    My goal is 20lbs, I'm not overweight according to the Dr. but close. 1200 cal is what MFP set for me with 1.5 lbs per week.

    I'll count everything from now on and revisit my calorie allotment in a few days.

    Thanks again!
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
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    Weight Watchers and calorie counting are two entirely different plans. If you pick counting calories, you have to count your fruits and veggies.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    edited January 2015
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    What they said!

    I don't know how WW account for it if you can eat as much fruit and veg as you want. Perhaps the typical WW customer tends to avoid such produce so it's a non-issue?

    And I suppose it would be cheating if you could get your fruit and veg to be zero calories. And I'd extend whatever cheat code to see if you could make burger and chips zero calories, too. IYSWIM. :D
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    Thanks for all the replies - I hadn't thought of the reason why WW could allow for the free F&V before. Makes sense.

    My goal is 20lbs, I'm not overweight according to the Dr. but close. 1200 cal is what MFP set for me with 1.5 lbs per week.

    I'll count everything from now on and revisit my calorie allotment in a few days.

    Thanks again!

    If you don't have much to lose, your goal is too aggressive. I would reevaluate and shoot for half a pound a week. 1.5 pounds a week with 20 to lose, you risk losing more muscle than fat.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    I'm new to MFP and am on a 1200 a day plan. I actually didn't go over my limit yesterday although I didn't count the fruits and veggies I ate throughout the day. My brief time in Weight Watchers taught me that in moderation, F&V are "free."
    What is the general opinion on this? Am I right or am I cheating?? :o

    This is not Weight Watchers. Log everything you consume. Fruits and vegetables have calories that add up. Some fruits and vegetables are not as low calorie as you might think. A banana can be 100 calories for example.
    1200 a day is really low to start with. You might reconsider that number.

    Even so, if a person were to eat 12 bananas in a day, they would probably be pretty stuffed, and that would keep them within their calorie goals.

    Most bananas I buy tend to weigh about 120g.
    Per USDA database, that's 107 calories.
    1284 calories in bananas.

    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list

    I wouldn't be full. At all. Granted your mileage may vary but there isn't much staying power in bananas which is why people suggest adding PB or other items with fat/protein to add in satiety.

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