Should I be counting my vegetable calories?

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leahlin123
leahlin123 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been eating a ton of vegetables since I've started my diet, usually raw but sometimes cooked (no oil or salt, just a quick spray of pam). I haven't been recording them in my log, should I though? I know in weight watchers vegetables don't count for points, but I want to make sure this isn't going to affect my weight loss.

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Why would you not count them. Are veggies calorie free?
  • sudmom
    sudmom Posts: 202 Member
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    I always count mine-they do add up.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    Yes, you should count calories from all sources. Depending on how many veggies you are consuming, the calories in them can really add up. If you eat over maintenance, you will gain weight even if all the surplus calories are coming from veggies.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    It takes a lot of veggies to add up to a lot of calories, but considering them "free" and eating unlimited quantities and not counting them could very well lead to you going over and eating at maintenance, if not in a surplus, especially if you're hitting your calorie goal with other foods and not counting veggies.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I don't limit veggies (or go over), but I always count and log them. I want to know what my actual calories are, and I want to see what my overall diet is. Besides, I like being able to see that I'm eating enough vegetables. It's not like it's burdensome to include them.
  • theawill519
    theawill519 Posts: 242 Member
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    Yes, you should count and log everything you put in your mouth.
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
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    I've been counting them, and it's been educational. I didn't realize cucumbers were a "higher calorie" vegetable - I always thought of them as light and summery and basically "free." Nope! Especially since I could easily eat a whole bowlful of chopped up cucumbers and tomatoes without blinking an eye. My cucumbers are typically ~ 45 calories, and I usually eat 2 at a time.
    So they're not free, but they are definitely good choices in terms of volume and satisfaction (chewiness and crunchiness).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I believe that Weight Watchers calories start lower....assuming you will eat fruits & veggies.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    If you're counting calories then yes everything counts. WW gives you much lower base calories (aka points) to account for the fact you'll be eating a lot of veggies.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    On the WW program, you don't have to count them. If you're just calorie counting, EVERYTHING counts, even that spray of Pam. Log your veggies. Most of them are very low-cal, but they count.

    I have never seen the point in counting some of the calories. IMO, if you're calorie counting, count them all.

    But WW is a whole different thing. So, if you're doing that, then do that and don't worry about the veggies. :)
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    yes. if it goes in your mouth, weigh it and log it
  • Gel_W91
    Gel_W91 Posts: 53 Member
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    I had a couple portions of peas and green beans with dinner tonight, think they was 240 calories. (pea and mint sauce over them, though)

    It really adds up, especially certain ones, parsnips, soya beans, sweetcorn or corn on the cob, sweet potatoes and so on.

    Same goes for fruit - fruit has many calories over a days worth. Please track them I'd hate something so silly to side track you.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
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    Absolutely count them! They account for most of my diet, so I have no idea what my calories would look like without counting my veggies! It would look like I wasn't eating anything much.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
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    Yes, absolutely count them, but what I've learned from counting them is that they are a great deal! And I've learned not to sweat it if I eat 3 cups of romaine vs. 2, but pretty much every other food I weigh to the gram.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    Count alllllllll calories.
  • JustJenn2014
    JustJenn2014 Posts: 7 Member
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    I'm torn even with all the helpful comments here. My thought, is that veggies are nutritionally dense and provide a lot of good fiber. Allowing myself as much as I want (minus the toppings and dressings) encourages me to eat more of them and in turn, fill up on healthy food. It actually has been working. For me. Right now. That may change when I get closer to my goal. I still have over 45lbs to lose.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I would count them but if they're raw and without dressing or a dip, they don't add up to much. If you're Breading them and then deep frying them and serving them with a sauce, well ........
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2015
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    JustJenn2014 wrote: »
    I'm torn even with all the helpful comments here. My thought, is that veggies are nutritionally dense and provide a lot of good fiber. Allowing myself as much as I want (minus the toppings and dressings) encourages me to eat more of them and in turn, fill up on healthy food. It actually has been working. For me. Right now. That may change when I get closer to my goal. I still have over 45lbs to lose.

    If this works for you I think it's great. I'm not someone who thinks everyone needs to count or log at all.

    However, I always find this idea that counting them means you are limiting them strange, as I don't limit mine at all. I find logging them is even a good way to encourage myself to eat more. (In fact, if I'm getting vegetables together for dinner and find my serving of asparagus, say, is only 85 g, since that's all I have left, seeing that on the scale is likely what prompts me to think "oh, better add another veg.") If dinner is over (generally not an issue), I'd cut down on the starch or the meat, not the veggies. But I still want to know what my overall calories are, and that would include those contributed by the significant amounts of vegetables I eat. Admittedly, I'm also just a data nerd, so being able to see what percentage of my overall diet were vegetables in a particular day interests me.
  • Sweepypie
    Sweepypie Posts: 161 Member
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    I always count fruit and vegetables! They have calories! At WW on the Filling and Healthy diet they were free! On the 26ProPoints a day you counted them!
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    JustJenn2014 wrote: »
    I'm torn even with all the helpful comments here. My thought, is that veggies are nutritionally dense and provide a lot of good fiber. Allowing myself as much as I want (minus the toppings and dressings) encourages me to eat more of them and in turn, fill up on healthy food. It actually has been working. For me. Right now. That may change when I get closer to my goal. I still have over 45lbs to lose.

    You don't have to limit them, just count them so you know where you stand calorie-wise.

    I eat all the fruit and veggies I want (and it's a lot), but I log them so that when I'm thinking about having an after dinner snack, or an extra serving of nuts, I know how many calories I have left and whether I can make room for it.

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