Stop counting green veggies!!?

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endlessfall16
endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have never heard anyone gaining tens, hundreds of pounds from eating excessive green veggies, eg broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, bell pepper, zucchini...

I think I am gonna stop counting calories of these items. Does anyone do that?

Please tell if that's a good idea.
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Replies

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I can easily eat 200 calories of green veggies in one setting, so it's not an option for me, but if your weight loss is not stalling, and if you don't eat enough of them to make a difference, by all means stop counting them. The best diet is the easiest diet to follow that would still allow you to lose weight. So if not counting these would make things easier for you, go for it! Just remember to start counting them again if you encounter problems with weight loss, and to count anything you add to these veggies like oils, sauces, cheese, dressing...etc.
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
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    You never heard of anyone getting fat with that is because to eat about 1000 kcal of broccoli you'd have to eat 3 kg of it... and people usually don't... they do however easily eat that much in drinks and snacks during the day. But saying that you will not count them is equally silly because they do have some calories and it's all about CICO. 200 kcal of greens is significant for me on my 1200 kcal diet...it is significant in any diet if we think 500 deficit is about 1 lbs loss...you could easily cut that in half if you don't logg greens...or even wipe out deficit completely.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
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    I might stop, I find I can't over eat on them anyway. 100g of Green beans for example and I'm sick of them and thats only around 35 kcal, same with broccoli etc
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    I can easily eat 200-300 calories of veg in a day. By not logging that it would be easy to blow 50% of my daily deficit.

    PS. A carrot isn't a green veg.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    I could easily go over my calorie goal (1200) if I didn't count my veggies. For example green legumes have quite a lot of calories. I suppose if OP is on a much more generous calorie allowance it is not so critical to count the veg but I have to.
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
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    I don't think it is wise to stop counting anything.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    It's a mistake to think of certain foods causing, or not causing, weight gain.
    It's your total diet that matters.

    Seems odd if you decide to calorie count not to count certain items but it's your choice.
    It will also mess up your macro and fibre counts but again it's up to you whether you are concerned by them or not.

    BTW - Carrots are usually orange, cauliflower is white and bell peppers come in various colours......
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
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    I count them, but I am not as picky about weighing them as other higher calorie foods. I haven't had issues loosing this way. If my weight loss stalled though, I would definitely go back to weighing them.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Do they have calories, then why not count them?

    So by your logic frozen mint peas aren't high in calories so I shouldn't count them even though I am eating 100-300 calories worth of peas. :tongue:

    But I guess you would think I am mad not to log 100-300 calorie piece of cake?

    Calories are calories, I recommend you log them. It would increase your accuracy, less guess work etc
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
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    mirrim52 wrote: »
    I count them, but I am not as picky about weighing them as other higher calorie foods. I haven't had issues loosing this way. If my weight loss stalled though, I would definitely go back to weighing them.

    ^^^ This.

    I do eyeball my green beans instead of weigh them. Since 3/4 cup is only 25 calories a few beans more or less doesn't worry me much. Salad greens too.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    Do they have calories, then why not count them?

    So by your logic frozen mint peas aren't high in calories so I shouldn't count them even though I am eating 100-300 calories worth of peas. :tongue:

    But I guess you would think I am mad not to log 100-300 calorie piece of cake?

    Calories are calories, I recommend you log them. It would increase your accuracy, less guess work etc

    I actually tested this theory, by telling someone (who wasn't logging vegetables) that I eat a 50 calorie cookie but I don't log it because it's only 50 calories. She went crazy on me as if I committed a deadly sin. Yep, I'm a trouble maker!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    When I'm logging I count them. I want my food log to be as accurate as possible,.though, so I can track other nutrients (like fiber,.iron, etc) and so I can refer back to it and see what worked for me and what didn't when I hit a rough patch.

    I'm certain there are people who do well without counting their veggies. You can try it and see if it works for you.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Do they have calories, then why not count them?

    So by your logic frozen mint peas aren't high in calories so I shouldn't count them even though I am eating 100-300 calories worth of peas. :tongue:

    But I guess you would think I am mad not to log 100-300 calorie piece of cake?

    Calories are calories, I recommend you log them. It would increase your accuracy, less guess work etc

    I actually tested this theory, by telling someone (who wasn't logging vegetables) that I eat a 50 calorie cookie but I don't log it because it's only 50 calories. She went crazy on me as if I committed a deadly sin. Yep, I'm a trouble maker!

    LOL!!!! Yes, my friend who has been doing Slimming World unsuccessfully for years keeps harping on about "free foods" versus things like cookies. I guess some people just don't twig that 2 carrots have the same calories as a cookie.
  • MynameisChester
    MynameisChester Posts: 107 Member
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    I stopped counting veggies. I even stopped couting fruits. I continue to lose weight and I have a lot more energy (maybe it results in more NEAT). Veggies/fruit for me are a guilt free food. Some people will tell you it's not wise to stop counting while others tell you otherwise. The most important thing you do is try it, assess your progress, and make the appropriate adjustments accordingly.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,912 Member
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    When I was on MFP in 2012 and did not have a food scale, I didn't count low calorie veggies like that. Now that I have a food scale, I just count everything. I lost weight both times. I've also lost weight without counting any calories. Whatever works for you.

    You could get their calories from the last few weeks and give yourself a calorie allotment reduced by this much.

    One reason I weigh my veggies now is to encourage me to eat more of them. For example, if I'm weighing broccoli, I'll go for 100 grams, and when eyeballing, am closer to 75.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    I think it'll depend where you're at in your weight loss and how much you have to lose.

    If you're 300lb, if you generally eat at a deficit, a potato more or less or another carrot or a bit more broccoli won't make a difference, you'll still lose weight.

    When you're 130 wanting to drop to 120, then you have much less wiggle room and 50 calories here there and everywhere will matter a lot more.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    You should try to be as accurate as possible with your logging including everything. It all adds up.
    Let's say you eat carrots, broccoli, peas, zucchini and green bell pepper today.
    100 g of carrots is 41 calories.
    100 g of broccoli is 34 calories
    100 g of green peas is 81 calories
    100 g of zucchini is 15 calories
    100 g of green bell pepper is 20 calories
    That is 191 calories you would not be logging. You are eating other food too so maybe you go over your calorie goal every day. It could keep you from losing weight at the rate you want.

    Also, when you look back at your diary maybe you'd want to know if you were getting enough protein, fiber or how much sodium or sugar are in your diet. You won't have that information if you only log some foods.
  • fenharels
    fenharels Posts: 12 Member
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    I eat four or five cocktail tomatoes with my breakfast. 100 g of cocktail tomatoes have 19 calories, so I'm not worried about logging them if I'm in a hurry. Everything else I always log.
  • caurinus
    caurinus Posts: 78 Member
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    I count em because I want to see that number for fiber go up. I'm aiming for high fiber and high protein (because they're filling), while getting as close as possible to my calorie goals.

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