Vegetables as part of caloric intake?

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  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
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    "This calorie counting and vegetable thing, I do not think it means what you think it means"
    inigo-montoya-lrg.png
  • lausa22
    lausa22 Posts: 467 Member
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    I log every leaf of lettuce, every mushroom, every cherry tomato, ect.

    It also makes your diary look better :P
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    The most compromising I'll ever do in terms of counting vegetables is to lump them all together since most of them are so low calorie. In other words, if I'm eating a half cup of carrots. a half cup of yellow squash and a half cup of broccoli, I might count it as 1.5 cups of broccoli. I've only done that when I've been in a serious hurry, though.
  • angelar1022
    angelar1022 Posts: 52
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    I agree with you that they SHOULDN'T be counted (since you're SUPPOSED to eat them, right!?!). But unfortunately, I guess they do... Sigh... I guess if they weren't we could just eat fruits and veggies all day without counting anything at all! It does seem a little steep taking 120 calories just for a banana though!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Sometimes I don't log lettuce because it has so little calories and nutrition. But I log all other veggies. I can't think of any reason not to.

    that depends on the lettuce. many greens have far more micronutrients than you can imagine. i understand why you may not log it (because it's like 10c /cup) but the nutritional benefit is astounding as well as by logging everything you can have a clearer picture of your diet in reality.

    Greens (kale, collards, mustard, spinach etc.) are not lettuce. I log those.

    lettuces are greens. and i'm talking about good lettuce, not standard iceburg and romaine, but even those have lots of dietary fiber and calcium that you may be missing if you don't log it. you can do what you want, and we can argue about what is a green or not - it really doesn't matter to me. i'm just saying there are hundreds of kinds of lettuce and many of them are very, very nutritious, equal to spinach, baby kale or early chard.

    i understand not logging it for ease, but i'm just saying lettuce shouldn't be disregarded solely by the fact it is "lettuce". my mesclun mix is extremely nutritious and it is made of a number of lettuces, wild and cultivated.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    I don't get why we have to count or vegetables in the food diary... I was planning on eating some vegetables with my dinner tonight but at 120 calories it seems I should maybe go ahead and subtitute with something that will sustain me more for about the same amount of calories, like maybe some couscous or a bit of rice. What do you all think, do you count your veggies as part of your calorie intake?

    i'm curious to what may sustain you more at 120c .. i'm not trolliing, i'm just curious.
  • judyDFW
    judyDFW Posts: 12 Member
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    I count things like carrots and potatoes, but I don't count lettuce, celery, or broccoli. They're pretty low calorie, and I don't want to give myself any incentive to not eat them. I may go 30-50 calories over, but it helps encourage me to eat them.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
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    A wise friend of mine had this to say: "Anything you eat with your eyes closed you don't have to log. It's the seefood diet; if you don't see it, it doesn't count as food."
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    I agree with you that they SHOULDN'T be counted (since you're SUPPOSED to eat them, right!?!). But unfortunately, I guess they do... Sigh... I guess if they weren't we could just eat fruits and veggies all day without counting anything at all! It does seem a little steep taking 120 calories just for a banana though!

    I'm SUPPOSED to eat protein too, so I'm not gonna count my steak. I don't understand this logic. :P
  • dp1228
    dp1228 Posts: 439 Member
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    errrr yes. this is just my personal opinion but they should definitely be counted. you cant not count something just because it may put you over your daily limit or because it takes up too many calories and you want to eat somethinge else. that seems a bit silly if your serious about calorie counting. a calorie is a calorie. yes some calories are better for your body (more nutritious) then others but vegetables are still a part of your daily calorie limit.
  • DreamLittleDarling
    DreamLittleDarling Posts: 800 Member
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    I agree with you that they SHOULDN'T be counted (since you're SUPPOSED to eat them, right!?!). But unfortunately, I guess they do... Sigh... I guess if they weren't we could just eat fruits and veggies all day without counting anything at all! It does seem a little steep taking 120 calories just for a banana though!

    umm.... I'm supposed to eat 1200 calories a day, so since I'm supposed to eat that, should I not log those 1200 cals? Have I been doing this wrong all along?!
  • Fitladyboo
    Fitladyboo Posts: 22
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    Yes, I count everything. Are you implying that veggies are a waste of calories? Hope I'm just misreading this...

    It's because when I was on weight watchers previously, vegetables were zero points. Whenever I wanted a snack at night I would eat veggies and didn't worry about it. I know vegetables are important nutrients but if I'm looking for something more sustaining, I don't know that they would be my first choice.
  • Fitladyboo
    Fitladyboo Posts: 22
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    I don't get why we have to count or vegetables in the food diary... I was planning on eating some vegetables with my dinner tonight but at 120 calories it seems I should maybe go ahead and subtitute with something that will sustain me more for about the same amount of calories, like maybe some couscous or a bit of rice. What do you all think, do you count your veggies as part of your calorie intake?

    i'm curious to what may sustain you more at 120c .. i'm not trolliing, i'm just curious.
    I was just thinking a portion of rice or pasta?
  • hillendahl
    hillendahl Posts: 29 Member
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    I'm doing a Jenny Craig diet....they've taught me to have small portions of meat and carbs...and to fill myself up on veggies....I was told certain veggies were free food...because they were so low in calories...

    But to answer your question...I log everything into my diary...even my 7 calorie lettuce.

    Also, and many may not agree with me....I've made a change on how I cook my veggies...

    I used to steam them...because steaming them is better for you. When gosh, darn it...it may be better...but it certainly doesn't taste better....and when 85% of what I'm eating is supposed to come from low calorie vegetables...I had to make them taste good.

    So, since I can have a specified amount of fat in my diet per day...I've budgeted that fat to be low calorie butter....to spice up the veggies.
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
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    Yes, I count everything. Are you implying that veggies are a waste of calories? Hope I'm just misreading this...

    It's because when I was on weight watchers previously, vegetables were zero points. Whenever I wanted a snack at night I would eat veggies and didn't worry about it. I know vegetables are important nutrients but if I'm looking for something more sustaining, I don't know that they would be my first choice.

    Zero Weight Watchers Points is not the same as zero calories.

    Count them.
  • TipMcE
    TipMcE Posts: 158
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    I think it's okay to go over a little bit, especially for a veggie. Better to go over with a simple carb than a complex one. I go way over my sugar intake because of all of the fruit I eat in the morning, but that doesn't stop me from eating it. The site can't distinguish between the good/natural sugar and the sugar from syrups, ect. This is all just an estimate anyway, so I wouldn't worry about going over just because you had veggies with your dinner. Perhaps you can eat smaller portions of everything else instead so you don't go over. For example, instead of eating as large of a steak as I would like, I will eat approx 8oz instead of 10 or 12. I do 1 cup of the carb for the night and then 1-1.5 cups of veggies.


    I would say it's better to go over on a complex carb than a simple carb. simple carbs will cause a sugar spike. complex carbs stay in your system longer and help regulate your sugar levels (in very basic terms). Also your body doesn't distinguish where your sugar comes from, candy, straight from the sugar bowl, or from fruit - it's all the same to your body and behaves the same way. So you should not over do the sugar even if it does come from fruit. However, of course fruits are much better for you than sweets are so it you're going to have sugar get it from fruit and get all the vitamins. minerals and fiber you need too.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    i'm curious to what may sustain you more at 120c .. i'm not trolliing, i'm just curious.
    I was just thinking a portion of rice or pasta?

    i think you'd be surprised at how much more food is 120c of vegetables, so like if you were going pound-for-pound, you'd be satiated longer with the vegetable option.
  • Fitladyboo
    Fitladyboo Posts: 22
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    I don't get why we have to count or vegetables in the food diary... I was planning on eating some vegetables with my dinner tonight but at 120 calories it seems I should maybe go ahead and subtitute with something that will sustain me more for about the same amount of calories, like maybe some couscous or a bit of rice. What do you all think, do you count your veggies as part of your calorie intake?

    I don't get why you don't get it.

    Very simply put.. I don't get it because I lost 30lbs on weight watchers and vegetables didn't count.
  • rachelec23
    rachelec23 Posts: 1
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    You should count them, but lets be real.. vegetables aren't the reason for the obesity epidemic.
  • Fitladyboo
    Fitladyboo Posts: 22
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    Yes, I count everything. Are you implying that veggies are a waste of calories? Hope I'm just misreading this...

    It's because when I was on weight watchers previously, vegetables were zero points. Whenever I wanted a snack at night I would eat veggies and didn't worry about it. I know vegetables are important nutrients but if I'm looking for something more sustaining, I don't know that they would be my first choice.

    Zero Weight Watchers Points is not the same as zero calories.

    Count them.

    Every ww point is 50 calories.. when I was alloted 20 ww points, I was eating 1000 calories a day but I could eat as many veggies as I wanted and those were not counted. I still lost 30 lbs even if I didn't count the veggies.

    I now regret ever posting this topic as I see that ppl here like to belittle others.

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