Do you have to count fruit and veg in your calories

2

Replies

  • KatyP86
    KatyP86 Posts: 164 Member
    edited January 2021
    Okay but why did I think this was a joke at first until I read the post?! 😅

    But yea I count everything that has calories, doesn't matter good or bad.
  • lynn1
    lynn1 Posts: 20 Member
    All calories lol
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    edited January 2021
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I would definitely count fruits and higher starch/sugar veggies like carrots, but I vary on whether or not I include them in my calorie count. I mostly track them so I get "credit" for their nutritional value.

    I believe the point in having some of those free foods is to encourage people to eat more of and fill up more on those kinds of foods. Obviously, a calorie from an apple or spinach is better for you than a protein bar, for example. Also, it's highly unlikely someone is going to gain weight or even not be able to lose weight from eating too much plain vegetables or fruit.

    To the bolded, technically not obvious, perhaps even not true.
    Probably the apple or spinach have fewer calories, but if you're consistently very short on protein, the protein bar might be better for you. (Spinach has some protein, but it's generally not very complete/balanced in terms of essential amino acids.)

    I should've compared fresh fruit or vegetables to something like fruit snacks. A fresh apple may have about the same amount of calories as a package of fruit snacks, but I'd hope most people would realize that an apple is the better nutritional choice. Also, while "protein" bars may technically be "better" for someone who needs more protein, they often have weird ingredients, sugar, and sometimes not even that much protein/calorie, depending on which one you buy. That's not to say I don't eat them from time to time out of convenience (and really, taste), and I do eat protein powder almost every day.

    The point I was trying to make is that most people aren't overweight because they eat too many fresh fruit and vegetables. If I were looking to reduce the number of calories in my diet in order to lose weight, most fresh fruit would probably be the 2nd to last, fresh vegetables with lower calories (lettuce, spinach, broccoli, etc.) would be the last. In fact, when I initially embarked on my weight loss journey I tried to add more of those (along with healthy protein and some healthy fats). When I set out to lose weight for the very last time, and then again to lose another 8 pounds, I chose to view eating to lose/maintain weight synonymous to eating for overall health and well-being, just with a bit of a calorie deficit. Is it possible that by not counting the vegetables and fruits into daily count, someone may not lose? Absolutely.

    To answer the OP"s original question, however, I do still count all fruits and vegetables (most of the time) in my daily counts, but I've never been religious about weighing/measuring them. In fact, I've never weighed anything (unless I need to for baking) and rarely measure (again, unless needed for a recipe), maybe just initially to get an idea or if I feel I need to be a bit more careful. I have a tendency to become obsessive with weight loss, and weighing/measuring everything for me stems that tendency. Having said that, I kept off the weight I lost in 2012. I then managed to lose another 8 pounds this spring/summer at age 44, and I wasn't overweight to being with. Granted, it was slow, but that was intentional. It really all comes down to personal preference and what works for you long term.
  • misslizzierod
    misslizzierod Posts: 57 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Yes I count fruit and vegetables. The only vegetable I don’t count is spinach because I don’t eat so much spinach that it would impact my calories drastically. (Personal preference) Although fruits and veggies are usually high-volume, low-calorie foods, they def contain calories that add up. I also count olive oil and estimate it the best I can. That sucker creeps up and carries high calories and sometimes I forget!

    You're right, olive oil does have high calories - foods like this are especially important to track accurately.

    I'm confused as to why you need to ESTIMATE oil. I weigh it just like I do everything else. Perhaps you don't use a food scale?

    Well, I estimate when I make big batches of food which happens a lot with at home cooking. Of course I use the app recipe feature and scale. I often times dab a lot of excess oil regardless. I always estimate and assume I’m eating a little more oil than I’m tracking because since I’m in a calorie deficit I give myself a little room for error which can easily happen in big batch recipes and easily add up.

    Also, sometimes not all parts of your meal are cooked at the same time and I often times miss a few things! But yes for the most part, I don’t always estimate.

  • AshHeartsJesus
    AshHeartsJesus Posts: 460 Member
    edited January 2021
    How do you cook your veggies with butter, oil, sauces while the veggies may not pack a huge punch those will.. and I agree that if you are lacking in protien but way over on the fruit and veg itvcould stall weight loss. All in all it is still food with calories that matters in the long run.

    Lord Jesus guide 💙
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Of course you need to count them. I love bananas and literally can eat 4 of them in one day, which is usually over 400 calories. (I quit buying them because it is one of the foods I can't control). Fruit especially has a lot of calories.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    If you didn't have to count fruits and veggies, there would be no overweight vegetarians and vegans.

    Well, lots of foods are vegan or vegetarian yet not made up solely of what is normally classified fruit and veg.

    I do think one should count fruit and veg if calorie counting, but just wanted to point this out.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    If you didn't have to count fruits and veggies, there would be no overweight vegetarians and vegans.

    Well, lots of foods are vegan or vegetarian yet not made up solely of what is normally classified fruit and veg.

    I do think one should count fruit and veg if calorie counting, but just wanted to point this out.

    Yeah. Oreos are vegan, nobody's out here saying they're a health food.

    OP hasn't been back here in a minute, so I hope you're still reading - if you're getting the results you want without tracking fruit and veg, do what you want, but if you stop seeing the results you're aiming for, the first thing to do is to tighten up your logging and track EVERYTHING.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,971 Member
    Yes.
  • nytrifisoul
    nytrifisoul Posts: 500 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    If you didn't have to count fruits and veggies, there would be no overweight vegetarians and vegans.

    Well, lots of foods are vegan or vegetarian yet not made up solely of what is normally classified fruit and veg.

    I do think one should count fruit and veg if calorie counting, but just wanted to point this out.

    It was meant as a joke. But seriously, if you are eating a LOT of vegetables they do add up, especially vegetables like corn, or potatoes.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    Yes.... because avocados! Nuf said
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited January 2021
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    If you didn't have to count fruits and veggies, there would be no overweight vegetarians and vegans.

    Well, lots of foods are vegan or vegetarian yet not made up solely of what is normally classified fruit and veg.

    I do think one should count fruit and veg if calorie counting, but just wanted to point this out.

    It was meant as a joke. But seriously, if you are eating a LOT of vegetables they do add up, especially vegetables like corn, or potatoes.

    Sorry, was probably being overly nitpicky, but usually by just "vegetables" I think people mean non-starchy veg, not grains (like corn) or starchy veg like potatoes (when I was growing up a dinner wouldn't be complete without a non starchy veg in addition to whatever protein and grains or starchy side one had), but I totally agree that even non starchy veg can add up. I am in favor of logging them to make sure one is including plenty of them in the diet, also.

    I do think if one wants estimating/eyeballing amounts with non starchy veg and even fruit (but for avocado) vs weighing is unlikely to make that big a difference for most. I also think that one could not log fruit/non starchy veg and just have a lower calorie goal is workable, but I don't see the point of treating particular foods different from others. If someone thinks they would be more likely to eat more fruit/veg if not counting them then I think they might want to work on that and figure out why it is.
  • 4Phoenix
    4Phoenix Posts: 236 Member
    Of course...mainstay of my daily intake of calories.