"Negative" cals. Do you count them?

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seekingthepatienceofjob
seekingthepatienceofjob Posts: 288 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was reading on the message boards on what others dont log (gum, mints, meds...)

I came across a few who said they do not log "negative" calories (veggies) because your body burns more calories breaking it down than what you are consuming.

Is that *really* true?

Do you count negative calories?

Why do you agree or disagree?
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Replies

  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    There is no such thing as a food that has negative calories. There is no such thing as a food that costs more energy to digest than it gives when digested.

    I log everything.

    When I first started dieting, I didn't log veggies and fruits, but it was just a psychological trick. I knew they had calories in them, but it was nice to have some 'freebies'.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    I came across a few who said they do not log "negative" calories (veggies) because your body burns more calories breaking it down than what you are consuming.

    best to avoid people who spout this nonsense
  • seekingthepatienceofjob
    seekingthepatienceofjob Posts: 288 Member
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    There is no such thing as a food that has negative calories. There is no such thing as a food that costs more energy to digest than it gives when digested.

    I log everything.

    When I first started dieting, I didn't log veggies and fruits, but it was just a psychological trick. I knew they had calories in them, but it was nice to have some 'freebies'.

    Thats what I thought. I also count everything. Man, as much as I wanted it to be true...it was too good to be true! :P
  • lorac321
    lorac321 Posts: 627 Member
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    Don't believe everything you read on this site. WW does not count fruits and veggies as "points" they are free foods. If you are counting calories the MFP way, you should count everything you put in your mouth. Some fruits are also high in sugar.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    it never even crossed my mind to count gum, mints, or meds (other then a daily vitamin) until a couple of days ago.

    i still continue to be awesome.

    stop over thinking things.

    gum did not make you over weight.
  • lorac321
    lorac321 Posts: 627 Member
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    Oh, I do not count gum, vitamins or medications.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    it never even crossed my mind to count gum, mints, or meds (other then a daily vitamin) until a couple of days ago.

    i still continue to be awesome.

    stop over thinking things.

    gum did not make you over weight.

    Okay... I lied. I don't log EVERYTHING. I don't log gum. I don't log mints. I don't think 5 calories here or there is going to make or break my diet.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I guess if you log in some negative workouts you could skip logging food. The energy you burn to digest anything is added into your daily energy expendature (the calories MFP thinks you need to live). So if you are counting those burned from eating veggies, I guess you didn't 'live' as hard as you did before you started eating veggies.

    edit:
    yeah, I can't explain for crap.

    log food. workout. get fit. not worth skipping 'freebies'.
  • AlbertPooHoles
    AlbertPooHoles Posts: 530 Member
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    Here's a tip: If you run across anything like this in the forums, Google it, adding the word "myth" to the end of it.

    For example...

    "negative calories foods myth"
    "hcg myth"
    "eating at night myth"
    "eating lots of smaller meals myth"
  • seekingthepatienceofjob
    seekingthepatienceofjob Posts: 288 Member
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    Here's a tip: If you run across anything like this in the forums, Google it, adding the word "myth" to the end of it.

    For example...

    "negative calories foods myth"
    "hcg myth"
    "eating at night myth"
    "eating lots of smaller meals myth"

    Thanks, I never even thought of that!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Celery is the most notorious of so-called "negative calorie" foods.

    I log it, and spinach, and tomato, and ...ooooh...everything i eat. Cos I also want credit for the fibre, vitamins, and proteins, as well as noting the carbs that I've taken in.

    Isn't it easier to just log it, rather than deicide - is this on the list of what I do record, or is it on the list of stuff I dont?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I don't log diet sodas (yes, I drink them), some condiments (mustard and hot sauce), or gum.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    Celery is the most notorious of so-called "negative calorie" foods.

    I log it, and spinach, and tomato, and ...ooooh...everything i eat. Cos I also want credit for the fibre, vitamins, and proteins, as well as noting the carbs that I've taken in.

    Isn't it easier to just log it, rather than deicide - is this on the list of what I do record, or is it on the list of stuff I dont?
    Your body gives you credit whenever it's logged or not. :smokin:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,633 Member
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    I was reading on the message boards on what others dont log (gum, mints, meds...)

    I came across a few who said they do not log "negative" calories (veggies) because your body burns more calories breaking it down than what you are consuming.

    Is that *really* true?

    Do you count negative calories?

    Why do you agree or disagree?
    There are no negative calorie foods.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    Log it or don't; just don't bull**** yourself.
  • jennywren1971
    jennywren1971 Posts: 31 Member
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    I log fruit and vegetables because they have calories and those calories make up a good bit of my intake for a day.

    Ww and other programs don't allocate points to some fruit and vegetables because they want you. To eat more of them and because they are very filling. They have already calculated the average intake of these foods in their weight loss calculations. Plus vegetables are very filling so you aren't likely to overeat on veges,

    This program does things differently so you need to add them in.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Don't believe everything you read on this site. WW does not count fruits and veggies as "points" they are free foods. If you are counting calories the MFP way, you should count everything you put in your mouth. Some fruits are also high in sugar.

    What does the WW program have to do with MFP? WW makes these foods free to encourage people to eat more of them, that doesn't mean they have no calories.
  • gingerb85
    gingerb85 Posts: 357 Member
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    I log everything but gum because I may chew one stick a week, so I know it's not going to break the bank. :^) And there is no such thing as a negative calorie unless you are talking about the ones you burn.
  • onedayillbamilf
    onedayillbamilf Posts: 662 Member
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    Count meds? Interesting, very interesting.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
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    I log everything: vitamins, coffee, tea, diet soda. The only thing I don't log is my Beta blocker, and only because I looked it up and it says 0 calories anyway. But then again, I'm a tad OCD. :-)

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