free foods?

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opatt23
opatt23 Posts: 90
in Food and Nutrition
Some weight loss companies say that non-starchy veggies and salads are free foods because the calories are so low.

What do you think about this? Do you log it as calories when you eat veggies or salads?

Today I have a raw cabbage salad and green beans and Im not sure if I should log them or let them be free?

Thanks.

Replies

  • opatt23
    opatt23 Posts: 90
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    Some weight loss companies say that non-starchy veggies and salads are free foods because the calories are so low.

    What do you think about this? Do you log it as calories when you eat veggies or salads?

    Today I have a raw cabbage salad and green beans and Im not sure if I should log them or let them be free?

    Thanks.
  • cocobounty
    cocobounty Posts: 41 Member
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    I do still log salads and veggies. Today i had mixed salad leaves, cucumber and tomatoes, and logged all of it. They contain very little calories, but they all add up!!
  • julie737
    julie737 Posts: 406 Member
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    I log MOST of those "free" foods. :wink: Some of them just aren't worth it.
  • healthychic
    healthychic Posts: 298
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    i log the free foods too, really just because i LOVE seeing how i can eat a whole salad with very, very light dressing and its only about 25 calories!! it makes me happy to see that their are other alternatives to steak and hamburgers sometimes. :smile:
  • mkeithley
    mkeithley Posts: 399
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    If it goes in my mouth it goes in my log. 8 calories here, 30 calories there can add up at the end of the day:wink:
    I know in WW they have a whole list of foods that are zero points, however thaeir system is different than this, w/WW you count points, here it's calories, it just depends on what you are calculating I guess.
  • may_marie
    may_marie Posts: 667 Member
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    i like to grap a celery stick out the fridge when i pass by... but that is so low that i dont bother, but when i have a salad,,, of a side of veg for dinner, i put it in,,,
    but yeah, a lot of veg of actualy negative calories,

    here's to good veggies !:drinker:
  • persian_dancer
    persian_dancer Posts: 110
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    yea I log most of the "free foods" like if I am making a dish with a lot of stuff in it I will log the main ingredients and leave out some of the littler stuff because I barel put enough in to count.
  • GTOgirl1969
    GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
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    If I eat it...I log it.

    A lot of times, I decide not to eat something because I know I'll have to go and log it in...and it would take me more time to log it than it would for me to eat it!!:smile:
  • pmkelly409
    pmkelly409 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    I think logging EVERYTHING keeps you honest and about what you are eating. Once you start not logging for whatever reason than you can make excuses for not logging things that might be higher in calories.
  • skiski
    skiski Posts: 173 Member
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    i feel that by logging my food i am staying honest to myself and my body...it all adds up and if i don't log one thing it becomes tempting to not worry about other thing xxx
  • evjazz
    evjazz Posts: 28 Member
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    Me too, if I eat it, I log it. It's about changing my eating habits and being aware of what I put in my body. It really makes me feel like I do have control of my eating habits and holds me accountable. Good luck!:happy:
  • uwhuskygirl
    uwhuskygirl Posts: 320
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    I log everything I eat.

    Whoever said 5 cals here, 20 cals there all add up, is right. I was surprised at how much those do add up.
  • abbychelle07
    abbychelle07 Posts: 656 Member
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    I usually log everything, but if I eat a carrot or celery stick here and there, I don't stress about it. Also, I make a lot of soups and stews. Usually I try to log every ingredient, but if it gets too time consuming, I skip the onions, celery, or anything really low in calories. I don't want this site to bog me down so much I don't have a life!
  • GIGINATOR
    GIGINATOR Posts: 355 Member
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    I agree. In the mouth, in the log it goes. Makes me responsible and aware for everything I eat.
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    I log them, but its good to know which ones to aim for.

    The foods I consider 'free' are thermogenic foods - foods which take more calories for your body to digest than they provide. A great example is celery, fresh and cold. Its almost all water with some cellulose (which your body can't digest) and very little else. So the energy it takes to try to digest it is more than the nutrients your body can pull out of it.

    http://healthyperson.wordpress.com/2006/10/28/thermogenic-foods/

    Obviously just eating these would be a bad idea, but its nice to know which ones can give you more 'bang for your buck' than others.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    I had a 50/50 mix salad today that was only 10 calories but I logged it anyway. Anything I eat for snacks or meals gets entered.

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