I make sure to keep portions of more calorie rich foods (nuts, avocado, etc) in check, but if we're talking veggies, I eat as much as I want, which I admit is alot. I had someone yesterday ask me "Are you really going to eat ALL that salad?" Do you guys worry about portion if it fits your calorie guidelines? Maybe I would be better off with smaller portions in general but gosh darn it I'm a hungry girl. What do you guys think?
I think if you are hungry, eating veggies is good. If you aren't hungry, then I would say cut back on your veggie portions. I notice when I eat a lot, I tend to be hungrier. When I cut back on portions, I don't tend to be as hungry. I don't know if it is my stomach shrinking as some claim but my body definitely gets used to me eating a lot when I do. It'd also save money on your budget as well.
I do tend to make a big salad if it's my lunch for the day, but I do measure the protein portion, as well as the avocado (if any) and the dressing. (Minor rant: the grocery store was out of my favorite Lighthouse Sesame Ginger drsssing, and there was not even a place on the shelf!! I'm trying a new brand, but I am bummed. Back to your regular programming )
For dinner, I make a smaller salad. I don't measure a portion of veggies, just make sure they take up a larger portion of the plate than any carb and protein. I do watch my portions of those. My big downfall is if I have a casserole or other "one pot" type of meal. So easy to get too much.
If it falls within your calories, points, or whatever, who cares, eat up. I agree with Pat, as far as veggies go, eat what you want. All you really have to watch with a salad is your fats (dressing, cheeses, etc) and protiens (nuts and meats)...stuff like that. Then keep in mind the darker the lettuce the better it is for you...iceburg is about useless, just a thought.
Wonder what the girl that asked you that was eating? Questions about my food urk me.
I have recently cut my portions down but there are times when I eat 6 CUPS of salad at a time or 3 CUPS of steamed veggies, easily! What everyone else said is right...the higher calorie toppings etc. are what need to be monitored.
I have broken it all down for people in the past when they have had the audacity to be rude enough to ask me about my food in that way:
"Yes, I am, and actually, this 6 cups of mixed greens, shredded beets and carrots, sunflower seed sprouts, celery, cucumber, green onion, quinoa, chickpeas and hemp seeds dressed with a homemade dressing of lemon juice, garlic, spices and Udo's oil is nutritionally balanced and has less calories than that 'Cup O' Noodles' and Coke you are having. In addition, the salad is 100% organic, full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, healthy protein and is trans and hydrogenated fat free with no sugar, artificial colors, flavors or additives. Would you like to try it?"
Weight Watchers used to have an exchange program, and on it all vegetables (that weren't cooked in oil or butter) were free. I suppose it's possible to get fat from vegetables, but since many vegetables are so low in calories (and fat), you'd have to eat insane amounts of them to ever get fat on them.
I don't worry about it - if I have the calories and I want it, I'll eat it "All that salad" is still likely very low in calories anway. Heck, even if I *technically* didn't have the calories, I'd still eat the huge salad as long as it wasn't packed with high-fat items and I was hungry! I do count calories along with this WOE, but don't sweat extra fruit or veggies (veggies especially). They do too many great things for my body!
I never worry about the serving sizes of vegetables. I try to eat twice as many vegetables as anything else on my plate (sometimes more). That way, I am eating as much as everyone else but smaller portions of the high calorie stuff (meats mainly). I actually feel that since I am dieting, it is my "right" to eat more veggies than the rest of the family! I always steam my veggies, so there isn't any butter or oil on them. When it is salad, I try to take more of the lettuces than the other stuff (especially when I load it with chicken). If salad is the main dish, I can get carried away with salad toppings but I try to keep each topping at less than 1/4 cup on my plate .
It depends on the vegetable. I don't worry about lettuce at all. Iceberg lettuce is only 5 calories per cup, so even if I eat 6 cups (which would be a lot of lettuce) that only 30 calories. Other types of lettuce are still only 10 calories per cup, so again, there's not really that much damage I can do by overeating it. I'm a hungry girl too and lettuce has become one of my best friends!
I am careful about measuring out my dressing and other salad toppings though. If I eat 6 cups of lettuce, I'm still using only 1/2 serving of salad dressing on it.
I do pretty much measure out the rest of my veggies, but I don't worry that much about tomatoes, celery, radishes, peppers, green beans, and cucumbers (I am a little fast and loose with the measurements and I'll snack on a couple of bites without counting them).
But there are some veggies where the calories can add up, and those I am pretty careful about measuring my portion sizes. Here are the veggies I am most concerned about:
Edamame (42 cal per oz or almost 400 calories per cup!)
Kidney or similar-type beans (36 calories per oz or over 200 calories per cup)
Potatoes (56 calories per oz. Many of the russet potatoes sold at the grocery store are close to 10 oz or more--that's at least 560 calories for one potato with nothing on it)
Corn (30 cal per oz or over 100 calories for a large ear, canned corn has 160 calories per cup)
Carrots (12 calories per oz or 50 calories per cup)
Onions (12 calories per oz or 70 calories per cup)
Chard and other leafy greens veggies (6 calores per oz or 35 calories per cup --the problem here is that oftentimes recipes call for several cups)
And I agree with Yogini and Get N Healthy: what you eat is your business--shame on that girl for making such an unbelieveably rude comment.
I make sure to keep portions of more calorie rich foods (nuts, avocado, etc) in check, but if we're talking veggies, I eat as much as I want, which I admit is alot. I had someone yesterday ask me "Are you really going to eat ALL that salad?" Do you guys worry about portion if it fits your calorie guidelines? Maybe I would be better off with smaller portions in general but gosh darn it I'm a hungry girl. What do you guys think?
I do the same. Fruits and veggies are "free" for me, and I eat all I want. I find as I go along I WANT less... but there is always something I can have if I want it. Works for me... I've lost 60 pounds in 6 months, lab reports came back excellent, doctor says my plan is "perfect" and I look and feel better than I have in ages.
I eat less of starchy veggies, more of others. Fresh veggies are unlimited (I only measure to journal it). Canned veggies are limited. Some veggies like avacado has limits too.
Same here, Deafinly! Most of the veggies I freely eat are not the starchy ones. And very few canned veggies. Mostly fresh and some frozen. I go as low as possible on processed foods.
Except for a few peas, all the veggies we grow in our garden are the eat-as-much-as-you-want variety, and in the case of zucchini, it'd better be a lot right now. Can I send some to anyone?
Mmmm, zucchini! Shred and freeze. You'll be in zucchini bread, muffins and pancakes forever. Thow into spaghetti sauce. Make zucchini fritatta. Too bad you're in Alaska, Pat. I have to go get some more.
I don't eat many starchy vegetables, but I eat loads of other vegetables. Dinner usually includes three servings of vegetables. Although I do measure any oil or cheese or dressing, if I use it, I don't bother measuring the veggie itself -unless it's a starchy one. Lately, we've had fresh tomatoes, so I've been eating 2 at lunch and 2 at dinner, and that's still only 103 colors.
Pat, I wish you could send me some. I love zuccchini!
Portions-A quick question
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Can I send some to anyone?
