Do you count every single thing or do you allow yourself free foods like non starchy veggies like lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, etc? I have been doing WW and all veggies (except starchy ones) are "free." Just curious if anyone does this with calorie counting. Thanks for the input!
I used to let all veggies be "free", but over time I've realized that just doesn't work for me. I will over-eat celery and lettuce dipped in light dressings or whatever (those, I counted). But, I've come to realize I can really rack up the calories on "free" foods. Now I count them all. If I have a big salad I figure my veggies are ususally around 40 calories or so. I love veggies and I eat salad every day. That adds up over time. Personally, for me it makes a difference. But, I can see that for those that need to boost their veggie intake it might be motivating to not count them.
The only "foods" I don't count are crystal light, sweet-n-low, and spices. I drink Crystal Light all day long - usually around 80 ounces - but I use double the water when I make it (too sweet otherwise), and so probably consume ~25 cal in Crystal Light each day. I usually have one sweet-n-low per day in my morning coffee, and I think that's something like 4 calories. And I don't bother to look up the calorie information on whatever spices I add to a meal (oregano, cinnamon, etc.).
The other thing that makes my daily calorie counts inaccurate is that I measure my food rather than weighing it.
However, I usually eat closer to the bottom of my daily calorie range (1200-1500), and so figure I'm still within it even when I take the crystal light, spices, measured vs. weighed food, etc. into account. The weight has been coming off consistently, and so I think what I'm doing is working ok for me.
I count non-starchy veggies if they are in a recipe, as part of figuring out the overall calories for the recipe. I don't usually count them if they're just on their own. I figure it's more trouble than it's worth (for me) to figure out if that serving of steamed broccoli is 13 calories or 27 calories, kwim?
I don't count the milk i put in my coffee every day (we're talking 1 or 2 tablespoons a day...) or the communion wafer and wine on Sunday but that's it. I count everything else.
On days when I am counting, I count everything. That said, I don't fret as much about whether it's 2 cups of lettuce or 2.5 cups, as I would about whether it's 3 oz. of fish or 4 oz. So I count everything, but the more calorie-dense the food is, the more carefully I measure it.
I don't count calories rigorously every day, though - just a few days a month, as a sort of reality check - the rest of the time, I trust my patterns and habits and eat approximately the same way as on the days I count. And I always eat lots and lots of green or leafy vegetables.
I don't bother counting "condiment" veggies, i.e., a piece of leaf lettuce or a slice of tomato on a sandwich. I do count larger servings, like salad or a side of broccoli though. Like Carter, I'm not super anal about measuring it, but it's enough food that I feel I should count it.
Other things I don't count...the shot of non-dairy creamer in my coffee in the morning, small amounts of nonfat condiments (i.e., hot sauce, mustard). I don't drink a lot of crystal light, but when I do, I don't bother counting that either...and I too only use half the packet!
I count everything that has calories, and I weigh/measure nearly everything. I wouldn't really consider it calorie counting if you're not doing that. How much more difficult would it be to really count everything? 10% more difficult? Why not do it?
The only things I don't count are my 0.1% milk in coffee and tea because I can't (don't) measure it, I don't use a lot really, and my sugarfree gum because it doesn't list the info
i count most things, the only things i dont count is stuff like lettuce on sandwiches, or if im baking veggies in the oven and decide to throw in a couple of mushrooms. i do count my coffee because i have milk and sugar, but once i get some low cal sweetener i wont count that either.
Thanks for all the input! I think I will just count everything too to be on the safe side. Yesterday was my first day counting calories and I made it through the dreaded first day without too much trouble!
I definitely count milk in my coffee, because I use whole milk and I drink a LOT of coffee. It adds up to about a cup of milk a day - maybe a little less but I don't take any chances, because a cup of whole milk is 150 calories. I count it.
I don't count the cream in my coffee. Just drinking one cup each morning, I don't think it can do much harm.
Free fruits and vegetables might work for calorie counting, if one were to reduce the base amount of calories by a couple of hundred each day and then not count fruits and veggies. But I'm too used to doing the way I do now to change. Maybe if someone is just starting out, they might like to try it.
Free foods
