Do you count things like broccoli, mushrooms, celery? I've read the curves boom and done weight watchers. I never counted those super high fiber foods. Last night I counted my 2 cups of broccoli. I was surprised how many calories it has( I know it's better than a couple ounces of chips.). But I wonder if I am getting enough calories if I count these.
If I bite it, lick it or drink it, I count it. I don't ever worry about veggie calories though as long as they are prepared right. In the beginning I did like knowing how their vast consumption impacted my progress though.
I personally count everything... I know those veggies can add up. But lots of people don't. Just make sure that you build that into your calorie allotment. In other words, if you think you need to eat 1500 calories to lose and eat that much, plus veggies, know that you are eating more than that -- how much depends on how many veggies you eat!!!
Thanks for the feedback. I was concerned because if I am burning calories through eating and digestion (unless that is a myth too! ;-)) , I want to make sure I have enough for fuel.
Yep--like the others, I count everything I eat. In fact, because I try to eat vegetables and because I count them, I'm less prone to eat junk because I don't have enough calories in my calorie allotment to have junk and have those veggies. (Although I sometimes make room for the junk ).
I do not count celery, lettuce, green bell pepper. I don't each much broccoli or mushrooms. Though when I do, I don't count those either. I don't care if those veggies have calories. If it's a non-starchy low cal veggie, I refuse to limit myself with those since I am so restrictive in every other way. And to maintain, I need to be able to incorporate things like that in larger quantities for days when I am hungrier. I certainly didn't get heavy overeating broccoli. I've lost down to a size 4/130lbs not counting those types of veggies, but that's just me. I DO count fruit, and overestimate. I stay away from starchy veggies.
Last edited by christine123; 08-24-2011 at 08:05 PM.
Agreed with Bargoo and Zenor. When I first started I was eating a lot of salads and not counting the veggies in those (I had done a diet before that involved unlimited salads no dressing- OBVIOUSLY that didn't work out so why I gave it a whirl again, no clue). And I wasn't losing anything. After I started counting everything (measuring and adding up each veggie that went in the salad) I was SHOCKED at the amount of calories those veggies were adding up to.
So yes.. I count. Everything. My CLA vitamins are 30 cals - I count those too!
I don't count things like a piece of lettuce on a sandwich, or a couple of slices of onions here and there. However, if you're eating more than 1/2 cup of vegetables or 1/8 cup fruit, I don't think it can simply be a "free" food. I've never trusted diets that say that they are. These things really add up.
But I don't count my vitamins, which come out to 15 calories a day. It would take 233 days (yes, I just checked) for those vitamins to make 1lb of weight. So I feel no need to punish myself for doing something good for myself.
I don't count things like a piece of lettuce on a sandwich, or a couple of slices of onions here and there. However, if you're eating more than 1/2 cup of vegetables or 1/8 cup fruit, I don't think it can simply be a "free" food. I've never trusted diets that say that they are. These things really add up.
But I don't count my vitamins, which come out to 15 calories a day. It would take 233 days (yes, I just checked) for those vitamins to make 1lb of weight. So I feel no need to punish myself for doing something good for myself.
I guess I need to take back my previous assertion about recording everything that I put in my mouth. I don't count lettuce & tomato on sandwiches, vitamins, or black coffee or espresso (which contain a miniscule number of calories). I figure I burn up those calories in the process of drinking, chewing, etc.
I count everything, even those slices of onion or something. Haha. Sometimes I feel silly for adding in something only 20calories, because NO way am I that precise in measuring lets say something like fish/pasta etc, so the 20calories from cucumber could easily be nothing compared to measuring-mistakes on other foods. However, I still feel like I don't know well enough which foods are calorie dense and such.
I also put it all into my calorie counter to keep track of my macronutrients and vitamins. I want to tweak it if it's off. That's how I figured I got way too much sodium in my diet and way too little proteine. And it's good to see which fruits and veggies have a lot of carbs/sugars. Even though they are of the healthy kind, I try and balance out my intake so everything counts. It doesn't cost me much time though. Everytime I prepare something, I put it into my blackberry before I eat it. I know what I am eating then! Feels nice.
I do have to point out my CLA I take 3 times a day - thats 90 calories! 15 a day I wouldn't count either! But almost 100 a day I think should be counted. Not me being crazy I promise!
May be a silly question but do you count...
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