Can I stop counting green salad and green veggies in my total daily calorie allowance

[Elorabird]

Hi all!

I am dropping between 200 - 300 cals from 1800-1900 cals a day to 1500 - 1600 cals a day and then down to 1300. The hunger is already almost unreal! So, as a filler I mow down on loads of green salad (romaine, red pepper, cucumber etc) and veggies galore (asparagus, brocolli, zuchini, onion, red-peppers). These low glycemic veggies make up anywhere between 150 - 300 of my daily calories (if I count them). My question is, is it required to count them or do their calories and carbs cancel themselves out due to the water and fibre content? Please advice as I am trying to lean-out now while protecting the muscle-base I currently have. These 200 calories can really make it or break it for me if I am suppose to count them.

Thanks buff princesses!

[blondie871]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Hi all!

I am dropping between 200 - 300 cals from 1800-1900 cals a day to 1500 - 1600 cals a day and then down to 1300. The hunger is already almost unreal! So, as a filler I mow down on loads of green salad (romaine, red pepper, cucumber etc) and veggies galore (asparagus, brocolli, zuchini, onion, red-peppers). These low glycemic veggies make up anywhere between 150 - 300 of my daily calories (if I count them). My question is, is it required to count them or do their calories and carbs cancel themselves out due to the water and fibre content? Please advice as I am trying to lean-out now while protecting the muscle-base I currently have. These 200 calories can really make it or break it for me if I am suppose to count them.

Thanks buff princesses!

im curious to other's thoughts on this as well. I personally dont count spinach or lettuce, and if i only have a serving or 2 of veggies dont typically count them.. but i would say if you have having many servings a day the cals will add up..and would count them

[bouncingpuka]

I don't know.....personally, I count everything that goes into my mouth, everything, be it onions, tomatoes, broccoli or whatever! i think what's important here is consistency. If you have been tracking calories so far, and in doing so you were also calulating your veggies, then on your cut I really think you should keep doing so. If you change the parameters all of a sudden, it will be very difficult to figure out how many cals to eat.....it would ba a little like starting all over again. I know this sounds awful....but I think that's what I would do. Can't wait to see other responses though. Man, I kind of wish I had decided NOT to count those veggies when I first started out so I could eat more, ha!

[lherman]

Originally Posted by bouncingpuka

I don't know.....personally, I count everything that goes into my mouth, everything, be it onions, tomatoes, broccoli or whatever! i think what's important here is consistency. If you have been tracking calories so far, and in doing so you were also calulating your veggies, then on your cut I really think you should keep doing so. If you change the parameters all of a sudden, it will be very difficult to figure out how many cals to eat.....it would ba a little like starting all over again. I know this sounds awful....but I think that's what I would do. Can't wait to see other responses though. Man, I kind of wish I had decided NOT to count those veggies when I first started out so I could eat more, ha!

I also count everything that goes into my mouth. Lettuce, peppers, green veggies, they all have verying amounts of calories. Lettuce for example is only 15 calories per cup, but green beans have 45 calories per cup. so if you don't count veggies or salads you could end up eating a lot more than you think and this would adversly effect your cutting.

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Hi all!

I am dropping between 200 - 300 cals from 1800-1900 cals a day to 1500 - 1600 cals a day and then down to 1300. The hunger is already almost unreal! So, as a filler I mow down on loads of green salad (romaine, red pepper, cucumber etc) and veggies galore (asparagus, brocolli, zuchini, onion, red-peppers). These low glycemic veggies make up anywhere between 150 - 300 of my daily calories (if I count them). My question is, is it required to count them or do their calories and carbs cancel themselves out due to the water and fibre content? Please advice as I am trying to lean-out now while protecting the muscle-base I currently have. These 200 calories can really make it or break it for me if I am suppose to count them.

Thanks buff princesses!

if you are counting them now - you'll need to KEEP counting them in order to correctly track your calories as you decrease (can't just stop counting it now - because your total intake will likely not change).

if you are not counting them now - then don't count.

It doesn't matter HOW you do it - What matters is you have a way of tracking your changes such that you can alter your diet when you stall.

[Elorabird]

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

if you are counting them now - you'll need to KEEP counting them in order to correctly track your calories as you decrease (can't just stop counting it now - because your total intake will likely not change).

if you are not counting them now - then don't count.

It doesn't matter HOW you do it - What matters is you have a way of tracking your changes such that you can alter your diet when you stall.

Ahh stalling - I think my diet backfired! If that Tanita body comp analyzer is correct (which I pray, this time isn't) I have lost 3 pounds of muscle and gained 4% body fat in 2 weeks! How can that be? I haven't been binging or anything....

[GI_Cho]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Hi all!

I am dropping between 200 - 300 cals from 1800-1900 cals a day to 1500 - 1600 cals a day and then down to 1300. The hunger is already almost unreal! So, as a filler I mow down on loads of green salad (romaine, red pepper, cucumber etc) and veggies galore (asparagus, brocolli, zuchini, onion, red-peppers). These low glycemic veggies make up anywhere between 150 - 300 of my daily calories (if I count them). My question is, is it required to count them or do their calories and carbs cancel themselves out due to the water and fibre content? Please advice as I am trying to lean-out now while protecting the muscle-base I currently have. These 200 calories can really make it or break it for me if I am suppose to count them.

Thanks buff princesses!

Hi! Have you read any articles by Leigh Peele or Alan Aragon in regards to calories and fat loss? Just due to my own experience and troubleshooting fat loss issues a few years ago I'd have to say Yes, you do have to count everything that goes in your mouth. And whatever way you're assessing your fat loss progress you'll have to scrutinize how often you're doing this and how much water retention is playing into your measurements and weight. And even though we can't be so myopic in scope to say macronutrients don't count, the overriding factors for any fat loss comes down to mostly caloric deficit, but if your current program and caloric deficit isn't working, then I'd suggest reading Leigh Peele's "Fat Loss Troubleshoot" ebook or listening to her podcasts. Leigh and Alan break many fat loss myths that are both perpetuated by the general media as well as the bodybuilding world and bro-science.

Do a search for both Leigh Peele and Alan Aragon and their sites have a wealth of info (Alan specializes in the evaluation of Research behind various studies)

Good luck!

[AUTiger13]

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

if you are counting them now - you'll need to KEEP counting them in order to correctly track your calories as you decrease (can't just stop counting it now - because your total intake will likely not change).

if you are not counting them now - then don't count.

It doesn't matter HOW you do it - What matters is you have a way of tracking your changes such that you can alter your diet when you stall.

I agree with this^^^^^

But also if you are upping your veggies way more then normal - you might need to pay attention to how much is going in. Veggies do have calories and you could be cutting into the deficit that you just created.

[Kate1]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Ahh stalling - I think my diet backfired! If that Tanita body comp analyzer is correct (which I pray, this time isn't) I have lost 3 pounds of muscle and gained 4% body fat in 2 weeks! How can that be? I haven't been binging or anything....

You're not properly hydrated, that's all. Drink plenty of water over the next couple of days, then use that Tanita again.

[ms_proteinshake]

I don't count cals. I count servings instead. I don't like obsessing over every calorie. I would note if I was eating an extra serving of non-green vegetables, but salad is virtually calories-less----as is celery, cucumber.

[Elorabird]

Thanks Cho! I checked out Leigh's site and I so, so want to fork the 77$ for her materials. But, having been layed-off from my beloved marketing career whilst planning a wedding that is 4 weeks away, most of my pennies go towards goceries! So, until I get working again, when 77 bucks is not an issue, I will have to make do with what good folks like you can and are willing to share with me. I do intend and hope to purchase Leigh' s system as soon as I reasonably can. Until then, are there any Leigh-related tips or handles you can share with me about fat loss. Is calorie defecit a good thing? refeeds - are they the same as cheat days or just higher carb/lower fat days? How many times a week? Currently I get tow per week. Interesting to know if this is congruent with Leigh's recommendations.

Originally Posted by GI_Cho

Hi! Have you read any articles by Leigh Peele or Alan Aragon in regards to calories and fat loss? Just due to my own experience and troubleshooting fat loss issues a few years ago I'd have to say Yes, you do have to count everything that goes in your mouth. And whatever way you're assessing your fat loss progress you'll have to scrutinize how often you're doing this and how much water retention is playing into your measurements and weight. And even though we can't be so myopic in scope to say macronutrients don't count, the overriding factors for any fat loss comes down to mostly caloric deficit, but if your current program and caloric deficit isn't working, then I'd suggest reading Leigh Peele's "Fat Loss Troubleshoot" ebook or listening to her podcasts. Leigh and Alan break many fat loss myths that are both perpetuated by the general media as well as the bodybuilding world and bro-science.

Do a search for both Leigh Peele and Alan Aragon and their sites have a wealth of info (Alan specializes in the evaluation of Research behind various studies)

Good luck!

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Thanks Cho! I checked out Leigh's site and I so, so want to fork the 77$ for her materials. But, having been layed-off from my beloved marketing career whilst planning a wedding that is 4 weeks away, most of my pennies go towards goceries! So, until I get working again, when 77 bucks is not an issue, I will have to make do with what good folks like you can and are willing to share with me. I do intend and hope to purchase Leigh' s system as soon as I reasonably can. Until then, are there any Leigh-related tips or handles you can share with me about fat loss. Is calorie defecit a good thing? refeeds - are they the same as cheat days or just higher carb/lower fat days? How many times a week? Currently I get tow per week. Interesting to know if this is congruent with Leigh's recommendations.

start here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=113693871
and here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...postcount=1305
^
eat less.
move more.
repeat.

Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

[GI_Cho]

Originally Posted by Elorabird

Thanks Cho! I checked out Leigh's site and I so, so want to fork the 77$ for her materials. But, having been layed-off from my beloved marketing career whilst planning a wedding that is 4 weeks away, most of my pennies go towards goceries! So, until I get working again, when 77 bucks is not an issue, I will have to make do with what good folks like you can and are willing to share with me. I do intend and hope to purchase Leigh' s system as soon as I reasonably can. Until then, are there any Leigh-related tips or handles you can share with me about fat loss. Is calorie defecit a good thing? refeeds - are they the same as cheat days or just higher carb/lower fat days? How many times a week? Currently I get tow per week. Interesting to know if this is congruent with Leigh's recommendations.

I know what you mean about paying the dough so for right now I'd download her old free podcasts on iTunes. Do a search for "Fat Loss Troubleshooter Speaks" and her new ones for Avidity Fitness. Also jump on JP Fitness Forums and she replies directly to your specific questions but I'd definitely recommend listening to ALL her podcasts first. Also, listen to all the podcasts she's done on The Fitcast. I'm stationed overseas so all I do is listen to podcasts in my car and I've learned a TON by just listening to all her podcasts and reading her interviews she's done with Lyle McDonald (Body Recomposition) and other experts. They don't all think exactly the same with fat loss, but the way Leigh approaches it is by REALLY pushing the fact that not all diets work for everyone and there are a myriad of factors why you may not be losing weight whether it's retaining water or not calculating calories correctly or being truthful about what you're consuming, etc. But anyways, she addresses all your concerns such as caloric deficit and refeeds. I don't know your history or your stats or enough details to give you any tips until you listen to at least a dozen of her podcasts and afterwards you'll have a different perspective. You'll have to ask yourself - are you wanting to lose weight or fat right now, and are you going to just diet down for the wedding? or do you want to start a slower more manageable weight loss track? There are just a lot of factors so you'll have to get your actual goals detailed first and read up or listen up to some of Leigh's info and that'll get you on your way. I'd say if you're just trying to lose weight for the wedding in four weeks and that's your immediate goal then yes a caloric deficit is VERY imporant and refeeds are really not that huge physiologically for a 4-week diet but maybe psychologically. Really depends. But I'd say if you're also looking for just "losing weight" rather fast, then maybe consider something like a "Velocity Diet" type approach. Just don't believe the hype that you can lose tons of pounds in one month just by exercise. If you wanna a lose a lot of weight (read: combo of water, fat & muscle) in order to fit in a dress then a Protein Sparing Modified Fast is probably your "fastest" way to get there and definitely only a temp thing. Good luck!