Calories from fruit and veg

Evening all,

Just finding my way around this app for now please bare with me.

Have been counting calories for a few days now and using the food and activity chart.

I have a fantastic canteen at work so I have main meal there at lunchtime during the week. Work is a sports club so food is decent quality and by and large healthy as far as I can tell. Problem is I’m googling what I eat for calories rather than actually knowing what’s gone into each recipe. Just looking at tonight’s totals 1972cals but 950 of those calories have come from fruit and veg. Is that even possible?! I’d say I have had 7 portions of fruit and veg. Also, I’m wondering if I have been too generous ie adding too many calories on when I don’t need to. Just wondering what other people’s thoughts were and how they found calorie counting accurately. It might just be wishful thinking on my part that I’m adding up too many 🙈!

[Stoozie]

If you are often having to guess the weight, could you use an app which has American measures for calories and so would give you eg: 1 cup of broccoli 35 kcals? Might that be easier to picture?

Myfitnesspal has British and US measures if that helps.

[Hidden in reply to Stoozie]

Ah maybe, will have to look into what cup portions look like but will try. If I could visualise it may help, thank you x

[Elisabeth3 Maintainer]

Do you need to count calories?

Some use My Fitness Pal for calories.

[Hidden in reply to Elisabeth3]

Yes, with the nhs activity sheet it’s to record calories and activity.

[Elisabeth3 Maintainer in reply to Hidden]

I see. You can only do that much. Guess the calorie if you don't have it written (most foods have)?

[Hidden in reply to Elisabeth3]

Yeah I figure it’s better than no monitoring at all, it’s just lunches at work really as I don’t cook them myself. And I was surprised at the amount of calories from fruit and veg. I have done slimming world I’m the past and they were so called ‘free’.

[Stoozie]

I had to weigh everything at home at first, but after a few times you get better at judging a portion.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, shrinkingsmithy

You may find it easier to use a method other than calorie counting, either permanently, or until you can fairly accurately guesstimate calories in meals prepared by others. This will give you a guide phcuk.org/wp-content/upload...

Follow this link to our chat thread and a list of all the activities we run. We've found active participation to be key to success, especially with our weigh-ins and Daily Diary.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

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healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

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Wishing you all the best

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

Thank you, will have a read after workx

[Lytham 3 stone]

Hello would you like to join our Summer Challenge? Here is the link to tell you all about it, hope to see you there!

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[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

You've had several useful replies. Just wanted to add a) yes, the calories in fruit and veg can be higher than you imagine and b) make sure you're following a calorie range appropriate for you by using the NHS BMI calculator nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we... The 1400/1900 figures you see are generic and suit very few of us

[Hidden in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you, yes I have done for my bmi weight etc my calorie range is 1650 to 2100. I had no idea before starting how many I was having before adding in the odd wine or toffee crisp.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Hidden]

We all do a lot of learning along the way

I'm impressed by you having a good canteen. They are few and far between these days, and you'll see plenty of people on the forum who barely get a lunch break: very uncivilized and unhealthy.

I'd say aim for 1800-1900, take out whatever you need for milk in drinks (if you have it) then divide the rest between your three meals, aiming to cut out eating between meals.

Good luck. I found joining a weekly weigh in very supportive and a great way of getting to know people, and I've used the Daily Diary to log my meal plans and pick up ideas

[Hidden]

Thank you yes canteen at work is a god send, I’m very lucky.

[hellobeaut]

Hi shrinkingsmithy! I found when eating in places I have 'no control' over the cooking process, choosing simpler food helps me have a better idea of the calories i.e. boiled potatoes rather than roasted or potato salad ---> you can dress the boiled potatoes as you wish and stick to your plan. Grilled chicken/fish rather than in creamy/tomato/whatever sauce. Hope this helps!

[Hidden in reply to hellobeaut]

Thank you. Thats a good reminder!!

[Sabfab]

Hey there I know what your going through today i was un Brussels for thé day which is the beer and chocolate capital. I summoned my willpower from goodness knows where and didnt give un. But i did have a cornet of chips. No way of knowing how many calories and probably better not knowing. But I figure that it was a one off, and the 10 kms de walked balances it out.

[Hidden in reply to Sabfab]

Not to mention the waffles 😋. Well done on the will power I’m not sure I could have summonsed it on a day out.

[Pinksocks1234]

I too am counting calories. I have a phone app called fitness pal. I find this very useful

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to Pinksocks1234]

Hello and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum Pinksocks1234 😊

If you haven’t already, then please read the Welcome post here which has lots of useful information about all the things we have on offer. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Have a good read and please just ask if you have any questions

Best wishes in your weight loss journey

Indigo 😊