Sugars from Fruit

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Robin1109
Robin1109 Posts: 231 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I apologize if this thread exists out there, as I'm sure it does, but I couldn't seem to locate any answers or advice on the boards. My questions revolves around the amount of "sugar" one takes in a day when most (if not all) of that sugar comes from fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm fine with keeping all my fats, carbs, calories, etc. below or at the recommended level but always go over my sugars. It's because I'll snack on raspberries, add blueberries to oatmeal, have an apple or plum with lunch and generally reach for the fruits when I'm still hungry and I'm close to the calorie level for the day. Has anyone had problems losing weight because he/she was eating 2-3 servings of fruits a day? I am working out regularly (5 days a week 30-50 min cardio daily and circuit training). I understand fruit does have sugar but I'm concerned natural foods are going to curtail my weight loss. Thoughts? Recommendations?

Replies

  • MMATrainer13
    MMATrainer13 Posts: 8
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    3-4 servings of fruit will not be the reason for your lack of weight loss. I recommend looking at the quality of your other calories. Are you checking the sugars in your other foods other than fruit? Up your cardio to at least 60 minutes a day. 30 minutes is good, but if you want to see more results you need to change more than eating. Exercise resistance/time must also increase. Make sure you are increasing your resistance for strength days, and also upping the resistance and/or increasing the time of your cardiovascular workouts.
  • brieann
    brieann Posts: 16
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    I was noticing the same thing i really don't eat sugar, but I was amazed at the amount of sugar in fruit, I wonder if that is stalling me as well, my weskness is raspberries and watermelon... yumm!!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    3-4 servings of fruit will not be the reason for your lack of weight loss. I recommend looking at the quality of your other calories. Are you checking the sugars in your other foods other than fruit? Up your cardio to at least 60 minutes a day. 30 minutes is good, but if you want to see more results you need to change more than eating. Exercise resistance/time must also increase. Make sure you are increasing your resistance for strength days, and also upping the resistance and/or increasing the time of your cardiovascular workouts.

    For some people 3 or 4 servings of fruit a day will stop their weight loss or cause them to start gaining. It all depends on how sensitive your body is to the sugar, natural or not...........

    The eating plan is 80% of weight loss progress, where as exercise only accounts for about 20%. Sure exercise counts and helps to reshape the body, but eating is the bulk of progress.
  • fitnesscalv
    fitnesscalv Posts: 15 Member
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    Sugars including sugars from fruit are most effectively used by the body directly after a workout to transfer nutrients and energy to the muscles as quickly as possible, it's also best to have a protein at this time also... if you have to eat them, then that's the time to do it.... I personally would avoid sugar at all other times and stick to the more complex carbs.

    This obviously is subject to opinion but it seems very standard advice across the many books I have read on building lean body mass and losing fat.

    I'm a man and also I understand everyones body reacts differently, but try and see if you notice anything.
  • zoink66
    zoink66 Posts: 116 Member
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    Robin, I had just the same question just today! I noticed that because I eat about 3-4 servings of fruit a day, my sugar count is always over the allotment. But there is virtually NO other sugar in my diet aside from fruit. I hate to cut out fruit from my diet though, so I'm at a loss. I mean, it's not like I got fat from too many strawberries! Hopefully some more knowledgeable dieters can pipe in!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    Robin, I had just the same question just today! I noticed that because I eat about 3-4 servings of fruit a day, my sugar count is always over the allotment. But there is virtually NO other sugar in my diet aside from fruit. I hate to cut out fruit from my diet though, so I'm at a loss. I mean, it's not like I got fat from too many strawberries! Hopefully some more knowledgeable dieters can pipe in!

    Fructose can contribute to gaining weight though.................

    Here is an article to read and ponder over.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100109-interesting-article-fructose-may-promote-metabolic-syndrom
  • Robin1109
    Robin1109 Posts: 231 Member
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    3-4 servings of fruit will not be the reason for your lack of weight loss. I recommend looking at the quality of your other calories. Are you checking the sugars in your other foods other than fruit? Up your cardio to at least 60 minutes a day. 30 minutes is good, but if you want to see more results you need to change more than eating. Exercise resistance/time must also increase. Make sure you are increasing your resistance for strength days, and also upping the resistance and/or increasing the time of your cardiovascular workouts.

    Thanks for the feedback. I'm working really hard to keep my calories coming from natural foods that aren't highly processed or full of hidden sugars or fats. By nature, I'm "lucky" in that I don't really have a sweet tooth, so I rarely reach for foods that are high in sugar (with the exception of the fruit in question). I'll definitely work on increasing my cardio to 60 minutes a day and will also continue to increase my resistance on strength days. I haven't noticed the amount of fruit I've been eating stalling my weight loss but I'll continue to monitor and adjust accordingly based on everyone's responses. Thanks everyone!
  • MMATrainer13
    MMATrainer13 Posts: 8
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    3-4 servings of fruit will not be the reason for your lack of weight loss. I recommend looking at the quality of your other calories. Are you checking the sugars in your other foods other than fruit? Up your cardio to at least 60 minutes a day. 30 minutes is good, but if you want to see more results you need to change more than eating. Exercise resistance/time must also increase. Make sure you are increasing your resistance for strength days, and also upping the resistance and/or increasing the time of your cardiovascular workouts.

    For some people 3 or 4 servings of fruit a day will stop their weight loss or cause them to start gaining. It all depends on how sensitive your body is to the sugar, natural or not...........

    The eating plan is 80% of weight loss progress, where as exercise only accounts for about 20%. Sure exercise counts and helps to reshape the body, but eating is the bulk of progress.

    I am aware that nutrition is the key to managing ones weight. I explain to all my clients that exercise alone, no matter how much you do, will not get you to your target weight range if the nutrition is out of whack. I was trying to state that if the eating is already pretty much in check, as it appears to be in this case, that upping cardiovascular training from 30 minutes to 60 minutes would double her caloric expenditure. Glad to see a lot of responses! The more the better. This site has really impressed me with the amount of advice people give daily. Sometimes it takes a different approach then what we normally try. Keep the good ideas coming!
  • saverys_gal
    saverys_gal Posts: 808 Member
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    Robin, I had just the same question just today! I noticed that because I eat about 3-4 servings of fruit a day, my sugar count is always over the allotment. But there is virtually NO other sugar in my diet aside from fruit. I hate to cut out fruit from my diet though, so I'm at a loss. I mean, it's not like I got fat from too many strawberries! Hopefully some more knowledgeable dieters can pipe in!

    Fructose can contribute to gaining weight though.................

    Here is an article to read and ponder over.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100109-interesting-article-fructose-may-promote-metabolic-syndrom

    Please go and look at the thread up above!! :wink:

    As you can see from reading that thread there are a lot of different opinions on this question. While fruit IS good for you, it is still full of sugar, with some being considerably higher than others.
    Everyone's body handles things differently. Some of do better with a low carb/high protein diet, myself being one of them. I'm very strict about my fruit intake because if I eat a lot of it it throws my weight loss into a complete plateau.
    But that is just MY body. Play around with it and see what works for you! :smile:
  • de1amo
    de1amo Posts: 266 Member
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    i eat at least 3 portions of fruit a day sometimes 6 and have noticed no resistance to loss--i think i keep to a pretty natural good diet-i avoid processed food as much as possible because of its complexity and possible hidden sugars- if i dont eat all my calories i dont pile into the complex sugar food because as i see it has no nutritional value but i know fruit is good for me!
  • browneyesbb89
    browneyesbb89 Posts: 141 Member
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    I had this question also. I noticed my apple I eat every morning for breakfast has about 13grams of sugar. Wow! My sugars were over but all of my other stuff I was fine on. I still had calories and stuff. I guess it all depends on your body.
  • de1amo
    de1amo Posts: 266 Member
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    i dont actually watch my sugars but prefer to watch my fats and sat fats --i eat lots of nuts and they have lots of 'good fat in them but it just gets totalled as fat -thats how i regard fruit sugar ---in MY diet--as good but i am aware of bad sugar.
  • Soon2beskinny73
    Soon2beskinny73 Posts: 255 Member
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    The article that Lioness gave a link to is a very good article and I suggest you read it as well :) I am one of those who is very sensitive to ANY SUGAR , whether it's table sugar or fruit sugar and if I eat to much then I either gain weight or I plateau (no matter if I am exercising or staying within my calorie range or not). My body just hates the sugar LOL.

    I was in denial of this fact for a very long time and the end result was weighing in at 420 lbs. by my 28th birthday :( I am no longer in denial and I have come to the conclusion that to much sugar (whether it be fruit sugar or table sugar) is bad for me and I have a choice , do I want to eat that sugar or over consume and be fat , feel sick and lethargic or do I want to control what I put in my mouth and lose weight , have energy , and feel good? It's really all a matter of choice!!

    I feel the reason why most people are in denial is because they really don't want to give up what is bad for them so they find another excuse to why they are fat.....I know that is what I did and I have to come to the realization that if I didn't change my bad habits that I would be fat forever and more in likely die young. Just my two cents :)

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