Need help getting sugars under control

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christinebannon
christinebannon Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been doing MFP for only about a week. I'm budgeted about 1200 cal/day. I do about 45 min of cardio about 3 times a week with a long rigorous hike (1-3 hours) on the weekend. I have no trouble staying under 1200 cal but I ALWAYS blow my sugar quota for the day. What gives?? I don't eat any desserts or treats. No sodas. No juices. Not a lot of bread. I eat lots of fruit and vegetables (the brightly colored kind). I have strawberries in my fat free greek yogurt every morn, eat a cup of grape tomatoes and an apple with lunch. Orange for snack. Baby carrots. Bananas, grapes, peaches are some of my usuals.

I'm at a loss. I'm supposed to be losing 1-2 pounds/week. At the end of each day MFP says if I eat every day like today i'll be at my goal weight in 5 weeks. 5 weeks from WHEN? The day I started? Or today? If it's "today" then the finish line is perpetually "5 weeks" away!!

It's been a week, under 1200 cal every day for 9 days now, exercise. Same weight.

Is is the sugars? How do I get rid of them w/o getting rid of healthy fruits and veg?

Replies

  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    You're eating fruit, which has sugar in it. Ignore the sugar reading, unless you have a health problem which requires you to watch it.

    Unfortunately you haven't provided your height, weight, or age, but I am assuming with the workouts you are doing 1200 cals won't be enough. Are you eating back your workout calories? The sugar shouldn't have any effect on your weight loss, calorie deficit it all that matters.

    And I believe the 'you will reach your goal weight in' * weeks' is from the current day, not since you started.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    This question has been asked about 1000 times, but since you do not know: Unless you have a medical reason to avoid sugar such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, PCOS, insulin resistance, etc, then you do not need to worry about your sugar intake at all. You only need to make sure you do not go over your total carb goal.
  • christinebannon
    christinebannon Posts: 4
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    Thanks. I'm almost 47. 5'9. Currently 156. Goal is 150. I believe MFP calculated my daily 1200 based on my selecting a "sedentary" lifestyle (I'm not personally sedentary, but I work behind a desk most of the day). I suppose I "eat back" my work out calories but I understood the calculations to be telling me that if I started w/1200 in the bank and did nothing else, I'd reach my goal. If I worked out, I could either 1) eat a little more or 2) reach my goal quicker if I did not eat a little more.

    Glad to hear I shouldn't be concerned about the sugars.

    Not sure what to do to get the actual weight loss going! Maybe I'm expecting too much too soon since it's only been 9 days? But, why not have expectations? I'm supposed to lose 2 pounds/week at this rate. I WANT MY 2 POUNDS. :)
  • deety3
    deety3 Posts: 82 Member
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    Given your current height and weight, I'm guessing that although you entered that you WANTED to lose 2 lbs a week, this isn't going to happen at 1200 calories -- it's more likely that MFP expects you'll lose less than a pound per week. Check your expected weight loss in the Goals section. And be sure to enter your exercise so those calories can be entered into the MFP equation.

    (Example: I am 5'3", currently 165. I typically have a 650 calorie deficit, so MFP expects I will lose 1.3 lbs a week, even though I requested 2 lbs a week. It's just basic math -- 3500 calories in a pound minus your weekly deficit.)

    Good luck with the journey! :)
  • oDDnySS
    oDDnySS Posts: 69 Member
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    Same EXACT problem here!!!! And it does have to do with all the fruit I eat- but it's fructose, not glucose so not as bad...still, always under calorie allotment yet over sugar!
  • lhourin
    lhourin Posts: 144 Member
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    If you do want to lower sugar and still eat fruit, concentrate more on berries. Bananas, grapes, and apples are all pretty high in sugar and are undoubtedly what are putting you over. I love them, but do consider sugar = sugar, pretty much no matter what the source. The fiber in whole fruit helps, but it's still sugar. Granted, it's not as bad as drinking a Mountain Dew or eating a Twinkie, but still...
  • Fairlieboy
    Fairlieboy Posts: 84 Member
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    This question has been asked about 1000 times, but since you do not know: Unless you have a medical reason to avoid sugar such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, PCOS, insulin resistance, etc, then you do not need to worry about your sugar intake at all. You only need to make sure you do not go over your total carb goal.
    This assumes the "conventional view" of eat in moderation. There is a growing body of peer reviewed, scientific evidence this is a false premise. What you eat actually is important. Popularised by Robert Lustig (Fat Chance, the bitter truth about Sugar), David Gillespie (Sweet Poison), Michael Moss (Salt Sugar Fat - how the food giants hooked us). Or from a diabetes perspective, listen to this podcast at http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/low-carbohydrate-diet-to-manage-diabetes/4880362, where "normal carb consumption" was less effective than a diet eliminating carbs.
    There are dissenting views :wink:

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