How exactly does sugar make you fat?

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comeon_skinnylove
comeon_skinnylove Posts: 53
in Health and Weight Loss
If you have created a calorie deficit and you keep your macros where they should be, how does sugar intake still matter?

Also, is it okay to go over your allotted grams of protein? Last I checked protein helps you build muscle, so...
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  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Over protein- good.

    Sugar will make you fat if and only if it makes you go over your calorie goals (over your TDEE, really), or if you have a metabolic condition such as Insulin Resistance or Diabetes, etc, that makes you sensitive to sugar.

    If you're sacrificing nutrient dense food, like vegetables and protein, to allow calories for sugary treats that provide little nutritional value, that can be a problem, too. But if you're eating a nutritionally complete diet and you have no medical reason to limit sugar, don't stress about it too much- ESPECIALLY if the sugar is coming from whole food sources like fruits.
  • jillebean60
    jillebean60 Posts: 78 Member
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    Sugar will cause you to retain extra water. It also causes spikes and then crashes in blood sugar levels which will cause hunger, which will lead to possibly overeating.
  • comeon_skinnylove
    comeon_skinnylove Posts: 53
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    @morebean13 - Thank you, but what's TDEE?
  • rowbseat13
    rowbseat13 Posts: 147 Member
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    It really depends on where the sugar is coming from. Fruit has a lot of sugar as a general rule, as does a brownie. There's a big difference in eating one or the other. Sugar is sugar, strictly speaking, but ADDED sugar and artificial sugar are the ones to avoid. When I'm craving something sweet, I almost always go for fruit. Satisfies the sugar craving, but without the crap.
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
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    It doesn't really "make" you fat in the sense that there is something inherent in it. Sugar/Sugars are energy. They have no other purpose. When you feed your body sugars it raises insulin which tells your body start processing it for energy. Which means it doesn't need to deal with synthesis fat stores for energy. Proteins and fats can be used for cell repair, lubrication, etc..other things. When you constantly feed your body energy that it isn't using it then allocates that to fat stores to save for later. So its can build into your fat stores. Glucose also binds with water in the muscles but those stores can fill up and 'spill out' and then you get the effects of water retention.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
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    @morebean13 - Thank you, but what's TDEE?

    TDEE = total daily energy expenditure...so all the calories you burn throughout the day doing all activities. Your BMR + activities of daily living + exercise.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    TDEE = total daily energy expenditure.
    You can calculate that at fat2fit radio or somesuch. It is what you are estimated to burn in calories daily when counting in your exercise and everyday activities.
  • conradhughes
    conradhughes Posts: 10 Member
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    The muscles and liver can hold roughly 300-400 grams of carbohydrate per day. All your carbohydrate you eat eventually becomes glucose, which gets stored in the muscles. It is possible for carb to be converted into fat (a process called de novo lipogenesis) but it's really rare.

    Instead, if you eat more carbs you tend to burn more carbs (and subsequently less fat). If you eat more fat you'll burn more fat and less carbs.

    One aside though- if you pop more than 50 or so grams of pure sugar straight into the liver (fructose especially as fructose or fruit sugar doesn't cause insulin to be released), any more than that gets shunted off and stored as fat.

    So don't eat like, 5 ice creams at once, or a kilo of fruit at once. And you'll basically be fine.
  • comeon_skinnylove
    comeon_skinnylove Posts: 53
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    It doesn't really "make" you fat in the sense that there is something inherent in it. Sugar/Sugars are energy. They have no other purpose. When you feed your body sugars it raises insulin which tells your body start processing it for energy. Which means it doesn't need to deal with synthesis fat stores for energy. Proteins and fats can be used for cell repair, lubrication, etc..other things. When you constantly feed your body energy that it isn't using it then allocates that to fat stores to save for later. So its can build into your fat stores. Glucose also binds with water in the muscles but those stores can fill up and 'spill out' and then you get the effects of water retention.

    So basically what you're saying is sugar is only used for energy, so because it can easily become energy in excess, it can easily be turned into fat. While proteins and fats are used for other functions, so it doesn't become excess energy as easily, therefore the body won't allocate them to fat stores to save for later. Correct?

    Sorry if that was confusing.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    Many believe weight loss is about calories in and calories out, when in reality it's about controlling insulin. Sugar raises insulin significantly, and the body can take this as a signal to store fat. Choose all sugars sparingly and opt for more complex carbs.
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    The short answer is eat more protein, less sugar, watch the sodium.

    Reading your profile, maybe it can be good to do some strength training too help toning too?
  • Merrymaker_Misery
    Merrymaker_Misery Posts: 29
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    We have 3 energy scorces, carbs, fat and protein, and they burn with that order.

    Sugar is a carb,

    If you got too many carbs in your system, any additional fat you eat, will be stored cause the carbs won't allow you to get in your fat deposits. If you lower carbs, you can tap into them.


    If you really like sugar though, like sugary fruits etc, then you have to quit ALL fats and protein, and stick to fruit and greens only.

    Due to the 0 fat consumption, and you need fat for a few functions, your body will burn your deposits, very slowly, regardless of calorie count.

    So if you want sugar and carbs, you gotta quit meat and fats, it will be slow but it will happen
    If you wanna lose faster, you quit carbs and focus on CLEAN meats and fats, no vegetable oil crap, no processed junk
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    We have 3 energy scorces, carbs, fat and protein, and they burn with that order.

    Sugar is a carb,

    If you got too many carbs in your system, any additional fat you eat, will be stored cause the carbs won't allow you to get in your fat deposits. If you lower carbs, you can tap into them.


    If you really like sugar though, like sugary fruits etc, then you have to quit ALL fats and protein, and stick to fruit and greens only.

    Due to the 0 fat consumption, and you need fat for a few functions, your body will burn your deposits, very slowly, regardless of calorie count.

    So if you want sugar and carbs, you gotta quit meat and fats, it will be slow but it will happen
    If you wanna lose faster, you quit carbs and focus on CLEAN meats and fats, no vegetable oil crap, no processed junk

    What a load of tosh!!! lol!!!
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    We have 3 energy scorces, carbs, fat and protein, and they burn with that order.

    Sugar is a carb,

    If you got too many carbs in your system, any additional fat you eat, will be stored cause the carbs won't allow you to get in your fat deposits. If you lower carbs, you can tap into them.


    If you really like sugar though, like sugary fruits etc, then you have to quit ALL fats and protein, and stick to fruit and greens only.

    Due to the 0 fat consumption, and you need fat for a few functions, your body will burn your deposits, very slowly, regardless of calorie count.

    So if you want sugar and carbs, you gotta quit meat and fats, it will be slow but it will happen
    If you wanna lose faster, you quit carbs and focus on CLEAN meats and fats, no vegetable oil crap, no processed junk

    Sorry nowI have got over the tosh/lol bit, where on earth did you get that reasoning from???
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Many believe weight loss is about calories in and calories out, when in reality it's about controlling insulin. Sugar raises insulin significantly, and the body can take this as a signal to store fat. Choose all sugars sparingly and opt for more complex carbs.

    Even fructose? And protein also raises insulin significantly, oh noes!
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
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    Stop eating fats and
    Protein you will die. Thats very misinformed.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    We have 3 energy scorces, carbs, fat and protein, and they burn with that order.

    Sugar is a carb,

    If you got too many carbs in your system, any additional fat you eat, will be stored cause the carbs won't allow you to get in your fat deposits. If you lower carbs, you can tap into them.


    If you really like sugar though, like sugary fruits etc, then you have to quit ALL fats and protein, and stick to fruit and greens only.

    Due to the 0 fat consumption, and you need fat for a few functions, your body will burn your deposits, very slowly, regardless of calorie count.

    So if you want sugar and carbs, you gotta quit meat and fats, it will be slow but it will happen
    If you wanna lose faster, you quit carbs and focus on CLEAN meats and fats, no vegetable oil crap, no processed junk
    I prefer brain functionality.

    Eliminating any macro is stupid.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    Many believe weight loss is about calories in and calories out, when in reality it's about controlling insulin. Sugar raises insulin significantly, and the body can take this as a signal to store fat. Choose all sugars sparingly and opt for more complex carbs.

    Insulin is just one of many factors which contribute to weight loss and gain.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    We have 3 energy scorces, carbs, fat and protein, and they burn with that order.

    Sugar is a carb,

    If you got too many carbs in your system, any additional fat you eat, will be stored cause the carbs won't allow you to get in your fat deposits. If you lower carbs, you can tap into them.


    If you really like sugar though, like sugary fruits etc, then you have to quit ALL fats and protein, and stick to fruit and greens only.

    Due to the 0 fat consumption, and you need fat for a few functions, your body will burn your deposits, very slowly, regardless of calorie count.

    So if you want sugar and carbs, you gotta quit meat and fats, it will be slow but it will happen
    If you wanna lose faster, you quit carbs and focus on CLEAN meats and fats, no vegetable oil crap, no processed junk

    That makes no sense. It makes sense to me to keep a balanced diet and consistent exercise (both aerobic and anaerobic) in addition to daily activities. That is what has been working for me anyway. I get a little more sugar than most, and I also eat meat twice a day and usually go over on my fat. I am dropping about an inch a week from my waistline, 28 pounds in 40 days.

    I'm not going to avoid meat any more than I will avoid chocolate or beer. :tongue:
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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