Bananas causing weight gain?

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Sebani
Sebani Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi.

I'm wondering if you guys ever experienced weight gain when eating 1 banana a day. I ask this because nothing else in my diet has changed besides the addition of 1 banana and about 8 strawberries each day. I noticed that I'm not losing and in fact, gaining weight so I thought that maybe this was the cause, but I'd like to confirm. Thanks!
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Replies

  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    You gain weight from consuming more calories than you burn. So if you have ADDED in a banana to your diet and continue to burn the same number of calories as before then yes, you will slowly gain weight but you can't blame the banana for that as that would happen regardless of where the extra calories came from.
  • kelli_panzera
    kelli_panzera Posts: 171
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    I absolutely love bananas...my doctor told me NO MORE BANANAS!! For the past month and a half I've avoided them, and maybe that's helped some. They are all carbs, and because I'm diabetic and overweight I am going low(er) carb and that's worked for me.
  • Sebani
    Sebani Posts: 24 Member
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    @snazz I didn't just add a banana on top of my diet, I started subbing it for chips and whatnot but still seeing a gain
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    I eat anywhere from a half of banana (50 grams) to an entire one (110 grams in weight) a day, sometimes one in a half and hasn't affected my weight loss.
  • Krys052490
    Krys052490 Posts: 72 Member
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    Definitely need more information to give an accurate answer....

    BUT.... Let's say you ate exactly 2000 calories a day, everyday, for days/weeks/months and that was your maintenance calories. Then you added in a banana and 8 strawberries.

    One 130g Banana - 98 cals

    Eight Strawberries - 46 cals (estimate since I can't weigh them)

    Your adding 144 calories a day, so 1008 calories a week or 4.6 oz a week.

    So yes, it COULD make you gain weight.
  • Sovi_
    Sovi_ Posts: 575 Member
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    666 devil food!
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    A banana is not causing you to gain weight unless said banana is putting you over your calorie limit.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Maybe it was the strawberries... Try only eating 7...


    In all seriousness, calorie deficit = weight loss, calorie surplus = weight gain. If you're gaining weight, you're eating a calorie surplus.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
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    In the last yr and a half I have had one banana a day every morning in my shake. It has never hindered me and I lost 38 pounds. The banana is not the culprit. The only way you could is by not accounting for them into your diary, if you log everything then you should still hit your cal goal. Doesn't matter if it came from bananas or spinach. Bananas themselves have nothing in them that would magically make you gain, not logging or adjusting for them, would. Depending on how big they are they can be anywhere from 75-140 cals. They are high and high in carbs but if you adjust for them they are great for you.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
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    I've been eating one a day for a few weeks now (to help with leg and foot cramps) and I am going up some days, down some days so who knows. But I just made some of the best banana's foster to take to work tomorrow to go on top of the most amazing cheesecake I made a couple of days ago, so if it's the cause of weight gain, I'm in serious trouble :sad:
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
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    You gain weight from consuming more calories than you burn. So if you have ADDED in a banana to your diet and continue to burn the same number of calories as before then yes, you will slowly gain weight but you can't blame the banana for that as that would happen regardless of where the extra calories came from.



    ^ THIS!!!
  • TenebraeBloodwake
    TenebraeBloodwake Posts: 19 Member
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    I eat two or three a day and it doesn't seem to do me any harm...at least I don't think so.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    OP, if you're still in a deficit, you are probably seeing water weight gain, which will go away.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    Bananas in and of themselves do not cause weight gain. Excess calories cause weight (setting aside medical issues). Anecdotal evidence - I lost 50+ pounds eating 1-3 bananas a day depending on exercise load. Make sure you measure all of your food to accurately log your calories in. If you've recently started exercising or added in additional salt to your diet, water weight may be a factor. These are guesses on my part but I wish you luck in finding what works for you. :happy:
  • BigVeggieDream
    BigVeggieDream Posts: 1,101 Member
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    I eat 6 bananas a day and have been losing weight.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    @snazz I didn't just add a banana on top of my diet, I started subbing it for chips and whatnot but still seeing a gain

    What sort of time period are we talking about? Bananas aren't predigested crud like chips or candy, and they have a bit of fiber, so you're probably going to have a bit more weight in the intestinal tract. Hard to quantify, 'tho. I'd expect that it would stabilize to the higher weight in a few days to a week, 'tho, and then start dropping from there.

    Kinda reaching for straws here, I admit...
  • mypersonalfitnessjourney
    mypersonalfitnessjourney Posts: 244 Member
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    Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    ZOMG, the dreaded banana!

    In
  • Erikalynne18
    Erikalynne18 Posts: 557 Member
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    I love my bananas and I will not give them up!! :noway:

    Honestly though I don't believe the addition of 1 banana and a few strawberries would cause weight gain. Are you sure this is the ONLY difference?
  • GGDaddy
    GGDaddy Posts: 289 Member
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    I've had a banana for breakfast every single day of the past year.

    It's worked out okay for me. VVVVVVV

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