Avoiding sugar crash? Workouts help?

dragonairis
dragonairis Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I was trying to replace my breakfast with a protein smoothie. Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme, a banana, frozen fruit (about 1 1/2c), Emergen C, and my ground up vitamins. Tastes great and keeps me full. Problem is, I was feeling like I was going to pass out from fatigue right around lunch time and I would eat desperately to try and keep my energy up (a nap is not an option and I eat when I'm tired). I'm assuming it's a sugar crash from the fruit since I skipped a couple of days and felt fine. How can I avoid it? Less fruit, yeah, but that makes it taste good. Could I workout after I have it to try and balance my sugar levels?

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Smoothies make me ravenous! Eat food instead of drink your calories.
  • greentart
    greentart Posts: 411 Member
    Eat real food. Have an egg with ham & veggies and a bit of cheese, followed by an apple or tangerine. You're getting hungry because the smoothie isn't cutting it for you.
  • dragonairis
    dragonairis Posts: 75 Member
    It's not about being hungry. It's about wanting to die from fatigue.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    http://nutritionstudies.org/are-smoothies-good-or-bad/
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited April 2016
    I tend to have green smoothies in the evening, as dessert, as they don't get me through a workout. I work out fasted better than I do with a green smoothie.

    That said, mine are also much more GREEN and much less fruit.
    I only ever throw in a small handful of berries.
    Otherwise, I add fats and proteins and a lot of greens.

    Good luck finding what works for you!
  • HealthierRayne
    HealthierRayne Posts: 268 Member
    maybe your breakfast and lunch are too far apart? I'd try adding a snack to keep you going and your energy up :) Fruit doesn't negatively affect sugar levels source
    more on sugar here

    I'd also be curious to know if you are sleeping well at night or getting enough rest overall - perhaps try getting more rest, this might help with your fatigue during the day too.


  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
    Try and add some protein and fat to your breakfast with some optional whole grain toast. My go to breakfast is a slice of sprouted toast (80 cal) 20g Avocado and an egg fried in cooking spray. Keeps me full from 7 til noon when I eat lunch. I drink plenty of water to fill up the cracks. There are days when I add a second piece of toast, split the avocado (10g each) and add a few slices of campari tomatoes and a slice of turkey sausage. All that is under 300 calories (minus the sausage.) Just choose something to balance out the sugar content a little.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    tahxirez wrote: »
    Try and add some protein and fat to your breakfast with some optional whole grain toast. My go to breakfast is a slice of sprouted toast (80 cal) 20g Avocado and an egg fried in cooking spray. Keeps me full from 7 til noon when I eat lunch. I drink plenty of water to fill up the cracks. There are days when I add a second piece of toast, split the avocado (10g each) and add a few slices of campari tomatoes and a slice of turkey sausage. All that is under 300 calories (minus the sausage.) Just choose something to balance out the sugar content a little.
    Sounds delish!
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    dragonairis wrote: »
    I'm assuming it's a sugar crash from the fruit since I skipped a couple of days and felt fine. How can I avoid it? Less fruit, yeah, but that makes it taste good.

    Well you answered your own question as well as made it clear that you're not *actually* wanting to make any changes. So good luck with that.
  • frida001
    frida001 Posts: 437 Member
    Spread it out. Leave out the banana from your shake and have it mid-morning or have a hard boiled egg ready.
  • dragonairis
    dragonairis Posts: 75 Member
    Thanks everyone who gave suggestions and links!
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    dragonairis wrote: »
    So I was trying to replace my breakfast with a protein smoothie.

    For what reason?

    Personally, if your original breakfast fitted nicely into your calorie goals, was relatively nutritious and made you feel good then I would simply go back to it or something similar....
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'm with the others - eat food. And have some fat too.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited April 2016
    I took a look at your breakfast from Friday. I'd have a major crash after this many carbs to that little protein as well:

    ccdb426da50c776df3d930568f5e7e9b.png

    Here's my breakfast smoothie, which I think tastes good. YMMV. Keeps me full for a long time - I am eating lunch later and later.

    5q3524fmoot0.png

    I use tea for the liquid and add a pinch of salt.

    It doesn't taste as good as my former favorite smoothie, peanut butter and banana, but it keeps me fuller longer and for less calories.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    The dynamics from a carb heavy low fiber smoothie is that it is digested very fast, insulin response roars in like a lion, and you end up with an empty stomach and no energy.

    The real food comments mentioned above all have to do with slowing down the digestion, which will prevent this.

    Protein and fat won't affect insulin the same way, so you will have sustained energy through your morning.

    You could work out immediately after taking the smoothie which will reduce the insulin response, but you'll still be empty afterwards.

    If you like sweet, you could replace most of the fruit with a little artificial sweetener. The smoothie will still digest super fast.

    You could also compensate by having a mid-morning snack like cheese and crackers, but of course the calories all add up.
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  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    OP has only logged food one day which was friday. The smoothie was not what was laden with carbs, it was the entire breakfast and the smoothie. I would crash and burn if I did that in one sitting for sure.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    dragonairis wrote: »
    So I was trying to replace my breakfast with a protein smoothie. Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme, a banana, frozen fruit (about 1 1/2c), Emergen C, and my ground up vitamins. Tastes great and keeps me full. Problem is, I was feeling like I was going to pass out from fatigue right around lunch time and I would eat desperately to try and keep my energy up (a nap is not an option and I eat when I'm tired). I'm assuming it's a sugar crash from the fruit since I skipped a couple of days and felt fine. How can I avoid it? Less fruit, yeah, but that makes it taste good. Could I workout after I have it to try and balance my sugar levels?

    Try a different protein. Muscle Milk is high in sugar and the calorie to protein ratio isn't all that great. IsoPure Zero Carb is a good alternative. Tastes great. Also, try replacing fruit + banana with just berries which are lower in sugar than other alternatives. Try pre-packing snacks throughout the day that are protein filled, low in sugar and carbs, and then when you get the urge to snack you know you are eating stuff that fits within your log.
  • dragonairis
    dragonairis Posts: 75 Member
    I was trying to replace my breakfast with a smoothie because I had previously done so with the Kirkland weight loss shakes (Cans) and had really really good success. I don't feel full until lunch when I eat breakfast. I've tried tweaking a few things, but I start snacking and can't stop. This smoothie keeps me nice and full till lunch. (Friday was an anomaly, I was up super early so I essentially ate breakfast twice.) I figured since drinking my breakfast keeps me full, it would allow me to keep breakfast calories down and also cut out snacking calories. Unfortunately it's not working the way it used to. I thought I had come up with a tasty and more nutritious replacement, which has obviously failed. So I took to the forums for feedback.
  • eileensofianmushinfine
    eileensofianmushinfine Posts: 303 Member
    I have a protein shake every morning. In addition to the powder and 1% milk, I add in 2 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter. Adds great taste and protein for not too many calories! Keeps me full until lunch.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    dragonairis wrote: »
    I was trying to replace my breakfast with a smoothie because I had previously done so with the Kirkland weight loss shakes (Cans) and had really really good success. I don't feel full until lunch when I eat breakfast. I've tried tweaking a few things, but I start snacking and can't stop. This smoothie keeps me nice and full till lunch. (Friday was an anomaly, I was up super early so I essentially ate breakfast twice.) I figured since drinking my breakfast keeps me full, it would allow me to keep breakfast calories down and also cut out snacking calories. Unfortunately it's not working the way it used to. I thought I had come up with a tasty and more nutritious replacement, which has obviously failed. So I took to the forums for feedback.

    When viewed as separate meals, the cereal & milk and the smoothie are still high carb and relatively low fiber and protein. Look at your macros as you make a meal and tweak to get protein and fiber up and carbs down. Reread @jgnatca's post about the insulin response.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Yeah your breakfast has more carbs than I eat in an entire day. I'd be exhausted as well.

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