Replacing lunch with fruit

fightorflight12
fightorflight12 Posts: 39 Member
edited November 17 in Food and Nutrition
Good idea or bad idea?

Instead of a pasta this lunch, I might have a banana and 2 oranges.

Does that seem healthy? Or do I need actual food to ensure I don't miss out on all my required nutrition?

Also, is it good to have space left for more food? Doesn't damage my health does it?

Replies

  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    edited April 2017
    I would be starving and hunting down food if I just had fruit for lunch, but I'm sure as a one-off it won't harm you physically! Personally if I'm saving calories for wine a bigger dinner I'll get a plain, undressed salad and add something like hard boiled eggs, prawns or chicken pieces. I'd expect that to satisfy a bit more as I'd be getting protein in addition to volume (and vitamins etc) from the veg.
  • SuperCarLori
    SuperCarLori Posts: 1,248 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong here, but fruit IS actual food, isn't it? With calories and nutrition. More nutrition than pasta, I believe....
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Just re-read - are you asking if it's a good idea to have cals left at the end of the day? I tend not to because why would I not want to eat more food and still lose weight?! :D
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    edited April 2017
    Fruit does nothing to satisfy hunger for me, so for me that would be a big no. You can try it and see how it goes for you though, and then go from there.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    My personal experience is that a meal will sustain me if the macros are balanced. I'd have that fruit with a little peanut butter or cheese.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    fightorflight12 wrote: »
    Good idea or bad idea?

    Instead of a pasta this lunch, I might have a banana and 2 oranges.

    Does that seem healthy? Or do I need actual food to ensure I don't miss out on all my required nutrition?

    Also, is it good to have space left for more food? Doesn't damage my health does it?

    Seems you have a bit of a misunderstanding regarding your diet.

    Any food is healthy.
    What's important is that you eat the calories you need to meet your calorie and macro goals for the day.
    If you know at the end of the day you are more hungry, and at the beginning of the day you are less hungry, then you are fine to eat light early in the day and then have a really big evening meal.
    Just stay on point with the calories you need
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    For me personally it would not sustain me. Too much sugar with not enough protein nor fat.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I find fruit absolutely unsatisfying, so this would not work for me. But could it work for others? Sure. Fruit *is* actual food. As long as you're getting protein and fat the rest of the day, eating fruit for lunch won't hurt you.
  • fightorflight12
    fightorflight12 Posts: 39 Member
    Is it ok that you're hungry throughout lunch but still eat a wholesome dinner?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Fruit is actual food.
    Pasta is actual food too so you are just swapping one food for another.

    No it's not a good idea to under cut your calorie goal - especially if you have set an aggressive rate of weight loss.

    If you aren't getting adequate nutrition then yes you could damage your health, the lower your calorie allowance the more thought you have to put into your food choices.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
    The thing about letting yourself be hungry is that it will often lead to bingeing and poor decisions later...that wholesome dinner will likely grow into something else!

    I would recommend pairing fruit with protein as well for it to sustain you for long. Cheese and apples is often my lunch!
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    fightorflight12 wrote: »
    Is it ok that you're hungry throughout lunch but still eat a wholesome dinner?

    Well I presume it's OK as long as you're getting adequate nutrition throughout the day, but it depends if it's a situation you are happy with on a daily basis. I'd find it difficult to concentrate on work in the afternoon on that lunch, but your routine may be different to mine!
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited April 2017
    That would fill you up at first. It won't last long though, you will be hungry not long after eating that and probably have a belly ache. How about doing something like some cheese or nuts with a single piece of fruit? An apple and peanut butter, an orange or banana with cottage cheese, etc...
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    fightorflight12 wrote: »
    Good idea or bad idea?

    Instead of a pasta this lunch, I might have a banana and 2 oranges.

    Does that seem healthy? Or do I need actual food to ensure I don't miss out on all my required nutrition?

    Also, is it good to have space left for more food? Doesn't damage my health does it?

    So you are trading complex carbohydrates for more simple ones? I don't really see the improvement.

    Protien, fiber and fat are filling. Fruit has fiber and carbs. Pasta likely has protein and perhaps fiber if it's whole grain....and carbs.

    Do you eat meat, dairy or eggs? Add some protein to your lunch. A scoop of cottage cheese, a hard boiled egg, chopped ham in your pasta.

    Fruit & cheese would be a better choice than fruit & more fruit.
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