800 Gram challenge?

debrakgoogins wrote: »

It's an interesting way to increase your vegetable and fruit intake. I already eat a ton of fruits and vegetables so I have not tried it but a word of caution, suddenly increasing your fiber can cause a great deal of discomfort. Also, fruit is good for you but that much sugar (even though it's natural sugar) could cause issues for people with blood sugar diseases. You will still need to count your calories if you are looking to lose weight. You can easily rack up the calories eating potatoes, legumes and avocado. Ease into it until you know how your body will react.

I have definitely eaten half my calories for the day in just bananas and wanted more, lol.

RelCanonical wrote: »

I have definitely eaten half my calories for the day in just bananas and wanted more, lol.

Banana with peanut butter...I could eat it all day long.

There was a challenge here some time back, where people shot for 10 daily servings of veggies/fruit (using 80-gram servings, for most things, plus a few extra rules I won't recount - mostly based on the UK health recommendations). Since I eat large of veggies/fruit routinely, I joined, but there were quite a few people for whom it was more of a change.

When it comes to throughput, here's some advice that was hard won by some of the people in that challenge:

* Increase your fiber intake gradually. Don't go from a tiny amount straight to 800g all in one jump.
* Eat enough fats.

Water matters too, and for a few people some other factors (micros, probiotics, exercise . . .), but in the 10 servings challenge, the quick jump in fiber with inadequate fat was the combo that caused problems. Painful problems. As in reduced throughput, even though there was stuff in the pipe that really, really wanted out.

IMO, eating more veggies and fruits is something that many people would benefit from doing. Polls suggest most people don't even get the basic recommended 5-serving minimum (and I think people wishfully misrepresent themselves in polls/surveys on whatever they think is the positive direction). I think the increased fraction of veggies/fruits is what accounts for improvements a subset of folks get when they shift to WFPB or vegan or some other veggie/fruit intensive plan.

I think micros in natural complexes (foods) may be more beneficial than supplements, that there are still beneficial/essential nutrients yet to be scientifically "discovered" that are in traditional foods already (many have been identified during my lifetime), and that while little is proven about gut microbiome, there are strong hints that a diverse gut microbiome is a good thing, and that high veggie/fruit intake fosters that diversity.

Also, veggies and fruits are super delicious, if you ask me.

So, yeah, do it. But increase gradually, over a couple of weeks, and get enough fats alongside.

cmriverside wrote: »

Like this?

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10521320/10-a-day-800g-veggie-fruit-challenge-participants-check-in/p1

(Nods) Yep, those were the goodle days.

Brown & Co. Fidelity-Fiduciary Bank & Trust, most LOLZ I ever had, on *that* subject.