Help! I miss my fruit and milk

I have gotten to where I am today by watching my sugar grams and my calories. The problem is that I miss my banana a day, sometimes 2 and I miss my milk. I also miss eating apples, oranges and raisins, etc; however, a medium apple has 14 g of sugar and milk has11g per 8 oz. I tried a lactose free dairy alternative which has only 5 g sugar per cup, however, did not like the taste. I am now using Almond milk on my oatmeal; however, it is just not like a nice glass of 1% milk. I have read other postings so I know a lot of people do not even track sugar, however, I am afraid if I return to eating lots of fruit, the weight will return. I know the manner in which I am eating is something I cannot maintain forever; I need help to find the right balance. I have opened up my diary for all to see. Day 1 was 17 Jan of this year.

My net calorie goal for the day is 1380, which should provide me a .5 pound decrease each week. I eat very few processed foods. When a co-worker saw my food diary on day 1, she suggested I reduce my sugar grams as I was over 90g of sugar on my first day. Usually I was eating 4 or more fruits a day, lots of vegetables, and on some days would drink anywhere from 16 - 32 oz of milk each day. Well, this small change plus watching my calories has amounted to a 7.6 pounds loss of weight in 3 weeks. Any slip-up and I could be right back to where I started.

Any suggestions out there? Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
    Watching sugar intake is a good idea, but a little sugar in some healthy foods is not going to make you put weight back on if you stay within your calorie goal.

    My suggestion would be to keep watching artificial added sugar, and add an occasional piece of fruit or glass of milk and see what happens. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
  • AirCircleI
    AirCircleI Posts: 334 Member
    I eat a lot of fruit every day and am still losing. I just make sure to have it with some protein (normally nuts or a protein bar) so that it doesn't make me hungry quickly. It's important that you find something sustainable for you - agree with the previous poster of trying to re-introduce them into your diet in smaller amounts - you may find that so long as you maintain your calories, you will stay on track.
  • I too am watching my sugar intake to see if it reduces my fasting blood sugar and A1C as they have been bordering on prediabetes. I also noticed that if I take in foods high in sugars, 2 hrs later I am ravenous and will eat anything that is not nailed down. For milk I have switched to Silk unsweetened soy milk. The other day I had some cow's milk and thought I would gag as it was so overwhelmingly sweet. It really shocked me. I find that Silk is quite tasty even by itself. Eating fresh fruit does not make feel like I feel when I eat foods with processed sugars. Ex: I can eat a fresh orange without issues, but cannot drink orange juice. I also find that when I use artificial sweeteners, it creates that 2 hr later ravenous feeling.......so I now leave those alone. My next experiment will be to try Agave nectar in my herbal tea to see if I get the 2 hr ravenous feeling. It is supposed to have a good glycemic index. I had my annual physical with fasting bloods drawn last week, so this week I will see if my FBS & A1C have improved. I have also found that by cutting out foods with processed or additional sugars I have lost weight.
  • Poobeeschmoo
    Poobeeschmoo Posts: 5 Member
    I try watching my sugar intake but there is sugar and there is sugar. If it is all natural sugar as in fruit or milk it wont make you pile the pounds back on especially if you consume it in moderation.
    Try having those foods in the morning. They will give you energy and you have all day to burn them off.
    Best of luck with your weight loss. You're doing great!!!
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Then eat them. Milk and fruit won't kill you. Unless you have diabetes I would even pay attention to sugar.
  • kyylieeeeee
    kyylieeeeee Posts: 197 Member
    I also have cut down drastically on the amount of fruit and milk I was consuming. This summer, I was eating bananas/peaches/berries/cherries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because it's so hard to resist fresh fruit in the summer! As soon as I cut back to eating fruit at only one meal per day (usually breakfast, and sometimes as a snack at work), and replaced these with more protein, I did start to notice a difference without compromising my love for eating fruit.
    As for milk, I stopped drinking so much at night-- I try to limit my milk to the morning. Though I don't worry so much about the sugar in milk, because it is nicely balanced with a great protein count as well!
  • swilk627
    swilk627 Posts: 245 Member
    I *personally* don't pay a lot of attention to the sugar in fruit. I know many here will disagree with that, but to each their own. I make a distinction between natural sugars and refined sugars. That being said - I would never cut out fruit! However, I eat them in moderation, and try to only eat them in the daylight hours - meaning none at dinner or after.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
    I think you need to add fruit & milk back into your diet. Sugar from fruits aren't bad and milk does a body good!
  • jamielise2
    jamielise2 Posts: 432 Member
    The nutritionist told me that sugars in fruit and milk do not count toward total carbs.
  • Sugar from fruit is not the problem, it's sugar from cereals, and confectionary that is the one to watch, I noticed that 2 apples would take me over my sugar allowance which is ridiculous!! so now I don't count sugar on my food diary.
  • bugtrain
    bugtrain Posts: 251 Member
    Have you tried Hood Calorie Countdown Low Carb. milk.?....It only has 3g. net carbs.
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    I am over with sugar every day because of fruit and milk but they are healthy options (I use skimmed milk ) and this is not in my belief the sugars you need to watch.... refined sugars however are evil demons that lurk around every corner:devil: :laugh: lol
    you will still lose weight if you watch carbohydrates and fats and keep within your daily stats ....good luck and dont be so nervous about your healthy favourites tweak your diaries to accomadate them and you will still lose :drinker:
  • amdahwd
    amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
    I have read studies that suggest that women who do not have at least 2 servings of milk a day will not lose weight as fast. You need that calcium for your bones. I also do not count the sugar in fresh fruit. I love My Fitness Pal because it is working for me, but I have to point out that even Weight Watchers now allows you unlimited fruit in your daily allowances. If you miss fruit and milk in your diet, then you should add it back in moderation. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to make it a lifestyle change and not just a diet, which you cannot do if you constantly deprive yourself of things you love.
  • mbmorse1011
    mbmorse1011 Posts: 492 Member
    I'm over on my sugars every day with fruiti and Milk There is no way you can have 5 fruits/veggies daily and not be. I make sure I review at the end of the day what my sugars are and if they are fruit and milk and a little of something else then I'm ok with it.
  • canegrovern
    canegrovern Posts: 21 Member
    I eat fruits all day and I am losing and maintaining I have 1 solid meal with brown rice veg,chicken or fish lean pork cubes at lunch but after that its all fruits, no juice, no soda, green tea no sugar, just hot water and organic yogurt and I lost over 35 lbs in less than a year. Just wanted you to know eating fruits will not make you gain but will make you lose because of the fiber content in fruits.
  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
    You probably didn't actually get where you are by cutting down on milk and natural sugar -- you got where you are by cutting down on calories, many of which happened to be coming from milk and natural sugar. Fruit and milk aren't usually the problem when it comes to weight gain. Try adding them back in and cutting out calories somewhere else. See how it goes for a few weeks, and if it's not working, go back to what you were doing. But don't deprive your body of lovely protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber if you don't have to!
  • LPS1986
    LPS1986 Posts: 104
    I have gotten to where I am today by watching my sugar grams and my calories. The problem is that I miss my banana a day, sometimes 2 and I miss my milk. I also miss eating apples, oranges and raisins, etc; however, a medium apple has 14 g of sugar and milk has11g per 8 oz. I tried a lactose free dairy alternative which has only 5 g sugar per cup, however, did not like the taste. I am now using Almond milk on my oatmeal; however, it is just not like a nice glass of 1% milk. I have read other postings so I know a lot of people do not even track sugar, however, I am afraid if I return to eating lots of fruit, the weight will return. I know the manner in which I am eating is something I cannot maintain forever; I need help to find the right balance. I have opened up my diary for all to see. Day 1 was 17 Jan of this year.

    My net calorie goal for the day is 1380, which should provide me a .5 pound decrease each week. I eat very few processed foods. When a co-worker saw my food diary on day 1, she suggested I reduce my sugar grams as I was over 90g of sugar on my first day. Usually I was eating 4 or more fruits a day, lots of vegetables, and on some days would drink anywhere from 16 - 32 oz of milk each day. Well, this small change plus watching my calories has amounted to a 7.6 pounds loss of weight in 3 weeks. Any slip-up and I could be right back to where I started.

    Any suggestions out there? Thanks in advance!

    Well, bananas are a high sugar fruit - half a banana is the recommended serving by the Mayo Clinic for Diabetics. Though, I guess I do not understand why you are opting out of having fruits. Those are great for you, if you choose the right kind. I love berries, apples, and citrus fruits. I am diabetic and manage to wake up every morning with blood sugar of 70-90 which is outstanding. You do not have to cut out sugars, or fruits, for that matter. A balanced diet is super important.

    As for milk, you can try lactose-free. It tastes the same but without the lactose. Everything in moderation! If you want a banana, perhaps cut it in half and enjoy one half in the morning and another at lunch (or after a workout because that is super potassium with a good protein shake).
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Try differentiating between processed sugar and natural sugar. Fructose is good for you. Eat fruits. :)
  • havalinaaa
    havalinaaa Posts: 333 Member
    Natural sugars aren't the enemy. If your macros (carbs, protein, and fat) are in good balance and you are staying within your calorie goal, the sugars in fruit and milk are not going to undo all your hard work. Unless there is a medical reason to lower sugar, like diabetes, you can have these things in moderation. Maybe stick to one 8oz glass of milk and 2-3 servings of fruit a day for a week or two and see how that affects your loss. If there is no affect, then you can increase the servings a little. I eat at least two servings of fruit and one of dairy a day, usually more. I've been steadily losing all along. Fruit especially is so high in so many micro-nutrients, it's a part of a healthy diet. And like you said, you need to learn how to eat the things you love in moderation or this diet will never be sustainable.
  • PANZERIA
    PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
    There is a difference between natural sugars and processed sugars. The processed ones are the ones you want to watch out for. However, it is good to avoid eating too much fruit per day. Usually if I've gone over in my sugar, but I've had a bit of fruit, yogurt, and maybe a little bit of cranberry juice, I don't stress about it.

    Instead of eating a full banana AND a full apple, maybe try just eating half of each? Put the other half away for tomorrow or, with the banana, feed it to your children/hubby/dogs, etc. I always slip my dogs the other half of my banana. They thoroughly enjoy it and get some great potassium.

    Almond milk is wonderful! I'd say that's a way better option than milk, imho. Much healthier and it isn't hard on your system. Most human body's don't process lactose properly.