So much SUGAR!

Options
amwarman
amwarman Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
I really like that MFP tells you how many calories your body needs as well as other nutritional factors. I am doing really well staying within the calorie allowance and even eating more when I am working out most days. However, I am always going over on sugar. It is unbelievable some days. I tend to eat a lot of fruit and that does it right there. Not to mention that everything I eat seems to have sugar in it even when I am trying to be conscious about it. Anyone have any advice on how to eliminate some sugars from my diet?

Replies

  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
    Options
    I limit my fruit consumption. Really the only fruits I eat are berries since they have the lowest glycemic index. If you eat yogurt, read the labels to find the one with the lowest sugar content. Plain greek style yogurt tends to have the least sugar and highest protein.
  • sapalee
    sapalee Posts: 409 Member
    Options
    I don't worry about the sugar number because a vast majority of it comes from my fruit and I'm not concerned with that. Berries have the least by the way, and my favorite. A little bit here and there from dark chocolate and different sauces. Just cut it out where you can, it is added to so many things and will add up quick. I changed my allowance for sugar in settings (to like 100 I think) and don't track it on the main page, I changed my ones to track to potassium and iron, things I want more of and seeing what is in different foods as a enter them is helping me learn good sources. You could also look at the glycemic load of different foods to see how that sugar is handled.
  • aliOop18
    aliOop18 Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    I recently added sugar to my list that I track. I was also surprised by this as well! I did not go over every day, but was surprised nonetheless. As idauria said, yogurt is a big culprit if you eat that. Also, if you eat any sort of protein/meal replacement bar, those too can have fairly high sugar content. Protein powders can be high as well. I think this is just a lesson for us to start paying attention to the labels more. I was sad that fruit tends to be high as well. But I feel better about the sugar from fruit than from other sources....so if I am enjoying fruit that's in season & delicious....as long as I'm cautious in other areas, I won't go over & still be able to enjoy fresh fruit.
  • amwarman
    amwarman Posts: 8
    Options
    Thanks everyone for the awesome replies! I do tend to eat greek yogurt but not the plain kind so I will switch those and probably not be too concerned about the natural sugars that I am eating. Thanks again!
  • damascus01
    damascus01 Posts: 7
    Options
    I've been going over everyday too and I'm not even eating dessert. I'm going over by lunch. It's just in everything I buy and I don't like to do the artificial stuff.
  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
    Options
    I also don't worry if it is from whole grains, fruits, and veggies. I just try to limit refined sugar (mostly not a problem if you avoid processed/packaged foods). The sugar in a sweet potato is not whats going to cause you problems :)

    The bummer is that every.single.freaking.food seems to have it added. Like sweet potato fries. WHY OH WHY do they add sugar to those? Makes me crazy.
  • rysprincess94
    rysprincess94 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    I have been struggling with staying in the limits on my stats too. But I have been reading up about it and the sugar allowance is mainly used for refined sugars and does not include naturally occuring sugars such as fruits, veggies and whole grains. That makes me feel better. I kept feeling like I could not have fresh fruit and noticed that even celery and carrots have sugar. So I am going to stick to just tracking refined sugar. I lost about 40 lbs. on WW's a few years back and never tracked sugar. I think that is what was frustrating me about MFP. Like the other poster stated, if you stay away from processed stuff that will take care of the refined sugar anyways. :smile:
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
    Options
    Are you diabetic? Do you have PCOS? I guess what I am trying to understand is why you are so concerned about sugars.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    Options
    I only eat natural sugars in fruit. I read the labels and avoid food with sugars in them....so I don't eat processed foods, they have tons of sugar & sodium in them. I started clean eating in March, and love it now. The weight just keeps coming off.
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
    Options
    If your sugar is comming from fruit as long as its Natrual fruit and not canned sugary fruits then your fine.. Also in can they make the kind that says no sugar on them or in water. :) So, enjoy all your sugar who cares if your over. as long as its not BAD SUGAR!
    Which honestly I love bad and good so yea........
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    If your sugar is comming from fruit as long as its Natrual fruit and not canned sugary fruits then your fine.. Also in can they make the kind that says no sugar on them or in water. :) So, enjoy all your sugar who cares if your over. as long as its not BAD SUGAR!
    Which honestly I love bad and good so yea........

    What's the difference metabolically between "good" sugars and "bad" sugars?
  • Jess81620
    Jess81620 Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    I was shocked when I first started tracking sugar as well but talking to my mom how is a nurse it's really the processed sugars you need to worry about even juice. I found some juices with half the sugar and I think subtracking out the sugar I get from fruit would help me understand what I am really eating.
  • sarabig2fit
    sarabig2fit Posts: 274 Member
    Options
    i hate that sugar from fruit and processed sugars are together.. i always get bummed out when all the sugar i've had is from the apples i've eaten.. but i'm still over!
  • edena1987
    edena1987 Posts: 66 Member
    Options
    If it comes from fruit then, long hair don't care.
  • anarod0513
    anarod0513 Posts: 119
    Options
    I have also wondered about this!!! i am always over on my sugar, and it's mostly from fruit and dairy.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    Options
    Are you diabetic? Do you have PCOS? I guess what I am trying to understand is why you are so concerned about sugars.

    this.

    unless you have a medical reason to worry about sugars, you're fine. if you are eating within most macros, definitely if you're eating in calorie limits, you're probably going to be fine. I don't track sugar at all -- and the limit on here is set very low, even according to those that decide to track. (I don't track sodium, either, but that's a whole 'nother losing battle.)
  • pk140
    pk140 Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    I find it helps to make my own food. If I want french fries I make them - from actual potatoes lol.

    I bake a lot with splenda - make a sugar/splenda mix if you don't particularly like the splenda.

    It takes time but it's worth the time. Make whatever you love when you have the time and freeze it.

    Before starting in mfp I lost 20lbs just by cutting out (or cutting down) my white sugar intake.

    Make it at home so you have control!
  • amwarman
    amwarman Posts: 8
    Options
    Are you diabetic? Do you have PCOS? I guess what I am trying to understand is why you are so concerned about sugars.

    I am not a diebetic or have PCOS but I feel like the more sugar you put into your body the harder it is to burn fat. That may or may not be true but joining MFP and tracking my daily food intake so exactly made looking at how much sugar I was eating seem like a concern to me. It also made me wonder if it was a main cause that I was not burning fat from regular exercise and eating significantly healthier.

Categories