Peanut Butter Addiction

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cookiedeer
cookiedeer Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
I eat very well usually, never missing a serving of fruits and vegetables. My calorie intake is around 1200-1500, and I am very active from serving tables and running at least 2 miles daily. I almost never eat dairy unless it's Greek yogurt or eggs, and I tend to favor sprouted breads, steelcut oats, and brown rice. I don't ever eat pastries or fatty deserts and snacks. Some days I endulge in graham or animal crackers, maybe some muesli, but I almost ALWAYS hit the peanut butter very hard sometime during the day. In recent weeks, ive been striving for more variety, and ive been attempting to get more protein from fish and turkey, but this week I was, again, dreadfully hungry and couldnt think of anything that would sate my hunger more that peanut butter would.

My question is, with the whole of my diet and exercise, is eating 500 calories worth of peanutbutter going to make me gain weight - regardless of the fact I'm still under my calories goal?
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Replies

  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    No, in fact studies have shown it is actually beneficial to eat nuts while maintaining normal to weight losing calorie levels.
  • mdelcott
    mdelcott Posts: 529 Member
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    I would love to know I too am addicted to peanut butter...I cant leave it alone and eat it straight from the jar on a spoon..I LOVE it I have tried PB2, and although its alright It isnt the same and I always come back to the real thing..
  • gettingto98
    gettingto98 Posts: 22
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    i'd watch out for the fats in it, but i don't think so. i actually do this a lot too. i love love love peanut butter and have been known to eat whole jars in a sitting.
  • BeantownSooner
    BeantownSooner Posts: 254
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    No, just go all natural with it as it has a lot less added sugar. I eat a PB&J and a handful of unsalted nuts every single day!
  • cookiedeer
    cookiedeer Posts: 13
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    Mmmmm! I am so happy I'm not alone. Its so hard to mentally accept that it could be beneficial to weight loss or maintain because if all the fat....
  • SamanthaAnnM
    SamanthaAnnM Posts: 143 Member
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    I think peanut butter (or other nut butters, like my personal favorite - Almond butter!) can definitely be part of a healthy diet, especially if you buy it organic with literally the only ingredient being the nuts and a little salt. 500 calories worth of peanut butter sounds like a lot though and it will add a lot of fat to your diet. I'm no nutritionist so I'm not sure what it will do to your weight loss, although I do believe in "calories in, calories out" theory for sure. It sounds to me like you're experiencing a craving and not actual hunger - one easy way to tell is if you feel like your "hunger" can only be staved off by a certain food, which is what you described! So maybe you could have only a spoonful of peanut butter when the craving is really bad or as a treat, but also do things that distract you from the craving. You could also up your fruit and veggies (esp. veggies) intake, and definitely your protein which will keep you full much longer.
  • cookiedeer
    cookiedeer Posts: 13
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    You are definitely right about the cravings. However, there is no possible way I could eat anymore fruits and vegetables than I already do - maybe its lack of protein in general? Ive gotta be doing something wrong.
  • fightingautism
    fightingautism Posts: 84
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    Are you eating all natural/organic peanut butter? I'm convinced the corn syrup is the addictive part of peanut butter. Once I switched to the natural stuff I stopped craving it like I used to.
  • ARyding17
    ARyding17 Posts: 75 Member
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    oh my gosh, this is like made for me.

    Do you realise I used to eat whole jars of peanut butter? In yogurt, with choclate, on bread, plain, in candy/ice cream, ect. I eat it ALL! I know its good for you but my gosh is it high in calories and if anyone even waves so much as something with a hint of peanut butter infront of my face I am a goner!
  • cookiedeer
    cookiedeer Posts: 13
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    He he he, this is so true for me as well. The question then becomes, "what other vehicles can I use for peanut butter? How about this cucumber? Maybe in my oat meal?"
  • urbansmamma
    urbansmamma Posts: 202 Member
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    This is a great recipe for a nutty spread. It is weird, but surprisingly delicious.. And a lot less calories:

    1 cup cooked white beans (I use cannellini beans but any white bean will work)
    1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (you can sub in other nut butters)
    2 Tbsp agave nectar or pure maple syrup  (agave has fewer calories)
    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    salt, as needed
    Directions: Blend everything together in a food processor. Enjoy!
    Nutritional information: (Per 2 Tbsp serving)
    Calories 90
    Calories from fat 37
    Total Fat 4.1 g
    Cholesterol 0
    Total carbohydrates 10.6g
    Fiber 2.5 g
    Sugars 4.5 g
    Protein 3.8 g
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
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    <---Peanut butter *kitten* right here! LOL. I eat it daily and have lost weight very successfully. Enjoy! It's good for you, especially the natural peanut butters.
  • nic2561
    nic2561 Posts: 21 Member
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    I used to have to keep PB out of the house because I would inevitably end up with a spoon in the jar until it was empty. It was my favorite binge food. I believe what was lacking from my diet was fat....I was eating low fat garbage at the time. You seem to eat a very healthy diet made up of fruits and veggies, so it doesn't sound like the PB should be a problem but maybe the reason your craving it so much is because of a lack of fat rather than protein, or perhaps a combination of the two.

    I have actually had the most luck with losing weight when eating a diet higher in (healthy) fat than MFP recommends. I eat PB every day (without the urge to go overboard) and also include healthy oils, avocado and fatty fishes in my diet and of course lots of fruits and veggies.
  • cookiedeer
    cookiedeer Posts: 13
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    I used to have to keep PB out of the house because I would inevitably end up with a spoon in the jar until it was empty. It was my favorite binge food. I believe what was lacking from my diet was fat....I was eating low fat garbage at the time. You seem to eat a very healthy diet made up of fruits and veggies, so it doesn't sound like the PB should be a problem but maybe the reason your craving it so much is because of a lack of fat rather than protein, or perhaps a combination of the two.

    I have actually had the most luck with losing weight when eating a diet higher in (healthy) fat than MFP recommends. I eat PB every day (without the urge to go overboard) and also include healthy oils, avocado and fatty fishes in my diet and of course lots of fruits and veggies.

    This is very, very helpful! I have definitely overlooked this possibility. Thank you so much for the insight!
  • TheWave97
    TheWave97 Posts: 11
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    I know EXACTLY how you feel. Nothing can beat the taste of real crunchy peanut butter!!!!
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    I think that if you are staying under your calories, you should be fine.
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    Oh, and also if you like the PB taste, look into some stuff called PB2. It's powdered peanuts with the fat squeezed out, so it's got a ton less calories but still the peanut taste.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    No, peanut butter is great for you - it has healthy fats and protein! I'd recommend eating the all natural kind since most other kinds have sugar added. Smuckers all natural is my favorite!

    You won't gain weight from it if you're under your calorie goal. Hypothetically speaking you could eat all 1200 calories in peanut butter and still be losing weight... you just wouldn't be very nutritionally healthy!
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,804 Member
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    Try the PB2, I love peanut butter everything, and PB2 is Awesome, I use it in my Oatmeal, on ice cream in cookies. in yogurt. It is 45 calories for 2 Tbsp vs 190 for regular Peanut Butter. other than that peanut butter is good for you.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    My question is, with the whole of my diet and exercise, is eating 500 calories worth of peanutbutter going to make me gain weight - regardless of the fact I'm still under my calories goal?

    Answer: No, if you are under your calories. If you want to cut out some of the calories in PB, try PB2. It's really pretty tasty.

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