IS FRUIT BAD FOR YOU??? HELP! lol

[ItsUpToYou]

So I love fruit... I probably eat at least 2 - 4 servings a day!! I can't help it!! I do lack veggies which is something I'm working on.... but the big question "Is fruit bad for me, if I'm wanting to gain muscle?" I think I'm hypoglycemic because I feel like I have low blood sugar often... Example today pre workout: 1/2 serv oats, 2 slices ezeiciel bread (spelling?), 2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 4 black olives, lil bit of spinach, 2 slices tomatoe.... And during my workout I still felt dizzy (I drink tons tons tons of water even during my w/o) so I had a banana in my locker I occasionaly snack on during my workout, and it's been helping but is that bad that I'm doing that? Or is it good to be delivering natural sugar to my muscles during a w/o?

Any advice would be great, thank you!!

[Eileen]

Ok, fruit is not bad for you, but it has to be treated with a certain amount of caution, as fructose is one of the easiest sugars to turn to fat. Even though I'm a keto dieter, fruit has its place, but not instead of proper food.

Looking at your diet, you don't have anything like enough protein or fat. Two egg white? Four black olives?

Fruit is good before or after workouts, I'd keep it low at other times, and try to stick to the lower-gi fruits.

If you really think you have a problem with insulin or blood sugars, get it checked professionally.

The trouble with fruit is that fructose has to be processed by the liver, so it doesn't deliver sugar to a working muscle when you need it. Eat it an hour before a workout and it can deliver energy during it. During the workout, it's not going to work.

You do have to remember that while you are burning carbs, you are not burning fat. Doing a workout without carbs is not fun, but it will burn more fat.

[ItsUpToYou]

I'm confused lol I had 25g protein & 45carbs before my workout, I need more? I mean that was a lot I was forcing my self to finish...

[FitWish]

My trainer has me on 1/2 a banana mid morning and 1/2 grape fruit w/ lunch...and sometimes if I "need" some extra carbs ill add in a small green/red apple so that I can lift heavy enough at the gym. (I lift mid morning) There are no carbs in my plan after 4pm because your body doesn't need them...unless your lifting at night that is.

[FitWish]

You need more protein in your pre workout meal....1 egg white is 3.3grams of protein...so you would need about 6 to get you up to 20grams of protein.

If I have a 30gram whey shake (with only water) and 1/2 banana I need to consume it in 30min prior to workout....but if I eat a real meal I can wait 1 to 1 1/2 to get my workout in.....so perhaps it's all in your timing....



And Extend will help you get through your workout....I'm cutting big time right now and I was getting dizzy like you regardless of my low carb or high carb days...but the extend allowed me to get through some VERY hard workouts.

[Eileen]

I'm confused lol I had 25g protein & 45carbs before my workout, I need more? I mean that was a lot I was forcing my self to finish...

Don't force feed yourself. But 25g of protein is on the low side.

[norinicole]

I'm confused lol I had 25g protein & 45carbs before my workout, I need more? I mean that was a lot I was forcing my self to finish...

Don't force feed yourself. But 25g of protein is on the low side.

Actually, if her pre-workout meal contains 25g of protein that's pretty good. Even better if she's consuming ~25g protein for every meal, and has about 5 meals a day (works out to be about 125g protein/day).

Now, if the OP is ONLY eating 25g of protein a day, then yes, that is way too low.

And Eileen is spot on with being careful WHEN you consume your fruit. Fruit does have many benefits including essential vitamins and anti-oxidants. I would suggest having some fruit pre and post workout. And maybe even a little bit first thing in the morning (strawberries or bananas with your oats or something).

[AUTiger13]

What is the deal with people being afraid of eating fruit?

This is from Alan Aragon:

avoiding fruit is a bad idea because:

1) fruits are calorically sparse & nutritionally dense. not mentally dense like folks who tell others to avoid them.
2) fruits are an effective default fiber & water source. you will **** better & function better.
3) fruits have small amounts of fructose per serving (4-7g). this is perfect for preserving liver glycogen & indirectly, skeletal muscle glycogen status. muscle glycogen is better replenished when small amounts of fructose are present in the postW mix.
4) a liver lacking glyco-replenishment = multiple catabolic signalling cascades = compromised gains in skeletal muscle. fructose facilitates "fed state" signals to the brain. too complex to get into right now, but this is a good thing.
5) fruits contain system & recovery-enhancing phytonutrients & antioxidant factors not present in any other food species.
6) there is not a solitary shred of science indicating ill effects on health, body composition, or physical performance as a result of eating fruit. some of the leanest, longest-living populations on the planet earth eat fruit daily.
7) it would take the consumption of a truck bed of fruits to ingest amounts of fructose associated with negative metabolic effects seen in forcefed rats. the funny thing about this is, fruit is one of the rare foods in nature that you can actually fill yourself up with, & still not tip the balance of risk versus benefit.
8) fruit avoidance just plain makes no damn sense whatsoever -- but then again, how many idiotic bodybuilding myths do you know of that do?

[ItsUpToYou]

Wow, it seems everyone implies something different but that's good, different opinions different advice is good.. See I average 20-25 prot per meal except my post workout meal is more, so I'm glad to see someones is acrediting that as a good amount, because I eat 5-7 meals a day. So i've decided I'll limit to 3 fruits a day. Thank you everyone for your help!

Actually, if her pre-workout meal contains 25g of protein that's pretty good. Even better if she's consuming ~25g protein for every meal, and has about 5 meals a day (works out to be about 125g protein/day).

Now, if the OP is ONLY eating 25g of protein a day, then yes, that is way too low.

And Eileen is spot on with being careful WHEN you consume your fruit. Fruit does have many benefits including essential vitamins and anti-oxidants. I would suggest having some fruit pre and post workout. And maybe even a little bit first thing in the morning (strawberries or bananas with your oats or something).

[ItsUpToYou]

Well, thanks... I guess this makes me not feel so bad.

What is the deal with people being afraid of eating fruit?

This is from Alan Aragon:

avoiding fruit is a bad idea because:

1) fruits are calorically sparse & nutritionally dense. not mentally dense like folks who tell others to avoid them.
2) fruits are an effective default fiber & water source. you will **** better & function better.
3) fruits have small amounts of fructose per serving (4-7g). this is perfect for preserving liver glycogen & indirectly, skeletal muscle glycogen status. muscle glycogen is better replenished when small amounts of fructose are present in the postW mix.
4) a liver lacking glyco-replenishment = multiple catabolic signalling cascades = compromised gains in skeletal muscle. fructose facilitates "fed state" signals to the brain. too complex to get into right now, but this is a good thing.
5) fruits contain system & recovery-enhancing phytonutrients & antioxidant factors not present in any other food species.
6) there is not a solitary shred of science indicating ill effects on health, body composition, or physical performance as a result of eating fruit. some of the leanest, longest-living populations on the planet earth eat fruit daily.
7) it would take the consumption of a truck bed of fruits to ingest amounts of fructose associated with negative metabolic effects seen in forcefed rats. the funny thing about this is, fruit is one of the rare foods in nature that you can actually fill yourself up with, & still not tip the balance of risk versus benefit.
8) fruit avoidance just plain makes no damn sense whatsoever -- but then again, how many idiotic bodybuilding myths do you know of that do?

[kimm4]

My trainer has me on 1/2 a banana mid morning and 1/2 grape fruit w/ lunch...and sometimes if I "need" some extra carbs ill add in a small green/red apple so that I can lift heavy enough at the gym. (I lift mid morning) There are no carbs in my plan after 4pm because your body doesn't need them...unless your lifting at night that is.

There is too much "don't eat carbs" after this time myth that floats around these boards. As long as your daily macros are on, you can eat carbs anytime of the day. Yes, even at night...doesn't make a bit of difference in your physique.

To the OP there's nothing wrong with fruit, but keep in mind there are plenty of carbs sources that are more filling. I will take rice, a potatos, yams, etc...any day over a piece of fruit.

[AUTiger13]

Well, thanks... I guess this makes me not feel so bad.

DO NOT feel bad for eating fruit. I love fruit too. I will always work it into my menu.

[freebirdmac]

Dizziness during a workout.... how many meals do you have before you workout?

I'm in the not afraid of fruit group as well. Extra cals put on fat and can come from any macro Bananas in particular are a great food.

[Tiffany_P]

There is too much "don't eat carbs" after this time myth that floats around these boards. As long as your daily macros are on, you can eat carbs anytime of the day. Yes, even at night...doesn't make a bit of difference in your physique.

Just wanted to quote this because it's worth repeating

Fruit can be very beneficial on a cut since it contains fructose, which replenishes liver glycogen. This can help keep hunger at bay. If your main goal is muscle building and not fat loss, then hunger is probably not an issue, so you might be better off with carb sources that replenish muscle glycogen instead (although fruit contains some of that too).

[Amanda76]

I also eat fruit...the only reason I limit it is for the same reason Kimm does. There are foods I find more satisfying/energy providing when my cals are too low.

I think freebirdmac brought up a good question over whether that's your first meal of the day. My workouts are total crap without at least 2 meals behind me...3 is preferable. And what I eat the night before makes a difference as well. If you're a person who cuts carbs in the afternoon/evening (or doesn't eat enough on non-workout days) and then wakes up in the morning trying to lift using carbs your body hasn't had a chance to digest and put to use, that could be what your problem is.

[kpettitt]

I eat an apple every day....I can't function without fruit! Like AUtiger says "You **** better when you eat fruit" True story there!

[NOVA888]

Ok, fruit is not bad for you, but it has to be treated with a certain amount of caution, as fructose is one of the easiest sugars to turn to fat. Even though I'm a keto dieter, fruit has its place, but not instead of proper food.

Looking at your diet, you don't have anything like enough protein or fat. Two egg white? Four black olives?

Fruit is good before or after workouts, I'd keep it low at other times, and try to stick to the lower-gi fruits.

If you really think you have a problem with insulin or blood sugars, get it checked professionally.

The trouble with fruit is that fructose has to be processed by the liver, so it doesn't deliver sugar to a working muscle when you need it. Eat it an hour before a workout and it can deliver energy during it. During the workout, it's not going to work.

You do have to remember that while you are burning carbs, you are not burning fat. Doing a workout without carbs is not fun, but it will burn more fat.

I'm with Eileen on this. I know it's controversial, but I do what works for me. And fruit inside of my body behaves like any other sugar, giving me an ass that's prone to fat. I don't like having excess fat on my body, or having to 'work' so hard with my weight, or to be frustrated. Sure, some might say that I should just work out more (but I already do that), or maybe more efficiently (I'm doing pretty good there too). But why? Just so I can eat some fruits?

Since giving up sugars my body has become what some refer to as 'naturally' thin. So I simply won't eat foods with high-glycemic loads, or even fruit sugars. Occasionally, I'll consume some strawberries, but that's about it. I can get whatever nutrients and fibers I need from consuming vegetables.

[alan aragon]

Ok, fruit is not bad for you, but it has to be treated with a certain amount of caution, as fructose is one of the easiest sugars to turn to fat. Even though I'm a keto dieter, fruit has its place, but not instead of proper food.

Looking at your diet, you don't have anything like enough protein or fat. Two egg white? Four black olives?

Fruit is good before or after workouts, I'd keep it low at other times, and try to stick to the lower-gi fruits.

If you really think you have a problem with insulin or blood sugars, get it checked professionally.

The trouble with fruit is that fructose has to be processed by the liver, so it doesn't deliver sugar to a working muscle when you need it. Eat it an hour before a workout and it can deliver energy during it. During the workout, it's not going to work.

You do have to remember that while you are burning carbs, you are not burning fat. Doing a workout without carbs is not fun, but it will burn more fat.

1) Even for someone keto dieting, it's very easy to fit in 2-3 fruits per day if you're willing to use fruit as a primary carb source.
2) Most fruits are low-GI. Not that GI has any significant bearing on bodycomp in the 1st place.
3) You're wrong about fruit not being able to deliver fuel substrate to working muscle. Hopefully you're aware that most fruit contains an even combination of fructcose & glucose. Also, you're kidding yourself if you think that the liver glycogenolysis doesn't occur during training.
4) Caring about how much fat is burned during training makes as much sense as caring about how much muscle is built during training. What matters is net fat balance by the end of the day/week/month, and this primarily is an issue of thermodynamics.

[ladymystique]

when I cut fruit out of my diet I leaned out more. I would say consistancy though as with anything. Don't cut it out of your diet, just cut back a bit on it. Has lots of sugar! I use not eat fruit at all but since have added a green apple a day or some blue berries in my oatmeal. If your training for a competition though I don't think you should eat any.

[alan aragon]

when I cut fruit out of my diet I leaned out more.

Pretty cool how reducing calories leans you out more

[Miranda]

Since giving up sugars my body has become what some refer to as 'naturally' thin. So I simply won't eat foods with high-glycemic loads, or even fruit sugars.

'glycemic load' has to do with how much of a food you eat, not the type of food (or sugar).

[norinicole]

pretty cool how reducing calories leans you out more

bahahaha!

[twinnett]

Pretty cool how reducing calories leans you out more

heehee...I love you

[alan aragon]

I love you too.

In a VERY politically correct way.

[Opies]

Ok, fruit is not bad for you, but it has to be treated with a certain amount of caution, as fructose is one of the easiest sugars to turn to fat. Even though I'm a keto dieter, fruit has its place, but not instead of proper food.

Looking at your diet, you don't have anything like enough protein or fat. Two egg white? Four black olives?

Fruit is good before or after workouts, I'd keep it low at other times, and try to stick to the lower-gi fruits.

If you really think you have a problem with insulin or blood sugars, get it checked professionally.

The trouble with fruit is that fructose has to be processed by the liver, so it doesn't deliver sugar to a working muscle when you need it. Eat it an hour before a workout and it can deliver energy during it. During the workout, it's not going to work.

You do have to remember that while you are burning carbs, you are not burning fat. Doing a workout without carbs is not fun, but it will burn more fat.

I laughed ridiculously hard at almost every single part of your post, especially the part implying fruit is not 'proper' food. Hah! Get educated.

[trance__dreamer]

What is the deal with people being afraid of eating fruit?

this is by far the most infuriating thread i've ever come across. pple, get it together, folks!!! *shakes head in disbelief* =S =S =S

[PBanonymous]

I'm sooo glad I stumbled on this post. I am obsessed with fruit! Unlike some previous posters I would rather eat fruit over ANY carb: bread, oatmeal, bagels,... you name it.

I'm not quite sure why either?! I eat fruit in EVERYTHING. Salads, cottage cheese, greek yogurt. I actually eat it just about with every meal... Yikes! haha... its workin for me though..

[trance__dreamer]

when I cut fruit out of my diet I leaned out more. I would say consistancy though as with anything. Don't cut it out of your diet, just cut back a bit on it. Has lots of sugar! I use not eat fruit at all but since have added a green apple a day or some blue berries in my oatmeal. If your training for a competition though I don't think you should eat any.

when you cut out carbs, you lose water weight & bloat. this happens to me, too.
if i wanna look really good for something, i'll go low carb.
other than that, low carb can go fck itself.

bahahaha!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha! fckin' RIGHTS!!!

[WhiteDiamonds]

What would we do if the world shut down? Would we turn down an apple because it would make us fat? lol
Crazy.

[NOVA888]

'glycemic load' has to do with how much of a food you eat, not the type of food (or sugar).

It's a combination of both portion and glycemic index. Hence the reason I mentioned glycemic 'load' or 'sugars.'