Is fruit making me gain weight?

Is fruit making me gain weight? I got this question recently (and have many times over the years) so I thought I’d address it here.

Is fruit making me gain weight?

The short answer… no. 

The longer answer in three parts

1. ANY food you eat over your baseline calorie intake can lead to weight gain. So if you eat 3000 calories of fruit each day, yes–you could gain weight. However, since fruit is high in fiber, and you’d also get a terrible stomachache ingesting that much fruit– it’s not likely this is going to happen.
   
   

2. Fruit is higher in sugar (yes, naturally occurring fructose, but sugar nonetheless). Because other sugary foods lead to weight gain, people assume that the sugar in fruit can also lead to weight gain. In reality, most sugary foods are either also high in fat which = higher calorie content (like cookies, cakes, etc.) OR very low any nutritional value– like soda, or candy- foods that don’t make you full, and are manufactured to be delicious= a recipe for overeating.
   
   Fruit on the other hand is high in fiber – which means it’s filling– as well as water. Since it’s filling you’re likely to stop when you’re full– or be in a lot of GI distress from overeating fruit. 

3. If you re consistently gaining weight, the last thing you should worry about cutting out is fiber. A high-fiber diet (aka fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes) is associated with better health overall– better cholesterol, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and easier weight management and blood sugar control. 
   
   

If you’re desperate to cut something out of your diet, you want someone to ‘tell you what to eat’ or you feel the need to have food rules to help you feel in control of your diet… you should probably be more concerned about your relationship with food, and creating balance within your diet. 

If that sounds like you, I created a free ebook here all about improving your nutrition without adding extra stress to your life. 

How to break the obsession with your trigger food

What’s a trigger food? That food you can’t bring in the house without it calling your name. The one you can sit down and you blink and it’s gone (and your stomach hurts from eating so much). The food you turn to when you’re stressed. You know the one.

For some people it’s sweets like cookies or candy. Others love salty foods like chips or chex mix.

How to break the obsession with your trigger food?

(first, make sure you’ve downloaded my ebook to make sure you know what to eat to stay satisfied + how to PREVENT stress eating in the first place..)

Now back to trigger foods… Most coaches recommend cleaning out your home food environment to support your nutrition goals.

While I agree in making sure that you meal plan, plan ahead for sweets, and have plenty of healthy foods available... I never recommend getting rid of all foods you love -- like sweets or chips or whatever, especially if they "trigger" you.

Why?

Because eventually you'll be around that food again, and ignoring it does not change your relationship with food.

And then if you do have access to it at a party, or a friend’s house or on vacation... you'll either binge or you'll be mentally preoccupied **thinking** about eating it.

My goal: help you feel free around all foods. Freedom does not come from restriction. That gives the food too much power. I want YOU to have the power. I want you to know you can be around any food and feel free to decide to eat it (or not) and to stop when you're satisfied.

Here's what I recommend instead:

1. Buy a small portion of *the* food. An individual candy bar, a small bag of chips, an individual item from a bakery... whatever it is that you LOVE.

2. Take it HOME to eat. Sit down. Enjoy it. Close your eyes. Really taste it.

3. Repeat this a few times. Maybe a couple of times in a week or over a month.

4. Buy a larger portion. A full bag of chips. A bag of mini candy bars, whatever. Now you MIGHT feel a lack of control and binge ( in which case.. take a breather and go back to step one). But in most cases, my clients surprise themselves. They aren't obsessed. The food can sit in the cabinet for weeks when in the past they felt it was literally calling their name until they ate it all.

I recommend allowing yourself increasing access and as you get more access, and become more in tune with your hunger and fullness cues (versus EMOTIONAL hunger-- we talk about this in coaching) you will realize it's not about the food. You just don't care that much anymore.

Why? Because you can manage your emotions. You can fuel yourself with delicious, healthy meals. You can eat and enjoy chocolate or ice cream or chips without guilt. You can really be around any food, and not feel out of control.

THAT is what making peace with food means to me.

Ready to stop stress eating? Ready to eat healthy foods without restricting?
Be sure to download your free ebook below!

The #1 skill required for weight loss (that most people ignore)

The #1 skill required for weight loss (that most people ignore)

If you’re used to following diets or programs, you’re probably pretty tuned into what to eat, how much, and how often.

But what most programs fail to tell you is that you can actually re-learn to trust your own hunger and fullness cues. And these cues are KEY for losing weight without being a slave to your calorie tracker.

I’ve been there. Tracking every morsel, shoving a spinach salad down, and weighing each component of my next meal. SO out of tune with my own body. Was I hungry? Starving? Stuffed? Couldn’t tell you.

The only time I knew was when I was so stuffed, I would purge.

Now? I of course eat balanced meals, but most importantly… I follow my own hunger cues. Here’s how.

How to use the hunger scale:

1. Allow yourself to get hungry before you next meal. Pause and notice— what does that feel like in your body? Is it an emotional feeling? A physical feeling? What does your stomach feel like?

2. Avoid getting too hungry. This leads to overeating (and feeling sick).

3. Eat slowly without distractions. Sit down and really focus on what you’re eating. Eating while watching tv, scrolling social media, or trying to send an email means you won’t actually be satisfied by the food you’re eating.

4. Aim for most meals to be balanced. I call this the PFF (protein-fat-fiber) method. Download my free ebook to learn how to combine the hunger scale with balanced meals for optimal success with overcoming emotional eating + actually lose weight in a balanced way.

5 easy and healthy breakfast ideas for moms

I know the feeling of dragging in the morning, barely getting by on a cup of coffee and being starvingggg by mid-morning. It’s a vicious cycle that leads to huge sugar cravings + energy crashes. If you are repeating that cycle on a weekly (or daily basis) it’s a recipe for feeling like crap and quick weight gain.

Need some healthy breakfast ideas?? Here are 5 simple PFF (protein-fat-fiber) breakfast ideas for busy moms!

Why PFF?? HIgh protein + fiber with some healthy fats = the perfect combo to keep you satisfied, and keep energy levels up without a crash.

1. PFF Oatmeal. Use 1/2 c quick oats. Add water + 1/2 cup egg whites and cook like normal. Mix in whatever combo of toppings you like (berries, banana, peanut butter, etc. ) Add 1-2 T chia seeds for extra fiber.

2. PFF smoothie. A protein shake that will keep you satisfied with extra fiber (from greens and fruit) plus some healthy fats. Use milk of choice, add in protein powder, blend with 1/2c fruit and a large handful of greens (like spinach or baby kale)

3. Avocado toast. Make it PFF by adding a fruit egg + some egg whites or cottage cheese. Use whole grain bread and add a side fo berries for even more fiber

4. Egg scramble. Make it PFF by adding 2 eggs, 1/2c egg whites to some sauteed veggies. Sprinkle with cheese.

5. Pancakes. Make it PFF by using kodiak cakes. Skip the syrup and top with greek yogurt, peanut butter, and fruit.

Need more tips for healthy and balanced meals? Sick of trying different diets and nutritiion plans only to “fall off the wagon” and binge eat? Be sure and download my free nutrition guide!

4 ways to model healthy habits for kids + BONUS ebook: how to stop yo-yo dieting

Most moms I talk to want to break their nutrition patterns/obsessions to benefit their kids. They grew up either self-soothing with food or with body image issues stemming from their own mothers’ food or body comments.

Ready to learn how to break your own patterns so your kids can grow up with a healthy body image + a healthy relationship with food? High five! Here are four tips to get you started.

Tip One: the way YOU talk about your own body matters big time.

Breaking this cycle is not a “do as I say, not as I do” situation. It all starts with you, mama, and that means owning your own ish and taking note of how you talk about your body out loud AND silently in your mind.

Kids can pick up on your body language and they notice things you may not even realize… how often you’re weighing yourself, the words you use when you put on a bathing suit or try on clothes, how you act when they ask you to go swimming or out for ice cream. They notice if you’re talking about weight loss, counting calories, or stressing about weight gain.

It might seem overwhelming to overcome years (or maybe decades) of beating yourself up. I hear you. Put your hand on your heart and take a deep breath, and practice thoughts that are positive (or neutral) about your body. Remember: this isn’t about loving your body. it’s about talking about bodies in a neutral way without obsessing over how they look.

• I HAVE a body (instead of **insert size commentary, etc.)

• My body is capable of amazing things

• I feel best in my body when I take care of it

• I can take care of my body by ____________

• My kids will learn to care for their bodies by how I care for my own body

Catching yourself in your old thought patterns is the first step to changing them.

Tip Two: all foods are neutral (aka no bad foods)

Saying some foods are bad for us (unless for example: the kid is allergic, or the food is moldy) can actually backfire and lead to kids obsessing over foods.

It might seem counterintuitive, but allowing kids some access to processed or sugar/salty foods can help them learn to self-moderate, especially when you’re asking questions like “I know you want more, and this ice cream is soooo delicious! But how do you think your tummy would feel if we had more ice cream? There is plenty left, let’s save some for tomorrow”, etc.

Including dessert, for example, as part of the weekly routine (I.e. on Tuesday and Friday we have dessert) it makes it planned, they know they can expect it a few times a week, and MOST importantly it’s not a bribe.

Including kids in planning meals, cooking, picking out foods at the grocery store, looking at recipes, etc. can help them feel empowered as meal-time participants.

Tip three: Don’t bribe with foods

I know this is a hard habit to break, and I even find food bribes flying out of my own mouth when I’m desperate. But using foods to bribe kids is just like labeling or making certain foods off-limits- it can actually backfire and lead to kids obsessing about foods, sneaking foods, and then when they access them, they feel scarcity so rather than listening to their hunger/fullness cues, they eat until stuffed.

Rather than bribing- as mentioned above, offer foods that kids love regularly.

An example of this: my 5-year-old LOVES mac and cheese. I offer it about once per week, and when I make the plate I also offer a protein (like shredded chicken for example) as well as a fruit and vegeteable. She has the food that she wants AND she can have it as part of a balanced plate. Win-win. Now, she doesn’t always want the veggie- but the point is that we offer foods that are less nutritionally-dense as part of a balanced meal.

Side note: nutritionally dense foods are foods like fruit, veggie, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, etc. that provide the body with satisfying and healthful nutrients.

Calorically dense foods are the opposite. These are foods that are higher calories, lower in nutrition I.e. highly processed foods- chips, candy, fast-food, muffins, sweetened drinks, fried foods, packaged crackers, cookies, etc.

Tip four: modeling a healthy relationship with food + exercise

Talking about food and exercise in a positive way is key in helping kids learn their own healthy habits. This isn’t so much about lecturing but narrating your own experience

• “Wow, I love how I felt after I got some fresh air and went out for a walk. How does your body feel when you go outside to run/play/etc.?”

• My body is telling me it’s hungry! I feel a little grumble in my belly. How does your body tell you it’s hungry?

• My body is starting to feel full. I still have food on my plate, but I’m done eating. How is your belly feeling?

• Ooops I had a little bit too much candy and I have a belly ache! Silly me. How does your body feel when you have a lot of sugar?? What do you think mommy should do next time?

• I like to put my fork down between bites because it helps me slow down when I’m eating. Do you know why it’s important to eat slowly? (Discuss mindful eating, slowing down, enjoying food, stopping when satisfied, etc. )

If you’re ready to dig in a learn more about changing your own nutrition habits so you can model a healthy relationship with food for your kids, be sure and download my free ebook below.