When to Eat Fruit?

So I keep reading for fruit to be incorporated in diets, but then people say to try to consume their carbs around their workout sessions, and then go on to say that fruits are not the best thing to have peri-workout when trying to lose fat. So for those of you who have successfully lean-bulked or lost body fat period, when are you consuming fruit?

I have been getting really bad foot/toe cramps when working legs, and would like to start eating bananas a couple of times/week since the potassium is supposed to help with this.

I read somewhere (specific right?) that our galactose (carbs from dairy) are best post workout, carbs from grains are best pre, simple sugars best in the AM, and fruit is best on off days. The context was a lot more sciency than that, but that was my takeaway. I can see bananas being a bit of the exception, since they are almost pure sugar.

But these are minor details, and if you want a banana, go for it. Though, you could also try cleaning up your diet in other areas. Heck, if you want potassium, you could give potatoes, avacadoes, beans, or yogurt a go… all have more potassium than a banana.

I don’t really put too much thought into it, I just have some fruit every day with my first meal, about 150 grams of whatever is in season… apples, pears, berries, etc.

[quote]1 Man Island wrote:
I read somewhere (specific right?) that our galactose (carbs from dairy) are best post workout, carbs from grains are best pre, simple sugars best in the AM, and fruit is best on off days. The context was a lot more sciency than that, but that was my takeaway. I can see bananas being a bit of the exception, since they are almost pure sugar.

But these are minor details, and if you want a banana, go for it. Though, you could also try cleaning up your diet in other areas. Heck, if you want potassium, you could give potatoes, avacadoes, beans, or yogurt a go… all have more potassium than a banana.[/quote]

My diet is pretty clean for the most part. I fast (coffee with EVCO in the am) til lunch time around 11:30. Lots of spinach, grilled chicken and beef/bison, eggs and bacon. I supplement with one or two protein shakes/day if I haven’t met my protein goals. I cook with EVCO, as well as use it in my coffee in the morning. I eat a handful or two of peanut/almond mix once/day in the afternoons. Every now and then I’ll have half a natty pb&j sandwich with my post workout meal. I’ve been low carb (100 or so on workout days, all post workout) and no carb (trace carbs from nuts and spinach on off days) for a while now, and yet I’ve seen very little change in my stomach fat. I’m lean everywhere else, and have been like this my entire life (always had a bit of a belly). Thus the concern with reintroducing fruits to my diet.

Don’t let this be over complicated: have them early in your day so you burn off the sugar, or before your walk or exercise. Google up a glycemic load chart, and find the fruits with the lowest loads.

this is a prime example of obsessing over stuff that has very little impact.

Just eat your fruit whenever. It’s good for you.

I just don’t eat fruit.

[quote]Yogi wrote:
this is a prime example of obsessing over stuff that has very little impact.

Just eat your fruit whenever. It’s good for you.[/quote]

I hear you and I agree. It’s just frustrating with some of my friends who also lift seeing better results with a much shittier diet. I understand some of that is genetics, but damn.

I sit at a computer most of the day, so that’s why I was questioning the fruit in the am.

I’m not lean, so take my advice w/ a grain of salt, but I have run a successful cut.

Your goals sound unclear. In the first post, you talk about bulking; by “lean bulk,” did you actually mean recomp or just moderating fat gain? In your second post, you talk about fat loss.

IF you want to cut, cut; if you want to bulk, bulk; if you want to recomp, it’s possible, but it will be slow going. It sounds like you get plenty of fat. Nuts, and protein shakes for that matter, have a lot of calories. I found that I struggled w/ fatloss if I had nuts, dairy, and a shake more than once a day each, just because they have more calories than the equivalent olive oil and chicken breast.

Since you’re cramping, maybe you need more carbs. I know Shugert suggests 100g/day + periworkout on working days, which comes out to about 160g on workout days and less than 100 on off days. Just cut out some of the fat.

I generally don’t eat fruit and just use Superfood.

I generally eat a big salad full of deep leafy greens daily.

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
I just don’t eat fruit.[/quote]

Is all you eat fatty cuts of meat, fats, and veggies?

[quote]machwon wrote:

[quote]Yogi wrote:
this is a prime example of obsessing over stuff that has very little impact.

Just eat your fruit whenever. It’s good for you.[/quote]

I hear you and I agree. It’s just frustrating with some of my friends who also lift seeing better results with a much shittier diet. I understand some of that is genetics, but damn.

I sit at a computer most of the day, so that’s why I was questioning the fruit in the am. [/quote]

You think a piece of fruit is the determining factor of your gains?

Really?

Stop comparing yourself to others and make your own goals. If you are not gaining, an apple will not be the difference, no matter what time you eat it.

You need to look at your diet and program a lot closer and be honest with yourself.

And every time I see the words “eating clean”, I see underfed.

maybe low carb isn’t for you… 5 pieces of fruit = what 500 cal? what kind of workouts are you doing, you shouldn’t have to worry about 1 piece.

[quote]JFG wrote:

[quote]machwon wrote:

[quote]Yogi wrote:
this is a prime example of obsessing over stuff that has very little impact.

Just eat your fruit whenever. It’s good for you.[/quote]

I hear you and I agree. It’s just frustrating with some of my friends who also lift seeing better results with a much shittier diet. I understand some of that is genetics, but damn.

I sit at a computer most of the day, so that’s why I was questioning the fruit in the am. [/quote]

You think a piece of fruit is the determining factor of your gains?

Really?

Stop comparing yourself to others and make your own goals. If you are not gaining, an apple will not be the difference, no matter what time you eat it.

You need to look at your diet and program a lot closer and be honest with yourself.

And every time I see the words “eating clean”, I see underfed.[/quote]

No, I don’t. And that’s not at all what I said. My gains are fine, but I’m trying to do it without more fat gain, and hopefully while slowly losing fat. That’s why I was questioning the fruit and when people were eating it. I didn’t know if there were studies showing that fruits at a certain time of day or period of time from the workout were more likely to be stored as fat or not. I was trying to find out why I have read, in several places, that fruits shouldn’t be consumed post workout.

I find fruit to be a shitty carb source bodybuilding wise.

Rice, potatoes much more bang for your buck.

[quote]therajraj wrote:
I find fruit to be a shitty carb source bodybuilding wise.

Rice, potatoes much more bang for your buck.[/quote]

Any/all rice? white, brown, etc?

I like eating fruit in the car heading home from a workout or first thing in the morning with breakfast. Don’t worry about it to much as long as you have the rest of your diet in check and your not eating a dozen donuts for breakfast or having fastfood or takeout for dinner and lunch a couple/few pieces of fruit won’t hurt and will probably do you some good. you might not be stage worthy but you’ll still be better than 99% out there.

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
I just don’t eat fruit.[/quote]

Is all you eat fatty cuts of meat, fats, and veggies?[/quote]

And a lot of nuts (many of which are more anti-oxidant rich than fruit). And I’m trying to get more organ meat.

[quote]machwon wrote:

[quote]JFG wrote:

[quote]machwon wrote:

[quote]Yogi wrote:
this is a prime example of obsessing over stuff that has very little impact.

Just eat your fruit whenever. It’s good for you.[/quote]

I hear you and I agree. It’s just frustrating with some of my friends who also lift seeing better results with a much shittier diet. I understand some of that is genetics, but damn.

I sit at a computer most of the day, so that’s why I was questioning the fruit in the am. [/quote]

You think a piece of fruit is the determining factor of your gains?

Really?

Stop comparing yourself to others and make your own goals. If you are not gaining, an apple will not be the difference, no matter what time you eat it.

You need to look at your diet and program a lot closer and be honest with yourself.

And every time I see the words “eating clean”, I see underfed.[/quote]

No, I don’t. And that’s not at all what I said. My gains are fine, but I’m trying to do it without more fat gain, and hopefully while slowly losing fat. That’s why I was questioning the fruit and when people were eating it. I didn’t know if there were studies showing that fruits at a certain time of day or period of time from the workout were more likely to be stored as fat or not. I was trying to find out why I have read, in several places, that fruits shouldn’t be consumed post workout.[/quote]

Then look at your overall diet. Find out what you are eating, when and how much.

Fructose also replenishes liver glycogen. Not very helpful for what you are trying to do. Bananas (for example) also have a lot of glucose, so that is not too bad.

Fruit is not bad, but you need the right kind of fruit and there are better options out there for PWO.

But I stand by my original post. YES, you did say that your friends get better results with shittier diets. That is not saying your gains are fine.

If you are gaining fat, your diet and/or program suck, you are inconsistent or you are not telling us the whole story.

Ever thought about a log (food and WO)?

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
I just don’t eat fruit.[/quote]

Is all you eat fatty cuts of meat, fats, and veggies?[/quote]

And a lot of nuts (many of which are more anti-oxidant rich than fruit). And I’m trying to get more organ meat.[/quote]
What is a “lot of nuts”?

I didn’t think anyone could eat as much nuts as I do, although lately I am trying to cut down.

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