Freebie Points a Concern?

  • I'm a little worried about how much fruit I eat because I view it as a "freebie."

    While strawberries or blueberries aren't too much of an issue, I've eaten 2-3 bananas in a single day when I know bananas are one of the worst fruits for you.

    Does anyone here ignore the "zero" point foods and enter them all as their normal calculation? ie. the side bar where you can just put in the fat, carbs, fiber and protein?
  • No I just don't eat more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables as stated in the good health guidelines.

    Though, if I were you, I'd limit my banana consumption to one or two a day. Save the other three for veggies.
  • I try not to eat more than 3 servings of fruit a day, and not more than 1 banana a day. They have 0 points but they have calories and the plan only takes into account 250 calories for 0 point items per day, from what I have read. I wouldn't track them as having points but I'd look for other things to eat instead - veggies rather than fruit, perhaps.
  • I just restarted WW 4 wks ago and for me the "free" fruit has been a lifesaver. I really think it has helped with cravings. I have so far lost almost 10 lbs, and Im good with that. Probably its not a problem for me yet because I have a lot to lose, so eventually it may slow me down. But for now its been a real help. I really like the new program so far.
  • fruit calories can add up but its SOO much better than being hungry getting off plan binging feeling guilty and working up the gonads to get back on plan ... i say if you need it.... eat it !
  • I have been STARVING ever since I started WW, LOL. So I have had up to three frozen bananas a day. I still cheated the past two weeks, and I think I may have to find some other strategy. I don't know if the fruit is causing glycemic index spikes or whether it is helping me not cheat even more.

    Honestly, the medically supervised HMR program was easier for me, because I experienced almost no hunger.

    So - does fruit hurt or help? Not sure.
  • I try to limit my fruit to no more than 3 servings a day because they tend to be higher in calories, though I didn't worry about it as much in the beginning. It tends to be a variety of fruit too, not sure I've had more than one banana in a day. Keep an eye on the scale and if it's not going as well as you like, it might be time to rethink all the bananas. Everyone is different, and even those different bodies can have different responses when they have 100 lbs to lose vs 25 lbs to lose.

    I don't know that you need to count fruit, some people do especially if they eat over a certain amount, some people don't. IMO the important part is not letting 0 point foods turn into an excuse to be oblivious to how much you are eating. Not that this can happen with bananas so much, but those other things - grapes, carrot sticks, berries, whatever. Easy to just grab them out of the container and mindlessly graze. So long as you are portion-conscious and tracking what you eat, it tends to work out. Worst case you have a not-great week and look back, see you ate many servings of fruit, and decide to rethink it.

    If you are going crazy on fruit because you are too hungry too much and your points won't stretch out, it might be time to take a look at what else you are eating and what you could maybe tweak to be more satisfying (think higher protein, higher fiber). If you think that might be a problem and you aren't sure what to change, it wouldn't hurt to post a few days of tracking and get some feedback.
  • I find that pairing fruit with protein makes for a much more satisfying snack. Berries in nonfat yogurt, apple with cheese stick or pb, etc.
  • I'm with everyone else, I don't count points for fruit, but do kake sure that Idon't have more than 3 or 4 servings a day. Also remember 1 banana is usually considered ' servings.
  • I limit bananas to 1/2 a day but allow myself larger servings of berries. If the scale begins to creep up, I start portioning the f/v better.

    I also don't eat JUST a fruit either. It has to be paired up with something else, like a granola bar or yogurt. This curbs the hunger pangs really well for me.
  • The WW plan is buiilt on 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Eating 3 bananas is over the top for sure. Moderation is the key. Nothing is free in the end because you body sees calories for every bite consumed.