Banana's and peanut butter...

Hello all.  This is my first official post on this forum, but I have read the posts very frequently.  Anyway...I have been trying to gain weight for a while.  I am 6 ft. 2 in. and about 133-135 lbs (depends on the time I weigh myself :/).  Anyway, one of the food items I consider a "sweet treat" is any combo of peanut butter and bananas.  I love it over ice cream, in shakes, or on just a plain piece of toast.  I realize that as I am trying to gain weight, both are exceptionall good for me.  However, I do have a few questions regarding these two items.

1. I get these pre-frozen, chiquita bananas from the place I work (they are used for smoothies).  There is no nutritional information on the box they come in, but I often like to slice the frozen bananas to put them in the oatmeal as it warms up.  This provides me with mushy banana oatmeal.  Hey, it tastes better than the name :).  Anyway, do you think these pre-frozen bananas are less healthy in any way?  Could they contain more sugar?  Am I better sticking with fresh chiquita bananas?

2. I work until about 9:30 every night, and when I get home, I am usually craving something to eat.  Often, I enjoy to indulge in my peanut butter fix at this time.  Now, I usually get to sleep by 10:30.  Is it bad timing to get my PB fix at this time (i.e. so close to my bed time?).  Are there better snacks to have before bed? 

3. Along the same lines as #2, sometimes I like to have a peanut butter and banana pita/sandwich when I return from work.  Along with my banana oatmeal I have post-workout, this is my 2nd banana of the day.  Is this too much banana for one day?  I know it is high in sugar.  Is it ok to have it so close to my bed time and so late at night?

I really want to gain weight, and I have these sometimes ludicris food questions and fears.  I'm glad I found this forum and some support :).  Thanks for all who reply.

This is one of my all-time favorite combos as well! I have never seen the frozen bananas you're referring to but I don't see how they could add sugar to them. The fruits that have sugar added to them are usually in some sort of syrup  (as in canned fruit) or dusted with it (like the raisins in raisin bran.) If anything, they may have added some sort of citric juice to prevent spoilage. Yes, bananas are higher in sugar than other fruits but it is naturally occurring fructose which has less of a harmful effect than table sugar or honey. Eating sugary foods (including fruits) with protein and/or fat is the best way to avoid a spike in blood sugar. The peanut butter offers both protein and fat so it is a good accompaniment. Don't know what kind of pb you get but it's best to go with one that contains only peanuts to avoid extra sugar or hydrogenated oil. Two bananas a day is not too many. They are a great source of potassium. I am also trying to gain weight and like them because they are not too filling.

The notion that foods eaten before bed turn directly into fat is a myth, though I admit I am a bit fearful to eat "too much" before bed as well. It stems from people who eat very little during the day and end up being so ravenous at night that they go all out. I eat a snack right before going to bed and have for years. I would say go ahead and eat what you enjoy. Any type of carbohydrate-rich food (such as bananas, oatmeal, pita bread) are a good pre-bed snack because the serotonin has a calming effect.

Thanks for the reply, Charlie!  It feels incredibly relieving to know that there is a place to go to in order to talk about this kind of stuff :).  Anyway, I buy Smucker's Natural PB (ingredients: Peanuts and salt).  How do you like to enjoy your PB, Charlie?  Also, what do you like before bed, if anything at all? 

I love PB and bananas!

I've never seen frozen bananas but I do get a lot of frozen fruit since it keeps longer so I'm sure they're just as healthy, and actually probably contain the same or more nutrients since food is usually frozen as soon as it's picked.

As Charlie said, it does have sugar, but it's natural fruit sugar so it's a lot better for you, and since we're gaining it's definitely ok to have more of this kind than normal.

I also eat a ton of food right before crawling into bed. I think this is ok. I've just gotten used to eating very frequently and trying to get in as many meals as I can in a day, so I can get in up to 1000 calories just in my prebed snack. I usually have some oatmeal with fruit or something, or if I've baked, which I do frequently I'll have some of that with pb and ice cream. cup of warm soymilk and honey, Nuts, and dried fruit, and most likely a combo of all of the above. I've heard both carbs like oatmeal and bananas are good for sleep

I think one of the big things we need to do to gain weight is get over these little irrational fears we have about certain foods, when and how we eat, etc and stop comparing ourselves to everyone else because unfortunately our society is diet obsessed so al of these crazy restrictions people place on themselves are not meant for us. Good luck! this forum is great for support and tips, feel free to ask me if you have any other questions!

I agree, gibbit.  I keep telling myself that my body is not the same as person A, or just because person B has a salad, I have to eat a light meal as well.  I guess its just hard for me to find the right balance between eating healthy and gaining weight. 

If you all need to gain weight, I have more than enough to give away!!  PLEASE take mine, very high quality, nothing but the very best went in, no money was spared in gaining my fat!

 

 

Dave

Haha, I get that all the time :P. The thing that gets me the most is that I workout less and eat more then people who weigh more then I do :/. Thats where the battle in my head really begins...

Haha. Wow. I thought I was the only one who had worries like this.  I need to gain weight, but I still constantly worry about getting the wrong types of food. Anyway, I also love bananas and peanut butter and also with apples.  I get the smuckers natural too. But bananas are natural sugar and I dont see any way to add sugar to a banana unless its banana chips or something. But pb goes very well with lots of things, banana,pb +honey is my favorite.  Ive also heard that pb before bed is actually a great snack, cant really remember why, something about the rate of digestion or something lol.  But Ive always heard carbs and healthy fats are good right before bed. 

I think PB and bananas are appropriate any time of day. I actually had a PBJ + Banana sandwich this morning about 3:30. Pretty delish, so keep eating them whenever you want!

Haha! Nice, toridl! I just had a PB and Banana stuffed pita for my after work snack :). I microwaved it. I love my PB and B warm.

Hi pastry! I usually buy my peanut butter (it's got to be creamy) at Trader Joe's, their prices are better than most other places. I love it on bananas or apples, toast, and pb, banana, and whole wheat pita is also a favorite of mine. The other day I made a shake with unsweetened chocolate soy milk, a frozen banana (one I froze), yogurt, and peanut butter. Yum! Before bed I almost always have a cup of yogurt with 1 1/2 - 2 cups of mixed berries plus a glass of warm soy milk, sprinkled with cinnamon, and more fruit, depending on what's in season. Lately that's been a few chunks of watermelon (gotta enjoy summer fruit while it lasts!)

Yeah...the summer went by WAY too fast.  I go back to school in 4 days.  On a side note, you want to know something interesting?  This topic is the first time I have posted on this site, but just reading other posts as a sort of omniscient being has helped tremendously.

It's been the same for me. I read several posts per day before I actually wrote anything myself. I have seen countless doctors, been in hospitals, residential treatment, the whole nine yards yet this site has helped me more than any of those things. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper!

Yeah, I guess that with so many people (parents, doctors, etc.) trying to pin a reason for my eating habits on me, I found great comfort in being with people who share in my confusion and frustration. Its weird, I really do want to gain weight, but its this battle in my head that is continuing to plague my efforts. I'm going to be a freshman in college (I leave in 3 days....eeeek!), and I'm interested in how I will react to the new environment.

I do want to gain weight, too but my desire to gain waivers. I have been trying to focus on the positive aspects weight gain will bring: improved relationships, getting my old job back, ability to travel, freedom from obsessive thoughts., etc. I found if I thought only about the weight aspect my eating remained erratic. My commitment to recovery is much steadier if I shift the focus. (That's not to say it's anywhere near 100% but it's definitely better.)  Best of luck with college!

Yeah, I am very young and have a long way to go in my life (knock on wood!).  However, I can't help but feel I possess this mindset that will never leave me.  I guess...in a way I feel its more of a mindset than a disorder, you know?  Perhaps some day I will be able to eat without fear, but I'm not sure if I will ever be able to eat a food high in fat/sodium/whatever without triggering that little alarm in my head. 

Along those same lines, as one would be able to tell from my daily diet, fat is not my main fear.  My main avoidance is "fake food" or "food-like substances" (anyone who listens to the Splendid Table podcast will recognize the latter phrase :P).  For example, I will eat a homemade pizza with a good sausage and mozzarella cheese.  However, I refuse to eat chain pizza because of all the "fake" ingredients.  I am a big opposer to trans fats and HFCS.  I just enjoy natural, wholesome, good food, and the problems and fights with parents occurs when I refuse the fake food, but eat its natural counterpart.  They don't understand the difference between the homemade pizza and the Pizza Hut pizza.  Its hard to explain...but my fear of food lies in the foods' origins.  I just wish it was easier to eat more naturally.

Ditto! Actually, as my "mindset" (a very good way of putting it, I agree) came about during the height of the fat-free craze so I eschewed fat for years (as well as "fake" stuff.) Recently, my mind has shifted and I am less afraid of fat. After all, our ancestors never worried about it and possessed strong, healthy bodies (when they weren't dying of disease or famine.) But I still avoid processed foods, sodium, added sugars, trans fat, etc. Technically it is true that eating in such a way is healthier. The problem is that is does limit my life to a certain extent because I don't want to eat out or with friends. It would be so nice to erase the portion of my brain that cares so much about every little bite I ingest! In Ancient Greece, Socrates advocated balance and said that it was the hardest thing for humans to achieve. Boy, was he right!

Exactly.  See, about 2 years ago I weighed 225 lbs.  Then, in a span of 8-12 months, I dropped down to 140, and I now hover around 135.  To most overweight people, I am a shining example of a "success story."  However, I find it ironic that I struggle to gain what others are trying to lose.  You are absolutely correct in stating that it is all about balance; and, perhaps if I would stop worrying over finding that balance, I would achieve it by simply living my life.  In a way, this wealth of information on our diet has born an overwhelming wave of more and more aspects of living to be aware of.  Is it the peoples' duty to be more food-aware in today's society?  Or is it the government/food companies duty to provide us with nutritous enough meals so that we don't have to worry?  I don't know...perhaps I'm overthinking it and I should just eat :P.  I love food and look at chefs like many guys my age look at sports stars. 

I don't know where the responsibility lies but I agree that the amount of information is staggering. Yet, because it's a subject that interests me, I read just about everything I come across.  I would probably be better off if I were a bit more ignorant. But there is no way to turn off certain portions of your brain or forget what you know. I look at my four-year-old nephew. Like most kids, he eats when he's hungry and stops when he's full. But he is also amazingly balanced in his choices. Sure, he likes the sweet stuff but he'll happily down a couple of cups worth of steamed broccoli, loves yogurt, and dipping pita bread into hummus. Over the course of a day his intake is varied and balanced. He doesn't know anything about nutrition. (Granted, he's not responsible for preparing his meals but you cannot make a kid eat something he doesn't want to.) What's that saying, "Out of the mouths of babes?" Guess in this case it's into the mouths.