Weight Loss for Women Series Part 2~How to Break Your Sugar Habit

Is sugar really the new fat?
Can we really be addicted to sugar like alcoholics addicted to alcohol?

While I don’t know for sure that sugar really is the new fat or that we have a bonafide addiction to it, studies do show that most Americans eat an average of 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day.  That’s just added sugar!  That’s not including the hidden sugars that we eat on a regular, daily basis.

We are also learning that sugar is the leading cause of diseases such as diabetes and other inflammatory conditions and other auto immune disorders.  Sugar also has its ties back to cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure just to name a few.  We also know that obesity in our country is rapidly becoming an epidemic and soon to be considered to be a disease.

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So maybe, just maybe there’s something to this theory that sugar has become the new fat and maybe we really are addicted to it.

Welcome to Part 2 in my series Weight Loss for Women ~ How to Break Your Sugar Habit

 
Today I want to share my Top 10 Tips on How to Overcome Sugar Cravings:

Start reducing your overall added sugar consumption.
While, yes, this may be the obvious, we have to start somewhere.  Start paying attention to exactly how much sugar you are eating in a day and determine where you can start cutting back.  Whether this be in an extra soda a day or teaspoon of sugar in your coffee and avoiding that extra donut at work, start making baby steps towards cutting back.  This also includes hidden sugar.  This is a tricky one, because we don’t think about bread being sugar!  High starches such as bread and other white foods convert to sugar very quickly, spike your blood sugar and sudden release of insulin.

Avoid artificial sweeteners.
Artificial sweeteners are defined as a synthetic sugar substitute.  I don’t know about you, but I prefer the real thang to anything made synthetically.  Studies have also shown that artificial sweeteners may have even more addictive properties and cause more heath problems than refined sugar.  The top three artificial sweeteners are sucralose, saccharin and aspartame.

Exercise
While this one also may be a no-brainer, exercise can drastically reduce your blood sugar levels.  When you exercise, your muscles pull that sugar from the bloodstream to use/burn for energy, in turn lowering the levels in your blood, in turn lowering the insulin supply as well.  Don’t ya love how all that works together in harmony!

Increase Protein and Fiber
Protein and Fiber at every meal makes losing weight no big deal.  Right?  Adding a good source of both to your meals and snacks will reduce the absorption of sugar into the blood stream and block your body from going into fat storage mode.

Take Chromium
Chromium is a supplement (it’s actually a trace element needed by the body) that may help keep blood sugar steady by reducing those excess fat stores in the body and aide in normal production of insulin.  The one I take is called CORE Carb and Fat Inhibitor.

Do a 7 Day Detox
I love detoxing and personally think it is critical for optimal health.  I’ve written a complete article on why I think detox is important, but the reason I love to detox is to literally cleanse the body of toxins (in the form of sugars, preservatives and all things artificial and unhealthy to the body).  Detoxing cleanses the colon, as well as the liver.  Go through a 7 day detox and then eat something sweet!  You’ll probably spit it out really quickly!  🙂

Write it Down
Statistics show that those who journal will have a 50% improved success rate over those who don’t.  Just knowing you have to write down everything you eat will make you think twice about putting it in your mouth!  ha!  It also reveals different times of the day or other emotional triggers on why and what you’re eating.

Eat Breakfast
This is a biggie!  Your body has been fasting for 8+ hours and needs food to nourish it.  It’s not about it being the first meal of the day….it’s scientific and speaks more to what’s actually happening in your body.  By eating a protein packed with protein and fiber…it doesn’t have to be a huge breakfast, just a nutrient-packed breakfast, like a protein shake with added spinach and fruit…not only sets the tone for the day, but immediately puts your body in fat burning mode, keeps your blood sugar level, reduces insulin production and prevents those sugar cravings.

Drink Water
Our body needs water….for, well, everything.  Energy production, keeps the tissues, bones and joints lubricated, skin health, digestive health, organ health….get it?  Everything.  Replacing those sodas and sugary-filled drinks not only provides the body with what it has to have, but will also continue to drastically reduce those sugar cravings even more.  I’ve written a full article here on the The Benefits of Drinking Water.

Increase healthy fats
Just like water, our body needs ‘good fats’ for proper function as well.  Good fats are beneficial for digestion, muscle recovery and heart health.  Healthy fats also keep us feeling fuller longer, also reducing the amount of sugar and insulin in our bloodstream.

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If you are experiencing any of the following issues, let’s chat (teamsamfit at gmail) and see how we can work together to help you overcome those sugar cravings and be the healthiest you can be. 

• Unexplained weight gain (although you’re eating “pretty good”)
• Brain fog and lack of mental clarity and focus
• Excessive fatigue and poor energy levels

What do you do to avoid sugar!?  I’d love to know! I hope you are enjoying the series on Women and Weight Loss. 

Here are more articles I’ve written on sugar.

Weight Loss for Women Part 1 ~ Are you Burning Fat or Storing Fat
What are Whole Grains and What is Gluten Sensitivity ~ This is a favorite because most people don’t think of bread as sugar, but when you eat white bread I want you to think of eating powdered sugar because of it’s effects on the body.  Not only is the bread spiking your blood sugar and causing some of the dangerous issues, gluten can cause its own set of problems, too.
What is the Glycemic Index ~ These are a couple of foundational posts to explain more about sugar and how the body processes it.