One of the most important changes you can make when it comes to how you feel and move – and even how you look – is to cut back one key ingredient from your diet…

One that has virtually NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE and yet is almost everywhere you look.

You might already have guessed what we’re talking about: Added sugar.

This is “extra” sugar that is added to your foods, like the kind found in syrups, candy, cookies, processed foods, and even in maple syrup and honey.

(It is NOT the naturally occurring sugar like the kind found in fruits, veggies and other foods that contain fibre and loads of micronutrients your body actually needs!)

Did you know the national recommended MAXIMUM for added sugar is 10% of your total calories?

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s 200 calories – or 50 grams of sugar.

Most of us get much more than that! Just for an example, a small caramel iced coffee from your local cafe down the street likely has 25 grams of sugar. WHAT!

We highly encourage you to wean yourself off that added sugar, which contains zero essential nutrients but DOES have a lot of calories … plus it raises havoc with your blood sugar, increases inflammation and can lead to cravings.

Not only that, but over time it can set up a chain reaction with your body’s hormones that leads to storing belly fat and chronic health issues.

While maple syrup and honey do contain some micronutrients and health benefits, your body still processes them as sugar, so if you do use them, just watch your portion sizes.

If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, we won’t candy-coat it: ditching the sugar can be challenging. But with some simple tactics (and some patience) you can go a LONG way toward cutting down on your sugar intake pretty painlessly.

Some things you can do:

~ Read food labels or look at nutrition info online for your favourite foods. You’ll likely be amazed at what you see!

~ Track your sugar intake over the course of a day so you have a baseline for your intake. Most food journal apps let you track sugar level. Subtract out the sugar from natural sources like fruit. This likely will be eye-opening!

Next, try these swaps / ideas:

~ Reach for fruit instead of cookies, cakes and other sweet treats. To keep it fun, try new-to-you fruits. Example: pomegranate seeds are totally addicting!

~ Frozen fruit also works really well instead of ice cream

~ Infuse your water with berries and/or cucumber or try unsweetened flavoured seltzer water.

~ Brew up some herbal tea that’s been infused with fruit. Drink it warm OR cold!

~ Brush your teeth right after you eat!

One last thing… be sure you stay hydrated to help with cravings.

Bonus benefit: after just a few days eating less sugar, take a look in the mirror. Chances are you’ll notice a positive change in your skin, because sugar contributes to wrinkles, uneven skin tone and other issues.

Have we convinced you yet? 🙂

Seriously, you might be surprised at how different you feel once you lower your sugar intake.

If you need more help cutting the sugar habit and feeling better, come try out a Free ChicBoxing Class today!

Reference:

https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/resources/DGA_Cut-Down-On-Added-Sugars.pdf