sugar detox

How to Do a Sugar Detox (& Why Everyone Should)

How to Do a Sugar Detox (& Why Everyone Should)  Sugar consumption is a huge health issue today. Even a little bit can have negative effects on the body. But quitting sugar can be tough (especially considering that it’s everywhere). That’s where a sugar detox comes in. Click here to read more…

How to Do a Sugar Detox (& Why Everyone Should)

The Harmful Effects of Processed Sugar and Why you should sugar detox

Sugar is present in many foods (like fruit), but on its own, sugar is only a simple carbohydrate. Below is why a sugar detox is recommended.

Sugar provides quickly digested, empty calories but doesn’t offer any nutrients. In fact, sugar actually pulls minerals (like calcium and magnesium) from the rest of the body for digestion. So sugar is, in some ways, an anti-nutrient.

Processed sugar causes these effects on the body:

  • stresses the liver (excess intake of fructose can cause the liver to create a lot of extra fat, some of which is stored in the liver)
  • increases bad cholesterol and triglycerides
  • can contribute to leptin resistance, which can then cause many other issues like sleep problems and weight gain
  • creates an addictive sugar response in the brain

Sugar doesn’t fill you up and instead encourages you to eat more (often because of a blood sugar crash).

Is Natural Sugar OK?

Sugars that come from foods like fruits and vegetables have minerals as well as fiber, vitamins, and enzymes that help the body cope with the sugar. They are ideal sources of sugar. Natural sweeteners like maple syrup or coconut sugar are better options than refined sugar but they can still cause some of the issues associated with refined sugar (especially when consumed in large amounts).

Getting your sugars from better sources is always a good first step to breaking a sugar habit. In other words, ideally we would eat zero processed sugar and only occasional natural sugars. An example of natural sugars is like maple syrup.

 

How to Do a Sugar Detox

Resist Cravings

Stay Hydrated

Eliminate Junk Food

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Prepare your meals ahead of time

Get Rest

 

Sugar is a major health problem today and has a negative effect on your body.

 

How much water should I drink?

b1I often get this question and 99% of the time, individuals are not drinking enough. I could go into this long rant on the benefits of water and how bad dehydration is for virtually every physiological process of the body, but I want to stick to the question.

 

So, how much water is enough? The recommendation given by Dr. Bob Marshall, PHD in Nutrition is 1/2 of your bodyweight in ounces + 10%.

For example, if you weigh 200lbs, then you would need 120 oz of water per day (that’s just shy of a gallon 128oz).

You may be thinproperty-youking, ‘That’s impossible! I’d be going to the bathroom every 2-3 hours.’ Actually, urinating every 2-3 hours is quite normal if you are getting enough water.

If you are only drinking 60 oz per day, then I would suggest increasing 8oz every 3 days to allow your body to adjust.

Also, try starting your day with the largest intake of water..32 oz or so. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty later on because you are already dehydrated at that point.

 

 

Welcome Summer! Are You Ready?

b2Many of us dread this time of year.  For some it’s the heat of summer, but for others it is swimsuit season! Did you gain a few pounds through the winter? Need to tone up those muscles to be swimsuit ready? The key to achieving a healthier body is having a fitness and nutritional plan. If you have a plan, studies have shown you are more likely to stick with it. Try a few of these tips to help you gain the confidence you may need to be beach bound and ready!

Water, water, WATER! Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces plus 10% every day.  If you are 150 lbs., your goal is to drink 75 ounces plus an extra 15 ounces of water every day. In the morning, try adding fresh lemon juice to get you started. Throughout the day eat a WIDE variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.  It sounds too simple, but it works! Set a goal of 80/20, 80% raw, fresh fruits and vegetables and the remaining 20% of the daily calories from cooked or processed foods. The keys here are “fresh” and “variety”.  When it comes to produce, if you are not familiar with the dirty dozen/clean fifteen list, take a look at the following information. It is a great guide to know which produce should be purchased as organically grown versus conventionally grown.  It does make a difference.

DIRTY DOZEN

Each of these foods contained a number of different pesticide residues and showed high concentrations of pesticides relative to other produce items. It is recommended they always be bought as organic instead of conventionally grown: apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, sweet bell peppers, imported nectarines, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.

CLEAN FIFTEEN

Relatively few pesticides were detected on these foods, and tests found low total concentrations of pesticides. No single fruit sample from the Clean Fifteen™ tested positive for more than 4 types of pesticides: avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

It is best for the body to eat your fruit servings before lunch and then have a large fresh veggie salad midday. Go easy on the dressing. Start asking for it on the side and only add a little at a time. Avoid the creamy dressings and branch out with a balsamic dressing instead. You will be surprised to find out you do not “need” as much as you typically add.

Lastly, you have to MOVE everyday. This has to be above and beyond your normal routine. Best to focus on strength training and conditioning with 30-60 minutes of intense, not light, exercise.  We have great routines we can personalize for you to improve your health and boost progress.

A simple plan is better than no plan! Try these simple, yet effective tips and let us know how it works for you. You will be amazed at how great you will start to feel and look as you enjoy your summer!