SUGAR HIT

In my determination to lose a bit of extra weight I’ve been carrying round in time for my October wedding, I’ve made an effort to educate to myself on the effects of sugar.

I watched a documentary (http://thatsugarfilm.com) and it has changed the way I look at food forever. I couldn’t go back to the way things were, even if I tried.

To start with, a teaspoon of sugar is roughly 4g. So when reading the nutrition facts you should be aware that the suggested daily intake of sugar for an adult is 40 grams, or 10 teaspoons. Recent studies have shown that with the increased campaigning that fat is bad, sugar intakes have skyrocketed with an average healthy eating adult now consuming 160g sugar or 40 teaspoons! This is not being properly communicated and is encouraging the obesity epidemic we are currently facing.

Basically, they say that the high from sugar works in the same way as heroine. I used to start every single day by having a Yacult, something I thought was healthy. It has 4 teaspoons of sugar! So already you’re starting the day off ‘high’ and your mood will dip after until you satisfy yourself with your next hit of sugar.

Until you give up, or at least reduce the amount of added sugar, exercise isn’t as effective as it should be. Your body is so busy trying to burn all the extra sugar stored in your body and rarely gets a chance to burn off the good fats that make you lose weight, unless you are at the gym ridiculously 7 days a week, but even then the sugar you’re eating won’t provide enough energy for you to be at the gym that often.

I lost 1kg in the first 3 weeks, most of it coming off my stomach and face and I feel so much better and healthy. The first week was hardest having to deal with headaches, hunger, mood swings and even the shakes!

After cutting back so dramatically on sugar, the things I used to eat taste too sweet. I’ve replaced all sugary drinks in our house (even giving diet coke the flick!) with iced tea (green tea or berry flavoured with no added sugar are good options) with fresh lemon, which I make daily (takes 5mins). My fiancé and I love it. It’s a healthier option while keeping you hydrated and full of anti-oxidants.

Here’s a list of items that are normal everyday snacks. You’ll be shocked how much sugar is in them per serving

Schweppes Tonic Water 32g sugar 8 teaspoons of sugar

You would think that is a healthy alternative to other soft drinks, but it’s not much better than Coke Cola, which has a staggering 39g sugar in a serving

Carmen’s Fruit Muesli Bar 7.9g sugar almost 2 teaspoons of sugar which is as much a Tim Tam

Special K Red Berries Cereal 9g sugar 2.25 teaspoons of sugar

Coconut Water 11g sugar almost 3 teaspoons of sugar

Be selective when you’re buying coconut water. Make sure it has no added sugar or no added flavours. Keep it simple!

So, in conclusion, try to become more aware of what you are putting into your bodies. Get rid of rich sauces and replace them with lemon or sauces that are tomato based and home made. Read the labels of what you are buying and spend more time in the fresh food isles than the ready made ingredient isles. This does take dedication but you're body and mind will thank you for it!