BEWARE: SUGAR

Excessive sugar in the diet has been linked to obesity, and a higher risk of chronic diseases. Sugar contains no nutrients, healthy fats, proteins, or enzymes. It is more than empty calories. Sugar pulls minerals from the body as it is digested. It is addictive: It creates a hormone cascade when consumed that starts a positive feedback loop in the body to encourage more consumption. Sugar increases triglycerides and bad cholesterol, can stress the liver, and cause weight gain.

In the United States, most adults consume 22 teaspoons (355 calories) of sugar a day, yet the recommended intake is only six teaspoons (100 calories) for adult women and nine teaspoons (150 calories) for men. Back  in the early 1800s, Americans were consuming just 3.8 teaspoons of sugar per day.

While you are trying to avoid or reduce the sugar in your food beware of artificial sugar replacements! Read labels carefully. Very often, chemically created artificial sweeteners are added to make up for the lack of natural sweetness in a product and these are highly toxic for the body. Artificial sugars should be eliminated completely, which includes high fructose corn syrup, Aspartame, and Splenda.

Know sugar's aliases. Sugar hides under many sneaky names: fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. Many processed foods may list more than one of these ingredients, an indication that the food is unhealthy.

Of course, if you don't buy processed foods you'll greatly reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Even most commercial peanut butter has added sugar! Why? Because sugar is addicting. By adding it to packaged foods, aka factory food,  the manufacturers are increasing the chances that you'll buy it again. 

It may take a couple of weeks for you to lose your sugar cravings, but be strong! Be conscious of what you put into your body. Stick with whole, unprocessed foods (organic when possible and always non-GMO) and soon your cravings will lesson. Your taste buds will adjust. Super-sweet foods like ice cream and candy will start to taste too sweet. When you could have a whole slice of cake before, now a couple bites will be enough. You'll notice the natural sweetness in fruits and vegetables—and yep, they'll taste better, too.

Here are few tips for reducing sugar throughout your day. Gradually move towards less sweet food and your palate will change. 

• Try stirring unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon into your morning oatmeal instead of sugar, or cook your oats with a chopped date or two. 
• Buy plain, unsweetened yogurt and stir in some fresh pomegranate or berries. 
• Try whole grain pasta with sauteed fresh tomatoes and veggies instead of sauce from a jar.
• Try Banana Ice Cream (recipe and tutorial here: http://youtu.be/QIokDfTbQiI) instead of sugary store-bought ice cream. 
• If you're having trouble refusing a sweet treat, remove yourself from the situation. Perhaps take a walk or busy your hands with a craft project. 
• Don't skip meals. When you go without breakfast, lunch, or dinner, your blood sugar levels drop, propelling you toward high-sugar (often convenience, ie processed) foods to quell your cravings.
• Don't go cold turkey. Sugar is highly addictive and trying to cut it all out of your diet at once can leave you feeling deprived, tired, or headachey. Try going half and half for a couple of weeks and gradually weaning off of it. 
• Avoid sodas--even sugar-free ones which are full of toxic chemicals. Stick with water and flavor it with mint or fruit if you like. 
• Bump up the flavor with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or vanilla.  

Shakeology is also a great tool in your arsenal against sugar. the proteins and amino acids help keep blood sugar steady and reduce hunger and cravings. In a study of 3000 people, 81% reported a reduction in junk food cravings. That's what feeding your body with superb nutrition does! 

You can try Shakeology for 5 Days, in conjunction with my personal email coaching with nutrition and exercise tips and a sample meal plan. Email me at crideoutfit@gmail.com for more info!