Eliminate Sugar and Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight, there is one thing you ought to eliminate from your diet?sugar.

Sugar is a villain in your quest to lose weight. You are probably thinking, "Of course, everyone knows that sugar is fattening." Well, there's more to it than meets the eye. It's important that you understand exactly why you ought to avoid sugar.

First, let's define sugar. Sugar takes many more forms than the white table sugar with which you are familiar. Sugar includes corn syrup, maltose, lactose, fructose, sucrose, brown sugar, honey, molasses.

When you ingest cakes, cookies, chocolate, cereal, etc.-in other words, simple carbohydrates-you flood your bloodstream with sugar. (You need to begin to read ingredients labeling to determine if there is sugar in the food. You'll be surprised at just how many foods contain sugar in one form or another.) The pancreas then produces insulin, a hormone designed to pull sugar out of your bloodstream and deposit it in your cells and your liver.

Because the pancreas does such a good job, your blood sugar rapidly drops lower than it should. (That explains your swings in your energy level.) Your brain then gets the message that your body requires more sugar to return the level to normal. As a result you feel a need to eat more sugar. And the cycle begins again.

Many people believe they are "addicted" to sugar. I guarantee you that, if you didn't eat sugar for three or four days, that feeling of "addiction" would pass because your blood sugar levels would be stable and you would no longer feel the craving for sugar.

In addition, the pancreas releases another hormone called glucagon that helps to release fat from your cells. When you eat sugar all the time and the pancreas has to constantly release insulin, it is prohibited from releasing glucagon. As a result, you are literally locking fat in your body.

You might ask, "What about fruit?" Many people think of fruit as a great diet food. How often do you see someone having a plateful of fruit for lunch? Remember that fruit contains fructose, a natural sugar responsible for the sweetness of the fruit. It's important to know that just because it's natural, doesn't necessarily mean it's alright to eat it. It works the same way as any sugar. Now, we know that fruit contains many vitamins and minerals and should be a part of your food plan. However, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to keep your fruit consumption low, focusing on those fruits that contain less sugar, such as apples, pears and most berries.

Now, I don't want to leave you thinking that you can never again have sugar. Even while you are losing weight, there is one time that, if you must, you can give yourself permission to eat sugar. That time is immediately following an INTENSE training session. But be sure the session is intense because working hard will deplete your body of its glycogen stores (that's the name for sugar stored in your cells and liver for energy). Your body can store only a small amount at a time so it is possible to deplete it during an intense workout.

But don't overdo it. Remember, while you are in a weight-loss mode, you need to be particularly careful with what you put in your body.

Marilyn is a successful exercise/nutrition trainer and coach who works with women who are 50+. Her website http://www.fitandfabulouswoman.com provides fitness information, fitness products, fitness services, fitness advice and on-line personal training that support mature women in being their best...one-stop shopping for a healthy body, a clear mind and a soaring spirit.

---

4 Important Facts You Should Know About Whey Protein

Are you concerned about taking care of your body before... Read More

Dieting -- The Basic of Meal Planning

BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More

The Tibetan and Chinese health Secret: If you read one health report a year, this should be it!

It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More

5 Tips for Dining Out and Eating Healthily

Here's food for thought! Did you know the average restaurant... Read More

Introduction to Detox Diets

Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More

Protein and Endurance Sports

Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a... Read More

Use Food and Focus to Gain Tons of Energy for Summer

While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More

How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?

I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More

The Toxic Truth About Artificial Sweeteners

The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More

Functional Foods: What They Are And How They Work

In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More

A Heart Healthy Diet Makeover

Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More

Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen

The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More

Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid

Food in general has the distinction of being probably the... Read More

Understanding Glyconutrients

You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More

Body Calling: Maintaining Excellent Health

Our bodies are truly incredible machines. What makes cells healthy?... Read More

Soy Phytoestrogens and the Art of Propaganda

In this newsletter we will discuss the current controversy about... Read More

The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle

Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to... Read More

Essential Fatty Acids -The Good Fats

Fats (triacylglycerols) ...Some basic terminology ...fat or fatty acid ...In... Read More

Learn the Basics of a Successful Low Cholesterol Diet

Understanding What a Low Cholesterol Diet isBasically, in order to... Read More

Power of Oatmeal

Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More

Oat Bran Can Help Prevent High Cholesterol

The natural antioxidants in Oat Bran can significantly reduce blood... Read More

6 Ways to Eat More Healthfully

With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More

Grains That Cause Illness

Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long... Read More

Learn About Food Nutrition Facts

Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More

Correct Your Acid / Akaline Balance by the Water You Drink: What the Experts Say

In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More

Maximizing Your Nutrition Dollar

Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on... Read More

Whatever Happened to the Basic Four Food Groups?

What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More

Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport

Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly... Read More

A Result Producing Guide to Nutrition

If you want to build muscle, lose body fat or... Read More

The In-Office Emergency Nutritional Kit

Tired of having stare-downs with those boxes of Krispy Kremes,... Read More

Fiber in a Nutshell?

There are numerous diets out there that guarantee that they... Read More

What Is an Essential Fat?

You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More

Organic Food ? The Benefits of Natural and Organic Produce

Having spent most of my life living off of junk... Read More