AppId is over the quota
I can remember growing up how I loved that cup of hot chocolate in the morning or on a cold wintery night. Aromatic, tasty, sugar and sweet with that deep, rich chocolate flavor I could die for. My sweet tooth was surely satisfied at least for a while. It never surprises me any more when my diet is filled with sugary carbohydrates my waist size bulges a bit. My blood sugar surges upward and I am no longer burning fat at the cellular level like I would be ordinarily. I am now accumulating fat around my belly just like all the people who eat too much, make the wrong food choices, and rarely exercise. Your food choices, including your daily caloric intake, and your exercise make a huge difference determining your body size.
How many people do you know that are addicted to or heavily drawn to carbohydrates? You can include me in this group because the more bad carbohydrates (refined and sugar added) I eat the more I crave. Afterwards, I feel lethargic and uninspired to do much of anything. When I limit my sugars, I am so much more balanced. Not to mention I can significantly lose weight when I balance my blood sugar. I just finished reading an article where the author Ryan Andrews stopped eating desserts and "extra sugar" for an entire year. That's pretty amazing considering how easily carbohydrates are made available to us. I'm not sure I would want to stop eating dessert for an entire year, but I respect the fact that someone could resist desserts and added sugar for an entire year. Fruits and vegetables are great, but would you really want to go an entire year being so disciplined or restrained? Ryan Andrews achieved something very few will ever even attempt.
Mr. Andrews who wrote:the article: Sugar Daddy: A Year Without Desserts says after the 1st month he wasn't even missing desserts. So Ryan stayed on his path for 11 more months and turned down desserts for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions too. Ryan also walked away with quite a few powerful lessons for saying "no" to desserts. The obvious lesson is that desserts are addictive. I could have taken a wild guess on this nugget but some of the other interesting take homes include:
1) We don't eat sugar "in moderation." Our society takes in primarily "processed garbage." The majority is in the form of refined flour/sugar. Ryan says "nearly 90% of the carbohydrate dense foods we consume are highly processed." Not only do we eat crap; we are generally full of crap because of our large refined and sugar based carbohydrate intake.
2) "It's hard to get fat on whole-foods, particularly plant foods." In fact after going a couple of months without desserts Ryan lost weight unintentionally. Mr. Andrews says he just wasn't as hungry, so you too might be surprised how your appetite changes if you're giving up desserts for a while. Sugar is well-known to drive and stimulate appetite; I think we can all recognize that.in our lives. When we open up the flood gates to sugar, we usually crave and desire more, right?
3) Ryan Andrews also noticed that some foods just became too sweet for him. His taste buds "re-calibrated" and Ryan didn't want sweet food as much. I notice this myself when I curb the sweet stuff. Foods with "added sugar" tasted like candy, but his friends who were still eating desserts couldn't tell the difference. "Sugar added" foods tasted perfectly normal to his sugar eating friends. Ryan's point is that if you eat sugar all the time that is what you will become accustom to. On the contrary, if you eat fruits and vegetables all the time (for a month without desserts and "added sugar" like Ryan did) that is what you will desire.
Mr. Andrews article is here if you would like to read more: Sugar Daddy: Year Without Desserts
Of course there are always exceptions for a few of us. Some people just don't have any desire to eat sweets, but the large majority of the population love to indulge in decadent fashion. If you are taking the time to read this article, I imagine sweets and sugars might or could be addictions for you. I know carbohydrates are my fuel of choice, but I have to admit I am so much more satisfied by protein based meals. It takes those hunger pains away and I feel like I have sustained energy. I think it's important to recognize our "weak links" and apply strategies that improve our current situation. So this begs the question "are simple and refined carbohydrates in control of your eating?"
Every one of us can make improvements in our lives and hopefully you are practicing a lifestyle that is constantly evolving and improving. Sugar cravings and addictions along with excessive calorie intake is the reason so many Americans are fat and overweight. Most of us didn't learn how to eat properly from childhood, but that doesn't mean we can't learn and apply new strategies as we grow up. There is an abundance of good information at your fingertips, but you have to put down the milk chocolate. It's processed anyway so it's not a surprise it tastes so good. Sugar and chemicals is a potent combination so don't let the synergy of the two control your life in ways that will detrimentally harm your health and well-being.
Marin health and fitness expert, John Spongberg is the founder of Personal Training in Marin as well as an accomplished author, speaker and life coach. He is dedicated to helping people reach their optimum level of fitness, health and body satisfaction through a unique, comprehensive whole-person approach, customized to each client.
If you're ready, you can reach Mr. Spongberg at (415) 891-8787 or visit his website at http://www.personaltraininginmarin.com/ where you can download your free copy of his special health and fitness report, The Truth About Losing Weight.
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