You have heard me say time and time again, Sugar is bad for your health. Some of you took that statement to heart and totally stopped ingesting sugar all together. So, what happened? Your brain and hormones took over and, in the end, you were like a drug addict looking for a fix. Not only that, but you also ended up putting on the weight you lost, plus!
At this time, I would like to clarify my statement by saying added sugar is bad for you. Now wait! let me explain. The World Health Organization recommends that we eat less than 25 grams of added sugar a day. On average we eat at least 85 grams of added sugar, without even knowing it. That is 3x the amount allowed. Not only does your weight go up, but you also get more cavities, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Wow! You would think that would make us stop and figure out where all this sugar is coming from, but we do not. I consider myself a knowledgeable person when it comes to nutrition. Other than the degrees, my experiences with my own body have taught me much on the subject. I don't eat candy, soda and desserts maybe once a month. I eat to survive, which is the reason I enjoy my cheat meals. I too used to have flavored yogurts, a lot of fruit, sauces, grains, fat free and lo-fat products, and protein bars to name a few. But suddenly I was getting "The Pouchie Belly". I had a hard time losing weight for body building shows. I did not understand. I asked many doctors and was given the same answer always. You are getting older. I was not accepting this answer. If I was doing the same thing for years, why the change now? Metabolism perhaps? But I did everything to increase my metabolism including checking my thyroid, at least a dozen times.
The answer was always there. I was eating the same fat free, lo-fat, no sugar added, prepackaged diet food for years. I began to look at the ingredients listed on the package of everything I ate. I had to Goggle half the words because I did not know what they were. And if my brain didn't know, my body certainly didn't know how to process it. Over time these unknown words accumulated in my body and the hell started. Bloat, water retention and added weight. For me it wasn't menopause. I've been menopausal for 10 years with no symptoms whatsoever, I credit my exercise, clean eating and mindset for that. It was the accumulation of all the added sugar with different names for my illness. Oh, did I mention the docs say I had irritable bowel syndrome. That’s “doctor speak” for "We have no idea what you have". It was time for me to experiment on myself, and here is what I found out.
First, I learned that the so-called bad hormone Cortisol, is not bad at all. We all wake up with a high cortisol level. It is because we fasted while we slept so now our bodies are ready to hunt for food. After the body is fed, your cortisol level will drop until feeding time comes around again or a predator attacks. So, what is the best thing to feed a body with high cortisol? Not sugar or carbohydrates. The foods to eat are protein and good fats. Not to say carbohydrates are bad. Good carbs are important for our bodies to function, but for most of us it’s better to not ingest them within the first hour upon waking. Some of us can eat healthy carbs in the morning, not sugar, without any problems. I learned what I pretty much already knew, that everyone's body is different. What works for one person doesn't work for all. Trial and error are Lesson#1. Find out what works for you or find a well-trained person to help you figure it out.
Lesson # 2 is read, read, read labels. The answer to whether or not to eat any particular food lies in the ingredients. If you don't understand the word, your body most likely does not know how to processes it. Helpful hint, stay away from fat free, lo-fat, sugar free, and no sugar added. These particular products have some sort of sugar with a different name as well as other chemicals. Usually, these chemicals would kill you if ingested in large amounts. If it has more than 5 ingredients, its usually bad for you. If in doubt, ask a professional.
I'm still processing Lesson # 3, which is sugar in the morning is the hardest to give up. Think about it. Most American breakfasts consists of cereal and milk, bagels, donuts, flavored yogurts, and granola. This reads sugar, sugar, and more sugar, not to mention gluten. And how many of you drink your coffee black? Congratulations to the ones that do, ugh. I don't! I loved my fat-free chemically induced coffee creamers. It was my stomach that didn't. It was challenging to find the right foods that suited my digestion and my training, but I figured it out, finally. I note how I felt after each my different breakfasts and finally found the right combination of foods.
Lesson # 4 is moderation vs elimination. Oh boy was this hard one for me. I go from 0 to 100 back to 0. That is my personality. My stomach and brain had their own agenda. When I decided to totally eliminate all sugars and carbohydrates from my body, I started to lose weight. But then that dreaded night happened. I woke up sweating, it was like I was having an out of body experience. I got out of bed, dressed, put lipstick on and drove to Stop and Shop, 15 minutes before closing and bought that carrot cake from the bakery I've had my eye on for about 6 weeks. I convinced myself that if it was still there the Universe really wanted me to have it. Well, I had it. All over the car, all over myself and with nothing left but a mess. Did I mention I didn't have a fork in the car? I began this behavior every 4-6 weeks. This was not only not normal, but unhealthy. The answer was moderation instead of elimination. The key was knowing when to incorporate a cheat meal or as I like to say a refeed meal of my choice. This way my brain and body would not be deprived of the good carbohydrates, I can look forward to my desired foods and I can stop becoming that savage animal that is buried inside of me. Don't judge, I know you know what I mean.
Lesson # 5 is key to all this. Meal planning is key to any successful no sugar added plan. When I plan out my meals for the day I can easily monitor and read everything that goes into my body. I also plan out my refeed meals so my brain can be tamed and it's easier to stay on the plan. I cook my main proteins 3x a week and make my vegetables, carbohydrates, and fats as I eat. It sounds like a lot, but it isn’t. I’ve taught many people how. The biggest complaint I hear is having no time. Well, if you have time to scroll on your phone, hit the snooze button or watch the news then you have time to meal prep, you just need to be taught how.
Well, these are my 5 lessons I learned on how to handle added sugar. I am not only one who teaches this, I am a student myself. Constantly learning how to become healthier as I age gracefully. We are all made up differently. We cannot all follow the same food plan, it just doesn't work in the long run. I am planning a Health Talk on "How to Diet without Dieting" on August 3 at 7pm. You will be taught on how to eat well without dieting, and we will discuss how I may be able to help you with one-on-one coaching.
Life is a great challenge, staying healthy should not be!
Stay Happy, Stay Healthy and LIVLIFE.
Dr. Livia Valle, Mom/Chiropractor/Health and Wellness Coach