Look at how many grams of sugar are in what you’re eating (on the nutritional label). Now divide that number by 4. That’s how many teaspoons of pure sugar you’re consuming. Kinda scary, huh? Sugar makes you fat and fat-free food isn’t really free of fat. I’ve said it before in multiple articles, but occasionally, I’ve had someone lean over my desk and say “How in the heck does sugar make you fat if there’s no fat in it?”. This article will answer that puzzler, and provide you with some helpful suggestions to achieve not only weight loss success, but improved body health.

First, let’s make some qualifications. Sugar isn’t inherently evil. Your body uses
sugar to survive, and burns sugar to provide you with the energy necessary for life.
Many truly healthy foods are actually broken down to sugar in the body – through
the conversion of long and complex sugars called polysaccharides into short and
simple sugars called monosaccharides, such as glucose. In additions to the
breakdown products of fat and protein, glucose is a great energy source for your
body.

However, there are two ways that sugar can sabotage your body and cause fat
storage. Excess glucose is the first problem, and it involves a very simple concept.
Anytime you have filled your body with more fuel than it actually needs (and this is
very easy to do when eating foods with high sugar content), your liver’s sugar
storage capacity is exceeded. When the liver is maximally full, the excess sugar is
converted by the liver into fatty acids (that’s right – fat!) and returned to the
bloodstream, where is taken throughout your body and stored (that’s right – as fat!)
wherever you tend to store adipose fat cells, including, but not limited to, the
popular regions of the stomach, hips, butt, and breasts.

As an unfortunate bonus, once these regions are full of adipose tissue, the fatty
acids begin to spill over into your organs, like the heart, liver, and kidneys. This
reduces organ ability, raises blood pressure, decreases metabolism, and weakens
the immune system.

Not good!

Excess insulin is the second problem. Insulin is a major hormone in the body, and is
released in high levels anytime you ingest what would be considered a “simple”
carbohydrate, which would include, but not be limited to: fruit juice, white bread,
most “wheat” bread (basically white bread with a little extra fiber), white rice, baked
white potato, bagels, croissants, pretzels, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, waffles,
corn chips, cornflakes, cake, jelly beans, sugary drinks, Gatorade, beer, and
anything that has high fructose corn syrup on the nutritional label.

Two actions occur when the insulin levels are spiked. First, the body’s fat burning
process is shut down so that the sugar that has just been ingested can be
immediately used for energy. Then, insulin takes all that sugar and puts it into your
muscles. Well, not quite! Actually, most of us, except those random Ironman
triathletes and 8000-calories-per-day exercisers, walk around with fairly full energy
stores in the muscles. As soon as the muscles energy stores are full, the excess
sugars are converted to fat and, just like the fatty acids released from the liver,
stored as adipose tissue on our waistline.

But that’s not all. After the blood sugar has been reduced by going into the muscles
or being converted to fat in the liver, the feedback mechanism that tells the body to
stop producing insulin is slightly delayed, so blood sugar levels fall even lower,
below normal measurements. This causes 1) an immediate increase in appetite,
which is usually remedied by eating more food; 2) the production of a stress
hormone called cortisol. Cortisol triggers the release of stored sugar from the liver
to bring blood sugar levels back up, which, combined with the meal you eat from
your appetite increase, begins the entire “fat storage, metabolic decrease” process
over again.

This process of destabilizing blood sugar levels and sending your body on a roller
coaster ride can occur throughout an entire day, week, or month. The excessive
cortisol that accumulates in the body eventually distresses your hormonal system
and results in other problems, including a further decrease in metabolism, obesity,
depression, allergies, immune weakness, chronic fatigue syndrome and other
serious side effects.

So what kind of carbohydrates can you eat to avoid de-stabilizing blood sugar
levels, constantly sabotaging your weight loss, and spending hundreds of thousands
of dollars in health care as you get older? Here is a list of carbohydrates do not
trigger such a strong insulin response and instead provide long-term, stabilized
energy: apples, oranges, pears, plums, grapes, bananas (not overly ripened),
grapefruit, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat spaghetti and egg fettuccine, whole-
wheat pasta, bran cereal, barley, bulgur, basmati, Kashi and other whole grains,
beans, peas (especially chick and black-eyed), lentils, whole corn, sweet potatoes,
yams, milk, yogurt (preferably low-fat or fat-free) and soy. Stay away from
processed and packaged foods as much as possible, because they are highly likely
to include artificial sweeteners (which basically have a similar effect as sugar), as
well as simple and refined sugars. Keep your eye out for ingredients that include
sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, ribose, xylose,
deoxyribose, lactose, and other fake names for sugars. Even “healthy” juice and
many health food products will need to be avoided if they contain high levels of
sugar.

If you need more help with your diet, just let me know. Feel free to e-mail
elite@pacificfit.net, and I’ll give you some suggestions on how a personal trainer can
help you with your nutrition. My new book, Shape21, includes 21 days of nutritional
intake that completely stabilizes blood sugar levels, which, when combined with the
perfect exercise program that I’ve detailed in the book, leaves you with a lean,
athletic body. You can check it out at my website, http://www.pacificfit.net, or at a gym
near you. E-mail elite@pacificfit.net for more information.

As the head trainer for Pacific Elite Fitness at http://www.pacificfit.net, Ben holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport science and exercise physiology from University of Idaho, and is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association as a personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and strength and conditioning coach (CSCS). In addition to over 6 years of experience assisting professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes reach peak performance, Ben has helped thousands of invidivuals achieve weight loss, rehabilitation, and lifestyle wellness goals. Ben is available to present at fitness, multi-sport, or corporate wellness seminars, and provides both web-based and in-person coaching.

Because heart disease is such a devastating problem studies are always underway. Research has shown that there are some controllable risk factors, things that we can take charge of to help prevent the likelihood of heart disease.

Even such problems as unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, obesity, and an inactive lifestyle are considered risk factors. These are all things that can easily be controlled with proper diet, exercise, and perhaps in some cases, they can be treated with medications.

Another risk for the development of heart disease is Diabetes mellitus type 2 or type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes)type II diabetes, adult onset or diabetes mellitus.

Clinical trials have shown that cinnamon can effectively be used to lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Although there has not been a study that proves a direct correlation between cinnamon and heart health, the fact that cinnamon can lower blood pressure can indirectly improve heart health. Therefore, recommendations for cinnamon continue.

The problem is that the typical consumer purchases cinnamon that is sold for use as flavoring in foods. In the United States this will commonly be cassia. Although it is unclear which type of cinnamon was used in the trials mentioned, it is known that consumption of large amounts of cassia is not advisable. The cassia plant contains an element that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys if consumed in large quantities.

Many of the so called ‘fat burners’ contain cinnamon as an active ingredient. These are the products that are advertised to help you lose weight by helping your body burn more fat. While they do not work for everyone there is evidence that they work for some.

Heart health should be of prime consideration during any weight lose attempt. The American Heart Association recommends achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. The health of your heart depends on it. If you are overweight it is important that you eat right and exercise in order to lose the weight. Once the weight is off it is just as important to maintain the weight loss. Fluctuating up and down the weight scale can be as unhealthy as remaining overweight.

Whether you decide to use cinnamon as a diet aid or to help your heart as you lose weight, you will need a plan for your weight loss. Begin with a visit to your doctor. Find out if there are any medical issues that should be addressed as you begin your weight loss journey. Your doctor is likely to have some suggestions for diet and exercise plans that are suited to you specifically.

Keep a weight loss journal to track your progress. This will be more helpful than you can imagine. Set realistic goals and find ways to work your plan into your current lifestyle. Keep your focus on eating the right foods, at the right time, in the right quantity, and getting enough exercise.

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Fall is the beginning season of weight gain with Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas shortly afterward.  No matter how hard you try, you will more than likely put on a few extra pounds by the time the festive season is over.  If you throw all caution to the wind and indulge yourself to your heart’s content, then don’t be surprised if the scales reflect what you’ve been up to after a few weeks!

Does that mean that you should be eating boring, low-calorie foods even during Christmas? Of course not!

Here are some ways to enjoy Christmas and still keep your weight in check:

1. Eat moderately and exercise self-control: Just because it is Christmas doesn’t mean that you should let yourself eat thoughtlessly! If you are going to a party with the idea of eating everything offered there, I suggest you stay at home instead!  Better choice, take control by making some wise choices with lower calorie foods first until you get your hungry cravings to taper down some. (If you’re hungry you don’t want to fill up on high calorie foods.) Then, if you must indulge, place very small portions of some favorite holiday foods on your plate.

Don’t convince yourself that you can lose all the extra weight quickly in January, because putting on weight is a lot easier than losing it! So it makes sense to exercise a bit of self-control when you hit a Christmas party.  Remember, choose foods which you like the most and avoid everything else! The chance of weight gain is still there, but your body weight would still be under control!

2. Enjoy what you eat: A lot of us end up overeating more to derive comfort from foods rather than out of hunger! This problem won’t occur if you enjoy each and every bite you have! If you enjoy your meals, you will feel satisfied very quickly! Also, make it a point to be happy after you have finished your meal, as depression usually triggers hunger pangs. If you really want to have a taste of all the courses, you can have small portions of each course!

3. Exercise hard: Just because it is Christmas doesn’t mean that you should sit back and relax on your couch the entire day. Working out a bit daily will surely not ruin your Christmas joys; if anything, those workouts would help you stay fit.

Exercising doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym everyday like mad; in fact, even a simple walk would do a lot good for your body. Remember that exercising will not only keep you fit and healthy, but also burn those extra calories that you would consume during the holiday season!

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