Most brides know that sugar is the enemy when it comes to unwanted fat on our bodies! Excess refined sugar not only is the culprit in weight gain but also plays a major role in chronic diseases such as digestive issues, heart disease and attention disorders. Sugar compromises immune function and depletes nutrients from the body. Insulin is the hormone released to maintain even levels of sugar in our blood, when we eat too much sugar we pump out too much insulin and become insulin resistant. Think of insulin as the fat storing hormone; it’s what makes us fat and causes aging. With all these negative side effects to sugar it’s clear that reducing the amount of sugar is imperative if you want a Bride Fit Body!
It would make sense to switch to diet soda as an alternative to the regular soda options that contain 36 grams of sugar per can, which is about 9 tsps. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons per day for most women! The fact is most brides are eating a Standard American Diet (AKA the SAD diet) and consuming around 26 teaspoons of sugar per day! Yikes! Where is all this sugar coming from? Surprisingly if you are focusing on removing fat from your diet, you’re more than likely eating lots of sugar in the form of “fat free” or “low fat” products such as:
- Breads, bagels, pasta
- Crackers, muffins
- Starbucks Grande Latte (17 grams)
- Yogurt
- Salad dressings
- Ketchup/spaghetti sauce
- Barbeque/teriyaki sauce
- Soda/fruit juice/iced tea
Read the ingredients, read the ingredients, read the ingredients! Look for the serving size and then the grams of sugar. Here’s an example; KRAFT ® fat free Honey Dijon dressing- 2 Tablespoons contains 5 grams of sugar! Stay away from fat free dressing it’s loaded with sugar!
Quick Tip: For every 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.
So what if we replace all this sugar with Artificial Sweeteners like Aspartame? There’s zero sugar, right? Not so fast! When you eat aspartame (200 times sweeter than sugar) your body thinks you are getting a huge dose of sugar so it starts producing large amounts of insulin, which as I said above is the FAT STORING hormone! Where does all that insulin go? BELLY FAT!
Sugar is super addictive and may feel a little overwhelming to give up! We need sugar/carbs but from real food, not fake food, that’s the key! Fill up on vegetables, low glycemic fruits such as berries and good fat like coconut oil, and the craving the food that isn’t supporting your Bride Fit Body will disappear. I recommend a jumpstart to break the sugar habit to make the transition to eating real food easier.
What if you love soda? Try Zevia ®, it’s delicious and contains zero calories and zero artificial sweeteners, I enjoy one when I want something different. Try sparkling water with fresh squeezed lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit. Do you drink diet or regular cola? Let me know how these suggestions work for you, leave your comments below.
Learn step by step how to get “wedding dress ready” and the secrets to living “happily and healthily ever after” in my on-line program, 12 Weeks To A Fit Bride– Join today!
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