Implement these 5 habits…one at a time so you can consistently lose fat, feel happy, content and not always be obsessing about food and your next meal.

Habit # 1: EAT REAL FOOD – cutting back too much on calories will bring your fat loss efforts to a screeching halt! Each meal should consist of a lean protein the size of your palm and thickness of your hand plus a fistful of a green vegetable and about 1 tablespoon of your favourite fat.

Habit # 2: MOVE MORE – walking the dog or walking in the mall doesn’t count toward exercise. Research shows that you need to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week. That’s 30 minutes 5 times per week. If you have scheduling issues, break those 30 minutes down into 10 minute high intensity work outs.

Habit # 3: HYDRATE – thirst masks itself as hunger. If you are dehydrated, your body sends you a signal to eat food but what it really wants is fluids. Drinking 8 – 12 glasses of water per day helps you to retain less water, improves your elimination system and keeps your cells plump like grapes so they are effective fat burning machines.

Habit # 4: BE MINDFUL – shut off the TV, turn the phone on silent, shut off the computer. Take a few slow, deep breaths prior to eating. When you unplug before eating you are more conscious of what and how much you consume. Eat with awareness. Your digestion will thank you for it, you will enjoy your food more and feel more satisfied afterward.

Habit # 5: GET QUALITY SLEEP – research shows that lack of sleep or interrupted sleep affects the hunger hormones including leptin. When your leptin levels are low, your brain doesn’t get the message that you are full and fat burning is next to impossible. Research shows that you need 7 hours of quality sleep to regulate fat loss and hunger hormones.

Would your friends describe you as having a sweet tooth? Do you need your daily fix of candy, soda, chocolate or sweets? People all over the world love the taste of sugar.

So it’s no wonder sugar is an ingredient in so many foods and drinks. But did you know you’re probably consuming more sugar than you think? And that translates to more calories than you realize. While sugar has gotten a bad rap, it can’t be all bad, can it? Keep reading to get the sweet down low on your sweet tooth’s best friend.

Sugar: The Good

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that your body needs for energy. Some foods naturally contain sugar such as dairy (lactose) and fruit (fructose). Other foods and drinks contain added sugars and syrups. Some of these – sodas, desserts, energy drinks, and sports drinks – contain high amounts of added sugar, making them more appealing.

Sugar has many purposes. It improves the flavor of food, gives baked foods color and texture, helps preserve foods like jelly and jam, works with yeast to help bread rise, gives food bulk, and balances the acidity found in foods containing tomatoes or vinegar.

Contrary to popular belief, one sugar is no more healthy than another. Brown sugar, honey, and fruit juice concentrate have no more nutritional value than plain white sugar.

Sugar: The Bad

Eating foods high in added sugars and syrups puts you at higher risk for developing certain health problems including poor nutrition, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay. Think about the foods that are filled with added sugar: cookies, cakes, candy, packaged snacks, sweetened cereals, and sodas. The main problem with eating foods like these is that they’re low in nutritional value but high in calories. As if extra calories aren’t bad enough, eating sweetened foods like these displaces the health foods filled with vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients your body needs. Drink sodas or sweetened juice at every meal, and you’ll miss out on the nutrients provided by milk or the water your body needs to function.

Foods high in sugar are also high in calories. As you know, a high-calorie diet contributes to weight gain and obesity. When you begin to gain weight or become obese, you put yourself in the line of fire of a long list of health problems: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, stroke, and cancer to name a few.
But don’t blame sugar! It’s not sugar’s fault. It’s the excess weight brought on by your inability to stop eating the sugar.Also, frequently filling your mouth with sweetened snacks and drinks leads to tooth decay. Don’t practice good oral hygiene (and many kids don’t), and you can expect cavities sooner rather than later.

How Much Sugar?

Does this mean you should completely avoid all added sugar? No. Sugar is not necessarily the enemy. Moderation is the answer.
Women should limit their sugar intake to six teaspoons a day, which equals about 100 calories. Men should limit the amount of sugar in their diet to nine teaspoons a day, which is about 150 calories.
To give you an idea of what this means, a 12-ounce can of non-diet soda has eight teaspoons of sugar and about 130 calories.

On a food label 4 grams of sugar = 1 tsp.

Real world examples:
Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple Syrup Packet = 2 tsp sugar

1 cup Raisin Bran cereal = 4.4 tsp sugar

Odwalla Superfood Juice 12 oz = 9.25

1 banana = 3 tsp

1 cup skim milk = 3 tsp

1 cup of fruit flavored yoghurt = 4-5 tsp

Cutting Sugar

Does your diet need a sugar makeover?

Here’s how:

• Drink water or low-fat milk rather than sodas, sports drinks, or sweetened coffee
• Stop drinking juice
• Avoid cold and hot sweetened cereals
• Eat fresh fruit rather than cakes, cookies, or candy – berries, pears and apples are the best choices
• Stick to 2 fruits per day
• Choose plain yoghurt and sweeten it yourself
• Use nuts and seeds to cut sugar cravings and to keep blood sugar levels stable
• Avoid high sugar foods later in the evening
• Pair higher sugar foods with nuts or a protein

If you know you are addicted to sugar and are in need of a sugar cleanse then give me a call at (613) 612 – 9887 to discuss the best nutrition options for you.

It’s not too late to register for the Best Body Challenge 2013. There are 4 spots left. The deadline to register is January 16^th 2013.

http://www.wowweightloss.ca/bestbodychallenge2013/

But is anything with the word “fruit” or that contains one fruit or another a valid way to meet your fruit quota? No. Here’s proof.

Proof One: Fruity, Sweet Cereals
By now, eating bowl after bowl of fruity cereals that leave your milk pink and orange may only be a problem for your kids. But if you’re still addicted to the cereals that claim to have some semblance of fruit but are filled with added sugars and calories, it’s time for a change. Sure, they may taste good, but sugar-laden breakfast cereals are ruining your fitness results—even if they supposedly have real fruit flavours. Wean yourself from the fruity cereals by chopping some real fruit into a bowl of healthy, sugar-free cereal.

Proof Two: Fruity Desserts
Your stomach may think strawberry ice cream, raspberry cheesecake, and cherry pie are desserts from healthy heaven, but your mind knows otherwise. Though many desserts that lean on fruit for flavour are unhealthy, there are also many healthy fruit-based desserts to enjoy. Fruit parfait and fruit sorbet are good alternatives. And if you just have to have your cake and eat it with berries too, a light angel food will do just fine. Just make sure the slice of cake is thin.

Proof Three: Fruit Smoothies
Now, now. Don’t get all up in arms. All fruit smoothies are not unhealthy. In fact, some of them are quite healthy, giving you a big boost of vitamins and minerals that help you feel energetic and ready to face the day. However, if you dabble too far beyond the healthy fruit smoothie, you can find more sugar than is found in many desserts.

To keep your smoothie nice and healthy, don’t add soft-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt, candy, or other items that are obviously high in sugar and unnecessary calories. Rather, keep your smoothie nothing but fruit, ice, juice, yogurt, and a nice scoop of protein powder to ensure it is high on the health chart.

Proof Four: (Un)Fruit Juice
Juice can be wonderful. It has great flavour, great colour, and great amounts of important vitamins and minerals. At least it does when it is fruit juice. Unfortunately, many drinks claim to be fruit juice, while only containing a very low amount of fruit juice. For these low-fruit fruit juices, sugar and water make up the bulk of the contents, robbing you of the important benefits of all-natural fruit juice.

Keep fruit juice indulgences to a minimum, as even the fruit-only kind is loaded with simple sugars (and lacks health-promoting fibre).

Go Natural. To clearly sidestep unhealthy fruit options, go for raw, whole fruits and avoid packaged fruit in any shape or form. These will keep you on track with your fitness and weight loss goals.

Don’t forget that true success comes from a combination of a consistent, challenging exercise routine coupled with clean eating.

I’m here to help you meet your weight loss goals.

Call or email today to get started on a nutrition program that will have you seeing results before this year’s end.