Change and Challenges

Have you ever set yourself a goal that really challenges you? The month of January starting Jan. 1st I challenged myself to go without sugar for the entire month. Sugar was something I'd been reading and researching a lot about and had been wanting to cut back on for awhile. So it was a month of change and challenge for me. I do love chocolate and my husband has a big sweet tooth as well so he was often eating his treats while I ate a piece of fruit or nibbled on a few dates.  Now by not eating sugar for this time, I mean I had no desserts, no chocolate not even a mint during the month. I did not eliminate what is called hidden sugars, sugars that are found in things like maple syrup which I only had a couple of tablespoons of but I don't eat a lot of prepackaged or processed food anyway so this wasn't too big of an issue for me. 

I really only experienced a handful of days where I had strong cravings for chocolate but I did not cave in and powered through. I found if I changed up my routines and did things a little differently I could avoid thinking about what I was missing. 

As I wrote about the addiction to sugar in my last post this is kind of a continuation to let you know I survived the month. I found doing this really lets you take a step back and think about what you are feeding your body on a daily bases, I really consider now my choices for what I want to put in my body. I am eating way more fruit, nuts and seeds now in place of the sweets. Now that I know that I can handle leaving many of the sugar things out of my diet I feel so much better.  My gym workouts are better, I have more energy throughout my day.  It was a great challenge and I encourage you to give it a try if you want to boost your health and create a healthier lifestyle for yourself. 

List of Healthy Snacks to Replace Sweet Ones

- cut up fruit like apples, pineapple (my favorite) cantaloupe or whatever you like
- 1/4 cup of peanuts or walnuts
- pumpkin seeds
- 4 or 5 naturally sweetened dates
- a 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, add your own fruit like blueberries or strawberries
- 1/4 cup of cooked oatmeal 

I hope this inspires you and challenges you to make a change in your own life. It can be whatever works for you. 

The Addiction That's Stealing Your Health

So you probably thought I was going to say that your iphone was the culprit hey? Actually I'm talking about the silent killer, yup the one that no one wants to admit is wreaking havoc on your health. Sugar, yes, there it is. Sugar is the addiction that is stealing your health and shortening your life. I've recently been reading a lot about 'sugar' in all it's various forms and the damage that it does to our bodies when abused or consumed in excess. 

It's no secret that the western diet is clearly one that is driven by sweetened foods. Though most people know that loading up on sugary foods and snacks is not good for their bodies it can be a real struggle for people to break this addiction or even realize that they are addicted to it. Sugar actually stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain making us crave more and more of it.  Sugar is labeled with a lot of different names as to likely confuse the consumer when label reading. Here are some of the names that sugar can be hidden under:  

1. Dextrose
2. Fructose
3. Glucose
4. Sucrose
5. High Fructose Corn Syrup
6. Lactose
7. Maltose
8. Agave Nectar
9. Fruit Juice Concentrate
10. Evaporated Cane Syrup

 The list really does go on, there are loads more words that we perceive to be healthy but are really disguising sugar. Here are some reasons that I've discovered that might make you think twice about the added sugar that you're putting into your body. I"m not talking about natural sugars that come from fruits as our bodies do need this sugar to produce energy. I'm talking about sugars that come from all types of desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, candy, chocolate, etc., you get the idea. Also the sugars that are hidden in foods that we don't even realize are in there. Foods like ketchup, worcestershire sauce, yogurts, granola bars and so on.  
     

1. Contains no essential nutrients
2. Can overload your liver and cause fatty liver disease
3. Increases toxicity in the body
4. Messes with blood sugar levels
5. Causes inflammation
6. Can contribute to cancer
7. Sugar is highly addictive
8. Can lead to obesity
9. Raises cholesterol 
10. Contributes to heart disease                                                          

One of my goals this January is to get healthier and reduce my sugar intake. As of today I am on day 18 of no sugar. Meaning no sweets or chocolate, nothing other than natural fruits. So far I had a headache for a day in the first week but other than that I feel great and have no cravings for it.  I think being active and working out regularly definitely helps with this too!  Did you set any health goals for yourself this year, if so I'd love to hear what they are. Feel free to leave your comments.