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How Sugar Can Be Detrimental To Your Nutritional Success But Why I Won't Tell You Not To Have It



Yesterday I had my second baby shower and it was amazing. The outpouring of love and support for my hubby and I as we embark on this crazy new journey is overwhelming. My shower was filled with lots of goodies and since I haven’t indulged in sweet treats during my pregnancy (I am just not a sweets kind of person), I thought why not. So I had a preggotini and some treats. Even though I started the day with an egg omlette and ended the day with healthy food devoid of sweets and lower in carbs to off set the treats, I woke this morning craving sugar,which I NEVER do. I honestly don’t even like sugary things but I do love fruit. However, your body processes natural sugars differently than added sugars from other sources. When we eat foods that contain a lot of sugar, it releases levels of dopamine in the reward center of the brain. This is how sugar hijacks our brain to make us crave more.  However, if you know me and my style of coaching, I am a firm believe in moderation. While I may not like sweet treats, I do like my margaritas every now and then and although I try to do skinny margaritas that are stevia sweetened (my favorite being Sinless Margarita Mix), I do have a regular margarita every now and then and they have sugar whether it is from agave nectar, fruit or added sugar. Restriction of certain foods, whether we categorize them as healthy or not, can lead to binge eating. This is the reason that I am a huge advocate of flexible dieting. However, sugar is one of those things that we have to be careful with because of its addictive nature and overall void of micronutrients. It takes a lot of willpower to be able to jump back on track the next day after having sugar-laden foods as an occasional treat. You may wake up just like me with a craving for something sweet. If you indulge again, the cycle continues. Think about the holidays. You treat yourself to a Christmas cookie and what happens? You want more, right? The pattern continues with the temptation of all of the treats around and before you know it, you've gained the Christmas 10. 

So what can you do? I'm bit saying avoid sugar completely because the majority of my clients like sweets and they would simply fail if I said you can never have a peice of cake for your birthday, a glass of wine (yes, if you drink wine regularly, you consume a good bit of sugar), or holiday treats. It sounds simple, have sugar as a treat on occasion. Make sure to keep your fiber up to offset the insulin spike that it causes. The most effective way to minimize the damage is just to stop after you've had the treat. Don't let it spiral. The best way to beat the craving post sugar is to find an alternative that squashes the craving. Try a chocolate protein shake, some low sugar, high fiber fruits such as berries or if you are feeling creative, try one of my recipes like the BCAA gummies. Sounds easy, right? Well, it really isn't. It takes willpower and dedication because the urge to eat more sugar is fierce. This morning, I chugged my water like normal, made my omelette and had a side of fruit. For lunch, I stuck to protein and a side salad. If you choose to indulge in a sweet treat, just remember to follow up with nutritious and filling foods to avoid the temptation of reaching for more sugar. 

Note: Being a bikini competitor and coach, I can tell you that comp prep is a different beast so for purposes of this blog, I am talking about nutrition for the person who is looking to be fit and healthy, not competitors. I have different rules for competitors depending on where they begin their prep.



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