Sugar is one of the prevalent added substances to almost every aspect of processed food items. Food manufacturers have taken the liberty to adding sugar to things like spaghetti sauces and packages of crackers. In years past, people would typically add a spoon full of sugar to various items that they may have prepared, but with the food industry already doing that, it is no longer necessary.
As a result of the increase in sugar intake over years past, the rise of sugar related health issues has increased exponentially. Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity have steadily climbed thus resulting in higher cost of medical treatments as well. There is quite a number of myths and half truths about sugar and what it is and does to the human body. Let’s take a look at some of this information to decide what is fact and fiction.
Does Sugar make you fat?
Obesity has been on the rise for quite some time now, it is estimated that 38% of the population over the age of 19 is considered obese. What is increasingly more disturbing is that 70% of the adult population over the age of 19 is considered overweight and/or obese. That means that most of our U.S. population is considered either overweight or obese, which is not a positive thing. If you look at the numbers on a much smaller scale that is 7 out of every 10 people that are obese or overweight. The best practice to combatting this statistic is utilizing a well-balanced diet and exercise regimen.
Sugar’s Calorie Content
When you look at a weight management program, one of the biggest things is restricting your overall caloric intake. You have to take a look at what you are eating, when you are eating, and how much you are eating. The problem with sugar is that it is mostly empty calories because you are reaping no nutritional benefit from it. The rule of caloric intake is simple, do not take in more calories than your body is able to burn off or those calories will be stored as fat.
Excess Sugar May Lead to Obesity
If you look at the amount of sugar we should be eating versus the amount of sugar we ARE eating, the two typically are not coinciding. Most individuals are overconsuming a lot of calories that are mostly from sugar and thus not able to sustain a healthy bodyweight. The recommended amount of sugar per day for consumption is around 150 calories. Most individuals are double or triple that amount which could be contributing to the increase in weight gain.
A pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, men typically consume at least 180 calories in excess, whereas women typically consume at least 240 calories in excess. If you do the math on the male consumption of 180 calories of sugar daily above what should be consumed, it equates to an average weight gain of about 19 pounds per year. When you consider that the metabolism starts to slow down over the age of 30 for both men and women, that will make it even more difficult to lose weight as you age. If you do the calculations for females they typically gain 24 pounds per year at the consumption rate of at least 240 calories of sugar per year. Then add to the mix on the female side the hormone fluctuations, thyroid fluctuations, childbirth, stress, lack of sleep, etc., it can be very difficult for a woman to lose weight on a consistent basis.
Cutting Sugar to Lose Weight
One of the primary rules of weight loss is to consume less calories than your body is able to burn off. That means that for every 3,500 calories you take out of your diet you will lose one pound of fat. This can be a difficult thing to figure out, so if you need help consider hiring a nutritional consultant to help you figure out your exact caloric intake. Another alternative is cutting back on the amount of sugar and processed food items you take in during the day.
It is estimated that the average adult consumes about 82 grams of sugar each day, if you do the math sugar is an easy way to reduce your overall caloric intake. If the average person consumes 2,000 calories a day and you cut out sugar from the food and beverages you consume, you could reduce your caloric intake by 330 calories each day. Thus allowing your body to reduce your total weight and losing inches on the scale. If you reduce your caloric intake by 330 calories each day, you would lose an average of 34 pounds for the entire year. All of the calories add up to a pretty substantial weight loss when you look at the impact over a year.
There are many individuals that feel that their nutritional protocol is flawless and don’t need to worry about reducing their sugar intake. If you take a look at how much sugar is in fruit for example. One medium sized apple contains about 19 grams of sugar and a banana has about 12 grams of sugar. Now eating fruit is obviously better than eating a candy bar, although taste wise some people will disagree. If you are looking at reducing your sugar intake fruit can be a way to do that effectively.
Cutting Out Sugar Can Be Challenging
One of the biggest challenges for most individuals in this process of reducing sugar intake is abstaining away from what the brain wants. Sugar tends to boost dopamine levels in the brain, which happens to trigger happiness in the brain. That’s why the urge for sugar once consumed usually results in a much happier individual. If you think about when you eat a piece of birthday cake, I don’t know of too many individuals that are sad as they are devouring the cake. Sugar also supplies the body with an energy shot, meaning there is a short increase in the amount of energy an individual has. The battle that ensues between the brain and the body versus trying to reduce the amount of sugar consumed is the eternal struggle. If you would like some more suggestions on how to cut sugar out, please click on the link to this article https://www.sweetdefeat.com/blog/sugar-and-weight-loss/
If you need help regulating your caloric intake, please contact us at www.xspeedtraining.com, we would love to help you through the process.