It’s SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!!!!! I ran to the Market District Express, and it looked like Christmas Eve!!! The store was jammed and the shelves were empty!! It’s fun to have a reason to celebrate, especially this time of the year. With celebration usually comes, friends, laughter and FOOD!!!!! Yup, Super Bowl Sunday ranks second as the largest day for food consumption in the US! Thanksgiving comes in first! Unfortunately most of us are not consuming fruit and veggie platters….no we are consuming SUGAR!!! IT comes in all forms and a lot of times it comes hidden in things that we don’t even think about. If there was one thing that you could change about your nutrition that would have a drastic impact on your health it would be to eliminate excess SUGAR! Read below to head the real deal on SUGAR…but maybe you should wait until tomorrow!

SUGAR!

I remember a time when diet soda, pretzels and Swedish fish were a regular occurrence in my diet. Then when I ditched the diet soda, pretzels and the Swedish fish, I “healthified” my nutrition replacing the above food with honey wheat bagels, salads with honey mustard dressing and maple glazed pecans, and yogurt for a snack. Sugar is addicting, and I was addicted, but at the time I did not realize it. What I didn’t realize even more so was the amount of sugar that the food manufacturers sneak into our food…why…because it’s addicting and they want us hooked! It’s is added to 90% of the foods on the grocery shelves.

It it not uncommon for the average person to consume a whopping 1 cup of sugar daily which is an added 774 calories!!!

Chronic Disease

But it’s not just the calories that cause concern. Sugar has been shown to feed cancer cells, and has been connected to breast, ovary, prostate, rectum, lung, gallbladder and stomach cancers. It can also interfere with the absorption of protein, cause gastrointestinal concerns such as increased risk of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, indigestion, acidic digestive tracts, and can cause food allergies. Sugar has also been connected to kidney disease, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, inflammation, diabetes and insulin resistance and heart disease. In fact, one cardiologist even declared that virtually all of his patients who suffered heart attacks also had above normal blood glucose levels.

Hypoglycemia

Sugar raises your fasting glucose levels, which can lead to hypoglycemia. And we all know what happens when your blood sugar levels crash after a spike! More aggressive behavior and a reduced immune system are also impacted, especially for children. Research has connected children’s behavior to their level of sugar consumption. When your body experiences the a crash post consumption, blood sugars fall and the brain is affected since glucose is its primary fuel.

Poor Mineral Absorption

Sugar also wreaks havoc on our mineral absorption. Minerals play a critical role in digestion, maintaining our pH balance and nerve impulse transmission. When our mineral balance is out of alignment, we can experience trouble sleeping, anxiety, asthma, tooth decay, and weaker bones. Minerals function in a proper balance and when one mineral is out of proportion, the others typically follow suit.

Studies have shown that sugar causes the body to release calcium and magnesium, throwing the calcium and phosphorous ratio out of balance. In an attempt to rebalance the ratio, the body will pull calcium from teeth and bones. But because the alignment of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous remains unbalanced, the calcium isn’t fully or properly utilized and it will likely be excreted through the urine or land as a kidney or gallstone. So teeth and bones pay the price for the excess sugar, but the problem still isn’t solved.

Ditch the Sweet Demon!

The good news is that knowledge and new food choices can help you ditch the sugar demon and have your body and mind feeling different in just a few weeks. I didn’t say it is easy, it definitely takes planning, there may be withdrawal symptoms and there definitely will be moments of challenge but the more often you avoid sugar the easier it gets. Once your body gets used to be sugar free you recognize the effects that sugar has on your body a whole lot more and cravings become less and less! Here are five things to focus on to eliminate sugar from your diet.

Aim for less than 25 grams of added sugar a day. Fruits and vegetables are not included in that count.
READ your food labels and know what the different names are for sugar so you can’t be fooled. See the list below.
Steer clear of products that have more than 5-6 grams of sugar per serving.
Plan and Prep. Planning to have healthy snacks and meals readily available will make it a lot easier to avoid reaching for something sweet in a pinch.
Add fermented foods to your diet. In addition to being nutritional powerhouses, many people find that when added to their diets, the fermented foods seem to help diminish cravings. And if eaten at the same time as something sweet, the beneficial microflora will minimize the negative effects of the sugar as the fermented foods and drinks will use the sugar as its food.
If you really need sugar the best time to consume is 20-30 minutes after a workout and to couple it with protein At that time your body will utilize the sugar as energy and the protein will help start the cellular repair process.

Remember small changes add up! Aim to identify and tackle your biggest vice and then then move on to the next. Small steps in the right direction can lead to big success.

List of names for sugar

THIS MONTH AT FITHO– USE

MINUTE OF THE MONTH CHALLENGE

***SIT UPS IN FEBRUARY!

That’s right! We’re starting minute of the month challenges to keep YOU motivated, challenged, and fired up! This month our challenge is SIT UPS! The challenge will begin Wednesday, but we’re preparing you now to get ready! More about the challenge will be explained this week so get to class and fire up those abs!

FitHouse 101 & Open Gym Hours!!!

—First session… THIS TUESDAY 6:15 PM! Join Coach Chris for open gym hours and stay tuned for additional times if interest spikes! 10 spot limit so sign up NOW! Take advantage of a WOD (Workout of the Day) created by Chris to complete at your own pace, do your own workout, ask Chris for advice, and get the most out of this opportunity to use our equipment, share your ideas, get our feedback, and succeed in your own goals! For a limited time- Available with class packages, take advantage NOW!

Kids Sports Conditioning is NOW ONGOING!!

By popular demand…We have decided to make kids sports conditioning an ongoing program! Memberships will now be purchased for the month and adjusted if holidays interrupt! Click here for more details on times and days!

MUD ON THE MOUNTAIN RACE

WANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM AND GET MUDDY! What a great way to work towards a goal! Join us for a mud on the mountain race this May 13th at Seven Springs! We just got word that we will have a special team registration fee of $55 per person! It’s a great deal!!! Let us know if you are on board!!! Check it out here.