Your Biggest Struggles With Eating Healthier – Part 2: Hey Sugar!
Hmm why is it so hard to stick to new healthy eating plans? We have been asking you just that and you have highlighted some great points!
Yesterday we talked about wanting food quickly and being lazy with preparation. Let’s be honest, not many of us have the time or energy to devote to preparing and eating healthy food day in and day out, especially when it seems boring, or more hard work than a take-away.
Today we are talking about sugar and the desire for it. There are many many diet ‘experts’ that will encourage you to cut out sugar from your diet altogether, even fruit being a rare treat. Believe it or not, our bodies NEED sugar, just not in the form we may fancy at the time.
Let’s get stuck in with our next comment from one of 
our private group members:
“Enjoying sugar! It’s still a struggle to this day. Very addictive.”
As a recovering chocoholic, I wholeheartedly understand this one. And at certain times of the month, I understand it more than ever!
If there is one thing about sugar I would love to drum into everyone’s brains it’s this;
If you eat sugar, other than the natural sugars found in fruit, make sure that you are giving your body enough fibre too. Sugar absolutely needs fibre to digest properly. In nature, sugar is almost always paired with some fibre, but in factory made treats, the fibre is usually absent.
What kind of foods are rich in fibre? Here is a small list to get you started 🙂
- beans and lentils
- carrots
- sprouts
- avocado
- oats
- wholegrains
- flax seeds (milled)
It doesn’t stop there though because, what does fibre need to do its job properly? Water.
So basically, if you consume sugars other than fruit, make sure you are also getting enough fibre, plus sufficient water intake, so that your body can have a fair chance of digesting it smoothly.
Water, water, water, water. Can I say it any more? Clean, still water is perfectly good for the job.
If you suffer from IBS, the last thing you need to be doing is messing around with fibre, so if that is you, for your current and future sake, keep your artificial sugar consumption low. And please, please don’t consume energy drinks, they are such an expensive way to make you seriously uncomfortable and unhealthy.
Soft drinks of any kind are usually packed with sugar so you could easily drink your entire daily needs, without even touching food. You may think diet versions are the answer, but the alternative sweeteners they use are not always much better, plus they contain other ingredients our bodies won’t find easy to handle regularly.
Too much sugar of any kind on a regular basis will also mess with your insulin and energy levels. Diabetes is not fun, you might look fine on the outside, but inside could be turmoil.
We are all about balance here at Size HH and I truly believe that, treats are there to be enjoyed. Life is too short to be sugar free!
Looking for tasty sugar alternatives? Check out our awesome list in the Size HH book.
Tomorrow we will be looking at another tough struggle with keeping up healthy eating – The feeling like you are missing out on all the decent, tasty food in favour of something far less superior and feeling like you have to endure it rather than enjoy it.
Know that feeling? Join us tomorrow and leave your comments on our Facebook page 🙂