Healthy Habit #11: Limit Added Sugar
Diet advice can be confusing. Eggs are bad for you. No wait, eggs are good for you. Eat less fat because fat makes you fat. No wait, there are good fats. Eat more good fats. Through the sea of advice that we read – we have yet to see a nutrition expert advise us to eat more sugar.
We found this video to explain why sugar is bad for us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
There are a dozen short “sugar is evil†videos, but this one is worth watching. We like the expression “metabolically disturbed.†That’s a good description of how we felt after eating a steak sandwich at Hoagie Haven this past weekend.
It is very hard to stay under the recommended limit for added sugar consumption (which comes from the American Heart Association and other groups).
Recommended max consumption of added sugar; men 36 grams (9 teaspoons), women 20 grams (5 teaspoons), children 12 grams (3 teaspoons).
We looked on the packaging of our favorite packaged food items, and we saw how quickly we could get to 36 grams. One container of Fage greek yogurt? 17 grams.
Note; This is for “added sugar†– you don’t have to count the sugars in your favorite fruits or other food items that don’t come in a container.
Try to limit your added sugar intake the recommended amount – and let us know how hard it is for you.
Summary of the habits.
Habit #1: Awareness Part 1. Know Your Baseline Food Intake.
Habit #2: Tasty List. Make a list of healthy/fresh foods that you consider tasty.
Habit #3: Eat Less More Often. Reduce portion size and increase to 4 meals per day.
Habit #4: Make It Social. Find an exercise partner to help you stay on track with fitness goals.
Habit #5: Sub water for sugary drinks and diet soda.
Habit #6: Set goals with a focus on physical achievement and enter a competition.
Habit #7: Limit alcohol to one drink per day.
Habit #8: Foam roll tight muscles every other day.
Habit #9: Don’t get injured. And. If you do get injured, take care of the injury.
Habit #10: Try the anti-inflammatory diet.
If you want more information or need some diet advice, contact Sue Miller RD, LDN, CSSD; sue@metrowestnutrition.com.
-Mark G.