Diets & Sugar

Reducing refined-sugar intake

I don't want to pretend I'm any sort of perfect and that I don't sometimes eat rubbish! I've spent years trying to keep my weight in check, then having some unhealthy treat and ending up in a toal binge-fest feeling like a complete failure. The thing is, to feel our best I think healthy living needs to be more of a lifestyle, a habit, and not an extreme diet attempt every now and again. Then, when you eat something 'naughty' it's fine. You haven't failed anything, you're just having a treat and then you carry on your day being a healthy person. You're not on a diet, you are a healthy person, who makes healthy choices, including when to have a treat. You are in control! Then, the more you stay in a positive mindset, the more you stick to your ethos and goals, whatever they are for you.

You are in control!

WHAT I'VE REALISED ABOUT DIETS

There are so many wildly different diets out there, but I've realised pretty much every single one has a common thread - low to no sugar. I really would have considered myself a suagr addict in the past and found it really hard to have a stop button. Apart from that it tastes good, refined sugar virtually has no nutritious value, and really does way more harm than good. Refined sugar is reported to increase chances of developing many different diseases and some studies have linked intake of sugar to mental health problems, as well as reducing quality of sleep and speeding up the ageing of your cells, which can potentially have other knock-on effects. It's easy to brush it off, because when you're in your 20s you can eat complete rubbish and still look super sexy, but the older you get the more these things start to catch up with you!

Having experimented with different diets, I think the key points for reducing sugar intake, especially when first trying, are -

• Have refined sugar-free snacks to hand all the time so you don't end up grabbing something that you regret later.

• Eat protein-rich meals and snacks pretty much at every meal and snack time, with lots of fruit and veg too. This is what I've found through my own experimentation and courses I've done on nutrition - to be in the best shape and feel satisfied with what you're eating/have less cravings for unhealthy things it seems to help to include good quality protein-rich foods at all meal/snack times - think quinoa, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy dairy such as cottage cheese, fat-free yoghurt, tofu, oats, peas, edemame beans, broccoli, fish and lean meats if you eat them. It's important to get a variety to ensure you get a good range of the essential amino acids our bodies need. I think this is especially important on vegan/vegetarian diets as consciously upping my protein intake actually helped me to shape up and lose weight, without really upping my exercise level. When you eat protein-rich foods, I've found it's easier to cut out more of the 'crap' like refined white carbs, bread/cakes, as the healthy proteins are really filling and satisfying so it's not like going on a diet where you just try to eat salads and end up feeling hungry all the time. You obviously still need to be careful that you're not overeating and not having too much saturated fat, and keep as active as you can. This is a big topic and you need to do your own research, and monitor your own diet, but upping my protein levels has really helped feel healthy and strong.

• Remove the temptations! I used to think it was weak not to be able to resist the temptations I had around me, such as biscuits or cake in the cupboard. Now I've realised you just need to do what works for you and don't beat yourself up. If you can't resist a temptation if you know it's there, then get rid of the temptation! Put fruit and healthy snacks in an obvious place, and if your will-power is like mine, don't buy or bake anything that you don't want to accidentally end up eating.

• Listen to your body - I am definitely an emotional eater and can just unconsciously stuff my face because I'm feeling stressed. Try to listen to your body, tune in and be conscious of what you're reaching for. Talk to yourself and ask yourself am I actually hungry, and am I making a good choice?

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ALL IN MODERATION

I include many refined sugar-free recipes and protein-rich dishes in my blog to get you going. Having said all this, I've decided I don't want to be all or nothing with sugar, because sometimes it's just part of enjoying life. I just want to be in control and mindful of my choices and get the balance right, so I do include recipes that contain sugar, I just indulge in these less often than I used to! Nourish & Nibble!

Enjoy!