The HCG Diet Helps People Lose Weight and End the Sugar Habit

Sugar!  It is everywhere. It is hard to believe that most people consume between 20-25 tsp of sugar each day.  That is quite shocking to me. Some of this sugar can of course be found in fruits and veggies but most of it is hidden in processed foods. There are 10 tsp of sugar in some cans of soda.  Yikes!  There is sugar added to everything from breakfast cereal to condiments. The sugar truth is rather shocking.

Sugar is surely one of the main culprits of the obesity epidemic that has swept our nation and the globe.  Sugar contributes to weight gain as well as many preventable disease states such as heart disease and diabetes!

We teach all of our HCG Diet patients about the detrimental effects of sugar on health and body composition.

SUGAR IS DANGEROUS OVER THE LONG TERM

Sugar also known as sucrose is a glucose molecule that is bound to a fructose molecule.  This stuff needs to be processed in the liver!  When in the blood stream, large amounts of insulin (and cortisol) are released to shunt the sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells. If we do not need the energy for fuel … it gets stored away as FAT!  If you ask me, that is pretty dangerous over time.  There is also a debate on how dangerous the conversion of fructose into glucose which happens in the liver can be. Some studies show that this process creates free radicals which creates inflammation.  Inflammation creates disease states.

Can one become Addicted to Sugar??

Yes! Sugar can provide that little buzz for some people that keeps them coming back for more.  In my patient population, I spend a great deal of time helping patients deal with sugar cravings and addictions.  It takes time and an “I can beat this” attitude but, it is totally possible to rise above sugar addictions.

As humans, we love sweet!  We just do!  We love the ripe fruit and the sweetness it has to offer. On occasion, this is perfect!  Every day and all day this is a problem.  The processed food world has jumped on our love for sugar.

Sugar cravings are real!  They may stem from a physiological dependence that was created over long periods of regular sugar consumption and they may come from emotional or psychological triggers.

We feed our infants sugary fruits and foods from the start and we tend to say “I love you” with sugar.  It’s no big surprise that we develop powerful emotional attachments to the flavor of sweet!

Breaking Free from Sugar

You can do it. I did. It’s actually hard for me to eat a whole apple now. Its so sweet!  Sugar does not need to be avoided completely.  However, to live in a healthy body, we must limit our sugar intake.  This is a huge take home message for our patients on the HCG Diet program.

Take these simple steps to begin to make a change:

• Make your goals realistic! Take baby steps in learning what foods to let go of.
• Choose Foods High in Nutrients! Ask yourself … does this nourish me on a cellular level???  Choose foods that are high in nutrition and get excited!
• Plan Ahead! Meal planning and snack planning are wonderful ways to keep your food habits in check. I recommend all of my HCG diet patients adopt this habit.
• Don’t buy Junk!  Plain and simple!
• Celebrate by nourishing yourself!  Find healthy alternatives to celebrate with.  Say no to the junk and yes to the delicious, vibrant, nutrient rich foods that our mother Earth so graciously provides us with.