I hate to admit it, but I have fallen off the eat for health bandwagon numerous times since Halloween.
From baking sweet treats, to filling our home (and fridge) with them and everywhere in between I have been absolutely failing in the "make good choices" department.
From baking sweet treats, to filling our home (and fridge) with them and everywhere in between I have been absolutely failing in the "make good choices" department.
I thought I would explain the physiology behind my series of bad decisions, with the hopes that harping on them will help to turn me away from my sickening and fattening ways.
First, we must stop the cycle.
When you eat too much sugar, it enters your body & is converted to glucose, which enters your bloodstream. Those simple sugars are easily processed, so there is A LOT of glucose entering your bloodstream very quickly. That increase in blood glucose (sound familiar?) causes your pancreas to create more insulin to help deal with the excess glucose in your system. Unfortunately, that glucose is used up quickly, which causes a crash. Your body is working on over drive to handle that sugar and once the sugar is all used up, it takes your pancreas a little while to decrease insulin production.
What does excess insulin cause? It makes you hungry quickly, but more importantly, it makes you crave more and more sugary foods. Aha! There it is, its not you just being "weak" there is a chemical component to it.
The key to interrupting this vicious cycle is to resist the impulse. Try to fill your diet with things that are more difficult for the body to digest and will help your body level things out. Protein, fiber, and even good fats are where you want to look. These will curb your hunger without continuing the depressing sugar craving cycle.
Not only is your blood sugar out of whack, but the bacteria and yeast living in your body are also thrown off. Both love feeding on those simple sugars, and when they are in the body in excess, those colonies flourish. Stopping the sugar helps this, but probiotics to restore the balance and put the yeast and bacteria back in check are also helpful.
So, application:
1. Eat good protein, fiber, and fats
(think veggies, lean meats, and legumes)
2. Up the water intake.
The water will help you to flush that excess junk out of the blood and fight dehydration. (Thank you kidneys!)
I loved this article (this post was pretty much a summary)
And the book Skinny Bitch is another that skimming always helps me get back on course!
Summing things up:
source
I need to get my act together before these cute little guys arrive on the scene!
source
Happy Tuesday!
When you eat too much sugar, it enters your body & is converted to glucose, which enters your bloodstream. Those simple sugars are easily processed, so there is A LOT of glucose entering your bloodstream very quickly. That increase in blood glucose (sound familiar?) causes your pancreas to create more insulin to help deal with the excess glucose in your system. Unfortunately, that glucose is used up quickly, which causes a crash. Your body is working on over drive to handle that sugar and once the sugar is all used up, it takes your pancreas a little while to decrease insulin production.
What does excess insulin cause? It makes you hungry quickly, but more importantly, it makes you crave more and more sugary foods. Aha! There it is, its not you just being "weak" there is a chemical component to it.
The key to interrupting this vicious cycle is to resist the impulse. Try to fill your diet with things that are more difficult for the body to digest and will help your body level things out. Protein, fiber, and even good fats are where you want to look. These will curb your hunger without continuing the depressing sugar craving cycle.
Not only is your blood sugar out of whack, but the bacteria and yeast living in your body are also thrown off. Both love feeding on those simple sugars, and when they are in the body in excess, those colonies flourish. Stopping the sugar helps this, but probiotics to restore the balance and put the yeast and bacteria back in check are also helpful.
So, application:
1. Eat good protein, fiber, and fats
(think veggies, lean meats, and legumes)
2. Up the water intake.
The water will help you to flush that excess junk out of the blood and fight dehydration. (Thank you kidneys!)
I loved this article (this post was pretty much a summary)
And the book Skinny Bitch is another that skimming always helps me get back on course!
Summing things up:
I need to get my act together before these cute little guys arrive on the scene!
Happy Tuesday!
Yes, it is so hard to go back to normal healthy schedule after all thses holidays. What helps me is to keep myself busy with my DIY projects, so I don't think of food. These turkeys are super cute, I also saw them on pinterest, I AM PLANNING TO MAKE THOSE WITH MY NIECE.
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