Balance your Blood Sugar and Keep on Track During the Holidays
Being tempted by Christmas cookies at the office and fluffy, sweet drinks at Starbucks when you’re in the middle off a blood sugar crash is a recipe for disaster.
Studies show one in four Americans gain weight over the holidays; many haven’t lost the same amount from the year before.
How many times can someone try the same wash, rinse, repeat cycle before they finally realized it’s just not working?
The solution does not lie in another futile attempt to follow yet one more ridiculous diet that’s simply unrealistic and unsustainable in the long run.
Getting underneath the reasons why you’re choosing the things you’re choosing that don’t exactly promote optimal health is key.
Part of this process for many is behavioral, part is physiological and its certainly not particular to the holiday season.
Understanding the importance of the foods you choose and how they affect your body’s insulin response is the first step.
Most likely, you’re familiar with the basics. If you were to drink a corn-syrup laden soda on its own, you may feel a surge of energy, followed by a crash followed by a desire for more.
That’s insulin doing its job; a sudden spike in blood sugar signals the pancreas to shuttle that sugar into your blood cells to save for energy later.
Short term- you’ll feel lethargic and reach for more, again and again.
Long term – you’ll set yourself up for an increased risk of Type II Diabetes and a whole host of related health problems.
Probably not too surprising… what may be news, however, is many of the foods you’re eating, even those you feel are healthy, may be contributing to the same physiological response and subsequent weight gain.
Constantly fluctuating blood sugar leads to too much insulin being released, which signals the body to store sugar as fat, creating hunger and cravings due to the blood sugar crash and it happens over and over again… until the cycle is broken.
The path to creating a balanced eating plan is not just about choosing which one you want to do (Paleo? Vegan? Mediterranean? ); it also must factor in when you’re eating and what foods you’re putting together to minimize glycemic load (a measure of food that estimates how one serving will raise your blood sugar).
For example, if you’re like me and prefer an authentic paleo approach, you could look at a list of Paleo foods and put a meal together. Perhaps you’re thinking you’re going to want a smoothie after a workout and you select your favorite fruits: watermelon, ripe banana, pineapple and a couple of dates.
All of the above are naturally occurring foods, full of vitamins, micronutrients… and sugar.
It doesn’t mean you should never eat them; it just means eating them all together on their own is not a great idea as it will absolutely cause a blood sugar spike, then crash, insulin response, a drive to eat more and soon and so on and on.
If instead, you decide which type of approach you want to follow first and then build the meals around your lifestyle (When are you working out? When are you fasting? Are you carrying a little too much fat or not enough muscle?), you will set yourself up for better balance in blood sugar, reaching and maintaining a healthy, lean weight and no more feeling hangry.
Yes, all this talk you’ve heard about balancing your macros is real and it’s a crucial step in creating your own eating blueprint that you’ll really follow indefinitely, feeling fit, lean, focused… and not deprived.
We’re only in the first week of December; perfect timing to check yourself now to not only stave off more extra baggage but to rid your frame of some that might have stuck around from last year or longer.
Reach out to book your intro session and learn how to customize your eating regime!
