If you want to drop the muffin top, you need to drop the sugar.
Sick and tired of the belly bulge? Want a flatter stomach for the beach? The answer, again, is to unfriend sugar.
Your belly bulge is two problems wrapped up in one. Yep. Actually it’s one problem compounded by another. In order to bust that belly once and for all, you’ve go to trust what I tell you. It’s sugar! But wait! What’s the other problem? It’s your American diet!
So if you don’t get a handle on understanding what’s in the food your eating, you’ll never get rid of it. And if you continue to rely on your girlfriend’s nutrition advice, you’ll never shed it either, because I know she’s told you to your face the sugar she’s using isn’t sugar.
It’s agave or raw cane sugar or honey or coconut nectar or some strange plant extract dug up from the Amazon.
Girlfriend, if it looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, then guess what … it’s sugar. And that includes diet “sugar” too, which just happens to be worse … far worse! When you drink diet drinks you think you got away with lying to your body? Think again! You tricked it! How much do you plan to screw your body over, but yet want it to work for you at the beach? It believed you … it thought you had sugar so BAM… right back on your thighs, girlfriend…
I’m sure you’ve heard this advice before too: fructose isn’t sugar because it comes from fruit. Say what!? Fruit contains sugar. The only difference between the consumption of fruit versus a sweetener is you actually chew on and digest the fruit fiber which slows the absorption of the sugar, hence not creating a surge of blood sugar levels.
Sugar, honey, agave, coconut nectar are all sugar. It’s liquid heroin and it’ll keep you coming back for more … every time it touches your lips. It plays with your mind, your emotions, your weight and interrupts almost everything you do. And it will linger in every spot in your body you don’t want it to. If that isn’t bad enough, it will bring on the migraines, create unstable blood sugar levels and cause inflammation. It is the very worst and damaging part of your diet. What else will it give you? Muffin top. Yeah, like you were looking for that.
Where else is sugar lurking?
It’s lurking in your adult drinks. I’m not talking the obvious. I’m talking your skinny margarita. When your liver needs to eliminate the alcohol from your blood it converts it to sugar whether it be beer or vodka or those “skinny” drinks. Wine — it’s loaded with sugar. Ever wonder why at 5 p.m., your body says, “Ah, I need a glass of wine?” No, you’re probably not an alcoholic (although you may be). You’re more likely addicted to the sugar!
Breads, pastas and rice — even if it says gluten free. Gluten free has everyone convinced it’s good for you — just like “fat free” of the 90s. If you don’t need to eat gluten free, don’t. While bread is yummy, it isn’t really necessary in today’s processed world. It breaks down in your body into, again…sugar.
Still have those carb cravings? (Well, first of all it’s that damn sugar tellin’ ya you need more). Anyway, try a sprouted bread or quinoa pasta instead. Whole grain rice … just keep it all to a minimum. At least the nutrients are still intact.
Energy bars and drinks — most energy bars are loaded with dried fruit and excess amounts of sugar. Ok, yeah, it’ll give you energy but you’ll need to run a marathon to burn it off. Who has time for that? Energy drinks? Why bother? Try sticking a needle in your arm instead.
Processed foods are loaded with sugar and artificial flavoring to make them taste good. Why? Because they’ve been processed! Yuck! Even ones that aren’t supposed to be sweet have sugar added! You’ve been duped!
Desserts—I spy all the fancy dessert recipes on the Internet that advertise “healthy” desserts! Ok, a healthy alternative for your children maybe, but not for you! Just because it’s gluten-free and uses 57 cups of agave, honey and maple syrup and dried fruit does not make it healthy! What it really means is 5 more pounds and a moody bitch of a mom.
Fruit—It shouldn’t be up for debate here. Eat fruit instead of all the other garbage. Berries are loaded with nutritional benefits and great for those summer months.
For those of you poor innocent consumers who are trying your best to be healthy here are the many processed names of sugar lurking in your processed food items: anhydrous dextrose, brown sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, dextrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, nectars, raw sugar, sucrose, cane juice, evaporated corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, crystal dextrose, glucose, liquid fructose, fruit nectar
Want a sugar substitute that’s safe to use? Stevia, not Truvia. My favorite Stevia brand? Pyure. It’s 100 percent organic without the bitter aftertaste stevia usually gives. Buy in individual packets and take with you on the run.
Some summertime tips:
The best nutritional advice is to eat plant based foods, many of them. Greens and sprouts are the best. Take nuts for snacks. Even some dark chocolate pieces and dried fruit to make your own trail mix. Drink plenty of water. Looking for some flavor to add to your water? Try adding citrus or berry fruits. Like the fizz from soda without the nasty bloat? Drink mineral water. There’s just enough fizz without the calcium carbonate that can cause extreme bloat and discomfort. When at the beach and wanting to look and feel your best avoid caffeine and alcohol. Keep your system hydrated, nourished and flushed by eating foods and drinking plenty of fluids. Your body will thank you for it and reward you…maybe even with a flat belly. 😉
Love this? Share it!
