March 3, 2020

5 World Class Basics For CrossFit Nutrition

By Liam Holmes

Nutrition is for life. Make sure you understand the basics and make them a habit.

Practicing CrossFit without any regard to nutrition is similar to only having “one oar in the water,” according to CrossFit Founder and CEO Greg Glassman. Diet is crucial to optimizing health and performance, supporting the reasoning as to why Nutrition is the foundation of the CrossFit pyramid.

You wouldn’t expect to jump straight into the main class and be performing WOD’s with RX weight without having first completed your foundations. Why does this occur with nutrition so often? We all need to be doing the foundations of CrossFit nutrition Every. Single. Day. It needs to be a lifestyle, something that is a habit and that you enjoy. This is what I call WORLD CLASS BASICS. The basics of nutrition don’t come in a shiny tub with a list of 20 different ingredients. The basics can be the mundane stuff – prepping meals, eating more vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption or getting to bed early.

When you do nail the basics, the effect on performance and health are incredible.

CrossFit is unique in that as it is constantly varied, it can stress all of your energy systems, mental capacity and push your body to limit – all in a one-hour class!! If you do not employ world class basics to your CrossFit nutrition then you are not giving yourself the foundation to reach your potential.

Here are 5 world class basics to focus on now:

1. EAT THE RAINBOW

The fact is that the majority of people underestimate the impact that eating enough vegetables has on health and performance. The intensity of CrossFit means that your body requires more support than the average joe. You need to be supplying it with a variety of nutrients. In addition to this a recent meta-analysis concluded that a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of all causes of mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality. There is no supplement that has this kind of effect!! Adding more vegetables, (particularly green veggies), into most meals is where you need to start. Add kale/spirulina into your morning smoothie, spinach to your omelette and a variety to your lunches and dinner. Bottom line is to eat vegetables at every meal.

2. INDIVIDUALIZE YOUR NUTRITION

Finding what works for you is so important. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. This takes a little bit of awareness. Do you have those days when you feel superhuman?! Just note what you ate in the meals leading up to this. Additionally, note what foods you ate when you feel like death and everything feels like 200 kg!

Don’t follow someone else plan, evolve your own.

3. MINIMIZE THE STRESS OF DECISION

Deciding what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, pre workout, post workout etc. etc. etc.…it can become overwhelming. The sheer number of decisions we have to make regarding food is staggering. Employing some simple strategies to minimize the stress of making these types of decisions can help you focus on other areas like training, work and your social life.

• Meal prep – you don’t have to prep every meal for a whole week but maybe just cook extra from dinner or roast some meat and veg a couple of times.
• Get some go to meals in your locker – this could be a good smoothie recipe, a quick tasty super food salad lunch or a spicy stir fry. Having these quick go to meals allows you to stay on point with your CrossFit nutrition regardless of the situation.

4. EAT THE BEST QUALITY PRODUCE THAT YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS FOR

You don’t have to buy everything organic from expensive health food shops, but one basic thing to do is to buy the best you can afford. Do a little bit of research to find a local producer that does amazing eggs for a fraction of the supermarket prices, or buy up superior cuts of meat and fish when they are on sale and freeze them. Another tip is to buy larger cuts of meat and cook for a few meals at a time, this is always cheaper than buying the pre cut fillets, allowing you to spend more on better quality veg!

5. EAT SOME FORM OF PROTEIN AT BREAKFAST

Now this is something that I believe will make a huge difference to your health and performance regardless of your goal. Breakfast can be one of the meals that people eat a solely carbohydrate-based meal. Cornflakes and milk? Does anyone still eat this?!?! Some people can go until 1:30 pm before eating any form of protein (and even then, it is usually only a small amount). Want to build muscle, lose fat and be awesome at work?? Then get SOME PROTEIN IN YOUR BREAKFAST!

So why is having protein at breakfast is so crucial?

• Boost neurotransmitter production – boosts memory, attention and drive for the day ahead.
• It is linked to eating less throughout the day
• Stabilizes energy levels – no mid morning energy dips
• Provides amino acids to build muscle and recover from training.

It doesn’t matter whether you do the 6 am conditioning class or the 8 pm weightlifting class you need protein at breakfast.

Here are some great breakfast ideas

• Eggs – anyway you like – Omelettes, baked eggs, scrambled, poached, boiled……add veggies, add meat, add fish – be creative.
• Greek yogurt – add nuts, seeds, berries, protein powder – done!
• Meat and nuts – Charles Poliquin championed this and I have had some awesome results using this method. Try it. Trust me.
• Chia seed puddings – google them. So versatile and can be used for snacks and desserts also.
• Smoothies – get yourself a Nutri-Bullet and start creating masterpieces! Great way to add in lots of different super-foods and nutrients. Add spirulina, maca and tyrosine into a morning smoothie.

CrossFit Nutrition: The Take home message

Nutrition is for life. Remember that everything you put in your mouth, in either solid or liquid form, is either helping you achieve your goal or hindering your progress. Make sure you understand the basics and make them a habit.

March 3, 2020

7 Nutritional Changes that Will Help You Lose Weight  By Katrina Rice

If you want to lose weight then re-prioritizing your nutrition is the essential first step. Here is how to get started.

By knowing what to and what not to eat, you will maximize your efforts trying to lose weight. The seven tips below will guide you on your way to proper nutrition and efficient weight loss.

1. Cut Sugars and Starches

The most crucial element to cut off in your diet when trying to lose weight is carbohydrates (starches). To give you a little bit of a background, insulin is responsible for storing your fat. Insulin-release is also stimulated when you eat too much sugar which comes from starch or carbohydrates.

The more sugar you eat, the more your body releases insulin, causing more fat to be stored. When insulin levels go down, your body stops storing fat, instead your body will use/burn your body’s fat stores for energy.

Another benefit of lowered your insulin level is that it allows your kidneys to do what they are supposed to do – and that is to get rid of excess sodium and water in your body. Excess sodium causes you to bloat up and store the water as weight excess. As soon as you get rid of carbohydrates on the first few weeks of your diet, you will notice you are losing more weight than expected.

2. Eat Vegetables, Complex Carbohydrates, Healthy Fats and Protein

Taking away many of the more commonly understood sources of carbohydrates (pasta, white rice, bread etc.) does not mean you can’t have them anymore. Carbohydrates from vegetables sources can provide the recommended range of 20 to 50 grams per day. You can get your daily requirements of carbohydrates through eating vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and Swiss chard for example. Sweet potato is an excellent source of carbohydrate as well.

Healthy protein sources can be found in tofu, beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, lamb Fish (also rich in omega 3 – an important antioxidant needed by your body). Aside from that, eating proteins and healthy fats are a must. Healthy fats can be obtained by including fish oil, avocado, olive oil, peanut oil and the like.

By constructing your daily meal with these components, you help boost your metabolism.

3. Add Strength Work into your Training 

 Yes, it’s possible for you to lose weight without exercise, but getting your body active is always recommended for better results. Going to the Box at least 3 times a week to warm up, stretch out and lift some weights is beneficial in speeding up your weight loss. Lifting weights allows you to burn more calories and increase muscle mass when done properly.

Remember, muscle metabolism takes up a lot of calories. When done right, you will most likely gain weight because of the gained muscle mass, but lose fat because your body has converted it to supply the energy it requires for using your muscles. It is also essential that you replenish your body and recover properly after training.

4. Make Time for A Cheat Meal

Deprivation is usually the cause why so many people falter on their weight loss journey. Allow yourself to indulge at least once a week.

But just because you’re allowed a cheat meal doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you can. Pick a reasonable size portion and eat the food that you’ve been fantasizing about. This will help you to stay on track and maintain discipline the rest of the time. 

Overdoing it will cause you to fall behind on the results you want to achieve. This is the time you can eat something unhealthy, but make sure you do it to satisfy your taste buds and not your appetite.

5. Control Portions and Calories

Without proper nutrition knowledge, calorie counting will be both exhausting and somewhat useless. The truth about it is calorie counting becomes unnecessary when you stick to the protein – healthy fat – low carb vegetables plan.

Sticking to that diet alone tells you that you’re already hitting the kind of nutrition you need in order to lose weight. But if you still want to count your calories to make sure you’re sticking to the plan, by all means, go right ahead.

Using a calorie counter or a calorie calculator is the best option if you’re not into keeping a food journal.

6. Drink Plenty of Water

Always remember that your body needs the proper hydration to make sure that all metabolic processes are working like a well-oiled machine. Water can make you feel fuller, help you reduce cravings, and hydrate your cells and skin. Water is also a great way to help flush down the excess sodium in the body.

Remember when we said high insulin levels can cause high levels of sodium in the body. Well, as soon as you cut back on your simple carbs, and lower your insulin levels, your body is going to need the right hydration to help eliminate the excess salt that’s causing you to keep your water weight. So, drink up like there’s no tomorrow!

7. Sleep Properly

The body regenerates cell repair faster while you’re sleeping. If you think your exercise routine has gotten you feeling completely sore, a good night’s rest will help heal the torn tissues caused by working out. You can also relieve pain by bathing in warm water. Every movement in the body causes wear-and-tear, so if you want to naturally get rid of the pain, sleeping will help hasten the healing. Many top CrossFit Games Athletes sleep 8 – 10 hours a night. 

December 10,2015

HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

What’s even more disturbing is that people are consuming excessive sugar in the form of fructose or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This highly processed form of sugar is cheaper yet 20 percent sweeter than regular table sugar, which is why many food and beverage manufacturers decided to use it for their products, as it would allow them to save money in the long run.

HFCS is found in almost all types of processed foods and drinks today. Just take a look at this infographic to see just how much fructose is hiding in some of the most common foods you eat. 

May 20,2015

10 Ways Sugar Harms Your Health

Taken from Akins.com

1. Sugar causes blood glucose to spike and plummet.
Unstable blood sugar often leads to mood swings, fatigue, headaches and cravings for more sugar. Cravings set the stage for a cycle of addiction in which every new hit of sugar makes you feel better temporarily but, a few hours later, results in more cravings and hunger. On the flip side, those who avoid sugar often report having little or no cravings for sugary things and feeling emotionally balanced and energized.

2. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Large-scale studies have shown that the more high-glycemic foods (those that quickly affect blood sugar), including foods containing sugar, a person consumes, the higher his risk for becoming obese and for developing diabetes and heart disease1. Emerging research is also suggesting connections between high-glycemic diets and many different forms of cancer2,3,4.

3. Sugar interferes with immune function.
Research on human subjects is scant, but animal studies have shown that sugar suppresses immune response5. More research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms; however, we do know that bacteria and yeast feed on sugar and that, when these organisms get out of balance in the body, infections and illness are more likely.

4. A high-sugar diet often results in chromium deficiency.
It’s sort of a catch-22. If you consume a lot of sugar and other refined carbohydrates, you probably don’t get enough of the trace mineral chromium, and one of chromium’s main functions is to help regulate blood sugar. Scientists estimate that 90 percent of Americans don’t get enough chromium. Chromium is found in a variety of animal foods, seafood and plant foods. Refining starches and other carbohydrates rob these foods of their chromium supplies.6

5. Sugar accelerates aging.
It even contributes to that telltale sign of aging: sagging skin. Some of the sugar you consume, after hitting your bloodstream, ends up attaching itself to proteins, in a process called glycation. These new molecular structures contribute to the loss of elasticity found in aging body tissues, from your skin to your organs and arteries7. The more sugar circulating in your blood, the faster this damage takes hold.

6. Sugar causes tooth decay.
With all the other life-threatening effects of sugar, we sometimes forget the most basic damage it does. When it sits on your teeth, it creates decay more efficiently than any other food substance8. For a strong visual reminder, next time the Tooth Fairy visits, try the old tooth-in-a-glass-of-Coke experiment—the results will surely convince you that sugar isn’t good for your pearly whites.

7. Sugar can cause gum disease, which can lead to heart disease.
Increasing evidence shows that chronic infections, such as those that result from periodontal problems, play a role in the development of coronary artery disease9. The most popular theory is that the connection is related to widespread effects from the body’s inflammatory response to infection.

8. Sugar affects behavior and cognition in children.
Though it has been confirmed by millions of parents, most researchers have not been able to show the effect of sugar on children’s behavior. A possible problem with the research is that most of it compared the effects of a sugar-sweetened drink to one containing an artificial sweetener10. It may be that kids react to both real sugar and sugar substitutes, therefore showing no differences in behavior.
What about kids’ ability to learn? Between 1979 and 1983, 803 New York City public schools reduced the amount of sucrose (table sugar) and eliminated artificial colors, flavors and two preservatives from school lunches and breakfasts. The diet policy changes were followed by a 15.7 percent increase in a national academic ranking (previously, the greatest improvement ever seen had been 1.7 percent)11.

9. Sugar increases stress.
When we’re under stress, our stress hormone levels rise; these chemicals are the body’s fight-or-flight emergency crew, sent out to prepare the body for an attack or an escape. These chemicals are also called into action when blood sugar is low. For example, after a blood-sugar spike (say, from eating a piece of birthday cake), there’s a compensatory dive, which causes the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline, epinephrine and cortisol. One of the main things these hormones do is raise blood sugar, providing the body with a quick energy boost. The problem is, these helpful hormones can make us feel anxious, irritable and shaky.

10. Sugar takes the place of important nutrients.
According to USDA data, people who consume the most sugar have the lowest intakes of essential nutrients––especially vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Ironically, those who consume the most sugar are children and teenagers, the individuals who need these nutrients most12.
Slashing Sugar

Now that you know the negative impacts refined sugar can have on your body and mind, you’ll want to be more careful about the foods you choose. And the first step is getting educated about where sugar lurks—believe it or not, a food needn’t even taste all that sweet for it to be loaded with sugar. When it comes to convenience and packaged foods, let the ingredients label be your guide, and be aware that just because something boasts that it is low in carbs or a “diet” food, doesn’t mean it’s free of sugar.

Selected References
1. Bell, S.J., Sears, B., “Low-glycemic-load diets: impact on obesity and chronic diseases.” Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition, 43(4), 2003, pages 357-77.

2. Michaud, D.S., Liu, S., Giovannucci, E., et al., “Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 94(17), 2002, pages 1293-1300.

3. Romieu, I., Lazcano-Ponce, E., Sanchez-Zamorano, L.M., et al., “Carbohydrates and the Risk of Breast Cancer Among Mexican Women.” Cancer Epidemiology and Biomarkers Preview, 13(8), 2004, pages 1283-1289.

4. Franceschi, S., Dal Maso, L., Augustin, L., et al., “Dietary Glycemic Load and Colorectal Cancer Risk.” Annals of Oncology, 12(2), 2001, pages 173-178.

5. Nutter, R.L., Gridley, D.S., Kettering, J.D., et al., “Modification of a transplantable colon tumor and immune responses in mice fed different sources of protein, fat and carbohydrate.” Cancer Letters, 18(1), 1983, pages 49-62.

6. “Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc.” Institute of Medicine, Washington, D.C., National Academy Press, 2001.

7. Sensi, M., Pricci, F., Andreani, D., et al., “Advanced Nonenzymatic Glycation Endproducts (AGE): Their Relevance to Aging and the Pathogenesis of Late Diabetic Complications.” Diabetes Research, 16(1), 1991, pages 1-9.

8. “Dental Caries and Its Complications: Tooth Decay.” In The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, edited by Robert Berkow, et al. Rahway, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1992.

9. Geerts, S.O., Legrand, V., Charpentier, J., et al. “Further evidence of the association between periodontal conditions and coronary artery disease.” Journal of Periodontology, 75(9), 2004, pages 1274-80.

10. Wolraich, M.L., Wilson, D.B., White, J.W, “The effect of sugar on behavior or cognition in children. A meta-analysis.” JAMA, 274 (20), 1995, pages 1617-21.

11. Schoenthaler, S.J., Doraz, W.E., Wakefield, J.A., “The Impact of a Low Food Additive and Sucrose Diet on Academic Performance in 803 New York City Public Schools.” International Journal of Biosocial Research, 8(2), 1986, pages 185-195.

12. Bowman, S.A., “Diets of Individuals Based on Energy Intakes From Added Sugars.” Family Economics and Nutrition Review, 12(2), 1999, pages 31-38.

Jan. 28, 2015

Thank You our friends at CrossFit Mayhem for the compilation of the following information.

Paleo vs Primal vs Zone: You Choose!

     I have compiled the information below about Paleo, Primal, and Zone. You can read, research, and decide for yourself what is best for you. This is my simple-minded attempt at a page of information for those interested in changing their eating habits. I am by no means an expert and have only just compiled information for you to view and study and decide what works best for you. 

PALEO:

The paleo diet essentially allows lean meats, fish, veggies, some fruit, tree nuts (not peanuts) and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. This excludes… grains, legumes, white potatoes, dairy, and corn. Think about it this way… the things that are excluded are the food items that people are more often allergic to or just have issues digesting. White potatoes and corn just turn into sugar.

The Beginner’s Guide to the Paleo Diet http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/
The Paleo Diet – http://thepaleodiet.com/

PRIMAL:

The primal plan allows foods like the paleo diet, but includes some dairy. Such as creams, butter, greek yogurts, and some cheese (but don’t go overboard).

The Definitive Guide to the Primal Eating Plan – http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/#axzz21dppwIBH
Getting Started with Mark’s Daily Apple – http://www.marksdailyapple.com//welcome-to-marks-daily-apple/#axzz21dppwIBH

ZONE:

This plan is much more rigid. There is weighing and measuring and lots of planning to this one because each meal or snack is in blocks. You have to really lay your meals out ahead of time. This is great for a person who wants to really watch everything they eat and is organized. It does allow for some grains, but some people will choose to do a cross of paleo/zone. This would exclude the grains and only include for the paleo foods.

Zone Diet Explained – http://crossfitimpulse.com/the-zone-diet-explained-edited
Zone Diet Meal Plans – http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf

A couple good resources about eating right –

The last days of the low-fat diet – http://grist.org/scary-food/2011-03-04-low-fat-diet-fad/
YouTube Video – Mind your Mitochondria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc

Tips for snacks:
Steve’s Club – http://stevesoriginal.com/
Cattaneo Bros – http://www.cattaneobros.com/ – they also have jerky and personally I liked it better than most because they also carry a thin cut that is easy to eat, and great flavors!
Paleo Snacks – http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-snacks/
More snack ideas – http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefood/2012/01/paleo-snack-ideas/
Paleo People – http://paleopeople.com/ – you can order snacks online (I haven’t personally tried it, but let me know if you do).
Just a note – if you are a Costco person they do have a large thing of almond butter for under $6.

Recipes:

You can find recipes all over the web. Some are great, some just require too much stuff that I don’t keep in my house. I will gather some recipes and post them online for you to try! If you find a favorite, feel free to share with us! Here are a few sites:

Everyday Paleo – everydaypaleo.com
PaleOMG – paleomg.com
PaleoPot – paleopot.com (Crock Pot Recipes)

Cookbooks:
Primal Blueprint Cookbook – http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982207727/?tag=pfindex-20
Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals – http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982207743/?tag=pfindex-20 (I haven’t used this one yet, but love the Primal Blueprint Cookbook and it’s the same authors)
Paleo Comfort Foods – one of my favorites – http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608936/?tag=pfindex-20
Everyday Paleo – another common one used by a lot of people (she also has a great blog) – http://www.amazon.com/dp/098256581X/?tag=pfindex-20
Paleo Food – online cookbook – http://www.paleofood.com/ (I just found this one and will have to try it!)

TIPS for a PALEO, PRIMAL, or ZONE 30-Day Challenge

Here are some things I learned from when I started my first (and second) 30-day challenge:

• Try your best! It will be a bit tough at first because most people are used to the quick carbs they can grab. Plan your snacks!
• Paleo is a great way to cut out foods that could be causing you issues. You can always add things back when you find they are not an issue.
  I loved bread! LOVED IT! I thought for sure that would be the worst thing to have to cut out… guess what… it wasn’t! After 30 days of not eating it, I have never returned to eating it like I did before because the way it makes me feel overly bloated and full.
• As for milk… I am not a milk drinker. I like the occasional yogurt and creams and butter, but milk… no! That was the one thing that I actually did add back after doing the Paleo challenge the first time. Strange huh… I loved bread and didn’t care if I had it anymore, didn’t like milk… but wanted dairy back.
• Some people like to have a cheat meal and some do not. I prefer a cheat meal to make sure that I nip those cravings in the bud (we all have our faves and mine is ice cream!), but if you feel it might cause you to waiver too much… don’t.
• Try different recipes and new things. I had to start being more creative. When I eat fajitas or sloppy joe, instead of tortillas or bread I put it on a bed of raw baby spinach! It really is good!
• Last… try to do your best during this 30 days. Eat as clean as possible! But if you have a bad day… chalk it up to that and start clean the next day!

Authored by: Lauren Neal/CrossFit Mayhem

11 Weird Things Sugar Is Doing to Your Body

Sugar is wrecking your face, and other strange new findings.

BY LEAH ZERBE

11 Weird Things Sugar Is Doing to Your Body

Is sugar toxic? It is when you consider the levels the average American swallows each year—a whopping 130 pounds of added sugars ingested annually. That’s about 22 teaspoons a day, way over the max set by the American Heart Association in 2009. New science shows that this overload of sugar—often stemming from hard-to-detect hidden added sugars—is affecting your body in all sorts of strange ways.
Check out these 11 weird things that sugar is doing to your body from The Sugar Smart Diet, a breakthrough plan brimming with reasons to rein in your sugar habit.
More From Rodale News: 7 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Sugar

1. Sugar makes your organs fat.
Sugar Stat: The fructose—a component of table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup—in added sugars triggers your liver to store fat more efficiently, and in weird places. Over time, a diet high in fructose could lead to globules of fat building up around your liver, a precursor to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, something rarely seen before 1980.
Sugar Smart Tip: Avoid drinks with lots of added sugars, including healthy-sounding smoothies. You’re better off if the fructose in your diet comes from natural sources like fruit—the fiber helps blunt a sugar shock to your system. Plus, a piece of fruit likely has way less sugar than a commercial smoothie full of added sugars (some of them contain 54 grams, or about 13 ½ teaspoons worth of sugar!)

2. Sugar primes your body for diabetes.
Sugar Stat: A PLoS One study found that for every extra 150 calories from sugar available per person each day, diabetes prevalence rises by 1.1 percent.
Sugar Smart Tip: It’s easy to recommend giving up sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, but the truth is that accounts for just one-third of your added sugar intake. You have to go further, really honing in on labels. Much of the hidden sugars hide out under your own roof, in unassuming places like ketchup, frozen dinners, beef jerky, and bread.

3. Sugar hammers your heart.
Sugar Stat: You might expect sugar-curbing recommendations from the American Diabetes Association, thanks to sugar’s clear impact on type 2 diabetes.
But the truth is heart disease and diabetes are intricately related: Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 causes of death among people with type 2 diabetes, accounting for 65 percent of those deaths.
Sugar Smart Tip: Don’t exceed the American Heart Association’s recommended sugar levels, which are 5 teaspoons for women (20 grams); 9 teaspoons for men (36 grams); and 3 teaspoons (12 grams) for children. For reference, a can of soda generally contains up to 12 grams of sugar; a single slice of whole wheat bread contains up to 2 teaspoons of added sugars.

4. Sugar creates tense blood vessels.
Sugar Stat: Excess added sugars cause excess insulin in the bloodstream, which takes its toll on your body’s circulatory highway system, your arteries. Chronic high insulin levels cause the smooth muscle cells around each blood vessel to grow faster than normal, according to The Sugar Smart Diet. This causes tense artery walls, something that puts you on the path to high blood pressure, and ultimately, makes a stroke or heart attack more likely.
Sugar Smart Tip: Don’t be tricked by processed “whole grain” products. To create whole grain flour, wheat kernels are basically pulverized to dust, which when eaten causes glucose spikes in our bodies similar to eating table sugar, white flour, or high-fructose corn syrup! “For instance, the kind of whole wheat bread typically used for sandwiches and white bread are digested at about the same rate and cause about the same rise in blood glucose levels, and therefore require the same amount of insulin to clear the bloodstream of glucose,” Sugar Smart Diet author Anne Alexander writes.

5. Sugar promotes cholesterol chaos.
Sugar Stat: There is an unsettling connection between sugar and cholesterol, as well. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that, after excluding people with high cholesterol and/or diabetes and people who were excessively overweight, those who ate the highest levels of added sugars experienced the biggest spike in bad cholesterol levels and dangerous triglyceride blood fats, and the lowest good (HDL) cholesterol levels. One theory? Sugar overload could spark your liver to churn out more bad cholesterol while also inhibiting your body’s ability to clear it out.
Sugar Smart Tip: Eat a protein-rich breakfast. Skipping breakfast makes you 4.5 times more likely to become obese. Eating breakfast also helps keep your blood sugar levels more favorable. An added perk? When overweight women choose protein-rich eggs over a bagel, they naturally eat about 160 fewer calories during the subsequent lunch. (Rodale News recommends eggs from pastured hens that also eat organic grain.)

6. It leads to type 3 diabetes.
Sugar Stat: Brown University neuropathologist Suzanne de la Monte, MD, coined the term type 3 diabetes after her team was the first to discover the links between insulin resistance and high-fat diets and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, her work suggests Alzheimer’s is a metabolic disease, one in which the brain’s ability to use glucose and produce energy is damaged. To paraphrase, it’s like having diabetes in the brain.
Sugar Smart Tip: Know sugar’s many names. Check labels; ingredients that end in –ose are sugar, and so is anything with sugar or syrup after the name. Don’t overindulge in sugary, fatty foods—that seems to be what sets off Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in rat studies.

7. Sugar turns you into a junkie.

Sugar Stat: Much like street drugs, sugar triggers the release of chemicals that set off our brain’s pleasure center, in this case opioids and dopamine. And as they do with street drugs, people develop a tolerance for sugar, meaning they need more sugar for a feel-good “fix.” In rat studies looking at sugar addiction, the animals binge on the sweet stuff, and they experience chattering teeth, tremors, shakes, and anxiety when it’s taken away.
Sugar Smart Tip: Andrew Weil, MD, urges people to be patient as they embark on a diet that cuts added sugars. He says it usually takes about a week for the taste buds to habituate to a lower overall level of sweetness in the diet. After that, foods you used to love may seem sickeningly sweet.

8. Sugar turns you into a ravenous animal.
Sugar Stat: Sugar. Makes. You. Feel. Famished. Emerging research suggests regularly eating too much sugar scrambles your body’s ability to tell your brain you’re full. Carrying a few extra pounds and living with type 2 diabetes can throw off your body’s ability to properly put off leptin hormones. Leptin’s job is to say, “I’m full! Now stop eating!” Fructose also appears to play badly with leptin; eating a high-fructose diet means your body feels hungry, even when you’re overeating!
Sugar Smart Tip: Instead of reaching for a standard chocolate bar, instead opt for a bit of organic chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao. When you feel a sugar craving coming on, walk for 15 minutes. Researchers found a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for a sugar-laden chocolate bar by 12 percent! Whatever you do, don’t just sit there—that will actually increase your sugar cravings!

9. Sugar makes you an energy-starved zombie.
Sugar Stat: You know the feeling. You grab a chocolate candy bar, and with it, get that brief jolt of energy. (Soon to be replaced by unrelenting fatigue.) Science shows it takes just 30 minutes or less to go from a sugar rush to a full-on sugar crash. This sugar spike-and-crash sets you up to want more sugar—a vicious cycle. To add insult to injury, The Sugar Smart Diet points out that sugar also triggers the release of serotonin, a sleep regulator. So much for an energy bump!
Sugar Smart Tip: Once you rid your life of the blatant sugars, try using some of these hidden-sugar-lowering swaps:
• Trade in Arnold 100% Whole Wheat bread (1 slice = 110 calories, 4 grams sugar) for Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Flax Sprouted Whole Grain Bread (1 slice = 80 calories and 0 grams sugar)
• Choose Bob’s Red Mill Organic 7-Grain Pancake & Waffle mix (1/3 cup = 190 calories, 2 grams sugar) instead of Bisquick Complete pancake & waffle mix Simply Buttermilk with Whole Grain (½ cup = 210 calories, 6 grams sugar)
• Choose Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rolled Oats (½ cup uncooked = 150 calories, 1 gram sugar) in lieu of Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar (1 packet = 160 calories, 12 grams sugar).

10. Sugar turns your smile upside down.
Sugar Stat: We might reach for sugar to feel better, but we’re getting the opposite effect in the end. A study published in Public Helath Journal followed nearly 9,000 people to study the link between depression and eating sugary sweets and fast food. After six years, those who ate the most junk faced a nearly 40 percent greater risk of developing depression, compared to those who shunned junk food the most. In people with insulin resistance, it appears the brain releases lower levels of feel-good dopamine.
Sugar Smart Tip: Different stages of the 32-day Sugar Smart Diet call for different sugar-curbing measures. The goal isn’t to completely deprive you of added sugars, just to get your cravings under control so you can develop a healthy (weight-curbing) relationship with the sweet treat. Here are some tips from Day 3 of the plan:
• If you’re an ice-cream addict, today and tomorrow, eat one serving and then give away or throw away the carton. Then, instead of keeping a stocked-up freezer at home, make it a point to drive out to a local ice cream shop to get it. After that, put in place stricter guidelines, like you can only do this on Fridays and Saturdays.
• If you’re a sucker for soda or juice, try this: Sip the full-sugar variety today, but in a smaller bottle or can. Tomorrow or the day after, swap every other serving with ice water or seltzer water with a twist of lime.
• If you’re a dessert lover: Have your regular dessert today, but tomorrow opt for a fruit-based dessert like a baked apple or poached pear. The day after, step down to raw fruit, splurging on the varieties you like most, say, mangoes, berries, or purple or red grapes.

11. Sugar wrecks your face.
Sugar Stat: Sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. These unwanted invaders attack nearby proteins, damaging them, including protein fibers in collagen and elastin, the components that keep your skin firm and elastic. The result of too much sugar? Dry, brittle protein fibers that lead to wrinkles and saggy skin.
There’s more! AGEs promote the growth of fragile collagen and deactivate your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes. This opens the door to more sun damage, which, as we all know, also damages and ages your skin.
Sugar Smart Tip: Beware of natural sweeteners, too. Agave products boast a higher fructose content than high-fructose corn syrup! For a sweet treat, use up to a teaspoon of honey no more than once a day.

CrossFit Rubicon in Vienna, Virginia
offers the following Do’s and Don’ts
for how to eat and live.

1. Eat real food.

Meat, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, oils (like EVOO or coconut). Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re fresh and natural.

2. Do not eat dairy unless it is from GrassFed sources: when in doubt? Leave it out.

This includes butter, cheese, yogurt and milk (including cream in your coffee). If you can get raw, grassfed? it gives you a little lee-way, but not much.

3. Do not eat grains.

This includes bread, rice, pasta, corn, oatmeal, and also any gluten-free pseudo-grains (quinoa, etc).

4. Do not eat legumes.

This includes beans of all kinds, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter.

5. Do not eat sugars of any kind, real or artificial.

Eliminate sugars
No maple syrup, agave nectar, Splenda, Truvia, Stevia, etc. ***We are allowing honey; however, it should be used in limited quantity as most of life’s sweet things are survivable in small quantities. Think of it this way: the more you use, the slower your progress up to a point where you reverse your progress. That means no ‘paleo cheesecake,” or ‘paleo’ brownies, or ‘paleo’ cookies… that’s just being plain stupid. You can be completely ‘paleo’ and obese and a type 2 diabetic if you want, but not on my time. “Dessert” means you can pick it with your hands from a tree or bush — or else don’t eat it. Cheat days are for cheaters, REWARD DAYS are fine when you’re done, but not when it’s a challenge! Right? I mean, for gawds sakes, how much of a ‘challenge’ is it to CHEAT?! Get your head on straight, suck it up and do good for yourself. You are the only one that can do this for you, so don’t rip yourself off by finding more rationalizations for eating sh!t-sugar filled foods that you already have at your disposal. There is no such thing as ‘challenge’ cheescake. Sheesh!

6. Do not eat processed foods.

This includes protein shakes, processed bars like Zone and Balance bars, dairy-free creamers, etc. There are exceptions to every rule, but I make the exceptions, so ask first.

And Don’t Forget to Say Yes

And also, this unique piece of advice on saying “Yes” from CrossFit Rubicon:
“Say ‘Yes’. A lot. Every time you ask yourself something that might derail your process? Try ‘yes’ first.”
–Can I do this?
–Should I do this?
–Must I do this?
–Is it worth it?
–Should I ask for help?
–I fell off the wagon, should I just get right back on?
–Should I buy Chef a new KitchenAid Pro with the meat-grinder attachment and a Vitamix?

YOU can do it!

Zone vs Paleo Diet

Dec 9, 2014

     The best type of diet is always up for debate in the fitness world and that includes CrossFit.  Watching the CrossFit games and listening to the athletes speak about nutrition is enough to prove this.  Zone, Paleo, eat whatever you want because you bust your a** in the gym everyday doing CrossFit…  It’s oftentimes hard to figure out what is best for you and your body and it can be overwhelming at times.  Especially if you are just starting out or have only received your nutritional education from Men’s Health or Shape magazine.

     I’m of the opinion that it’s not as simple as picking a one size fits all approach because a lot of factors go into deciding what the best diet is for an individual.  Your weight, body type, male or female, age, activity level, workout intensity, type of workouts, genetic makeup, health conditions, etc.  As far as the basics go; Yes, everyone should eat more lean protein, a whole lot more vegetables and fruit, and a lot less sugar, simple carbs, and disgusting processed foods. Those are things that apply to everyone but a person’s diet as a whole should be tweaked according to how they feel and perform.

     In CrossFit, two of the most promoted and well known nutritional plans are the Zone Diet and Paleo.  They are both lifestyle changes and both backed by ample scientific research.  They have their fair share of similarities but plenty of differences as well.  I’m personally more of a Zone follower, but some of the best athletes I have met are Paleo followers.  I believe in both, but also that you should listen to your body and do what works best for you.

     Below I have (in a very condensed nutshell version) described both nutritional plans and some helpful links to find out more information about both.  As with all things you read, do your own research.  Try out both and see what makes you feel the best.

Paleo

     The Paleolithic Diet was first popularized in the mid-1970’s by Walter L. Voegtlin and has since been promoted by many researcher’s and author’s such as Dr. Loren Cordain.  It was then introduced into the CrossFit arena by Robb Wolfe and has since gained a lot of popularity.  The paleo diet consist of lean proteins (ideally grass fed beef, free range fowl, and wild caught fish), seasonal vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil.  It excludes grains, legumes (including green beans and peanuts), all dairy products, refined sugar, and processed oils. They do not recommend any foods that have been processed or altered; only natural, fresh ingredients.  Unlike most nutritional plans, paleo encourages a larger amount of protein and healthy fats and a lower amount of carbohydrates.

     There is also NO limit on caloric intake or serving size.  The fruit intake is recommended at about 1-2 servings a day until the desired amount of fat is lost, then its up’d to 2-3 servings.  Because of the higher fructose content in fruit, it’s limited because it can spike your insulin levels and cause your body to store unwanted fat.  It’s also recommended to limit your nut and nut butters because of the high fat content.  While these are healthy fats, as with all food, too much of anything is bad. Other than these two things, if you are eating the correct type of foods, then you eat when you are hungry and you eat until you are full.

     The paleo diet boast a lot of health improvements including weight loss, reduced acne, improved athletic performance, slower progression of autoimmune diseases, and reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and the vast majority of all chronic degenerative diseases.  Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny.

For more info on paleo you can visits these sites:  http://thepaleodiet.com/faq

The Food List http://js2.robbwolf.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/shopping-list.pdf

The Zone

     The Zone diet was popularized by Dr. Barry Sears in the late 1990’s by several of his books.  The diet is based on a “40:30:30“ ratio of calories obtained daily from carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Eating this balance of food, Sears’ suggest, is the way to stay in “the zone” i.e.. proper hormonal balance. He suggest that when your insulin and glucagon levels are neither too high or too low, then natural anti-inflammatories are released, your body does not store excess calories as fat but burns fat for energy instead. This eating plan also relies heavily on an even ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

     This nutritional plan is broken down into blocks and what block you are in is determined by sex, age and activity level. The types of food eaten on this diet is a lot of fresh vegetables and fresh fruit for carbs, lean protein (chicken and fish), and healthy unprocessed fat.  The amount of protein recommended can also be increased based on your activity level; so for regular CrossFitters, this would be a much higher percentage than the average person. This diet encourages a lot of water, very little salt, and to stay away from processed foods.  (However, the zone offers protein bars and shakes)

     A study was done by the Scientific American Frontiers, comparing the effectiveness of several popular diets, including the Zone;  after completing the test the participants on the Zone had lost fat while gaining muscle mass, reported the Zone as the easiest to follow with the least side effects such as fatigue and hunger.

Use this link to determine what Zone block you will follow:http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf

The Zone Foods: http://drsears.com/ArticlePreview/tabid/399/itemid/10489/Default.aspx or http://catalystfitness.typepad.com/files/food-block-guide.pdf

     In short, both diets have their benefits and similarities.  The Zone is a little more restrictive and rigid than Paleo but once you get an understanding to the Zone diet, it’s pretty easy to follow.  These plans both follow very basic principles and if you cut out all processed foods from your diet, and that is all you do, you will be much better off.  One of the first things I tell my clients is that their diet will have a significant impact on their results.  Most people are not elite athletes and cannot afford to eat 4,000 calories a day.  Paying attention to what you are fueling your body with is just as important and the exercise you are training your body with.  Good nutrition can improve your workouts and create better results in your strength speed and overall appearance. So if you decide against both diets, you can at least eat clean.  Eating clean means eating foods that are unprocessed or altered by man.  Stay to the outer edges of your grocery store is usually your best bet.

And on a side note:  Both plans suggest taking fish oil (omega-3) supplements to balance out your Omega-6.  There are very few supplements that I will stand behind and fish oil is one of them.  There are so many benefits and I can tell a difference in how I feel when I miss a few days.  So take your fish oil!!!

Nov 13, 2014

This information was suggested to us by Gretta Fosha.  Thanks Gretta!!!

WEIGHT GAIN & CrossFit; IT’S NORMAL!

So a topic has been coming up in class a lot lately that I thought would be good to address since it seems to concern so many people; weight gain when starting CrossFit. Numerous people since we have opened, especially within their first few weeks of CrossFitting approach Jake or I asking why they have gained a few pounds when they thought the weight should be coming off. There are a few different reasons as to why this occurs that we are about to address. The first thing we want people to know however is that weight gain at the beginning is normal, and you shouldn’t think too much into it. In fact, some of the people here at Shadow that have lost 30 plus pounds started their journey with a 5-10lbs weight gain. Chances are if you asked around in the class you regularly attend, you’re likely to find at least one person that has gone through the same thing as you’re now. Anyway, let’s get to the point. The following are what I would consider the top five reasons you could be gaining weight: Muscle Mass Bone Mass Water Weight Diet and Nutrition “Under Construction” Gaining Strength and Putting on Muscle:

One of the largest causes of weight gain at the beginning of a training regime like CrossFit is muscle gain. This doesn’t mean I’m saying that you’re beginning to put on muscle like an athlete on steroids, but your body is going through physical changes it isn’t used to. Have you ever heard the term “muscle weighs more than fat?” Most of you have, and I’m here to tell you it is both true and false. fat-vs-muscle As you can see, they may weigh the same but their mass is substantially different!

No matter how you measure, a pound is a pound. The difference is that 1lbs of fat is much larger in size than 1lbs of muscle (see picture). So by pure mass on your body, muscle is dense and solid where as fat is more “bloated” and takes up a bit more room. This gain in muscle mass is a direct result of your fitness. Many of you have come in the next day sore from the WOD the day before. That soreness is your muscles telling you that they’re in a building mode. Muscle soreness is actually caused by hundreds of tiny micro-tears in a muscle that then get rebuilt over the next few days. Though the goal of a workout isn’t to become as sore as possible (or sore at all), this soreness means that your muscles are going to be retaining a higher level of fluid than normal to help repair itself. However, working out also affects bone density! Momma Always Told Me to Drink My Milk! Hopefully most of you remember when your mom told you to drink your milk so you would grow up to have strong bones. Well, when we workout we’re setting the stones to build a stronger body all around and this includes bone mass. As our body strengthens itself, our muscles getting stronger and our cardiovascular health increasing, our bones become denser to help us perform how we should. An increase in density means an increase in weight. Though you aren’t going to throw on 10lbs in bone mass, small fluctuations are normal and should be expected especially when you’re just starting out. Which brings me to my next point that ties into both muscle mass and bone density! Water Boy! (Hopefully we enjoy the goofy topic titles 😉 ) Remember how we were just talking about those tiny micro-tears that our muscles receive from working out that cause us to be sore? Well a big way for our body to aid in the recovery of those muscle groups is by pumping extra fluid into those spots in order to keep them hydrated and functioning properly. This fluid can be water, blood, and other things so the next day they’re big and strong instead of painful. Not only will your muscles carry more water weight, you likely will be too! This is a good thing, and a result from sweating your butt off in the gym. When our bodies are dehydrated, they tell us to drink fluids so that we can rehydrate and stay healthy. If you were to weigh yourself before sitting in a sauna, then after sitting down in one for 15-20 minutes weighed yourself again you could lose anywhere for 2-3lbs or more! So figure an increased water weight into your body weight. Time to Chow Down! A huge part of any fitness routine is nutrition and food preparation. So there are a few different things that go into how nutrition could be affecting your weight even if you’re eating “healthy.” You may not actually be eating healthy! It’s a harsh reality, but some “smart” choices aren’t as smart as you might think. Try to avoid eating out; consume healthy foods such as meat and veggies with some fruit as a dessert. Avoid foods that can sit on shelves for months at a time and not go bad! You’re working out and your body is now at a state of increased energy consumption, which means you’re about to go all Cookie Monster when you get home. Avoid the temptation! A big fault of not cutting that weight could be an increased level of food consumption, the “Well I busted my butt off in the gym today so I can have some ice cream” syndrome. You’re eating to little! This may come as a shock, but those low 500 calorie diets aren’t cutting it anymore, and neither are the cleanses. A lower calorie consumption can cause a reduced metabolic rate, meaning once you consume normal quantities again your body just wants to store it not burn it. Cleanses are also ineffective because once you’re done your body, again, does not know what to do with regular eating. So put simply, eat healthy as a lifestyle change not a temporary fix and keep that bowl of ice cream for a once a week reward for your hard work instead of the nightly “I earned it.” Temporarily Under Construction Now this will be short and to the point. You just started putting your body through things it hasn’t done before. Granted some of you may have been running, lifting weights, or going out on strolls, that’s not CrossFit and the toll on your body is different. Your body is going to go through some chemical changes as you adjust to a healthier lifestyle. This doesn’t mean you won’t start to lose weight, it just means you have to give it time. Closing Shop So there we have it, 5 quick (well kind of, props for reading this far) reasons as to why you might see some weight gain when you first start out. Again, don’t worry this is normal and over time you’ll see the scale dip! However, some quick advice before I go: Throw away your scales!!!! I can’t preach this enough. Instead, go by how your clothes fit, how you feel, or take a before and after picture to compare. Scales are often inaccurate and cause us to focus more on a number than how we feel about ourselves. Sit down with a coach and talk to them about your diet and what to eat, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have for us. Talk to other members about their stories. Lots of folks gained weight at first then went on to lose 30lbs+. As always, thank you for reading Shadow’s blog and we hope you enjoyed the post. Please post comments below, would love to hear any questions or thoughts you might have! Thanks to Shadow CrossFit for the article above. Nov 10, 2014

       Here is the 1st installment on our Nutrition information page.  We will be posting new information on a regular basis.  What you put into your body is so critical to your health and well being.  In the modern world we live in, our focus is most often on convenience and not the quality of the food we eat.  It has something to do with being busy and being lazy.  We are all guilty of this. So use the information provided to make positive changes in you nutritional choices.  If you run across something that would help the cause let us know so we can share it.

11 Things a Sugar Detox Can Do for You

By Dan DeFigio from Beating Sugar Addiction For Dummies Sugar, in excessive amounts, is one of the most harmful substances you can eat. When you look at a piece of candy, a soda, or a bag of pastries, you may not think of the word toxin, but refined sugars (along with other artificial sweeteners) place a huge physiological stress on your body’s systems. High blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels and organs, and high insulin levels promote fat storage. Sugar makes your immune system less effective and creates a strong inflammatory response throughout the body. Getting off sugar can end all that! Aiding weight loss When you stop feeding yourself empty sugar calories, and when your insulin levels aren’t elevated from eating too many carbohydrates, you begin to lose weight. More specifically (and more importantly), you begin to lose body fat. Achieving better blood sugar and insulin control Excessive sugar or other carbohydrates elevates blood sugar levels and triggers an overproduction of insulin. Chronically high insulin levels lead to obesity and diabetes. Detoxing from sugar stops the insulin roller coaster and helps level out your blood sugar levels, which is critical to avoiding (or reversing) diabetes. Experiencing increased energy When your blood sugar levels are stable, you don’t experience the post-insulin sugar crashes that cause fatigue and brain fog. Less sugar in your diet helps keep your energy high, especially if you get some consistent exercise. In addition to smoothing out your blood sugar levels, detoxing from sugar helps coax your thyroid and adrenal glands back to their normal function, so you’ll no longer suffer from the overwhelming fatigue that afflicts so many sugar addicts. Getting more nutrients Sugar, along with many other sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, contains zero nutrients, only calories. When you eat sugar, you consume calories without nutrition, and this leads to weight gain, malnutrition (even if you’re too fat), and cravings. When you start replacing empty sugar calories with higher-quality carbohydrates like vegetables and fruits, you dramatically increase the amount of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in your diet. Your body requires these vital nutrients to stay vibrant and to prevent all manner of diseases and illnesses. Better nutrition leads to a healthier body and fewer sugar cravings, too! Improving immunity Dumping a large amount of sugar into your stomach lowers your immune system’s effectiveness by about 30 percent for several hours. Consistent sugar consumption keeps your immune system permanently depressed. A sugar detox allows your immune system to leap back to full function. Another important component of the immune system is the intestinal flora. The good bacteria in your gut stimulate the production of immune cells and play a major role in metabolizing dietary carcinogens. A high-sugar diet kills off the intestinal flora, compromising your immune system and allowing foreign pathogens (like yeast) to flourish. Detoxing from sugar and using a quality probiotic supplement restores the intestinal flora to a healthy state. Reducing inflammation and lowering your risk of disease The inflammatory response is a necessary part of your physiology. Your body uses controlled inflammation to heal wounds, fight infections, and rebuild muscles. But too much inflammation can lead to premature aging and major problems like atherosclerosis, eczema, arthritis, yeast infections, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Sugar is an inflammatory food, so if you eat sugar frequently you’re placing your body in a continuously inflamed state. If you don’t yet suffer from inflammation problems, getting off sugar now can help prevent the onset of some terrible diseases in the future. If you’re currently battling one or more inflammatory conditions, detoxing from sugar will lower the inflammation in your body and help end the discomfort of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other conditions caused by chronic inflammation. Having less gas Sugar creates an acidic environment that kills the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Your body’s good bacteria are important for digestion, immune system function, and serotonin production. Eating too much sugar alters the intestinal flora, and the sugar ferments in the intestines, leading to bloating and gas. Cutting back on your sugar intake reduces gas and diminishes that uncomfortable, bloated feeling. Battling fewer cravings Consistent sugar overdose wreaks havoc on your brain chemistry. If you’re a sugar addict, the more sugar you eat, the more you want. Breaking the craving cycle is a big step in changing your eating habits for the better. As you start to wean yourself off sugar (or if you quit it cold turkey), you’ll find that within a very short period, you no longer desire the sweet stuff. And if you do have some, you’ll find that the sickly sweet goodies you used to dream about don’t even taste good anymore. Enjoying better skin The inflammation from a high-sugar diet makes your skin prone to unsightly pimples, eczema, and other breakouts. Sugar also damages collagen, causing your skin to become stiffer and less elastic. The more sugar you eat, the more tissue damage you cause and the more wrinkles you get. Staying away from sugar is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Sharpening mental clarity In addition to physically damaging your brain, a sugar binge can cause a host of brain performance problems. Sugar addicts commonly suffer from a sugar “hangover,” with symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, headaches, or emotional swings. Detoxing from sugar stops the sugar highs and crashes, keeping your energy more stable and your brain more functional throughout the day. You’ll sleep better too! Feeling personal empowerment One of the most powerful and life-changing rewards of beating sugar addiction (or any addiction) is the thrill of empowering yourself and running your life proactively, so that you’re in charge of your own behavior. To make a blanket generalization, addicts tend to use external substances to supply them with the brain chemistry they desire. When you detox from whatever substance you’ve been using as a substitute for a healthy emotional state — in this case, sugar — you’ll live a happier and more peaceful life, and your body will thank you for healing it after sugar’s harmful onslaughts.