Diets don't work
Diets don’t work – Hidden sugars in processed foods can be working against you. Once the weights been lost it can be hard to maintain unless your extremely strict and focussed. Many diets recommend off the shelf products that can contain processed sugars. By eating these processed foods we are increasing our sugar intake, contributing to weight gain. The Yo Yo effect of sugar in our bodies plays havoc with our mood. Our blood sugar falls on an empty stomach and we seek a quick fix in the form of something fast and available.
We are rewarded in the short term with a delicious energy-filled sugar rush, but the sugar is burnt up and we crash again. It’s the same with coffee and alcohol (in the latter case causing the dreaded hangover). Even seemingly healthy options, such as fruit juices, syrups, honey and smoothies can have this effect.
Spiking sugar levels are followed by an inevitable rebound and crash effect. This cycle can lead to weight gain, as we are almost always not burning off the deluge of calories we are putting in. There is also the effect of fructose on our bodies where we put on the extra calories in the form of fat. This was fine during the hunter–gatherer epochs of our cavemen ancestors, but not so fine with central heating, nice clothes and a cushy sit-down office that many of us spend our lives in. Eating as much as we can in the way of fresh food can help prevent weight gain, as long as our portions are balanced and we are keeping our blood sugar levels normal.