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Sugar Cravings and How to Curb Them

sugar cravings

Do you grab a candy bar to cope with your afternoon slump and then reach for a cola to get out of your post-slump slump? Or have you realized that munching sugary snacks makes you crave for more?

Why Should We Reduce Sugar?

  • Sugar is called an empty calorie, which means it is a calorie without any nutrients.
  • Health professionals believe that it is one of the main reasons why it can be so hard to stick to a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
  • There is a belief that sugar restriction is only for diabetics but the facts are quite different. Excess sugar can lead to coronary heart disease, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, low immunity, cancer, bone issues, etc.
  • Another effect of excessive sugar intake changes in microbial flora. This can lead to bloating, GI issues, heartburn, etc.

The World Health Organization has recently lowered the recommendation for sugar from 10% to no more than 5% of the total caloric intake. This translates to 4-5 teaspoons a day for a 2000 kcal diet.

You must wonder why we keep talking about excess sugar all the time. This is because sugar is addictive in nature. The more you have, the more you want. The taste of sugar releases endorphins that calm and relax us, offering a natural high.

Causes of sugar cravings

  • Habitual: Habit can be one of the major causes which are formed deep within our brains
  • Hard workout: Many people are likely to experience sugar cravings following a workout. As depleted glycogen stores are likely to crave sugar to replenish it.
  • Your diet is not right: The more you eat these simple sugary things, the more your brain will want them, which can continue the vicious cycle of sugar cravings.
  • Use of artificial sweetener: The use of these alternative sugars may save on calories but they trick the mind into thinking you ate something that was extremely sweet or far sweeter than sugar. For this reason, the brain will crave for food or beverages that are as sweet as what you had.
  • Poor sleep quality: The body needs a certain amount of REM and deep sleep as a way to replenish the mind and body. When you have inadequate amount of sleep, the body is susceptible to craving sweets the next day.
  • Stress: High levels of stress can also cause craving. As stress increases cortisol levels, serotonin, which is a calming and relaxing hormone, is released by sugar.
  • Meal skipping: Skipping meals can cause you to have sugar cravings due to reduced blood sugar levels.
  • Boredom: It’s another reason why we end up eating sugar or sugary products.
  • Sugar is hiding everywhere: Sugar is hiding in many foods you would never think of as sweet from bread to pasta.
  • Few deficiencies which can cause sugar cravings include:
    1. Chromium deficiency can cause intense cravings for sugar.
    2. If your body lacks Magnesium, you may have strong cravings for sugar products especially chocolates.
    3. Zinc deficiency can result in low insulin levels which may lead to sugar cravings

How to stop sugar Cravings

  • Give in a little: Eat a bit of what you are craving for. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied.
  • Try to combine foods: When you crave for sweets, try combining it with a healthy option. For instance, strawberry dipped in chocolate sauce.
  • Grab some gum: If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely try a stick of gum.
  • Reach for a fruit: Keep fruit handy when a sugar craving hits! Fruits are rich in fibres and nutrients along with some awesome sweetness!
  • Choose quality over quantity: If you crave for sugar, pick a healthier option but keep it small. For instance, dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.
  • Eat regularly: Eating meals at regular intervals keeps your blood sugar level stable and help in avoiding irrational eating behavior.
  • Skip artificial sweeteners: as they tend to increase your cravings
  • Get support: Stress, depression or anger turns people to eating sweet foods. But food doesn’t solve emotional issues.
  • Drink a glass of water: Some people say that dehydration can cause sugar cravings
  • Eat more protein: as proteins increase your satiety level.
  • Sleep well: It is important for overall health and may help prevent cravings.
  • Get up and go: When you feel sugar cravings, get up and go for a walk. You can also phone a friend or take a bath to relax.
  • Avoid certain triggers like places or activities that induce sugar cravings.
  • Eat more fibers: They help to slow the absorption of the food you eat and also help to curb sugar cravings
  • Keep and maintain a list of reasons why you want to eat healthy as its hard to remember when you get the cravings.

Few food options to opt for when you get sugar cravings

  • Fruits: contain sugar along with lots of healthy nutrients
  • Berries: taste sweet but are high in fibre and low in sugar
  • Dark Chocolate: swap regular chocolate with dark chocolate
  • Snack Bars: are made of whole foods and can make a healthy sweet treat
  • Chia Seeds: are high in soluble fibre so you feel fuller for longer
  • Cinnamon: because of its sweet taste and it is healthy
  • Yoghurt: is high in protein and can control appetite and craving
  • Dates: are very sweet and can fix your cravings
  • Sweet Potatoes: sweet in taste and give a feeling of fullness
  • Smoothies: are another healthy nutrient rich option
  • Prunes: are sweet in taste and good for the stomach
  • Trail Mix: has the sweetness of dry fruits and nuts with all their benefits

Do Sugar Detox Diets Work?

Sugar Detox Plans urge you to avoid all sweets. That means all fruits, dairy and refined grains. The idea is to purge your system of sugar. Diet changes like this are too drastic to keep up and you will fall back to your old habits. If you make simple changes to your diet, it is easy to keep them up.

Sugar cravings can be a challenging part of your everyday life. When they set in, they can take over your mind in a hurry. Make these small changes which can go a long way and hopefully, they will help you win the battle against your cravings.

We hope this article helps you reduce sugar cravings and make a positive lifestyle change. If this helped, let us know in the comments below. For more on nutrition, click here. If you need help to curb sugar cravings, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

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Your Guide To Organic Food

Your Guide To Organic FoodWith fitness and healthy lifestyle taking the world by a storm, Organic Food has become a common phrase associated with this storm. Everyone is talking about buying and consuming organic food over processed food but what exactly constitutes organic food?

Basically, organic food is the usual edible food but is produced, processed and packaged in a different way without using chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, non-organic fertilizers, antibiotics or any artificial hormones which are used otherwise. Organic food meets strict standards and is thus, safe to eat.

Advantages of Organic Food

  • Retains at least 50% more natural nutrients like vitamins and minerals than artificially grown food
  • Not hazardous for health as they contain no chemicals
  • Tastes more natural and delicious as there are no added sweeteners, coloring, flavors and preservatives
  • Organic food protects one from cancer and other diseases
  • Organic agriculture keeps our oceans, lakes, rivers and water supplies clean

Disadvantages of Organic Food

  • It is an expensive proposition
  • Not easily available everywhere
  • Lack in variety
  • Short shelf life because of no added preservatives

What Types of Foods Are Available as Organic?

Most consumers think of fruits and vegetables when they think of organic food but there are many other organic foods which include pastas, sauces, frozen juices, cereals, soups, chocolate, cookies, meat, poultry, dairy and even wine.

Not only the vegetarian food items but even poultry and meat have gone organic. Isn’t that interesting for non-vegetarians? But how does it work? It is because poultry and animals are fed only organic feeds and that puts them in the category of organic non-vegetarian food. Also, the animal and birds are not given any growth hormones for their mass production.

Tips to Buy Organic Food

  • Look for the label or logo that has approved the production of the food as “organic”
  • Remain informed about the organization that is an authorized seller of organic food
  • Pay attention on the expiry date. As no preservatives are added to the food, their natural shelf life is less

People may mistake Natural Food as Organic Food as it has not reached many areas in the world due to support from the government, proper authentication, etc. So there is a difference between Natural Food and Organic Food

What is the Difference Between “Organic” and “Natural”?

“Natural” is often misrepresented in product labeling as “healthy” but “natural” only means that the product has undergone minimal processing, no certification or inspection system. Also, “natural” does not necessarily relate to growing methods or the use of preservatives.

As we all know, eating unhealthy creates health issues whereas eating healthy and organic not only helps you get healthier and live better but most importantly, it develops the good habit of eating right.

Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below. For more on eating healthy and nutrition, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

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How to Burn Fat With Exercise

burning fat with exerciseDon’t be fooled by the so-called fat-burning zone. This is a misguided notion that working at a lower intensity is better for fat burning than working at a higher effort level (say, for example, walking instead of running). The harder you exercise, the more calories you will burn and it is this that really counts when it comes to losing fat.

Choosing the Right Fat Loss Exercise

There is no such thing as the ‘ultimate’ calorie-burning activity. Energy burned is dependent not just on the activity itself but on how much effort you put in, how skilled you are at it, how long you do it for, and how often. So choose a fat burn exercise that you are going to do regularly and consistently. That means an activity that you actually enjoy (unless you want your workouts to involve untold misery and boredom) and one that is practical and accessible.

Exercise Larger Muscles For Greater Calorie Burn

Serious fat-burning activity uses the large muscle groups of the body. This includes the thighs and bottom, chest and back. It has been seen that greater the overall recruitment of muscles, the higher the calorie expenditure. In your gym workouts, you are much better off using the rower than one of those arm-cranking machines for maximum calorie burn.

Sustainable Exercise Development

To fire up the calorie furnace, fat-burning activity has to be sustainable for a reasonable period. While skipping is a great exercise, it’s not of much use if you do it only for three minutes. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20-60 minutes per session, three to five times per week. It doesn’t have to be a continuous effort.

Maximize Calorie Burn With Interval Training

Interval training, in which you mix hard efforts with bouts of recovery, is one of the best ways of maximizing calorie expenditure. It improves aerobic fitness and uses limited time. To get the most out of an interval session, ensure that you work outside your comfort zone on the efforts and ease right off during the recoveries. Try a 2:2 rest/work ratio to start with.

Carry the Exercise Load

Activities that are weight bearing, such as walking and running, use more calories than those in which your weight is supported (such as swimming or cycling), simply because you have to shift your own body weight against gravity.

Running on Empty?

You may have heard that exercising on an empty stomach in the morning burns more fat. It is true that the body has to rely on fat stored if you don’t break the overnight fast. Then again, the lack of a ready energy supply may mean that you don’t work out for as long, or as hard, as you may have otherwise.

Go For The After Burn

One of the best things about exercising is that the fat-burning benefits continue long after you’ve got out of the shower. This ‘after burn’ (increased calorie expenditure) is far greater following exercise at 75% of maximum heart rate, or higher – another reason to eschew those low-intensity workouts!

Increase Exercise Intensity

If you want to keep seeing results in your fat-burning program, you must keep increasing the intensity. This isn’t the same as increasing your effort, because as you get fitter, your body will be able to cope with increasing demands. If you rest on your laurels, the benefits will begin to tail off.

Keep Moving to Burn Fat

Maximize your daily fat burning by moving! Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that leaner people tend to stand and move more than overweight people in normal, daily life. Their ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’ (NEAT) was as much as 350 calories higher each day. So don’t just sit there, wiggle your toes, shake a leg, get up regularly and move your body!

Running (calories per hour at 8-minute mile pace) 720-913

Swimming (calories per hour for continuous laps) 630-730

Uphill walking at a 10% gradient (calories per hour ) 590-694

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below! For more on weight loss, click here.

To get the right guidance on how to lose weight and sustain it in a healthy way, check out our Transform Program. It gives you personalized, balanced advice from certified health and wellness experts as well as analytics and insights that will help you stay motivated and achieve the best results! You can read more about it here: https://store.goqii.com/transform-weight-program

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12 Steps To Choose the Right Gym For You

12 Steps to Choose The Right Gym For You
With 2 weeks in to the new year, it is a good time to gauge how many of us are actually sticking to our New Year’s Resolution of being fit and are regularly visiting the gym. Most people who invest in a gym membership at the start of the year as a part of their resolution are often irregular towards the end of January due to lack of motivation or due to certain issues they may have with the gym and the environment there.

So how do you stay motivated? How do you ensure that you won’t quit the gym by August this year? To ensure that you stick to your gym and achieve your goals, we’ve got some pointers that will help you choose the right gym. But before that, you need to ask yourself one question – Do you really need a gym? Given your work schedule, your habits and your goals, does signing up for a gym membership make sense? If you can achieve your goals working out at home, while maintaining your work-life balance, do you really need a gym? If the answer is yes, then read on!

12 Steps To Choose the Right Gym For You

  1. List Your Must-Haves: Before hunting for a gym that suits your taste, you must know what you’re looking for. You need to make a list of your goals, the kind of equipment you need, the services to best aid you in achieving your health goals, the atmosphere and type of gym you are looking for. Having this list handy makes it easier for you to choose a gym you are most likely to be regular at.
  2. Location: This is of prime importance. Before or after a hectic day at work, would you really brave the erratic traffic in your city to reach a gym that is miles away from your home? Your best bet is to choose a decent gym that’s close by and easily accessible, especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to workout after your shift.
  3. Cost: Let’s face it! Irrespective of which gym you like, Cost is the ultimate factor that will decide where you workout. When it comes to cost, you need to ask yourself if the gym membership is worth it. Are you getting additional services with your gym membership? Are you getting services you don’t want? Does your gym membership cover privileges like massages, sauna, a pool, a daycare for your child while you workout or a snack bar? Will you be charged separately for these services or are they included in your deal? Whatever the cost, ensure that you get your money’s worth.
  4. Hours of Operation: There is nothing better than a gym that is flexible with its timings. If you find a gym that is open 24 hours, there’s nothing like it. You might also want to inquire if they are open during public holidays and about the days when the gym will be closed. It’s best to pick a gym that is open most days of the year.
  5. Visit During Peak Hours: No one likes a crowded gym. So before you choose one, take a tour of the gym but not on a weekend or when the gym is relatively empty. Take a tour during the hours you’re more likely to go once you join. This will give you a good insight into the kind of crowd that’s at the gym and how crowded it is during your preferred time. If the line to use an equipment is 5 people long, make a beeline for the exit and head over to your next option.
  6. Personal Trainer: This is another major deciding factor. A Personal Trainer can be a good guide in helping you achieve your fitness goals the right way. A few things you need to look into before you sign up is if your gym membership covers a personal trainer or if you’ll have to pay for one. The qualification of the personal trainers at your gym is also of prime importance. If you must go for a personal trainer, go for someone with an advanced certification/degree and someone who is in line with your goal.
  7. Cleanliness and Hygiene: It’s no secret that gyms are essentially breeding grounds for sweat, bacteria and germs. While somethings can’t be helped, you need to ensure that the gym you sign up for is regularly maintained with hygiene checks, have clean equipment, washrooms and changing rooms. An unclean environment is very off-putting and may prevent you from visiting the gym as frequently as you would have otherwise.
  8. Check Equipment: The first thing you should do when you’re taking a tour of a gym is to check the equipment. This check is essential to know if the gym has all the equipment you need and if they are in good shape. You won’t get anywhere with shoddy equipment. Also check for the make. A manufacturer that may produce excellent treadmills may not be ideal for rowing machines. Always go for a fine mix that exudes quality! The best gyms often have equipment from different manufacturers.
  9. Culture: Observing gym culture is a pivotal step in deciding whether or not the gym is for you! Do you prefer working out in the presence of the opposite sex? Does the intimidating presence of muscle-heads and heavy lifters bother you? Are you okay with loud, upbeat trance or do you prefer rock? All these questions need to be answered because if you are not comfortable or don’t like the atmosphere in the gym, you are less motivated to visit it regularly. Remember that comfort is of the utmost importance as it will ensure you renew your membership at the end of the year (if you make it :D).
  10. Does the Gym Meet Your Target?: It’s all about the goals! Does the gym have the right equipment, the right trainers, the right facilities and specialization to meet the goals you’ve set for yourself? If you want to lose weight, it makes more sense to choose a gym that specializes in weight loss. If you want to bulk up, go for a gym that specializes in bodybuilding. Don’t join a gym that doesn’t cater to your needs.
  11. Look For Reviews: Sometimes, an advertisement or a single tour cannot give you all the information you need. Take to social media, read reviews and form your opinion. The gym’s social media profile will give you an idea about the gym culture, while multiple reviews can give you a good idea about how the gym ranks in terms of quality and whether or not it meets your standards.
  12. Take a Trial: When all else fails, a little personal touch, like a week-long trial can help you know for sure if this gym is the one! A trial will help you gauge the equipment, the culture and all the other essentials that will become a part of your final decision. It will also help you understand if you’re getting your money’s worth.

In conclusion, choosing a gym is like picking a partner, you need to think it through to ensure that you don’t quit half way and are motivated to such an extent that you continue your membership and workout for a fit and healthy life! If a gym does not work for you, consider working out online, in a live and interactive session with our fitness experts on GOQii Pro. Book a class via the GOQii App now! To read more about fitness and workouts, check out Healthy Reads.

Did we miss out on any key points that you think are essential? Let us know in the comments below!

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