Holiday Body Blitz Weight Loss Week 2
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 @ 12:37 PM
If you made a goal for weight loss, weigh yourself once/week with and record it with the date on your pink/gold sheet. It will help us when making comments on your program and it will keep you aware of your progress.
If you want comments, place your folder in the bin labeled for comments.
In viewing people's food diaries this week the theme for all but one person is sugar for breakfast. The carbs in yogurt, milk, 
fruit, juice and most all cereal is simple sugar. Yes, you have some protein in those items, but it's overpowered by the sugar.
One cup of vanilla yogurt has 43 gms sugar. Plain yogurt is 16 gms sugar. One cup of skim milk is 12 gms sugar. Many of you are eating fruit (or juice), sweetened yogurt and milk for breakfast.....over 70 gms sugar...more than a reasonable entire day's worth of sugar.
The sugar is the lactose, a simple sugar that easily spikes your blood sugar and leads to high insulin which leads to fat storage and a need to eat again shortly.
Instead of simple sugars, get your carbs from a complex source such as starchy veggies or whole grains (wild rice, Ezekial bread (sprouted grain bread), etc). Most "wheat" bread is not whole grain bread. Great Harvest is. What about hot wild rice with coconut milk, cinnamon and stevia? Cook up a batch of wild rice and heat for breakfast. Five grain rice (in the studio) is another whole grain option.
If you choose yogurt, choose Greek style...higher in protein proportionately. Look on the package and limit your sugar to under 10 gms...preferably less.
If you need sweetening, use Stevia, a sweet herb found in the supplement section of Whole Food or the coop. A brand without aftertaste is NuStevia, no carbs blend. Cinnamon adds a nice touch too. Use Stevia sparingly...working your tastebuds away from the sweetness.
Add your 20 gms protein from meat, eggs, protein shake, cottage cheese.
Without the sugar spike, you may feel a bit let down or disappointed in your meal if you're not used to low/no sugar.
However, plan to feel more level, fewer/no cravings, and a need for less food. You'll soon repel the sugar high and you'll love your new way of eating.
If you're having a terrible time getting the sugar out of your diet, try the supplement Gymnema. Taken over time, it reduces/eliminates your need for sugar. It also helps your body in the insulin receptor, blood sugar department.
Why lower sugar in the diet?
The sugar keeps you in a high insulin state, storing fat. It's not about calories. It's about your hunger/appetite/sugar/fat burning and fat storage hormone state. On a more drastic end, it leads to diabetes, one of our current widespread national problems.
Your food choices should focus on what hormone state it will put you in. All protein puts you in a high adrenaline state...anxiety, nervousness but fat burning....eventually tiring out your adrenals.
All carbs is calming...a high insulin state that stores fat.
Neither is good.
Take in the combo of protein and complex carbs to set your body in a good hormone state to support your mood, support fat burning and support your exercise.
Mistakenly taking simple sugars upsets the balance and does not support you.
Consider an egg pancake for breakfast:
1-1/2 Tbsp coconut oil slowly heating in 8 inch round pan
3 eggs (or 1 egg and 3 whites)
1/4 cup water
2 tsp cinnamon
1 pkt NuStevia no carbs blend
Mix this with an egg beater.
Add a bit less than 1/4 cup whole grain flour
Mix with egg beater.
Pour in pan with hot coconut oil.
Cook on both sides and eat. If you're in a hurry you can easily eat this in the car if you cut it up in advance.
20 gms protein
19.5 gms fat
17 gms carbs
0 gms sugar
450 cals
If you want proof for yourself, get a blood sugar monitor at the drug store and start monitoring your sugars before and after you eat. Eye-opening!
People have asked about the 13 gms sugar in the Amino 
Hydrate. That product is taken right before or during your exercise. The sugar takes the electrolyes right into your cells to hydrate. You're exercise quickly burns off the sugar...not allowing you to get into a high insulin state and not store fat. Instead, it allows you to work out harder and burn more fat.
Exercise helps lower your sugar level and helps keep your "sugar" systems running properly..another GREAT benefit of exercise, but you know that!