Archive for January, 2010

Sugar and Weight Loss

 While most of us on a weight loss mission concentrate on lowering fats, many of us fail to consider the role that refined sugar plays in our diets and in contributing to our growing waistlines.

 Large amounts of refined sugar are often hidden in many of the foods and drinks we consume every day without us even knowing it.

 This article discusses why an excessive level of refined sugar in our diet is bad and provides some tips for reducing it.

 Sugar facts

 A can of soft drink has 39gm of sugar per serve…(our average is 22gm a day). It should be around 40gm total including natural sugar from foods.

 Although many of us think of sugar as being a relatively simple concept, the fact is that sugars can be quite complicated to understand.

 From a weight loss perspective it is very handy to know a few facts about sugar, such as the various names it comes under, etc.

 Here are a couple of handy to know facts about sugar:

On food labels sugar can be listed as brown sugar, palm sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose (dextrose), high-fructose, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, (table) sugar (sucrose), syrup.

All sugars contain 17 kilojoules / 4 calories per gram.

Simple sugars on their own have no nutritional value (no vitamins, minerals, etc).

Experts suggest that it is ok for sugar to constitute up to 10 per cent of our total energy intake per day.

The average Australian currently consumes more than 40 kilograms (90 pounds) of sugar per year, which is equivalent to around 22 teaspoons and equals 1840 Kilojoules / 440 calories per day.

In Australia , the consumption of soft drinks, which are sweetened with sugar, has increased by 30 per cent in 10 years.

 The effects of sugar

 As well as knowing the facts above, it’s also useful for us to know the various effects sugar has on our bodies.

 From a weight loss perspective, we know that sugar:

Can add a lot of empty calories to our diet.

Increases our blood sugar and insulin levels which can cause our bodies to begin storing and stop burning fat.

Can cause an insulin drop (following a surge) which can leave us feeling tired and hungry (usually for something else very sweet).

Needs valuable vitamins and minerals to digest which our bodies draw from existing stores reserved for other roles such as fat burning and muscle building.

May replace other foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients in our diet.

In addition to the above, it is believed that an excessive consumption of sugar may play a role in the formation of many diseases. Although there is still a great deal of debate surrounding these claims, sugar is said to contribute to these diseases by, among other things:

Suppressing the immune system.

Upsetting the body’s mineral balance.

Contributing to hyperactivity, anxiety and depression.

Contributing to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.

Causing kidney damage.

Increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.

Interfering with the absorption of calcium and magnesium.

Contributing to diabetes.

Contributing to osteoporosis.

Causing food allergies.

Increasing fluid retention.

But I don’t add that much sugar to my cooking or meals

 That may be very true for the vast majority of us.

 But what many of us don’t realize is that most of the sugar in our diet comes from the processed foods that we eat, not the sugar that we add to our cooking and meals.

 Reducing our Sugar Intake

 Because sugar is addictive and most of it is hidden in the foods and drinks we enjoy everyday, reducing sugar in our diets is not easy.

 Having said that, there are some things that we can all do to gradually reduce the amount of sugar we consume each day to a more healthy level and in doing so help us lose weight and improve our waistline.

 If you want to reduce the sugar in your diet, here are some things you might try:

Learn to enjoy foods that are naturally sweet, without added sugar.

For every cup of sugar indicated in a recipe only use 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup and replace omitted sugar with an equal amount of non-fat dry milk to increase the nutritional value.

Use spices and herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger to enhance the flavor of foods naturally.

Make homemade sauces and toppings with less sugar.

Use dried or fresh fruit or frozen fruit juice concentrates to sweeten cereals and baked goods instead of table sugar.

Take your time shopping and read labels to reveal hidden sugar and gain information on the overall nutritional value of foods.

Buy fresh fruits or fruit packed in water instead of syrup.

Buy fewer foods high in sugar such as biscuits, chocolate, soft drinks, and baked goods.

Be careful not to replace foods high in sugar with foods high in fat and sodium.

Drink 100 percent fruit juices, water or unsweetened sparkling and mineral waters, instead of cordial and soft-drinks.

When reading “Nutrition Facts” labels remember that 7 grams of sugar is equal to around 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Avoid heavily sweetened breakfast cereals - go for ones that have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving.

Energy bars and drinks are a common source of hidden sugar - look for ones that have less than 12-15 grams of sugar per serving.

Be wary of reduced fat and fat-free products, sugars are often added to mask the loss of flavor when fat is removed cutting out fat, but not necessarily calories.

Limit sweetened beverages like milkshakes and coffee drinks, which are deceptively full of sugar and calories.

Mix fresh or dried fruit into plain yogurt, many fruity yogurts are loaded with added sugar.

Learn to appreciate the natural tartness of fruits like grapefruit, strawberries and other berries.

Choose fruit when it’s in season and it shouldn’t need any added sweetness.

If you must drink soft-drinks chose the smallest sized can or bottle you can find - soft drinks are now commonly sold in 600ml bottles, which provide at least 12-15 teaspoons of sugar.

Be mindful that fats and sugars are often found together in foods like chocolate, biscuits and cakes making them particularly bad for those of us with weight loss goals.

If we control the amount of sugar that is added to products like Weet Bix and Vita Brits, we may be able to consume less sugar than if we eat pre-prepared cereals like Coco Pops and Fruit Loops.

Be cautious with products labeled “no sugar added” - this doesn’t mean that the product doesn’t naturally contain a lot of sugar.

Remember that while all sugars contribute four calories per gram, some foods contain more concentrated sources of calories than others - for example, a teaspoon of table sugar contains 16 calories, a teaspoon of Honey contains 22 calories, while a teaspoon of orange juice or applesauce has just four calories, and also contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Make a habit of eating at least three good meals per day - one of the best ways to overcome cravings for sweets is to eat balanced meals at regular intervals throughout the day.

Try to avoid having dessert with a meal that is high in carbohydrates like pasta, bread, or rice.

Try to incorporate more wholemeal carbohydrates (wholemeal pasta, brown rice, etc) into your diet.

Try limiting dessert to once or twice a week.

Use sugar substitutes (stevia is the best) in recipes and hot drinks instead of sugar. I will post about artificial sweeteners soon.

When you eat foods that contain added sugars, choose foods that also contain nutrients like vitamins, minerals or fiber.

Know how much sugar is in the foods you eat by looking them up in the Nutritional Food Tables available free on this website.

 Conclusion

 While most of us on a weight loss mission concentrate on lowering fats, many of us fail to consider the role that refined sugar plays in our diets and in contributing to our growing waistlines.

 This article discussed why an excessive level of refined sugar in our diet is bad and provided some tips for reducing it in our diets.

Scott Williams

Succeed CEO

Demo and explanation of the latest fitness training session

Hey all,

Well I have had a few killer workouts this week and I am hurting all over (I know what you are thinking - toughen up Scott, and don’t worry I will).

Here is a the demo of the latest session done at

 Club Lime Tuggeranong:

Be sure to leave us a comment and rate the demo for me on you tube….

A quick written explanation of the latest session for you:

15 x 1 arm 14kg clean and press

15 x 1/2 burpees

15 x 1 arm 14kg D/B snatch

400m run

15 x 30kg push press

x 3 rounds for time

Time: 25.51

Have a go and let me know your time. Just be aware of modifying where you need to. Obviously some people will be stronger or not quite as strong. Please accordingly to suit yourself, with the emphasis on safety always.

If you are not confident with your training, then maybe look into a Personal Trainer in your area that can help you out.

We also offer online Personal Training if you are comfortable with your technique and just wish to have someone write your program.

Very soon we will have daily, weekly, monthly  sessions available at your disposal.

P.S. Here is a demo of the Nasty Girls session from the weekend as well for you:

Scott

24 Things To Always Remember

by: Author Unknown

 Your presence is a present to the world.

You are unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be what you want it to be.

Take the days just one at a time.

 Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You will make it through whatever comes along.

Within you are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

 Do not put limits on yourself.

So many dreams are waiting to be realized.

Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

 Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.

Do not take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

 Remember that a little love goes a long way.

Remember that a lot … goes forever.

Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

Life’s treasures are people together.

 Realize that it is never too late.

Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Have heart and hope and happiness.

Take the time to wish upon a star.

 AND DO NOT EVER FORGET, FOR EVEN A DAY, HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE !

Canberra Fitness Trainer starts the New Year with a triple Cross Fit Workout!

Hey all, welcome to 2010. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year? I am sure some of you looked like this over the break (I know I did):

Anyway, I hope we are all back on the fitness bandwagon for 2010?? I certainly am.

Here was my training punishment for misbehaving over the Christmas break.

I did three back to back fitness sessions at Club Lime Tuggeranong with a few of my wonderful Personal Training clients.

Here is the rundown:

Session 1 - Nasty Girls (name suited the girls I trained with, only cause they beat me)

50 x air squats

4 x pull ups (girls did some full, some jumping pull ups)

4 x tricep dips

10 x power hang cleans :  Scott - 1×60kg, 2×50kg, Tanya - 3 x17.5kg, Nikki - 3×30kg

3 x rounds for time

Our times were: Scott - 9.00, Tanya - 7.48, Nikki - 7.35

Session 2- Core & Cardio

 50,40,30,20,10x Double Unders skipping (girls did single skips, so doubled each count)

 50,40,30,20,10 x Full ab sit ups

Times: Scott - 6.36, Tanya - 5.58, Nikki - 6.05

Session 3 - Rowing Gasser

250m rower sprint

1 min recovery

x 3 rounds

Total times & calories burnt:

Scott - 2.29 + 62 cals

Tanya - 2.55 + 49 cals

Nikki - 2.38 + 57 cals

In between each session we had a five minute break.

As you can see, I had these broken up, with the first session mainly a strength based fitness session. The second fitness session was a core and cardiovascular fitness session and last was pure anaerobic conditioning.

As you can see I got well and truly beaten on the first two fitness sessions by the girls, but redeemed myself on the last session.

I have to be honest I am still a bit sore from theses fitness sessions three days later… given the girls are 10 + years younger they barely felt a thing…

It was a great effort by both girls though. I will beat them oneday, even if it is at lawn bowls!!!

If you are sick of looking in the mirror and are ready to make the lifestyle changes you know you should, then don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Personal Training or Boot Camp Canberra session. Click here to book in.

Dedicated to getting you in the best shape in the shortest time

Scott and The Succeed Team

 

What are your 2010 New Year’s Resolutions??

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to 2010.

A year that promises to be full of excitement, and changes for us all.

So have you thought about your New Year’s Resolutions?

Have you made any yet?

Succeed have a FREE gift for you, so why not take a few minutes to let us assist you?

Have you done one of the following?

• Thought about the possible changes you want to make for 2010 and the accompanying New Year’s resolutions
• Flat-out refused any possibility of making a New Year’s resolution because you think they’re complete garbage
• Talked or thought about them but feel somehow they’re not worth making because you inevitably end up breaking them
• …or…perhaps planned to make the New Year’s resolution that you don’t make any more New Year’s resolutions.

If any of those look or sound familiar then why not take a few minutes and let us at Succeed Personal Development help you with your resolutions.

Simply click here for your FREE PDF download courtesy of the Succeed Team   2010-resolutions1

If you are looking for some assistance with this or wish to discuss further then simply drop us an email at: coaching@succeed.com.au to arrange a catch up to discuss further.

Yours in fitness and mind development

The Succeed Team