We often just focus on eating a real food diet, getting our workouts in at Fitness Revolution, sleeping 7-9 hours per night, and managing stress.  Other potential toxins in our environment seldom cross our mind.  Don’t get me wrong; all of the things I listed above are REALLY IMPORTANT!  But now that you are consciously doing those things I want you to start looking at other potential toxins in your life that could be affecting your health and well being.

Did You Know?
Our skin absorbs 60% of any topical product we use
The average woman wears nearly 515 chemicals a day
There are more than 10,000 chemical ingredients permitted for the use of personal care products
These chemicals have been scientifically linked to a range of harmful diseases and bodily reactions

I want to address the topic of sunscreen as it is summer in Delaware and we want to spend as much time outside, at the beach and pool, as we can!

When we lather up with sunscreen, is it really protecting us from skin cancer like we think it is?

There are two types of ultraviolet rays (UVA & UVB).  UVB is what tans or burns our skin.  The good news with UVB is that we know if we are getting too much as we start to redden and eventually will burn.  Most conventional or “broad spectrum” sunscreens filter out the UVB rays.  On the other hand, UVA rays penetrate into deeper layers of our skin.  That can cause oxidative damage as well as potentially damage our DNA.  UVA rays is associated with malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.  Sunscreens do not block UVA rays.

“Skin cancer can develop as a result of excessive sun exposure, and it can happen with or without sunscreen, but the type of sun exposure that makes us vulnerable to cancer is vastly different from the type of sun exposure that boosts our Vitamin D levels and helps prevent cancer and other maladies.”
-Liz Wolfe author Skintervention Guide
Commercial Sunscreens
Most commercial sunscreens contain chemical ingredients such as oxybenzone and parabens, both have been shown to be endocrine (hormone) disruptors in studies of cancer cells.  Endocrine disruptors can act like estrogen, and may contribute to hormonally mediated cancers.  You also want to avoid chemical sunscreens that contain vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and nanomaterials.

What to Look For in a Sunscreen
If you are going to be in the sun for long periods of time or are prone to sunburn, mineral sunscreens are a great option to make sure you’re safe.  Look for mineral based sunscreens that contain non-nano Zinc or Titanium Dioxide and UVA and UVB protection.  Because large amounts are not absorbed into the body they are much safer.

Non-nano Zinc or Titanium Dioxide create a physical barrier on your skin, hence the white residue they leave behind.

The best mineral based sunscreen I have found is Badger Balm.  You can find it online.

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

With the summer season on the way, you may be feeling antsy to get out of the gym and start doing other activities that allow you to take in the warmer weather.
Whether your passion is running, rollerblading, swimming, playing a game of tennis with a friend, or hitting the water for some canoeing, you still cannot neglect the strength training element of your workout routine.
No form of outdoor cardio exercise is going to be able to replace the unique benefits of strength training, so it’s something that you must make sure you maintain over the months ahead.
Those who take the summer off from the weights entirely will be at risk for a number of negative consequences, and restarting back in the fall will be that much harder…
While it’s an excellent idea to forgo the bikes, treadmills, and ellipticals in your gym to get your cardiovascular sessions in outside while the weather’s warm (although I’d argue you don’t need them in the winter either, but that’s another article…), maintaining your strength training is a necessity.
Here’s why:
Strength Training And Muscle Mass
The very first reason to keep up your strength training sessions a few times a week is to ensure you aren’t losing muscle tissue.
As we age, muscle mass loss is inevitable without regular strength training workouts.  Muscle tissue is not easy tissue to gain back.  This is especially true for women who naturally have low amounts of testosterone compared to a men.  Protecting the muscle you have already worked so hard to build is one of the most important considerations of any well-rounded fitness program.
Why is having more muscle so important?
If you begin losing muscle mass, your strength will decrease, meaning everyday activities – including those outdoor activities you want to take part in – will become harder and harder.
Plus, muscle plays a major role in fat burning…
While exercise does burn calories, you only workout a few hours per week.  To increase fat burning you need to increase your metabolism, specifically your Resting Metabolic Rate.  Those who have a higher degree of muscle mass burn more calories even when they’re at rest.1  As a person ages, metabolism naturally slows down, leading to gradual weight gain. Muscle is a great way to counterbalance the body’s natural slowdown and the earlier a person starts, the easier it will be to maintain that muscle over time.
Many people complain that the reason they’re gaining weight into the 40’s and 50’s is due to a ‘slow metabolism’, but really, that slow metabolism is happening (partly) because they are losing muscle.  The muscle gains you achieve with a proper strength training program can help reverse this process and actually INCREASE metabolism!
Strength Training And Bone Health
As a person grows older, bone loss is inevitable, especially for women after menopause.2 This can lead bones to break more easily, feelings of fatigue and weakness, and reduced tolerance to physical activity. Weight-bearing exercises strengthen bones, helping minimize natural bone loss and reducing the risk of injury.3
While other outdoor activities may be weight bearing in nature and still help with bone strength and formation, no other exercise is more weight bearing than strength training.
Since you’ll be supporting more weight than just your body weight, you can really take your bone health to the next level. One study published in the journal of Medicine and Science in Sports And Exercise illustrated that strength training is superior in terms of combating osteoporosis compared to aerobic activity only.4
This can prevent stress fractures or bone breaks down the road, both of which could become very serious if you are into your 60’s and 70’s.
Strength Training And Disease Prevention
Strength training has been shown to provide a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.5 By continuing your strength training year round, you’ll continue to reap the rewards of the hard work you put in during the cold winter months.
A Tufts University study even found that participants in a strength training program were able to see a marked reduction in arthritis pain.  In fact, the study found that the end result was better than that received from medications.
Strength training can also improve a person’s mental health, reducing depression and improving sleep quality.
Strength Training And Insulin Sensitivity
Finally, the last nice thing about strength training that you must note is its impact on insulin sensitivity.
Your insulin sensitivity level is one of the key factors determining your risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a condition that’s starting to impact more and more females.
A regular strength training workout routine will help to keep your tissue cells more responsive to insulin, so should you consume carbohydrates in your diet (a common thing to do over the summer), your body will be able to better utilize those carbohydrates, directing them towards the muscle cells rather than the body fat cells, as was noted in a study published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal.6
This helps keep you leaner as well since you’ll have a reduced rate of converting those carbohydrates into body fat stores.
It appears the primary reason for this is due to the increased lean muscle tissue development, which then increases the insulin sensitivity level.
Final Thoughts
So as you can hopefully see, now is NOT the time to forgo strength training.  Strength training is the single most effective form of exercise for guaranteeing good health into the future and keeping you leading the active lifestyle for years to come.
All it takes is 2-3 sessions per week to see all these benefits, which leaves plenty of time to get outside and do all the other summertime activities that you want to do.
By making the commitment to stay consistent with your strength training workout throughout the summer months, you’ll also prevent having to go through the process of getting back into it come fall, which can prove to be quite frustrating if quite a significant amount of strength has been lost.

References:
“Weight Loss.” Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories. N.p., 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014.
“Aging Changes in the Bones – Muscles – Joints: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 May 2014.
“Build Up Your Bones! | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Winter 2012. Web. 09 May 2014.
Layne, JE. & Nelson, ME. (1999).  The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: A review.  Medicine and Science in Sports And Exercise. 31(1):25-30.
“Why Strength Training?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 09 May 2014.
Ivy, JL. & Sherman, W.M. & Miller, W.J. (1984). Effect of strength training on glucose tolerance and post-glucose insulin response. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 16(6):539-543.

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

Pretty soon, grills will be firing up all over your neighborhood. Summer BBQs are one of the surest signs that winter has finally surrendered and warm temperatures are here to stay.  Who doesn’t love getting an invitation to cook out and share some memorable times with friends and family?
However, if you’re a party animal (or just love to socialize), all those BBQs will soon start to sabotage your healthy habits.  Does this mean that you have to turn down invitations and be recluse all summer?
Far from it.  You can go to all the BBQs you want as long as you follow some practical tips to help you stay on track.
Here are some suggestions to survive summer BBQ’s this season.
1.  Eat before you go.

You don’t have to be a fitness professional to know that the hungrier you are, the less will power you have.  Count on it:  if you show up at a BBQ hungry, you are going to indulge in things that will cause you regret later.  Instead, eat a small meal right before you go.  You’ll have more self-control and you’ll fill up faster as well.
2.  Use a small plate. 

Research has demonstrated that if you use a smaller plate, you will eat less.  If there are different sized plates and bowls available, choose the smallest ones to eat from.
3.  Fill up on fruits and veggies. 

Raw produce is cool, juicy, crunchy and will fill you up quickly.  It’s a smart choice on a hot summer day, and will leave you feeling much more comfortable than if you indulged in fatty, salty snacks.
4.  Use caution around the condiments. 

It doesn’t matter how many raw veggies you eat, if you slather them in ranch dressing, you’re not cutting calories.  Mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad dressings and dips are usually loaded with fat, calories, salt and even MSG (monosodium glutamate). Use condiments sparingly—to enhance the flavor of your food, not overpower it!
5.  Take a healthy dish. 

If you know that there will be very little (or none!) healthy food at a cookout that you have been invited to, just offer to take a dish.  That way, you have control over at least one menu item.
6.  Go light on the beverages. 

You can down hundreds of calories in just a couple of beverages if you are not careful.  Drinking calories isn’t very satisfying.  Save the calories for the food and drink water or unsweetened tea instead.
7.  Choose lean cuts of meat. 

Grilled fish or chicken breasts are a better choice than hamburgers, steaks, sausages or hot dogs which often have much higher amounts of fat.
8.  Stay active. 

Don’t just sit around at the BBQs this summer.  If others are up for a game of Frisbee or a brisk walk, join in.  You can start burning off the extra calories you ate immediately!
With these tips in your arsenal, you will be well prepared to take on any BBQ that summer has to offer.  Have fun!

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

As spring fades and summer begins, many people head outdoors, where they spend time swimming, playing sports, and going for long walks on the beach. Whether it’s on vacation or on weekend getaways with the kids, people are generally much more active during the summer months, which is good for both the heart and spirit.
While all of this cardio has its health benefits, it doesn’t replace the many benefits of strength training. During the summer months, gyms are vacated while people head outdoors for exercise, but it’s just as important as ever to lift and tone during the warm months as the cold. Here are five reasons you should make the gym a part of your daily routine even through the warm months.
1.  Muscle Burns Fat, Even While Resting
While cardio burns calories, a body’s metabolism has a large role in how food is converted to energy. Those who are larger or have a higher degree of muscle mass burn calorie even when they’re at rest. As a person ages, metabolism naturally slows down, leading to gradual weight gain. Muscle is a great way to counterbalance the body’s natural slowdown and the earlier a person starts, the easier it will be to maintain that muscle over time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Long duration cardio does NOT increase metabolism; in fact, it can LOWER it!

2.  Building Muscle Staves Off Bone Loss
As a person grows older, bone loss is inevitable, especially for women after menopause. This can lead bones to break more easily, feelings of fatigue and weakness, and reduced tolerance to physical activity. Weight-bearing exercises strengthen bones, helping minimize natural bone loss and reducing the risk of injury. When a person lifts weights, it also builds strength and balance, which can help prevent falls.

3.  Muscle Toning Improves Balance
Balance has benefits beyond preventing injury. It comes into play no matter what you’re doing, whether it’s carrying groceries or climbing a set of stairs. Through strength training, you can more easily accomplish these tasks even as you get older. Muscle toning also improves endurance during athletic activities, which will help you during those games of beach volleyball.

4. Prevent Diseases
Strength training has been shown to provide a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. By continuing your strength training year round, you’ll continue to reap the rewards of the hard work you put in during the cold winter months. A Tufts University study even found that participants in a strength training program were able to see a marked reduction in arthritis pain. In fact, the study found that the end result was better than that received from medications. Strength training can also improve a person’s mental health, reducing depression and improving sleep quality.

5. You’ll Look Great in a Bathing Suit
As important as all of the other benefits are, one of the biggest benefits to continue strength training in the summer is also the most superficial. You work hard all winter and spring to look great, so why slack off during the summer months? As the weather heats up, you’ll likely be wearing shorts, short-sleeved and sleeveless tops, and bathing suits. Continued time at the gym means your muscles will stay toned so that you can look great as you reveal more of your body than you have all year. You’ll impress friends and family at gatherings with your washboard abs and toned thighs and, as much as we don’t like to admit it, that’s what it’s all about.

Conclusion
Gyms tend to empty out at the time of year when it’s most important to continue a workout regime. By maintaining your regular fitness schedule, you’ll be able to continue to meet your fitness goals while remaining in top shape for all of the exciting summer activities you’ll be invited to enjoy.

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

“Weight Loss.” Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories. N.p., 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014.

“Aging Changes in the Bones – Muscles – Joints: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 May 2014.

“Build Up Your Bones! | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Winter 2012. Web. 09 May 2014.

“Why Strength Training?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 09 May 2014.

Getting into better shape does not have to be an impossible task if you set your mind to it.  In fact, success is usually determined simply by your approach to a given challenge.  If you do not have enough will power or self-esteem to keep going in the face of adversity, you will likely never achieve that ideal physique.  It is time to stop coming up with reasons why getting fit is impossible for you.  You may have given it a try a thousand times to no avail, but there is a first time for everything and trying isn’t always enough…
In the wise words of Yoda, “Do, or do not.  There is no try.”

 
When people “try” something they’re generally already in the mindset of it not working; they’ve got their out – “I tried, but it just didn’t work for me.”  REALLY?!

Plan Ahead and Prepare… You Must
Everyone who sets out to exercise, eat right and focus on fitness faces his or her own set of unique challenges.  However, we all also deal with many of the same obstacles that, with a little focus, can be easily overcome…
As a fitness professional with 17 years of experience, I’ve heard just about every EXCUSE in the book of why someone couldn’t make it to a workout or why they “had to” eat bad over the weekend…
Scheduling conflicts
Injury
Ridicule (friends don’t support your new healthy habit)
Fear of working out alone
Fear of looking stupid
Lack (prioritization) of funds
Birthday, Anniversary, Holidays, and all the other “special occasions” you’ll find each week on the calendar
And the list goes on and on…
All of these challenges can be easily overcome if you set your mind in the direction of success and plan for the difficulties ahead.  It’s starts with the decision and the mentality – “Do, or do not.  There is no try.”

Like-Minded Companions You Should Seek
It will be quite a bit more difficult for you to “do” instead of “try” if you are surrounded by people who do not believe in your goals the same way you do.  Being steeped in negativity is harmful to your mindset as well as your overall health.  In fact, too much stress can actually cause you to gain more weight!
Do yourself a favor and hire a fitness professional and surround yourself with other people who are DOING fitness also.  When you surround yourself with like-minded people who want to see you succeed you’ll have way more fun and accomplish a whole lot more than you could on your own…

May the Force Be With You
There really is a power within you (and all around you) that you can tap into to achieve your goals.  This power is magnified when you make a firm decision to DO something.
When the going gets tough, that’s when the tough is supposed to get going.  Writing yourself notes, joining a support group, creating vision boards, meditating on your ideal outcome, and teaming up with a professional are all wonderful ways to boost your confidence and get your feet set in the right direction.
When the smoke clears you will see that NOW is the time for you to stop making silly excuses about why you just cannot get into better shape. Begin formulating plans for your fit future by being proactive about your goals and realistic about your inevitable challenges.  In order for you to achieve that ideal physique you have always dreamed of you are going to have to stop trying and start doing.  Like Yoda said, “Do, or do not.  There is no try.”

Pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone can be a REALLY scary thing!!!  We all want to feel successful.  When we set a goal or take on something that is unfamiliar to us or we have never done before FEAR starts to creep in.  Our minds create these stories that most/all of time are not even close to the truth!!!

Can you think of a time when you created the worst case scenario for an event or situation only to have it turn out great?!?!

I know that I can…

Mindset

Our mindsets around a goal, an event, or a situation can/will dictate our experience.  Having a positive mindset will change your outlook, experience, and results for just about anything.  It’s when we let that pesky emotion fear create self-doubt that we ask the question, “can I really do this?”

 The answer is YES YOU CAN!!!

To be honest, if a goal doesn’t excite me and scare me (just a little) then I know it isn’t the right goal.

What If?

What if you put your fear, self-doubt, and negative mindset aside?

Think of all the things you could/would achieve that you haven’t been able to up until this point.  When you push yourself outside your comfort zone, that is when growth as an individual truly happens.

What if you faced all the obstacles that you think are holding you back to achieve something you never thought you could?

We are the ones that hold ourselves back most of the time.  It is the fear, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs we carry around and tell ourselves multiple times per day that keeps us from doing the things that will get us the results in life that we desire.

What if instead of believing all of the things that you tell yourself that are holding you back, you instead acknowledge them and then let them go?

One thing that would happen is you would spend A LOT more time on the behaviors and thoughts that will move you closer to your desired result instead of being stuck in your own head!!!

Push Your Limits

I absolutely love this quote by Thomas Jefferson,

“If you want something you have never had, you must do something you have never done.”

When you read this, what emotions come up for you?

For me, fear and excitement come to mind.  Being fearful of the unknown can limit our belief about what we are truly capable of.  Fear of change may also be a limiting belief that is holding you back.  We are creatures of habit and often don’t embrace change and how it can make us better or help us achieve a goal.

Ask yourself, “What is it that I want to achieve that I haven’t yet been able to?”

Now What

Now that you know what it is that you want to achieve, you can decide how you are going to go about doing it.  Don’t just decide though, visualize yourself achieving the goal and experience the feelings you will have when you achieve the goal.  It’s not just enough to decide what it is that you want, believe that you can achieve it and see yourself doing so!

As the quote states, “you must do something you have never done.”  More than likely it will be more than one thing that you need to implement in order to be successful.

I am going to relate this to achieving a health, fitness, or physique goal that you are striving for.

First come up with a list of behaviors/actions that you are already doing that is moving you closer to that goal.

Once you have that, list one to three behaviors that you can STOP doing that are moving you further away from that goal.

Now decide how you can do a little bit more, or do a little bit better.  For example, if you are getting in 6,000 steps per day, modify your schedule so that you can get in 8,000 steps per day.  A little bit more, a little bit better.

The last step is to pick one to three things that are outside your comfort zone.  They may scare you just a little, BUT they will make the biggest difference in achieving your goal and seeing the results you want.

Examples could include:  hiring a personal trainer or working out in a group training program, making the decision to cook all your meals at home instead of eating out, giving up alcohol, gluten, and/or sugar, facing emotions you have choose to not deal with, or getting to bed 30 minutes earlier and letting the “to-do” list wait until tomorrow.

Now, this may be scary for you, but it’s a good exercise to stretch your comfort zone…

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

 

The sunshine is streaming in and it is a beautiful spring morning!  I don’t think I am the only one who is over the moon about the warmer temperatures, the sunshine, and the snow melting.  For many of us springtime is a chance to get re-energized, re-motivated, and re-focused.  We step out of hibernation mode, as the days get longer.  We can let fresh air into our homes and bodies, as the temperatures get warmer.

We re-commit to our health and fitness goals as the winter layers of clothing come off.  It’s a great time of year to do some “spring cleaning” mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Is Your Clutter Holding You Back

What if I told you the key to achieving your health and fitness goals was to clear your clutter?

How could that be?  Clutter shows up in our life in so many different ways:  physically, emotionally, and mentally.  Ask yourself:

Who (or what) is taking up space in my life?

Are those people/things serving me in a positive manner that is moving me closer to my goals and improving my health and well being?

When life was less complicated, there was not near as many ways to accumulate clutter (unwanted stuff) as there is today.

Physically clutter can show up for us in different areas including:
Clothes that don’t fit, or that you don’t wear
A refrigerator or pantry filled with expired foods or food that negatively affects your physical, emotional, and mental health
Books you no longer need or want to read
Excess paper clutter in offices
Email overwhelm and social media clutter of messages
Purses, wallets
Storage units, attics, and garages
And the list could go on…

We can also have emotional and/or mental clutter such as:
Negative belief patterns and “stories” that we continue to tell ourselves
Relationships that are negative and draining
Negative self-talk
Resentment, disappointment/hurt, and/or guilt and shame that we haven’t let go of

Now, if you go back to my original question I posed about clearing your clutter being the key to achieving your health and fitness goals, it makes sense!!!  If you continue to keep foods in your house that don’t positively support your body and your goals chances are you won’t reach them.  Continually telling yourself negative “stories” about how you are “not enough,” not deserving, or will never achieve your goals because of X, Y, or Z reason isn’t going to get you there.  Surrounding yourself with individuals who are unsupportive of your goals surely isn’t going to get you any closer to being the best version of YOU that you can be.  Get the picture☺

Positive Benefits of Clearing Clutter

You will feel less anxious.  Clutter is usually made up of stuff that is either junk, unfinished projects, or things that need to be handled that we are avoiding.  All of these looming messages in your environment, are like trying to tuck a bad memory away instead of dealing with it head on.
Your days will be more productive.  When you don’t have physical obstacles like piles of paper staring at you it is likely you will get more done in less time.
You may lose some weight!  Excess clutter can be correlated with excess weight.  Our environments are an external mirror of our internal mind and life, when you free yourself of extra stuff, pounds tend to come off.
You’ll be free of emotional stagnation.  Releasing any things  that you are holding onto from the past will help you to feel more free and present.
Your mental focus will sharpen.  Clear spaces and counter tops are a feng shui way to express metal energy.  Metal energy helps you to think sharply and zero in on the tasks that you select as important.
Your creativity can flourish.  When you shake yourself free of “stuff” you don’t need, you become for open for energy to flow freely.
You’ll get allergy relief.  Stuff collects dust, chemicals, mites, bugs, and even mold.
You’ll be open to opportunity.  You may find money and/or greater opportunity both personally and professionally.
You’ll get a self-esteem boost.  Clutter decreases our self-esteem with reminders of things we don’t need or want to see.
You’ll have more energy and be happier!  When there is nothing impeding your environment, you might feel lightness and greater energy!

Get Started

Getting started at anything is ALWAYS the hardest part!  Simply clearing one drawer or small space can open up your heart and mind to new possibilities.  You will feel a sense of relief and will have more energy to continue the process.

Three Tips to Get Started
Start small and build momentum.  This will give you more energy to tackle the larger spaces.
Complete one area at a time.  If you go back and forth between different spaces you end up scattering your energy and you won’t see results anywhere.
Clean up after each session.  Take the garbage to the dump.  Place donation bags, dry cleaning and things to be repaired in your trunk to drop off.  Tidy up the area where you worked so you can see your progress.

I was able to take some time over spring break to do some MUCH NEEDED de-cluttering and I can honestly say I do have more energy, feel lighter (physically & emotionally), and am able to be more productive.  This is an area that I struggle with but I am committed to working on it because I can see the benefits spill over into other areas of my life.

I am in control and I will no longer let stuff or people hold me back from living the life I desire!!!

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness

 

 

I don’t think it is a secret to anyone that the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer is higher than it has ever been and continues to rise. I hope at this point we can all agree that our diet and lifestyle directly correlate to these statistics. In the early 1980’s, about one in seven Americans were obese, and almost six million were diabetic. Fast forward to the early 2000s, when sugar consumption peaked due to the “low-fat” craze we went through, and one in every three Americans were obese—and14 million were diabetic.

“Sugar: The Bitter Truth”

On May 26, 2009, Robert Lustig gave a lecture called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth,” which was later posted to YouTube. The video has since received over 800,000 views.

Lustig is a specialist on pediatric hormone disorders as well as a leading expert in childhood obesity at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. Lustig takes a pretty hard stance against sugar, calling it a “toxin” or “poison.” In addition, he refers to sugar as “evil.” He is not only referring to the white granulated stuff but also high fructose corn syrup, which Lustig argues has become “the most demonized additive known to man.”

He brings up a critical point in relationship to the calories in sugar. Lustig says, “It has nothing to do with the calories. It’s a poison by itself.” From his point of view, sugar should be thought of as something that is killing us, like cigarettes and alcohol. His argument implies that sugar is the likely dietary cause of several chronic diseases: heart disease, hypertension, and many common cancers. Based on Lustig’s information, our excessive consumption of sugar is the primary reason for the increase in numbers of obese and diabetic Americans in the last 30 years.

Lustig argues that refined sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup are equally bad. Both do not provide us with any protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or fiber.

Sugar’s Effect on the Body

Consuming sugar (fructose and glucose) has a large impact on our liver. Drinking sugar in a liquid form from fruit juice or soda will have a greater negative impact on the liver than if you eat an apple. The liver also controls much of our body’s natural detoxification system. Because of the way our bodies metabolize fructose and high fructose corn syrup, eating these “toxins” may lead to fat build up in our livers.

This fat accumulation could then lead to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is the hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to the foods you eat (particularly carbohydrates) to keep blood sugar in control. Over time, your cells can become resistant to insulin causing the pancreas to pump out more and more insulin. At some point, the pancreas can no longer keep up and blood sugar becomes uncontrollable, which is then full-blown diabetes.

Move Towards Better Health

The first step in moving towards better health is to remove ALL high fructose corn syrup from your diet. Once you have done that, focus on eliminating calorie-filled, sugar-filled beverages. Instead, focus on eating nutrient-dense foods (protein, vegetables, and healthy fats) and drinking more water.

Look better, feel better, and remove the “toxic” substance sugar from your diet.

Chris Gray

Owner

Breakthrough Personal Coaching & Wellness