Hi Fusers!
First off, just wanted to let everyone know who hasn’t heard yet, Pascha delivered healthy little TJ on Sunday, May 4th. She is doing well, resting and recovering at home. She was at the studio that very morning, taking Michael’s class, then went into labor and delivered later that day. Pascha has been a great example of how exercising can and should be done throughout pregnancy. She lowered the intensity when she needed to, listened to her body (some days a nap was more in order than a workout), but pushed through, knowing that a strong body would make an easier delivery and recovery. Congratulations to Pascha, Terence and proud big sister Anai!!!
Anyway, onward to THE CHALLENGE. First of all, how is everyone doing?! We are into Week 4 now. Last week we eliminated gluten–I know that one can be very difficult for people, so just want to know how you’re doing with it. This week has been long dreaded by many–no more sugar!! We are only allowed to have fruit from here on out, no honey, no maple syrup, no sugar alternatives.
Check out this article from Mark’s Daily Apple, an extremely informative, science-based blog about primal/paleo living. It breaks down all the different types of sugar and talks about the effects these various forms of sugar has on our bodies. With hardly any exceptions, sugar is an anti-nutrient, meaning it has no significant nutritional value. And with eating, it is imperative to our health to be consuming nutrient rich foods and eliminating anti-nutrients.
With obesity now a nation-wide, and increasingly global, epidemic, it is very important to look at the human diet and assess what is going wrong. Our society is eating processed foods galore, loaded with trans-fats and SUGAR. According to Dr. Mercola, a well-known doctor and blogger of natural health, more than 50% of all Americans consumer 1/2 pound of sugar EACH day!! It is becoming scientifically proven that excessive consumption of sugar is the leading cause of obesity and chronic disease in America. Check out this article for more information regarding the dangers of sugar.
Unfortunately for all those of you who have a sweet tooth, too much sugar consumption leads directly to increased weight gain. Without significantly reducing sugar, ideally eliminating it on a daily level, saving only for very special occasions, fat loss will be extremely difficult.
Whenever sugar is consumed, our blood sugar levels spike, causing high levels of insulin to be released into the bloodstream. In a nutshell, this leads to roller-coaster peaks and valleys in our blood sugar levels, which in turn causes excessive amounts of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) to be produced and released into the body, which then leads to a decreased metabolism, immune weakness, chronic fatigue, as well as fat gain, especially around the mid-section. The key to staying lean, having plenty of energy, and staying healthy overall is keeping your blood sugar levels regulated and stable. (http://pacificfit.net/article-archive/how-sugar-makes-you-fat/)
So, I know this will be a huge challenge for many of you. But stick with it. I promise you will feel so much better–less belly fat, high energy levels throughout the day–at the end of this challenge. Trust me, I have completed the 21 Day Sugar Detox two times in the last year, which eliminates all grains and sugars, and I also gave up dairy. While challenging, which you can read about HERE, the effects on my body were amazing. I also lost my taste for sugar, as anything that has added sugar simply tastes way too sweet. That being said, I know you can do it too! Remember, nothing in life is worthwhile unless you’ve really worked for it 😉
Yours in health,
Kristin @ The Fuse Fitness
thefusefitness 