The sweet stuff
Oh spin bike, we meet again.
Thanks for the booty-kicking. I appreciate that.
We got new spin bikes at work, and WHOA, they are amazing. I love the fact that the screen shows wattage (power), cadence, heart rate, distance and time.
(The bottom left button enables you to create a “stage” that will track your time and distance for a specific round and the right bottom shows your average)
During class we did speed surges, climbs, and focused on beating our previous average watts and distances. It was a great way to push myself –the watt feature made me realize I could work a lot harder- and the number games were a nice distraction.
After class, I enjoyed a smoothie and one of the Trader Joe’s macarons I’m currently obsessed with:
and then proceeded to eat my cookie as I read an email from a work friend about the dangers of sugar.
She said it was a little public service announcement since we all love our sugar and even when you eat well, it’s easy for sugar to make its way in there, too. (And this is random, but so am I, so I’m going to tell you this: whenever I’m baking with sugar, the Pilot and I yell out “Don’t forget the SUGAHHHHH!” with British accents. It makes no sense at all)
Here’s the informative video she linked in the email:
If you’re at work, or don’t feel like watching a video, here’s a little synopsis:
Dr. Robert Lustig, a fairly controversial authority in the field of neuroendocrinology –his most popular video is here– is interviewed. Lustig is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, in the Division of Endocrinology Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF and been studying the effects of sugar since the 1990s.
According to Lustig, sugar consumption has gone down, but high fructose corn syrup has made up the difference. They’re pretty much the same thing. Our bodies are naturally inclined to seek out fructose –which is the sweetener in fruit- but when you consume it as fruit, the fiber helps slow absorption and consumption. The fructose that is added to processed food is refined, and devoid of this fiber. Sugar is cheap to produce and is hidden in many processed foods, so we end up consuming a lot more than we bargain for.
(this image has been floating around Facebook- not sure of the source. No copyright infringement intended)
Recent studies are starting to back up Lustig’s claims that sugar can account for about 75% of the following health complications:
obesity
type 2 diabetes
hypertension and
heart disease.
We’ve always been told that “a calorie is a calorie” but recent findings indicate that may not be the case. Calories from sugar affect the body differently than calories from other foods.
When we consume sugar, it spikes our insulin levels and can provide the fuel for certain types of cancer. Certain tumors contain insulin receptors, and by consuming sugar and promoting glucose to process, it can encourage the tumors to grow. By limiting the amount of sugar we consume, according to Dr. Lewis Cantley (Harvard Cancer Center), we are decreasing our chance of developing cancer.
In the video, monitored study participants consumed a diet low in added sugar, and following this plan, they were given sweetened drinks with each of their meals. Within two weeks, their levels of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) increased, which is associated with heart attacks.
Sugar is addictive and is triggers a reaction in our brains comparable to drugs or alcohol. The only major difference is that it’s legal, cheap and readily available. The more you eat, the less you feel the reward response in your brain and eventually begin to crave more.
New recommendations for added sugar: less than 150 calories from sugar per day for men and less than 100 calories for women
After watching the video, it only slightly changed my view of sugar –I didn’t know of it’s cancer promoting potential- and just encouraged me to keep doing what I have been since I changed my eating habits: be mindful of how much I’m consuming.
As always, it’s a good idea to avoid processed food and like anything else, exercise moderation. Anything in excess is a bad idea, and as long as you aim for whole foods and are mindful of your portions, it’s all good. Another important tidbit is to avoid “fat free” foods because when the fat is removed, it’s replaced with sugar. We need healthy fats, but don’t need the extra sugar.
Just a little food for thought!
Off to a TRX training 🙂
See ya later,
Gina
Something to talk about:
What do you do when you’re hankering for something sweet?
If my sweet tooth makes an appearance, I’ll enjoy some fruit, a bit of dark chocolate, or a small serving of a dessert. I’ll also try to decide if I actually want something sweet, or if I’m just hungry or thirsty in general.
What’s your sweetener of choice?
Stevia over here 🙂
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I try to avoid added sugars (even went added-sugar free for Lent the past few years), but it’s nearly impossible. Like you said, finding balance is key – and enjoying it in things that are meant to be sweet (like macaroons) rather than in your beverages is a great way to keep it in check.
I just linked this same video to my Facebook group this morning. There are a bunch of us ladies who all met through Pilates and are doing a Ruckus Run in June and started this group as a way to keep in touch and to share ideas with. Since I had started doing the sugar detox over a week ago, a lot of talk about this video has been circulating so I found it and posted it. It really makes you think.
I’m addicted to numbers while training on my bike. I ride outside but train indoors in the winter, but on my own bike in a class setting. We take Power Tests, so we know exactly what wattage is endurance, tempo, LT and VO2, so I’m always glancing at my wattage.
Yes! Sugar can be dangerous, and in my biochemistry class we talked about why high fructose corn syrup is so bad too. To spare you the gory details, basically think of an assembly line. If a step is skipped over (which is what the HFCS makes our bodies do) then the product will still go through to the end, but it won’t be as good. We recall our cars and think that is so dangerous when something is wrong, but we don’t think of recalling all of our HFCS products too. Just a thought.
I have a question about Stevia. Why do you choose to use that rather than sugar and/or other sweeteners like agave or brown rice syrup?
Several years ago, I read an article saying that stevia has been shown to have serious affects on a man’s fertility. Since reading that article, my husband and I avoid it, however, we haven’t seen anything of the sort since!
i’ve read that before, too. i only use it in my tea, not a ton- a little goes a long way. brown rice syrup actually has been shown to contain arsenic, so i stay away from that, but i do like sucanat for baking
I do use sucanat for baking as well, and since that report came out on the brown rice syrup, I haven’t refilled my stock. Seems there is no “safe” sugar.
it’s true, and scary
Really? I use Stevia in our smoothies mostly, but I never heard that before. That’s not good!
What’s really scary is that I only saw it in an article once back in 2008 and haven’t seen anything on it since! Was the science disproved or is all the advertising trying to cover this up? Either way, I stay clear.
I really need to be more conscious of my sugar intake. Even though I don’t really do sweet drinks like soda or juice (just coffee and water over here) – I know my salad dressing of choice (honey mustard) is loaded, and I’m sure I have plenty of other sources of the stuff. I really would LOVE to take a week or two to really focus on zero added sugars…especially since I’m SO quick to give in to cravings for chocolate!
Stevia here for me too! And like you, I also go for fruit when I’ve got a sugar craving. To be honest, I don’t crave sugar very much as I’m more of a savoury kinda gal, but fruit hits the spot every time. Have fun at TRX!
No! Not 100-150 grams! That’s a crap load of added sugars! The recommendation for women is 20 grams or less than 100 calories.
calories, not grams! d’oh.
this really opened my eyes! After you posted this I noted all of the sugar I had eaten (by noon) and I was at the threshold. 1 gram of sugar = 4.4 calories. I did my math. Thank you for opening my eyes. I will be more aware of this now and try to limit (with the exception of fresh fruits) my sugar intake.
wow, that’s awesome that you’re keeping track!
We just bought a spin bike for our house (working on a home gym) and I got up this morning and used it for the 1st time. Loved it! I feel like I have way more energy after spinning around for 45 minutes. Great way to start my day. PS I’ve been reading the sugar articles floating around the web. Definitely makes me think a little harder next time I want to reach for some candy.
I feel like sugar/carbs get a bad reputation. People just tend to forget about the importance of moderation. There is no harm in enjoying a cookie with an apple and a glass of water for a snack, but four cookies and a 20 oz Coke is probably not the best choice. I tend to reserve my sugar calories for a few squares of chocolate as opposed to drinking them.
At the gym I belonged to in DC, they converted the spin bikes to make them produce electricity and I loved it! I agree that it’s so helpful to see the wattage and know how hard you’re actually pushing yourself, and I liked being able to compare my total output to previous classes. Plus, if you’re putting in the hard work, it’s nice that something tangible is actually being produced in the form of electricity being put back into the grid!
I haven’t taken the time to watch the full-length videos about the dangers of sugar yet, but I am fascinated by the topic. I agree with you, though – moderation is key. And that macaron looks delicious – I didn’t know Trader Joe’s sold them! Might have to check that out…
I try my best to avoid added sugars because they make me feel so awful, but I find aspartame can almost have the exact same effects as things filled with sugar. So I avoid those too. I use stevia too! I definitely feel as though this sugar free thing will just end up like a whole new fat-free craze where everyone is scared of sugar, and aspartame will be filled in foods which can’t be good for us either
that’s a great point- i could see something like that happening, too
I totally agree with this. I have hypoglycemia, so sugar makes me go a little wild, and then my energy and mood drop like a stone. It’s like an intense version of what people experience with normal insulin levels.
It’s tough because the alternative sugars like agave also have potential dangers associated with them once you start researching. I’d agree that moderation of sugar intake is the right road to take, and using natural sweeteners like dates in homemade sweets (also in moderation).
I was so captivated by the 60 minutes piece when I watched it when it aired!! I seriously forwarded it all of my friends and family. While I disagree with the doctor’s suggestion that we need to regulate sugar like alcohol, he sold me on HFCS. Also, I truly believe it’s all about moderation. Eating a cookie once in awhile isn’t going to give you diabetes if you eat well and make healthful decisions most of the time.
I never knew those Trader Joe’s macarons existed…thanks for pointing those out.
I used real sugar, white, brown, stevia, honey, agave, maple…it all depends on what I’m cooking, baking, if I need certain flavors infused, i.e. maple or just something neutral or my goal. They’re all tools in the toolbox.
same here….totally depends on what I’m making. Stevia in my tea, sucanat or raw turbinado sugar for baking (usually), a little agave or pure maple with my fruit/yogurt breakfasts.
Ooh TRX! Really want to try that. Enjoy!
I find when I want surgar – usually I haven’t had enough water (like you mentioned) – if I really do want something sweet though I have some coconut ice cream or a little dark chocolate. 🙂
I have a HUGE sweet tooth, but I try to keep it in check: I definitely don’t deny myself if I really want something sweet (usually chocolate or ice cream), but I try not to go overboard, either. Too much sugar makes me nauseous! It’s a fine line.
I also used to eat a LOT of Splenda but recently switched to Stevia. I like it a lot better—and like the lack of chemicals, too!
i used to be addicted to splenda! so glad i broke the habit
We definitely avoid sugar in our home. We don’t own any at all for cooking or baking. We use honey mostly. But we occasionally eat treats that involve sugar. We just try to be mindful of it all. It’s hard to avoid though!
I have always struggled with sugar – I have all sweet teeth! 🙂 I did a sugar fast a couple years ago where I ate no added sugars for 3 months (the only sugar I had came from fresh fruits and vegetables) and it made me feel so much better. I limit my added sugar intake, but I do crave sweet foods often. I typically opt for a piece of fresh fruit, dehydrated fruit with no added sugars, or a small piece of dark chocolate. If it’s something that I can only have once in a while, I’ll indulge in a small serving.
Is there a certain number of grams of sugar I should stick to? I have a serious sweet tooth, and pretty much know I’m eating too much sugar. I eat mostly whole foods, but sugar is in bread, yogurt like whoa, and my beloved wine. Ahh. I think if I had a number to track, I would be more conscious of it.
I try not to go on about sugar when I meet people because I’ll just sound nuts, but when my dad had cancer and then when a friend had cancer I did endless research into this and sugar is the one thing that really leads to the growth and multiplication of cancer cells. This doesn’t have to be malignant cancers that we’re already sick with – our body is full of cells that could be cancerous if there were enough of them. Now I’m not of course saying that sugar is the only thing that will lead to people getting cancer – there are LOTS of factors that can lead to the growth of cancerous cells – I’m just saying that I wouldn’t take my chances.
I’ve actually never been able to tolerate sugar so I haven’t eaten it for years for another reason, but when I found this out I was just kinda blown away. But sometimes info doesn’t mean much to people – my best friend is a sugar addict and I’ve given up trying to persuade her. She says she’s happy to live in blissful ignorance, so it’s not my business to mess with that!
I really agree with this. Sugar is the first thing that should be omitted from the diet when suffering from cancer. There are also links to systemic candida (which feeds on sugar) and cancer. From all the research and reading i(e done, time and time again I come back tothe point that suugar is an immune sepressant with no nutritional value. many of us would be better off without it. It is so addictive though!
Why is stevia better for you? I’m looking to switch to a better sweetener.
i just like it because while it is processed, it’s plant-based and has zero calories. i still like using maple, sucanat, dates and honey as sweeter, too
Great post Gina, and very timely for me. My brother just had a cancerous tumor removed from his head and guess what the dr. told him to stay far, far away from???!!!?? You guessed it, SUGAR – cancer feeds off sugar – other ‘foods’ as well, but the #1 was Sugar.
I am trying my darnest to stay away from it , boy is it tough. I am going to send him this so he keeps his motivation:)
Nice on getting back to spin, sounded like an awesome workout!!!!
My aunt is dying of brain cancer and up until she started dying she was off sugar. Now that she got really bad and doesn’t have much time, if she wants coffee with sugar, we give it to her. So sorry about your brother.
Thank you Brittany, and very sorry about your Aunt. Lots and lots of prayers, i hope she has more time than expected.
sending love to your aunt and your family <3
Thank you Gina. You are so sweet. I hope she has more time too. It has been exactly a year. At this point we just want her to stop suffering, whatever the outcome is.
I try to be “healthy” when my sweet tooth kicks in by eating fruit or ignoring it altogether and drinking tea or something, but when I HAVE TO HAVE it, I love Oikos nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt with granola, dried cherries, and fresh organic raspberries. Soooooooo rich & creamy. That, or I’ll grab a serving size of Nilla Wafers, dip a tablespoon in Nutella, and have my “Nillatella” treat. 🙂
I teach high school and when I was at the end of my pregnancy, my students and colleagues brought me so many sweets and things. I think I was given 4 different cakes within a week! I did my best to have a small piece and threw the rest away after offering it to everyone. I didn’t even dare take any of it home…if it’s in the house, it’ll get eaten.
Oooh, I’d love a TRX post 🙂
here ya go: http://fitnessista.com/2011/04/focus-on-trx/
I was giving myself a “treat” of a square of dark chocolate, but those treats intended for every once in a while quickly turned into an everyday occurance, since I’d tell myself that because I worked out or ate well I deserved it.
Recently (thanks to this blog and my yoga practice which has helped to change so much!), I’ve reevaluated what and how much I eat. Now when I think I deserve a “treat” I’ll go for a cup of tea with some vanilla almond milk, stevia and cinnamon…yum! For the most part I’m eating well, but perhaps a little too much of the good stuff. I’ve had to remind myself that even though I have a regular 4-5 day a week workout routine, I’m not a fitness trainer and shouldn’t eat like one. I have a friend who eats so much bad stuff (nacho cheese and crackers for dinner much!) and wonders why she is gaining weight. I think it’s a lot harder for people who only have 10-ish lbs they want to lose/want to focus on toning up and are NOT constantly indulging. They (aka me) are the ones who really need to pay close attention to things like sugar and fat intake. It’s easier to cut out something in its entirety like cupcakes rather than limit sugar. It’s been challenging and a little frustrating trying to really pay attention to these things but I’m getting better at it.
Did I just vent? I think I did. lol. Hopefully this is something to which other people can relate. In the meantime, I’m so excited to make my legs and booty scream by going to spin tonight! 🙂
i noticed that i eat better when i practice yoga, too. it makes me more mindful of everything
hope you had an amazing spin class!
I just tried Stevia for the first time, yay for giving up Splenda for good! Yeah… fat free foods seem like a good diet option, but they have to put in some extra crap to replicate the taste. Wish more people were educated about these topics… the general public seems to just be a product of advertising :-/
What I don’t understand about the video is that it doesn’t specify WHAT KINDS of sugar! There is sugar found in everything! Is it only processed sugar?!? Or sugar found in fruits and veggies as well? Maple syrup and natural sugar? Or refined sugar?? Which kinds are toxic?!
🙂 I stick to stevia and fruit to sweeten my sweets!
I agree!! There are so many healthy “sugary” foods out there (that also help in cancer prevention). I think for those people who are new to learning about health and nutrition would be overwhelmed with this information and not know where to start. These types of studies always make me a bit angry – they come across as extreme and one sided (not providing all of the facts). Moderation and BALANCE!!! 🙂
Lucky for me (or maybe unlucky) I have more of a salty tooth…I agree with your moderation comment though. If you stopped eating everything with potential harmful side effects I think we would maybe be left with carrots (if they were organic and pesticide free of course!). It is way to hard to keep up, so simplicity and moderation is key.
I am obsessed with your new spin bikes. They look amazing!
I work for a big scientific publication and our Neuroscientist pointed me in the direction of Dr Lustig. I haven’t watched his videos in full, but suffice to say, the Neuroscientist has been off chocolate (which is usually available in abundance in our office, especially since Easter has just passed!) for six weeks now. This was circulating at work and seems to have affected a few of my colleagues – I trust these guys, they know their stuff and they reject bogus claims for a living (and trust me, we get A LOT of those). If even they are trying to reduce their sugar intake, then I should too. I’ve been trying to be more mindful of sugar, but chocolate is a definite weakness!
I think everything can be enjoyed in moderation, but high fructose corn syrup and other forms of sugar seem to be present in just about everything these days. I am very aware of this now – it’s even in things you wouldn’t expect to find it! My favourite sweetener is honey or maple syrup 🙂 Yuuuum.
I’m a big fan of honey and maple syrup too. I do use sugar sometimes though but not very much. I think in the past 12 months for our family of 5 we’ve used 2 of the 4 lb bags.
Thanks for the great drink photo. I will definitely use it in my class next year during our health and nutrition unit. My third graders will be amazed. Also, keep up the fitness instructor posts. Since moving to Tanzania, I have not taught aerobics and I completely miss it. I used to teach step and body sculpt at the YMCA when I was living in Oakland. All of your posts inspire me to get something going here… hopefully soon. Keep up the great mama work!
Greetings from Dar
thank you, and hope you’re able to get back into it!
Thank you for posting this!
I’ve read the research on sugar and cancer too and it scares me. I try to eat sugar in moderation and also love Stevia (for my morning tea). I agree about the HFCS, to me it is evil and I do not like how the corn industry is trying to say it is the same as sugar. That’s like saying a calorie is a calorie. And it’s in so many foods you really have to read the labels to make sure.
Interestingly enough (and semi-off topic) remember how when you were a kid your grandma would say don’t eat candy or chocolate you will get zits? Turns out, it could be true. I was reading (and will come back and link the article when I find it) how eating too much sugar and/or simple carbs can cause a yeast to form in the body and cause acne. Once I cut back on the bad carbs, my skin looked better. If I OD on them, my skin will look worse.
Hopefully more research will come out about sugar and HFCS.
This is a really interesting video. I recently started using the myfitnesspal.com tracker and realized how much sugar I consume. A lot of it is from fruit but I could certainly cut down on the sugary cereals!
I was aware that cancer is a sugar feeder, as I have had it 3 times! I roll with whatever my body is craving, I must need…in moderation! I used to have days where I was weak and if I had a Coke, I would be feeling much better in no time! I can’t have cola now because of my dialysis, but will occasionally have root beer or sprite!
I was getting dangerously thin when I was on chemotherapy, and needed to get all the calories in that I could! They actually gave me medication that would make me feel hungry so that I would eat more!
So I watch what I eat, but I don’t deny myself anything!
3 times! way to kick it in the face.
sending love and wishes for continued health to you, my friend <3
This video is everywhere — so interesting, and glad that the sugar issue is going more “mainstream.” My favorite sweetener is maple syrup (perfect for a New England resident), and I always have a big Costco bottle of the real stuff on hand for baking (and pancakes!).
I’m actually trying to kick my sugar habits. Whenever I crave something, I go for it .. but that has turned into multiple times a day. Right now I’m trying fruits or Kombucha until I get the sweet tooth under control 😉 I don’t think there is anything wrong with giving into your sweet tooth, but in moderation!!
Can you send me that email?? please and thank you 🙂 !
Stevia FTW! 😉 Other than that, fruit or dark chocolate! Not a big sweets person.
those new spin bikes are awesome! totally jealous 😛
I just wrote a post about this exact same topic! I do agree with him, and think that everyone should avoid as much processed sugar as they can, but to avoid ALL of it, it going to be very difficult! I for one love CLIF Z bars which are “natural” but are still a processed food. Am I going to give them up, probably not, but I don’t consume sugar heavy desserts on a regular basis so I guess it all evens out, right?
About the spin bikes, I wish my gym had the ones with the screen attached! That would be SO helpful! We still have the old ones, but I hope eventually they will change that! I am obsessed with spin, it’s such a great workout!!
I’ve recently watched a documentary that really sobered me up about my own sugar consumption, and it got me to see why whole foods are just so much better. I think I make fairly good choices about my food, but still, lots of times i would buy, for example, fruit yogurt, and not really realise it’s filled with added sugar – even if it said it’s organic – it’s such a trap to fall into. And I am sure I don’t need all that extra sugar in my daily yogurt …
Oh, the movie is called Hungry For Change and you can watch it for free on youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-WWp9wlvwU
Hi Gina!! Love this post… I go to Planet Fitness and we don’t have classes, maybe I’ll try to rock it out by myself on the bikes there? lol I think I’d feel stupid going nuts there by myself… hahaha!! I have a question for you though… have you ever done a post on sandbag workouts?? I want to do one so bad!! i don’t know any routines though… if you have any information or want to do a leeennnnggthy (please!) post on one please do it!! 🙂
I would like to ask why you stopped spinning during pregnancy? Or did you just stop when your belly started getting in the way? I’ve been told you can pretty much keep up whatever you were doing before you got pregnant so long as you feel okay, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. I’m 10 weeks along and have been spinning twice a week this whole time. I love it, and I like that I can tailor my ride, take a break or dial it back when I need to, etc. I wear my HR monitor and try to keep it below 160bpm at a max, more like 150. Just curious. And I’m WAYYY jealous of those new bikes!!! 🙂
i hadn’t been spinning consecutively, so i didn’t think it was a good time to really get into it.
and yes, most doctors will tell you to keep doing whatever you have been as long as you make sure not to overheat and as long as it feels good. that’s why i zumba-ed up until the end 🙂
Thanks for the great article. I have really cut out a lot of sugar since I cut out almost all processed foods, and boy can I tell when I have a “cheat day”. When I eat something that is at least 50% sugar, my body reacts in a really scary way. The next day I “swell up” and my body is sore/tender to the touch. My theory is that since I eat mostly raw now and at least 90% unprocessed, when I eat concentrated sugars in a refined way (say, a traditional Gluten Free cake piece or some cookies), I can now feel the inflammation that occurs in all of us, but other factors mask. One thing that just started last year was my mouth immediately starts burning and the roof of my mouth gets hot and feels like is has been rubbed raw if I eat sugar in this way. After the mouth burning incident at Christmas, I am scared to eat sugar like this anymore. What else is it doing to the body that I can’t feel if when it can present symptoms, they are in this form!
Has anyone else experienced that? Like I said, I can’t find any data regarding a sugar sensitivity that caused these reactions, but the idiopathic nature might be because it is a common thing that is normally masked and maybe people who tend to avoid added sugars only see symptoms of this inflammatory response.
I grab some orbit gum and smile! 🙂 But really my sweetener of choice is STEVIA!!! I love it in coffee so if I really need that, OMG sweet and delicious “dessert” like treat, I spike decaf coffee with stevia! 🙂
As you can see, I’m still catching up but a little behind… If you still do reader’s requests, I’m interested on your take of fruit sugars vs. baking sugars (or candy, drinks, etc.) I’ve always loved fruit but last year I cut it almost completely out of my diet because I read that it was no different than sugar-sugar… but I recently saw someone say the same thing to Bob & Jillian in a Biggest Loser rerun and Jillian said not to worry about fruit sugar because it’s locked in the cell of the fruit. Which is it?! =/