How to Reduce Sugar Intake for Weight Loss?

Being overweight is one of the major risk factors for several lifestyle disorders. Excessive sugar intake is a concern in your weight loss program. Sugar is known to sabotage diet plans hugely. Sugar is high in calorie but low in nourishment so high sugar intake increases weight. Hence it is necessary to reduce sugar if you wish to lose weight. Learn how to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.

Many people are crave sugar to the extent that their meals remain incomplete without sugar. When it comes to losing weight they think that sugar should be eliminated but complete elimination of sugar is not needed at all, rather frequency of consumption should be reduced. According to American Heart Association, men should be consuming not more than 150 calories whereas women should not be consuming more than 100 calories each day. By lowering down sugar intake, you cannot only lose weight but also prevent many disorders.

• It is scientifically proven fact that sugary foods are having high amount of calorie.
• Apart from being a non-nutritious high calorie food, sugar stimulates different glands and creates hormonal imbalance. This affects insulin resistance and the ability to regulate blood sugar.
• Additionally, excessive calories get stored in the form of fats leading to obesity and also increases the risk of high lipid levels.

Now that you realize that sugar is not healthy for you and must be reduced, you would like to know how to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.

Here are some of the most effective ways to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.

• Avoid foods that contain sugars. The sweetened beverages for example, sweet soda or artificial fruit juice, energy drinks and sweet teas create adverse health conditions.
• Stay away from foods like pastry, tarts, jam and jelly, sweet deserts and ice creams should be avoided as well as they are made using sugar in huge amount.
• The only beverages you should choose from is water, fat and sugar free tea, coffee, double toned milk, unsweetened fruit drinks and smoothies.
• Cookies, junk foods and highly processed should be swapped with vegetables and fruits, low fat cheese and soups. This is one of the best ways to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.

• Most of us think that foods, which are not at all sweet, may not be having sugar in content but such presumption is not correct always.
• Food items like breads, rice, cereals are having hidden sugar. Keep them to the minimum, if you cannot completely avoid them. This is an effective way to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.
• Sweet and sugary cereals should be replaced with oatmeal which usually comes with next to no sugar.
• While buying breads, labels should be compared where the amount of sugar is illustrated in details, less than 1 gram sugar should be chosen as ideal.
• When checking the labels there are some code words such as glucose, corn syrup, fructose, lactose and invert sugar maltose.
• The measure and amount of those ingredients certainly subscribe in increasing weight.

• Include whole grain food items, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy items in your diet every day to reduce sugar intake for weight loss.
• Drink plenty of water, plain fluids, soups and stay well hydrated.
• Take small meals at regular intervals so that blood sugar levels are maintained and you do not crave for sweet.
• Munch on nuts, seeds, or baked lentils if you are hungry between the meals.

Here are some handy tips that will help you reduce sugar intake for weight loss.

• Be Gradual: Even doctors believe that it’s not good to cut sugar abruptly away from food rather the amount of sugar intake should gradually be reduced. In regular recipes the amount of sugar should be reduced slowly and tea or coffee are the first to start with. This offers a chance to the taste buds to adjust everything suitably.
• Eat Hot Cereals: It is best to eat hot cereals for breakfast, consisting grits or oatmeal. Cold cereals are high in sugar, so it’s better to consume hot cereal and if you are so craving for sweet, it’s better to add pieces of fruits, but fruit juice should be avoided. Flavored cereals should be avoided as they are seen to be saturated with high sugar.
• Carefully Selected Snacks: Evening is the period when most of us are practically knocked down by appetite. Most of us go for heavy calorie snacks, in such situation we have to be careful about what we are consuming and focus on low-calorie snacks such as string cheese, whole-wheat crackers and banana. Depending upon these food items practically help one resist temptation for junk foods.
• Little Bit Is OK: It is better to remove the large measure of sugar from the diet and must not be worried regarding the little bits, for example using brown sugar instead of the processed ones, little amount of jam on brown bread or little bit of honey also the sweet taste of the fresh fruits.

A balanced healthy diet with some exercise every day can keep your metabolism strong, thus keeping you healthy. So, while you find ways how to reduce sugar intake for weight loss, also make sure you plan regular physical activity and exercise of some kind each day.

Also Read:

• Sugar Addiction: What Happens when a Person Consumes Excessive Sugar & Ways to Curb Sugar Cravings?
• Sugar Addiction Detox: 6 Ways to Detox from Sugar