Sugar- The truth

Most people realise certain foods are high in sugar; cakes, sweets, chocolate.... all sorts of tasty treats are obviously high in sugar, that’s what makes them taste so damn good! However, sugar can also be found lurking in our diets in all sorts of foods you wouldn’t expect.

What is Sugar?

Well in nutritional terms sugar is a carbohydrate.

What forms does sugar take?

The most common form is white sugar frequently used in baking and as a sweetener for hot beverages. This bad guy is also known as sucrose.

Along with sucrose there are other simple sugars lurking in our everyday diet these include glucose, maltose, honey, molasses, syrups, cane sugar and dextrose.

This type of sugar is sometimes referred to as an anti-nutrient, it provides energy but nothing else; it is packed full of calories but lacks any vitamin or mineral content.

It’s not all bad! Sugars are also found naturally in foods. Lactose is found in milk. Fructose is found in foods such as fruit, dried fruit and fruit juices. These natural forms of sugar do provide a whole host of vitamins and minerals as well as fibre and starch.

How much should be in our diets?

Studies indicate an adult diet should contain no more than 60g of added sugars from food and drinks. Should intake be as high as 200g per day undesirable rises in blood levels of glucose, insulin and lipids can occur.

Natural sugars found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose) need not be restricted.

How much is in our diets?

Well studies out this week have reported that many people are unknowingly consuming up to 46 teaspoons of sugar in their diets*. This is equivalent to approximately 186g of sugar and contains a whopping 690kcals.

Every teaspoon adds up to 15 calories for a level teaspoon (and as much as 25 for a heaped teaspoon).

Below is a table that shows a few examples of sugar lurking in everyday foods that you may not even associate with sugar!

Food	Teaspoons of sugar
50g Kellogg’s Coco-Pops + Milk	6.6
Sugar Puffs 30g	3
Can of Coke	8.75
Jam 2 Teaspoons	2
1 Large Tablespoon Ketchup	1
Tomato Soup 1 Can	4
Mug of hot chocolate	4.5
Large glass of wine	1

NB: Total sugar content may vary from brand to brand these are approximate figures only

What are the risks of too much sugar?

Well clearly there is the weight issue. All those empty calories providing energy but no nutrients, what a waste! Being overweight brings with it a host of other problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain other diseases.

A diet too high in sugar increases the production of insulin thus contributing to adult onset diabetes.

Recent reports [i] also suggest a diet high in sugar carries with it an increased risk of heart disease. Sugar raises the ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in the body just the same way a diet high in fat does.

Sugar leads to tooth decay. Cutting down on sugary foods can help keep your pearly whites in good condition.

As I previously mentioned sugar is an anti-nutrient and contains no vitamins or minerals. Ironically though, for the body to make use of sugar it requires B vitamins, phosphorous and magnesium. So in order to utilise the sugar you snaffle down the body actually has to rob its existing stores of these nutrients thus creating nutritional deficiencies. Sugar is a nutrient thief!

What is the best way to reduce sugar intake?

· Cut down the amount you add to your hot drinks such as tea and coffee

· Reduce intake of sweets and chocolate and cakes

· Avoid sugary cereals

· Snack on raw veggies or unsalted nuts and small amounts of dried fruit rather than sugary snacks

· Read food labels and avoid foods with hidden sugars.

Tip: look under the carbohydrates and the amount of sugars will be listed as a sub-category underneath.

To conclude

Sugar tastes good, that I don’t dispute!

However it has loads of calories and no nutritional value and is an addictive substance that we have got far too used to adding to our diets.

Cut it down and you will lose the craving for it until gradually you can more or less cut it right out of your diet...excluding the odd treat of course, after all a little of what you fancy does do you good!

---

[i] April Edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association

*Daily Mail Wednesday 21^st April 2010

Setting Goals- Unlock Your Inner Self

Three years ago a very persistent martial arts instructor at the gym I was using persuaded me to give kickboxing a go.

Although a self-confessed gym addict this was something totally out of my comfort zone. I had spent the last few years doing heavy weightlifting and road biking so I was slow and somewhat unsupple. I did have the advantage however of being very strong and very fit!

The first few months were a steady battle...I mean for some of us it really does not come naturally to stand on one foot kicking, or to spin backwards to hit someone.

I dedicated more time to stretching and became really, rather bendy and kept practising and practising setting myself small goals along the way such as getting my hamstrings more flexible which would help me kick higher and reduce my risk of injury. My determination to improve paid off and after a few months I gained my first belt.

I currently train with a really friendly club and have progressed through several belts and last year I started competing in light continuous competitions.

If I had been told when I first started to kickbox that I would end up in a boxing ring partaking in fights I would have laughed. It is very nerve wracking, but I am so proud to have achieved this. It hasn’t been easy, but the great thing is each new challenge drives me to keep going to the next level.

Every time I think I can’t be bothered to train I think of my next competition or my next grading and soon enough I get my lazy butt down the gym and before I know it I’ve had a fantastic workout.

Ahh good for you, you may be thinking, we knew it, the lady behind the blogs is crazy! However, this little story has a point.

Setting yourself a personal goal is incredibly motivating. I don’t expect everyone to like exercise or if you do like it you may not enjoy every session. We all need a little motivator and my suggestion is to find something that you would like to achieve that would make you feel good.

Never underestimate your goals, it doesn’t matter how big or small they are, it’s all about personal achievement. You may choose to do a 5km walk or a 3km run, or maybe you’re the marathon type. You may want to lose that half a stone, lower your blood pressure, or run across the park after your tearaway toddler. Many of my clients sign up for events which support a charity close to their heart, which is a double whammy, getting fit for a good cause!

The point is if you have a goal it will motivate your workouts. Even on a lazy day that little voice in your head (we all have them, it’s not just me!) will be nagging you to go to the gym, and when you do you will feel so much better for it!

Thanks,

Caz

www.nuyuu.com

Stretching- Tips, Benefits And Methods

STRETCHINGEdit Posts

How many of you can honestly say you have a good stretch as part of every workout? And by stretching I do not mean a cursory bend at the hips to see if you can touch your toes. Let me explain a little bit about stretching and maybe then you will see why it is crucial part of your workout.

I don’t normally like to do the negatives to begin, but there are a couple of things I have to say NEVER do with stretching, and if you take nothing else from this article, please read and digest the following points:

NEVER BOUNCE A STRETCH - Bouncing stretches should stay right back in the 70s with your lycra and headbands. This is a dangerous, out of date technique and is a quick and easy way to bounce straight into a muscle tear.

NEVER STRETCH A COLD MUSCLE – think of your little muscles as a plasticine like substance, when they are cold they are inflexible and easy to snap, warm ‘em up and hey presto....they stretch without the snapping bit....get it?

Benefits:

· Stretching will help relieve muscle tightness and stiffness.

· It increases localized blood flow to the muscles being stretched, thus improving circulation.

· Evidence suggests it will relieve muscle soreness after intense physical activity and help to reduce the severity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) i.e. the aches and pains you may feel for a couple of days after a hard workout.

· Helps prevent injury as tight muscles can easily get strained or torn

· It can help postural imbalances – for example if you have tight hamstrings these can pull the pelvis out of its normal position, creating lower back problems!

· Stretching can be very relaxing and is a good way to relieve stress

Stretching exercises can easily be integrated into a cool down following a training session, when the body is warm.

The stretching I am going to focus on is the one that is universally beneficial for gym users, known as static stretching. There are several other types of stretching which tend to be more sports specific and I will explain more about these in future articles.

Method:

Yeah, yeah so you think who the hell needs to be told how to stretch? Well, judging from some of the sights I have seen over the years in the stretch area of most gyms, around 90% of gym users could do with a quick idiot proof stretch guide. A quality stretch needs to be done correctly, technique counts for everything.

A stretch is found in the relevant muscle and held for a set length of time. Each stretch is held for a MINIMUM of 30 seconds.....not the standard “count to 5ish seconds and move on” technique which most people seem to think adequate. Stretches can be held up to two minutes for developmental stretching.

Stretching should be pain free, it may feel slightly uncomfortable sometimes if you have very tight muscles, but if you experience pain stop!

Oh and don’t forget to breathe freely throughout each stretch.....yep I really am reminding you to breathe, trust me lots of people really do forget.

I would recommend that if you follow a programme in the gym you allow 10 minutes at the end of every workout for a good, quality stretch. Few people allow themselves time to do this which is why it gets neglected. Long term the benefits of stretching definitely outweigh the risks of not doing so.

Thanks,

www.nuyuu.com

Shin Splints

With the Marathon looming just around the corner, I thought those crazy folk out there who are pounding the pavements in preparation may appreciate some advice on a very common running injury. To those of you who are too sane or just too damn lazy to run 26 miles, you may still encounter this niggling injury, so if you have pain in your shins please read and learn......

Periostitis is the technical name for the most common type of shin splints found in the front of the lower part of your leg.

Symptoms:

So how do you know you have them?? Press slowly along your shin bone, if you have shin splints you will find an area along the shin bone that is really tender! Ouch!

Shin splints are caused when the muscles of the lower leg are over stressed, this can be through overload or excessive stretch, causing the tendons to pull excessively on the bones of the tibia and fibula resulting in pain!! The pain can normally be felt more acutely as you begin to exercise then subsides for the duration of the activity, then the pain will come back with a vengeance when you stop exercising. This is one common sign that it is shin splints, not some other injury, causing the pain.

Causes:

Overload is the most common cause and often occurs as a result of doing too much too quickly, often a problem for people new to running, or runners who have come back after a break and try to go straight back into training at the level they were at before the break. Overload can also be a result of running on hard surfaces such as roads or pavements.

Biomechanical issues can also be to blame such as over pronation or over supination of the foot (both can be helped by correct footwear) or the problem may be a result of poor running form, or unsuitable foot wear.

Prevention:

Good trainers are essential.... don’t panic, they don’t have to cost the earth! They do however need to be suitable for the training you are doing. A good sports shop will be equipped with gadgets that can tell what type of foot movement you have and even a treadmill for you to try the trainers on.....clever eh?!! Staff will then be able to advise the best trainers for you. (try your local running shop, probably the best place to find this level of service!)

Start any program slowly, gradually increase distance or time to avoid injuries. If you’ve had a break from your routine make sure you start slowly and build back up to your previous level of training. The general rule of thumb with running is to increase you distances by no more than 10% a week.

Always warm-up for at least 10 minutes, gradually increase intensity and always finish your workout with an adequate stretch incorporating all the major muscles in your legs.

Treatment:

Even if you take all the measure s in preventing shin splints they may occur and correct treatment is essential to help them heal as quickly as possible.

Think RICE

REST the legs

ICE the area of the injury

COMPRESS the injury

ELEVATE the injured area

The RICE should be applied for the first 48 to 72 hours.

You may find that the shin splints recur, if this happens go straight back to the RICE technique for 48 hours. When you recommence training start gradually again.