The Sugar-less challenge...

In today’s New York Times’ Health section it reads:

“Nearly two-thirds of the United States population is overweight. There are many ways to determine if a person is overweight, but experts believe that a person's body mass index (BMI) is the best way to assess an adult's weight in relation to their height.

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal.

Adults with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight. There are exceptions. For example, an athlete may have a higher BMI but not be overweight.

Adults with a BMI greater than 30 are considered obese.

Adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 40 are considered extremely obese.

Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese.”

(If you don’t know your BMI, click here to calculate your BMI on The National Institute of Health website.)

Most likely, simply understanding your BMI won’t stop you from overeating or inspire you to exercise, but it will give you a reality check about your body if it is seriously unhealthy.

But if you find yourself in an overweight or obese category (listed above), there is one immediate little change you can make that will have a big result on your overall weight loss and health.

Eliminate processed sugar from your diet. Sugar is carbohydrate that will convert to fat for storage if you eat more than your body needs or burns. (I encourage you to do a “google” search on sugar and read for yourself the many reasons it is unhealthy for you except in very small amounts.)

Start with soda pop which is loaded with sugar. Then eliminate all processed sugars up to a maximum of 10% of your daily food intake. Concentrate on eating only natural sugars found in fruit, etc. Substitute sugar with natural and/or organic sweeteners such as honey, agave, or stevia. And drink water (instead of sugary drinks) with added lemon, cucumber, or mint leaves for a refreshing taste.

If you start with soda pop, then continue until you remove all processed sugars from your daily intake, you will see an immediate and possibly dramatic weight change in a very short time. (My husband, who was not overweight, but due to other health concerns completely eliminated sugar and white flour--another carbohydrate--from his daily food intake and lost 25 pounds in less than 3 months.)

Let me know if you're up for the Sugar-less challenge!

Be encouraged,

Becky