We all have a sweet tooth and, I know personally, it can be so hard to resist the sugary treats that are everywhere. We live in an obesogenic society, meaning we are destined to gain weight due to our environment. Unfortunately, much to my disappointment, eating too much sugar can lead to a host of health problems—especially weight gain. If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important that you understand how sugar makes you gain fat and what you can do to break the cycle. In this article, I am going to tell you how this sweet treat can have a negative effect on your health and what you can do to keep it under control.
Ways Sugar Makes You Fat
One of the key ways sugar makes you fat is by causing an increase in insulin levels. Insulin helps your body take in and process sugar, but if there is too much sugar in your diet, then your body has to produce more insulin. This excess insulin causes fat cells to store energy in the form of fat instead of using it. It also causes a decrease in your metabolic rate, so you can’t burn as many calories. Overtime as your pancreas has to pump out more insulin to match the high demand from a sugar intensive diet, it starts to fail – leading to diabetes.
Another way sugar makes you fat is by affecting your hormones. Excess sugar can interfere with the production of certain hormones, such as leptin, which helps to regulate your appetite and metabolism. This can cause cravings for sugary snacks, making it harder to stick to a healthy diet. In addition, because your adipose (fat) tissue also increase problems with insulin resistance, your body starts to send out more inflammatory markers and accentuates the production of cortisol. This is an especially dramatic effect for women with PCOS who start off at puberty struggling with insulin resistance that only worsens with a hormone dysfunction.
Finally, sugar can make you fat by affecting your food choices. When you eat sugary snacks or drinks, it can lead to a cycle of cravings and poor food choices, making it difficult to make healthier choices. When your body is craving sugar, it is actually craving multiple most of which I have nothing to do with the actual sugar. Often times it is craving protein, fat, or some other element missing from your diet if you have been supplementing with sugar and not eating more varied, healthful food choices.
What Can You Do About It?
Fortunately, there are things you can do to break the sugar-weight gain cycle. One of the most important steps is to reduce your intake of added sugars and increase your intake of healthy fats and proteins. Also, knowing the calories you should be eating daily is key. It is important to note that taking in empty calories won’t help you lose weight, so make sure to limit sugary snacks and drinks.
Logging your food and trying to keep your carbohydrate intake to less than 30% and your sugar intake to under 150 grams, as recommended by the American Diabetic Association, can also decrease your risk for prediabetes and diabetes. Even if you have lab values that are showing progression in these areas, the great thing about insulin resistance is that you can reverse that utilizing diet, movement, stress release, and medication together. If you are able to revolutionize your lifestyle, you may be even able to offer some of the medications that helped you initially get this inflammation under control.
Eating a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and keep your metabolism running efficiently. From there, you can gradually reduce your sugar intake while still allowing yourself the occasional indulgence. There are several low-sugar snacks and drinks available that you can use to satisfy your cravings without the added calories. In addition, diet high in fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar and regulate your digestive track. Because your digestive track secrets incretins which also help you manage your sugar levels, it is important to go regularly and easily (yes, I am talking about number 2).
Finally, make sure to stay active. Movement not only helps burn off calories and fat, but it also helps to regulate your hormones, reduce cravings, and increase your metabolism. You could practice yoga, go for a walk, or just find some fun activities that incorporate movement into your daily routine. Although the recommended amount of movement is 150 minutes per week, starting off at just five minutes once a week is a great place to begin. Remember this is more about building sustainable habits, then crashing into something that is hard to maintain and then going back to your previous behaviors.
Although it may seem like a daunting task to cut down on sugar, if you make small changes and stay consistent, you can see big results. Remember, it’s not just the sugar that can cause weight gain; it’s also the lack of exercise and food choices that contribute to your inflammation and eventually worsening insulin resistance. Reading food labels and knowing exactly what you’re eating can help you make better decisions and stay on track. Try to keep your carbohydrate content per serving to 15 g or less along with 15g of sugar intake, as well. The number 15 also matches the recommended intake of 150g sugar per day. You can take control of your health today and start taking steps to reduce your sugar intake. These decisions now make healthier choices that will help you reach your weight loss goals and reduce your risk of diabetes later in life.
The Bottom Line
I hope this article has helped you better understand how sugar makes you fat and what you can do to break the cycle. So the next time you reach for sugary snacks and drinks, consider limiting the serving size or frequency in which you consume these. I typically recommend And if you ever need help or support, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for women weight loss in Spokane to help you on your journey to weight loss success. My personalized programs and nutrition plans can help you achieve your goals in a safe and healthy way. Good luck!
