How To Eat Sugar (And Get Away With It)

There are two things we know for sure.

1. Sugar is the devil.
2. Everyone freakin' loves sugar.

If you're like most people, you have one takeaway from those two facts... If sugar is wrong, then I don't want to be right!

Your monkey brain gets a little taste of that pure sweet sugar energy, and it goes absolutely mad. You can almost feel it throwing plates against the wall inside your mind as you stare at that donut. The sugar monkey (I call mine Chim Chim) is a genuine tyrant. A tyrant we indulge too easily, I might add.

Let's get straight to it.

Sugar is in almost everything you buy. It's nearly impossible to avoid if you're not careful, and even if you are, let's be honest... You're still going to indulge from time to time.

After almost 15 years as a personal trainer, I've learned that being practical is much better than being perfect. So my philosophy is if you're going to do it, let's be smart about it.

If you're sitting here reading this saying *Que annoying voice* "What kind of blog is this, Justin!? You shouldn't be telling people it's ok to eat sugar! Obesity is an epidemic, Justin!" *End annoying voice*

All I have to say is get over yourself. Are you really going to abstain from ice cream for the rest of your life? Ice cream!? Well, are you? 

I didn't think so. 

So let's get real and deal with sugar like grown-ass adults. Food is one of life's great pleasures. Sugar included. So now and then you should enjoy it. And when you do, you can refer back to this blog so you know how to be smart about it.

But before we get into how you can eat sugar to minimize its adverse effects, you must understand how and why sugar can be so awful.

What Sugar Is And Why It Can Be The Devil

Sugar is just stored energy. It's a simple, easy way for your body to get fuel to survive. And that's why little Chim Chim likes it so much. Sugar is a carbohydrate. Fundamentally, there are two types of carbohydrates.

1. Simple - High fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar, etc.
2. Complex - Quinoa, whole grains, etc.

What makes a carb simple or complex are the chemical bonds that hold them together. Simple carbs have a simple molecular structure that breaks down quickly and easily. Complex carbs have a complex molecular structure that is harder to break down and takes significantly longer.

That molecular structure is what makes a carb "good" or "bad" (I'm using those terms loosely). Ultimately, what makes a "good" carb and a "bad" carb is the delivery speed of glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream. The more simple the carbohydrate, the faster it breaks down and releases into your bloodstream. Simple carbs like sugar break down really, really fast.

When your body senses the release of glucose in the bloodstream, it releases the hormone insulin to carry the glucose into your cells. This is what gives every cell in your body energy. 

You might be asking yourself, if that's how glucose gets into the cells, why would simple carbs be bad?

It comes down to overcompensation. When carbs like sugar break down too quickly, your body releases too much insulin in response. This leaves you with too much insulin leftover in the bloodstream. If this is a habit, over time, your cells become resistant to insulin. This means your body is no longer able to carry sugar into the cells effectively. And when that happens... Congrats! Now you have type 2 diabetes. 

It doesn't just end there, does it? Sugar also makes you fat. Why? For one, it's insanely easy to overeat sugar. And yes, you need sugar, but not a bunch of it. You basically have a sugar gas tank. You want that full. But when you get too much sugar, the tank overflows into the reserve tank. You know what we call that reserve tank? You guessed it. Fat.

That's how sugar works and why, in a nutshell, it can be the devil.

How To Eat Sugar, And Get Away With It

In general, there are a few ways to reduce the impact of sugar so you can enjoy that sweet treat guilt-free.

My favorite dessert, maybe in the world, is the turtle pie at Pappas Bros Steakhouse. If we're going to Pappas, you can bet I'm gonna get that turtle pie. As odd as it sounds, this is the best way to get your sugar in! What do I mean? I mean, planning your sugar ahead. If you know you've got a sugar date coming up like the turtle pie at Pappas, or a birthday party, etc. You can prepare so you can eat that turtle pie without the guilt.

Here's the secret...

Understand that two things, primarily, make sugar the devil. One is the rate the sugar is delivered into your bloodstream. And the second is your sugar gas tank overflowing into the reserve tank (fat).

So you, as a sugar-savvy health genius, are going to focus on two things. Slowing down the release of sugar into the bloodstream and avoiding gas tank overflow.

Here's what you're going to do.

1. Get a hard workout before. The goal here is to deplete your body's glycogen levels (gas tank) so that more of the sugar you eat goes toward filling up your gas tank and less spills over into your overflow tank (fat).
2. Don't eat a bunch of carbs at dinner. Do that, and your gas tank WILL overflow, and you'll store more fat.
3. Eat fattier foods at dinner. Foods like ribeye, fish, avocado, etc. Fat slows down the absorption of sugar. (Which is why ice cream would be preferrable to candy)
4. Eat plenty of fiber with your dinner. Fiber also slows down the absorption of sugar. Pre-sugar fiber is best taken in the form of green leafy vegetables like brussels sprouts and asparagus.

Pretty simple right? Do those 4 things, and you'll be doing yourself a HUGE favor.

But since you've read this far and we're basically best friends now... I'm gonna give you some extras. Pro tips, if you will... 

There are a few other countermeasures you can take. And if at all possible, you should take them.

• Slow it down. Add more fiber directly to your dessert! You can do this by adding chia seeds to your ice cream, for example, or psyllium which has been shown to slow down sugar uptake to the bloodstream.
• Add cinnamon. Not just any cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon. Studies show Ceylon helps stabilize your blood sugar, so you avoid those big ups and downs that trigger fat storage.
• Go for a walk. Perhaps you already do this instinctively. After a dose of sugar, a walk can help to level out your blood sugar.
• Take a shot of ACV. What's ACV? Apple Cider Vinegar. It's been shown to stabilize blood sugar as well. A 1 oz shot is all you need after a sugar-filled treat. Yeah, I know, it's gross, but you've probably taken way worse shots for way worse reasons. So... grow up.