So what is blood sugar?
Blood sugar refers to the amount of glucose in the blood at any given time. Glucose is the body’s preferred source of fuel. The brain, nervous system and red blood cells cannot function without continuous supply of energy from blood glucose; however, we must pay close attention to the quantity and quality of carbohydrate that we consume, the food source from which it comes, and the quality of its ingredients.
Balanced blood sugar plays a role in energy, weight loss, weight maintenance and overall health.
Here are my top 5 tips for balancing blood sugar to optimise weight control:
Number 1
Start your day with a well-balanced breakfast of slow releasing carbohydrates to give you lasting energy, protein to feed your muscles and good fats to optimise brain function and stabilise blood sugar. Here is my go to breakfast smoothie that I swear by…
- 125g coconut water with extra 75g water – ice
- 15g avocado
- 20g traditional oats
- 30g banana
- 10g almonds
- 5g chia seeds
- 1 raw egg
- 1tsp vanilla paste
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- sprinkle of Himalayan salt
Blend all ingredients in a quality blender and enjoy!
Number 2
Eat protein with each meal. Carbohydrates are our energy food, fats slow down the absorption of our blood sugar but it’s protein that helps pull sugar into our cells so our body can use it for energy.
Number 3
Eat a small balanced snack between each main meal. It is when we get into a state of high hunger or low energy (often a result off low blood sugar) that we turn to energy dense, nutrient poor food that end up spiking our blood sugars only to see them crash an hour later.
Number 4
Get some Zzzz’s. Each night aim for a minimum of 7hours of QUALITY sleep. A restless night and or poor quality and quantity of sleep continuously wreaks havoc on your blood sugar. The less sleep you get, the more challenges your body has at effectively utilising insulin, therefore leading to suboptimal glucose usage and more fat storage.
Number 5
Ensure exercise is part of your weekly routine. This includes both cardio and resistance training. Did you know that exercise helps to remove sugar from the blood and take it to our liver and muscles where it can be utilised and stored effectively.
Summary
Balancing your blood sugars to avoid the energy highs and energy lows really does come down to your food. If you have a good understanding on what it is you need to eat, it then comes down to taking the time to plan and prepare your meals. Failing to plan is planning to fail.
To learn more on weight control and blood sugar management, head to our Facebook video and watch the replay of our live event.
