If you are an apple shape and tend to put on weight around your middle, you will be pleased to know that it can be solved by maintaining an even blood sugar says Urbod Nutritionist, Amanda Michie. Blood sugar balance is fundamental for appetite control and weight loss. The level of glucose in your blood determines your appetite. When blood sugar drops, due to skipping meals or following a surge in glucose from over eating or sugary, refined foods, you feel tired, irritable and start reaching for the foods and drinks that you shouldn’t such as chocolate, biscuits, a can of coke or a cup of coffee. The surge in glucose from these types of food and drink ends in a dramatic drop in blood sugar and so the cycle continues. The problem with an imbalanced blood sugar is that it is host to many health problems including weight gain. Blood sugar swings trigger the hormone cortisol, which releases stores of glucose into the blood stream, however unless you are using up the glucose in the form of exercise, your body will store the excess as fat around the waist.
In order to maintain balanced blood sugar, the key is to cut back on sugary foods and replace them with complex carbohydrates from oats, whole grains, unsalted nuts or seeds, fruit such as apples and legumes such as lentils or beans. Unrefined, high fibre foods help to slow down the release of glucose into the blood stream which prevents a surge in blood sugar levels. Combining complex carbohydrates with protein slows down the release of glucose even further, providing the blood stream with a constant supply of energy over a longer period of time. So to keep the fat off your waist, combine complex carbohydrates with proteins, cut back on the caffeine, sugary drinks and snacks, take daily exercise and never skip meals!
