Kick your sugar addiction for better health, fitness

It may come as no surprise to many of you that obesity in adults, as well as teens and younger children is at an all time high. This is such an unfortunate reality, extremely serious with huge health care costs and a completely curable disease!

What you choose to eat and your lack of exercise will absolutely determine your weight. If you are an individual who is overweight and continues to blame the food industry, the mass explosion of media, the current job you are at, your stress or whatever appears to be the convenient “blame for the day,” I would suggest you take a long hard look in the mirror.

You are the one in control of everything in your life.

If you are not happy with your current weight, your overall health or your children’s health — I would recommend you make a decision to change it, and follow through! Stop making excuses and start making a difference.

One positive change that you can easily begin with towards improving your health and decreasing your waistline, is, eliminate the sugar from your lifestyle. Yes, sugar. Take one meal at a time. No sugar.

You will be amazed after a week of eliminating sugar, how good you will feel.

Some other ideas that you can incorporate into your life ‘if’ you are ready for a healthy change are:

• Reduce time spent watching television and in other sedentary behaviors.

• Create more opportunities for physical activity at work sites.

• Build physical activity into regular routines.

• Ensure that the school breakfast and lunch programs are high in nutrition. I personally had lunch at one of our local elementary schools and was completely shocked at what the children were served.

• Provide food options that are low in fat, calories and sugar.

• Provide all children, from prekindergarten through grade 12, with quality “daily” physical education.

Natalie Dreger is a certified fitness trainer. She can be reached at nataliedreger1@gmail.com.