Sugar has been demonized in the weight loss industry for years. The rise of obesity in America has largely been credited to the rise of the fast-food empire and the accompanying sweets and soda industry, which started doubling if not tripling average calorie intake of meals on a nearly daily basis. There is research out there supporting the idea that sugar causes cancer, that sugar is addictive, and that sugar is responsible for health problems A to Z.
This line of thinking, the demonization of sugar and sweets, has led many to support the idea that simply cutting out sugar from your diet, or at least drastically reducing sugar intake, is enough to help you reach your weight loss goals. The reality is that while sugar isn’t the healthiest thing you can have, simply cutting it from your diet isn’t going to be enough to help you reach your weight loss goals altogether. To truly achieve healthy weight loss you need to make fundamental changes to your diet that includes the reduction of fat as well as sugar.
The Trouble with Focusing on Sugar
Make no mistake: if you are trying to lose weight, cutting down on the ice cream and cupcakes is the place to start. It just isn’t the entire ballgame.
The problem with focusing on sugar consumption for weight loss is that many people become hyper focused on the sugar and start to overlook unhealthy choices in other areas of their diet. For example, someone who is focused on cutting out sugar might cut down on soda, candy and a few of their favorite snacks, but may do so without actually reducing their daily calorie consumption. Also, it is possible to focus so heavily on cutting down on sugar that you actually overlook the fat intake in your diet—another major area of concern.
Simply replacing your sugar intake with increased fat intake won’t help you lose weight, and could in certain cases actually cause you to put on a bit extra weight. Recent studies have found that people who struggle with obesity long-term are actually more likely to be following a diet that is high in fat, meaning that sugar might actually be the secondary concern.
Working with a weight loss doctor can help you develop a dietary plan that addresses your personal needs, helping you to make the most efficient changes for the most noticeable progress. If you are looking to lose weight, don’t start and end with cutting down on sugar. There are a lot of changes that you can make to your diet, and a comprehensive dietary plan will help you make the best choices all around so you can reach your ultimate weight loss goal.