Tips to Eat Less Sugar Without Trying!

We are sure that we don’t have to talk about how bad sugar is for us. We are all aware of it. We believe here at Abu Dhabi Personal Trainers that everything can be okay in moderation, unfortunately, when it comes to sugar, many of us struggle with moderation. Reducing your sugar intake can help you to lose weight and also stay healthy on the inside. Here are some tips and tricks from our personal trainers about how to eat less sugar without feeling like you are depriving yourself and cutting everything out!

• Cut out liquid sugar! Avoid adding sugar to your coffees and teas, avoid take away smoothies and juices as these are often marketed as healthy but are full of hidden sugars and cut out soda’s – instead opt of citrus infused sparkling water.

• Be mindful of dried fruit! In its purest form, dried fruit is just fresh fruit with the water removed. The problem is, when have you ever eaten just one dried apricot? Most will eat a handful, but you must remember, a dried apricot has the same number of calories and amount of sugar as a fresh apricot, however a dried apricot is a fraction of the size – this means that naturally you will eat more dried than you would have fresh. For our locals in Abu Dhabi, this also means being mindful of the amount of dates you eat!

• Read labels! As a rule of thumb – if it has a label you should be questioning your need to eat the food at all. However, we understand that this may not be realistic so our personal trainers recommend having a look at the nutritional value of a few different products and picking the one with the least amount of sugar – make note that some sugars may be natural sugars.

• Choose dairy carefully! A lot of dairy products have added sugar. Read the label ingredients and look for the product that does not have sugar listed as an ingredient. There are lots of unsweetened yogurts and milks available these days.

• Don’t keep sweet foods in the house! Staying no once to sugary sweets at the shops means you won’t have to say no to them every time you open the pantry or the fridge. If you are desperate for a sugary snack, opt for a single serve ice cream or single serve chocolate bar instead of buying an entire tub of ice cream or an entire block of chocolate. Aim to not bring the treat home with you.

• Limit energy bars and muesli bars! While energy bars and muesli bars may be the most convenient snack, they are often loaded with added sugars. There are healthier snack options out there. Our personal trainers recommend vegetable sticks and hummus or a piece of fruit.