Issue 144

August 2016

Six easy solutions to satisfy your sweet tooth so you won’t KO your weight cut

Look no further than The Ultimate Fighter for undeniable evidence of mixed martial artists who let their sugar cravings get the better of them. Season five’s Gabe Ruediger and TUF 18’s Anthony Gutierrez couldn’t resist the temptation to fill their faces with junk and were booted off the show for failing to make weight. To make sure you don’t make the same mistake, FO has found half a dozen ways to make sure you stay away from the white stuff.

Stick to it 

Sugar craves sugar. The more you eat, the more you’ll want. It’s a vicious cycle. Leading MMA nutritionist, George Lockhart, who works with Cris Cyborg, Frankie Edgar and many others, suggests adding between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of cinnamon to a liter of water to help resist the temptation to indulge in it. A little spice will flatline your insulin levels and fight cravings. Alternatively, drop a cinnamon stick into some hot water or your morning cup of joe.   

Stay sharp

Cinnamon may keep you more alert and decrease your frustration. The perfect partner for a technical sparring session.

Mag-nificent 

Cacao powder might sound like it’s more suited to a cheat day, but it’s high in magnesium, which is a solid arrow to have in your sugar-fighting quiver. According to research by the Iraqi Journal of Medical Sciences, it can help to regulate fructose, which is responsible for your sugar highs and lows. Keeping yourself topped up with this mineral can fend off cravings. Magnesium also has muscle recovery-benefits, making it an ideal element to add to your nutritional intake.  

Separated at birth

Don’t confuse cacao with it’s nutritionally-inferior cousin, cocoa, which is made by roasting cacao at high temperatures.

Sweet leaf

Stevia is a natural sugar substitute with no calories. It can be added to almost anything as a sweetener. Whether it’s protein-rich natural yogurt in the morning or a mug of warm almond milk in the evening, it should help to kill your cravings. You can even use it in baking, although it won’t caramelize – so no creme brulee! Even though it’s calorie free, stevia, which is actually a plant, is actually up to 200 times sweeter than the same amount of granulated table sugar.

Absolute zero

Stevia is at the ‘0’ mark on the glycemic index, meaning that, scientists have proven stevia has no effects on blood sugar.

Apple of your eye

A study published in The Journal of Functional Foods found that apple cider vinegar can also help reduce your blood sugar levels. It’s strong stuff that you won’t want to consume on its own, so add a tablespoon to 8oz of water for the most palatable way to get your fix. It’s also been shown to be a glucose stabilizer and weight-loss aid that can help improve digestion and reduce appetite for any food – not just the sweet stuff.

Face the pain

Don’t like the taste? Splash some on your face. It’s a natural way of freshening up your skin after a sparring session.

Sprinkle some chia 

If you’re going to cut out the sweet stuff, you’ll need the most satiating foods you can get your hands on. Protein, fat and fiber will keep you full and your blood sugar steady. Your quick fix in the morning could be a protein shake with a little coconut oil and some cia seeds. These mighty balls absorb up to 10 times their own weight in liquid, which means you’ll be fuller for longer, and less likely to reach for the cookie jar around mid-morning. 

  Ancient application

Chia is the Mayan word for strength.

The ancient civilization prized the seeds for their energy-boosting properties.

L is for lazy 

For a cheap and easy solution to deny your sugar cravings, turn to your sports supplement shelf and reach for the L-glutamine. In its pure form, it’s unflavored, so you can add it to any beverage. Plus, it also brings the added benefit of helping you to recover after a draining training session and you can call on its beneficial qualities up to four times a day. If you need to fight the urge any more than that, we suggest you seek help.

  FO choice

GAT L-Glutamine

$24.36 (1.1lb)

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