Did you know the average Canadian consumes over 26 teaspoons of total sugars per day? While this number includes sugar from fruit, milk and other natural sources, Statistics Canada reports that 35 per cent of all sugar consumed comes from added sugar: products such as pop, fruit juice, candy and other processed goods (flavored yogurts, granola bars, cookies, baked goods, chocolate etc.) sweetened by a manufacturer. If you are like so many who crave sweets during times of stress or to bring energy up – it is time to put an end to this bad habit. Over-indulgence in sugars leads to belly fat storage, fatigue and irritability and can eventually contribute to other future disease processes such as heart disease and Type II diabetes. Why do we crave? Sweets are actually the first taste that humans prefer. When eating sweets in the form of carbohydrates or refined sugar, the "good feel" chemicals in the brain called serotonin and endorphins are released. These chemicals relax us, make us feel good experiencing a "natural high" and unfortunately, leave us craving for more. When it comes to eating sugar, having a sweet on occasion is not a big deal. The issue is when we start making sugar part of our daily diet and rely on it to calm nerves, feel good and boost energy. Sugar can be addictive and can sabotage your weight loss efforts in many ways. I always tell my clients, there is a big difference between "I want a cookie vs. I am going to kill someone for a cookie!" What to do to stop cravings? In order to stop the cravings for sugar, simply follow these tips below:

1. Stop cold turkey! There is no sense in weaning yourself down on sugar -- that will make it more difficult for you. I highly recommend complete elimination of all added sugars (and yes, going through a couple of uncomfortable days) and substituting with natural alternatives.

2. Enjoy natural sweet foods such as fruits and chewable vitamin C. You do not have to avoid sweet foods altogether -- just those with added sugars and flours. A couple of chewable vitamin C tablets after a meal or in the evening helps to satisfy and keeps sugar cravings from ruining what is a healthy day of eating.

3. Be informed. On your nutrition facts panel, total sugars include those that are natural (i.e. lactose from dairy products) and added sugar. Typically natural sugars are in fairly small doses, contain nutrients and are slow to absorb. Natural sugars do not have a negative impact on health. It is the added sugars that are the real issue in the diet. To determine if added sugars are in a product, check the ingredient list for words such as glucose, fructose, honey, invert sugar, dextrose, rice syrup, corn sweetener, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, maltose, sucrose, evaporated cane juice and beet sugar. The higher up on the ingredient list they appear, the more sugar is in the product.

4. Drink sweet flavoured water – i.e. add oranges, lemons or limes to water and drink up when craving!

5. Avoid artificial sweeteners. They do not appear to help with sugar cravings and seem to have a negative effect on the obesity epidemic we are facing.

6. Use naturally sweet spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Cinnamon has been shown to be beneficial for blood sugar control and in keeping cravings at bay.

7. Include protein in each and every meal to help keep blood sugars balanced and curb cravings. Examples include yogurt, protein powder (from brown rice preferred), chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, goat’s cheese and occasional red meat.

8. Use cocoa powder in your smoothies for a chocolatey taste. Cocoa powder has only 25 calories for 2 tbsps and 3.5 grams of fiber. Cocoa powder also helps to release endorphins and acts as a natural anti-depressant.

9. Compare if you dare! To get a sense of how much sugar is in an item, check flavoured items (i.e. flavoured yogurt) to plain yogurt. Keep in mind 1 teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams. Thus, if a yogurt has 16 grams of sugar per serving, that is close to 4 teaspoons of sugar!

Take home point: In order to crack the weight loss code for good, it is critical to get sugar cravings under control. Simply implement the steps above and finally put an end to your hankering sweet tooth! Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman www.drjoey.com @drjoeyshulman

Let’s face it: life is busy, and fitting weight loss into your schedule can often be difficult. When beginning a new eating routine, I often recommend following an "auto-pilot" eating approach that consists of easy-to-make meals. In other words, for the first few weeks, keep variety to a minimum and pick a few favourite meals and...repeat! This approach takes the thinking out of eating and forces you to stick to the plan. When I lost all of my baby weight (75 whopping pounds!), I literally ate the same breakfast for over 2 months! So, in the vein of making life a little simpler, here are a few of my "go to" 10-minute meals. Quick, easy and on plan! However, if you do want more variety, we have two 7 -day meal plans posted for you in the 2015 Cityline Weight Loss Challenge section, and more recipes and meal plans coming each and every week.

10-minute breakfast options

Apple cinnamon yogurt parfait

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 red or green apple, sliced
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds or hemp seeds
• ½ tsp of cinnamon
• 1 handful of bran buds (optional to enhance fiber and crunch!)

Add yogurt to a bowl, top with apple and flax or hemp seeds. Sprinkle cinnamon and bran buds on top and enjoy! Blissful berry smoothie (*vegan!)

• ½ cup mixed frozen berries
• 1 cup unsweetened cashew, almond or soy milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (brown rice or soy protein powder)
• 3-4 ice cubes
• Handful of kale or spinach

Blend on high and enjoy! Cheesy scrambled eggs

• 1-2 full eggs or 3-4 egg whites scrambled
• 1 oz. goat’s cheese
• 1 slice sprouted grain toast

Lox and cream cheese bagel

• 1 whole wheat, high fibre bagel
• 3 oz. lox
• 1 tbsp light cream cheese
• 8-10 capers

Please note: On the challenge, you are allowed 1 grain per day. If you use your grain option at breakfast, the rest of the day is grain free in the initial days of the challenge.

10-minute lunch options

Tuna avocado wrap

• 1 high fibre, whole wheat wrap
• 4 ounces white tuna
• ½ tbsp mayonnaise
• Cherry tomatoes, halves
• Celery, chopped
• ½ avocado, sliced
• Baby spinach leaves

Mix tuna with mayonnaise. Place tuna and vegetable on wrap, roll up and enjoy! Turkey sandwich

• 4 oz honey turkey slices, gluten- and nitrate-free
• 2 pieces sprouted grain bread
• 2 tomato slices
• 1 lettuce leaf
• Mustard

Chicken Greek salad

• 3-4 oz. chicken breast, sliced
• 1 hard boiled egg, cut in half
• Cucumber, chopped
• Tomatoes, chopped
• Red onion, diced
• 6-7 olives
• 1 Tbsp feta cheese
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + lemon juice + 1 tsp dried oregano + salt and pepper

10-minute dinner options

The bunless hummus burger

• 1 4-6 oz patty (beef, chicken, turkey or vegetarian), cooked through
• 1 tbsp. plain hummus (or sundried tomato hummus)
• Cucumber slices
• Tomato slices
• Avocado slices
• Lettuce leaves

Cook burger in a non-stick pan. On a large lettuce leaf, spread hummus and add cucumber, tomato and avocado slices. Top with burger and top with an additional lettuce leaf – enjoy! Low carb nacholess salad

• 1 1/2 cups Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 4-6 oz ground chicken, cooked
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

On a baking pan lined with tin foil, spread a fresh bed of shredded lettuce. Distribute meat, olives, chopped tomatoes, green onion and any additional toppings. Sprinkle with cheese. Heat oven to 350F and broil for 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Remove immediately and serve. Serve with guacamole or low-fat cottage cheese if desired. “Pasta-less” pasta

• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1/4 cup whole grain pasta, cooked al dente
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 4 oz sliced chicken breast, cooked
• 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta to al dente (undercook by 2 minutes). Stir fry or steam cut up vegetables of choice (i.e. cauliflower or broccoli). Mix pasta and vegetables together. Top with tomato sauce, sliced chicken and 1 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and enjoy! Please note: Grain is not allowed at night during the initial start-up phase. However, the small amount of pasta above will not fluctuate weight and lends the “feel” of pasta to this tasty dish. Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman www.drjoey.com @drjoeyshulman Click here download a printable PDF version.

Get your day started off right with this delicious mocha-flavoured smoothie, packed with energy-boosting maca.

Dr. Joey’s mocha maca morning smoothie

Serving size: 1 Ingredients:

• 1 tsp organic instant coffee
• 1 tsp cocoa or cacao powder
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 1 frozen banana, broken into chunks
• ½ cup vanilla almond milk (sweetened or not)
• 1 tbsp peanut butter or nut butter of your choice
• 1 tbsp maca powder*
• 1 scoop of protein powder – vanilla
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Ice for serving, optional

Method: 1. Add the instant coffee and cocoa powder to boiling water in a mug and stir to dissolve. Pour mixture into a blender. 2. Add the banana, almond milk, nut butter, maca powder, protein powder, cinnamon and ice and process until completely smooth. Enjoy! *Maca can be omitted from recipe if desired. What is maca? Maca is a root plant derived from the cruciferous family (similar to broccoli). Maca has adaptagen properties which can help to balance hormones, boost energy and mood. Which protein powder do I recommend? My favorite type of protein powder is one that is sprouted and derived from brown rice. When purchasing protein powder, opt for one that is free of fillers and artificial sweeteners. As always – the fewer ingredients, the better! Courtesy www.drjoey.com

Day 1:

Breakfast: Chocolate-strawberry smoothie

• ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• cinnamon to taste

Blend on high and enjoy. Morning snack: Cucumbers and carrot sticks Lunch: Chicken quinoa salad

• 3 oz of chicken, chopped
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup spinach
• ½ cup arugula
• ¼ cup cucumbers
• 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1.5 tbsp. of low fat ranch dressing
• 1 oz of goat cheese

Toss all ingredients together, mix in dressing and sprinkle cheese on top. Afternoon snack: ½ cup grapes + 20 pistachios Dinner: Tuna radicchio boats

• 1 can of tuna, packed in water and low sodium
• 2 tbsp celery, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cooked artichoke
• 1 tbsp low-fat mayo
• radicchio, 2 halves
• alfalfa sprouts

Mix all ingredients, except radicchio leaves and alfalfa sprouts until smooth. Place mixture in both leaves, top with sprouts, salt and pepper and serve.

Day 2:

Breakfast: ½ cup cottage cheese + 1 piece of sprouted grain toast Morning snack: 1 apple + 10 almonds Lunch: 1 cup of lentil soup 1 piece of bread with 1 Laughing Cow cheese + small tomato salad Afternoon snack: Celery sticks, cucumbers and 1 laughing cow cheese Dinner: Good Night Smoothie

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• ½ cup of blueberries
• 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup spinach
• ½ cup ice

Blend on high and enjoy.

Day 3:

Breakfast: Muffin in a Mug Morning snack: ½ cup of berries + 20 pistachios Lunch:  Faux bean burrito

• 1 med whole wheat wrap
• ½ cup refried black beans
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 3 dashes of hot sauce (to taste)
• Chopped lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, green onions
• ¼ avocado
• 1-2 tbsp. of salsa
• 1 oz of goat’s cheese

Snack: 100g Greek yogurt Dinner: 4 oz baked chicken + cauliflower mash 

Day 4

Breakfast: Yogurt parfait smoothie

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg

Blend on high and enjoy! Morning snack: 1 small applesauce, unsweetened Lunch: Sprouted grain Caesar salad wrap

• 4 oz grilled chicken, sliced in strips
• ½ cup romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 handful alfalfa sprouts
• 1 tbsp of low-fat Caesar salad dressing

Toss lettuce with dressing. Add lettuce, chicken and alfalfa sprouts sprouted grain wrap. Roll up and enjoy! Afternoon snack: 1 pear + 6 walnut halves Dinner: Veggie Omelet + 1 cup tomato soup

Day 5:

Breakfast:  Blissful berry parfait

• ½ cup of Greek yogurt
• ½ cup of blueberries
• 1 tbsp of goji berries
• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds
• cinnamon

Morning snack: Celery sticks + 1 tbsp of almond butter Lunch: Chicken and vegetable sandwich + free weight loss soup 

• 2 pieces of Stonemill bread
• 3 oz of organic sliced chicken
• ¼ avocado
• 2 Laughing Cow cheese
• Tomato, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts
• Mustard

Afternoon snack: Baked kale chips + 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds Dinner: Roasted potatoes and rainbow trout 1 small roasted sweet potato, cubed 4 oz baked rainbow trout with lemon slices

Day 6:

Breakfast: Banana vanilla French toast

• 1 piece Stonemill bread
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup egg whites
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 banana, cut up
• cinnamon

Morning snack: 1 Light BabyBel Lunch: Chickpea salad

• ½ cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup of spinach and arugula mixture
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup of cucumbers, chopped
• 1tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp low fat ranch dressing

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy Afternoon snack: 5 Mary’s crackers + hummus Dinner: Steak salad 

• 4 oz cooked steak, sliced into thin strips
• 1 ½ cups of mixed leafy greens
• ½ onion, sliced
• ½ cup of cooked yellow beans,
• 1 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette

Mix all vegetables and toss in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add steak strips and enjoy.

Day 7:

Breakfast: Over-easy eggs + sweet potatoes home fries

• 2 eggs, cooked over easy
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• ½ small onion, sliced
• ½ cup spinach
• 1 small sweet potato, cubed and sautéed w onions and spinach

In a small skillet sauté 1 tsp of oil and onions, add sweet potatoes. When almost cooked stir in spinach. In a separate skillet cook eggs over-easy and enjoy. Morning snack: Skinny vanilla latté Lunch:  Baked salmon with creamy arugula salad

• 4 oz salmon fillet
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced and placed on salmon– bake for 20 min at 350F
• 1 cup of arugula leaves
• 1 sliced small tomato
• ½ cup cucumbers, sliced
• ½ red pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp of low-fat ranch or Caesar dressing

Afternoon snack: ½ cup of strawberries + 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds Dinner: Basil veggie pasta 

Recipes

  Microwave muffin Cauliflower mash   Dr. Joey's free weight loss soup Basil veggie pasta

Click here to download printable PDF of the meal plan. 

Recipes and meal plan courtesy of www.drjoey.com

Every great adventure starts with one small step. The 2015 Cityline Weight Loss Challenge is here and we are bringing healthy back! In addition to losing belly fat and inches, our emphasis this year will also be on improving energy, sleep, skin and overall confidence in how you feel. Finally, we are going to put an end to emotional eating and yo-yo dieting and get you back to your best self. Below you will find all the “need to knows” to get started on the program. The start-up package for the Cityline Weight Loss Challenge 2015 includes:  A 10-step summary of my weight loss program – Print this one summary off and keep handy to refer to often as your guide. Portion size and specific details of the program will all be outlined. A downloadable food journal – Research is very clear that people who food journal lose more weight overall. Please record everything you eat and drink in your food journal. You will also have the opportunity to record your weekly weigh in results and a summary of how you feel at the end of the day. A 7-day meal plan – The 7-day meal plan is an example of your perfect week. You do not have to stick to this meal plan to lose. We will be posting more recipes and meal plans as we go along. If you have any great recipes or meals you create – let us know at drjoey@drjoey.com. An ideal grocery list – This list will help to keep your organized when you first hit the grocery store to get started. To get started – please record all your initial measurements. Click here for instructions on how to take your circumference measurements properly. A few “need to know” tips for starting the program:

• Everyone has a different metabolism, however, on average you will lose 2 pounds per week.
• For every 5 pounds you lose, you will lose an inch and a half around your belly region.
• The program is based on blood sugar balancing (a.k.a hormonal balance) with wholesome, healthy and delicious food.
• Weight loss does not always happen in a straight line. If you hit a plateau after losing 10 or more pounds – I will show you how to break it.
• It does not matter how many diets you have been on in the past or how old you are – you can and will lose and get healthier and I am here to help!
• The structure of the program will create a long-term shift with your food choices that will help you lose the weight and keep it off for life.

I have had the pleasure of working with thousands of clients over my 12 years in the weight loss world and cannot wait to work with you! So many of our Cityline viewers have lost weight and are keeping it off simply by following along. So…. keep me posted on your progress, tune in to our shows and join me for all of our online chats. In addition to frequently checking www.cityline.ca/weightlosschallenge for new blogs and postings, you can also drop me a line at drjoey@drjoey.com to let me know how you are doing. Are you ready to bring your healthy back? Let’s get started! Wishing you the best, Dr. Joey Shulman