TAKING ACTION: ✅Share your three colorful fruits and/or veggies today! Remember, one of them needs to be green in color! 💚 ✅While we haven’t officially started our Sugar Detox, it’s a good idea to work on reducing your sugar intake ahead of time. What is one thing you regularly consume that you could cut out today? As promised, let’s talk about the role that processed sugar plays in your blood sugar. We could talk about this subject for days and still not put a dent in it. Throughout the rest of the month, we’ll cover the high points. As we discussed last week, your body and brain need glucose—they just don’t need the quality or quantity the average person consumes. Think about it this way: Plants need water, but not too much water. The same goes for your body/brain and glucose. All foods can affect your blood glucose, but generally speaking, processed sugar treats have a huge impact. More specifically, sweet carbs like cake, ice cream, and fruit juice are going to be the types of carbs that spike your blood sugar really high. You may already know this, but something you may not have known is that what typically happens after your blood sugar spikes is a blood sugar crash (where your blood glucose drops too low). This is what happens when you experience brain fog, headaches, and fatigue after eating starchy or sweet carbs. The high/low pattern is what is known as dysregulated blood glucose levels. 📉 This pattern repeats itself because, after your blood glucose drops, the craving center of your brain says, “Find more of what made you feel good!” It creates a vicious cycle with negative short-term and long-term effects. The goal is to consume foods that help you maintain a steady glucose level throughout the day—by avoiding processed sugar and opting for natural sugar sources (like berries, fruit, and even honey).

TAKING ACTION: ✅Share your three colorful fruits and/or veggies today! Remember, one of them needs to be green in color! 💚 Why are we so concerned with eating the rainbow, and what does it matter? 🌈 I’m glad you asked… The truth is that you can easily meet your macronutrient & calorie goals with almost anything. For example, you can still meet your macros and calories by eating processed foods. This is the whole “if it fits your macros” trend you’ve probably seen. However, that’s not the case when it comes to your micronutrient requirements. You actually have to focus on whole-food nutrition for the most part if you want to experience the benefits of micronutrients. Micronutrients refer to the vitamins and minerals your body needs in smaller amounts than macronutrients. Vitamins are necessary for energy production, immune function, blood clotting, and other functions. Meanwhile, minerals play an important role in growth, bone health, fluid balance, and several other processes. Micronutrients are found in vegetables (especially leafy green veggies), fruits (especially in berries), salmon, eggs, garlic, potatoes, and even dark chocolate! In short, the reason we’re focusing on our Color Challenge this month is that fruits and vegetables not only contain natural sugars, but they also contain important vitamins and minerals your body needs to function at its best. 💯 Want an easy way to get your three colorful foods in every day? Check out the micronutrient-dense smoothies! 35 Dietitian-Approved Healthy Smoothie Recipes

Omelette (3 pasture raised eggs) with diced onion and tomato, topped with salsa and avocado. Slices of apple on the side with pumpkin spice sprinkled on top. 😋

TAKING ACTION: ✅Post pics of your Color Challenge in the comments! ✅Where do you fall when it comes to eating candy or sweets? Are you able to practice proactive discipline and only enjoy a few pieces, or do you keep eating it once you start? Speaking of sugar, I often see other coaches advising their clients in one of two ways when it comes to eating the Halloween candy that’s lining the grocery aisles right now ⬇️ 👉 Don’t eat the candy 👉 Enjoy a few pieces of candy The problem is that—it’s not that simple. There are nuances that we need to factor in. It’s important to first understand your unique cravings, body, and thoughts. What works for me may not work for you—and that’s okay! For example, some people do better by allowing themselves to enjoy some of their favorite foods because complete restriction does more harm than good. On the other hand, complete restriction from certain foods may be the best option for some due to the fact that they can’t stop eating said food once they start. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Where do I fall regarding this?” If you feel as though you need complete restriction around a certain food, don’t let that get you down. The reality is that while it feels tough to swallow right now, your taste buds and your brain will change. 💯 Ultimately, the answer to the question above is unique to you and your ability to control your sugar intake.